By Philip A. Janquart ICR Editor He says there is nothing better than having a place to go, plenty of asphalt ahead and time to think. And for Father Caleb Vogel — vicar general for the Diocese of Boise — there have been plenty of roads in life. Some led to the priesthood; others have carried him through Idaho’s mountains, across the country and into Canada on the back of his Triumph motorcycle. But long before he was riding motorcycles or celebrating Mass in parishes across Idaho, his most important road began in Jerome, where he grew up surrounded by family, friends and a parish that was never far from home. “It was a blessed upbringing,” Father Vogel told the Idaho Catholic Register. He was one of six children. Both sets of grandparents lived within a short bicycle ride, two aunts lived across the street and St. Jerome Catholic Church was only three blocks away. “We knew all of our neighbors,” Father Vogel said. “So, I grew up, really, with being surrounded by family. My friend group was really my family group.” Church life was a big part of that family life. St. Jerome was a close-knit parish, and the family was involved in just about everything. His parents participated in the Cursillo movement and retreats. His mother eventually became the parish’s director of religious education. Father Vogel, right, takes a break during his early seminary years to go for a ride with his brother, Nick. (Courtesy photo) And the family even helped take care of the church. “We were the janitors of the church,” Father Vogel said. He and his brother eventually took care of the parish lawn, which meant they spent plenty of time around the church — and around its priests. “So we were around the church all the time,” he said. “I got to see priests outside of Sunday, and staff people.” That early exposure gave Father Vogel a glimpse of something he would eventually come to know for himself: the priesthood was not simply what happened at the altar on Sunday. It was a life lived among people. The first person to suggest that life might be his own was his grandmother. A seed takes root Father Vogel was about eight when his grandmother told him she could see him becoming a priest someday. “I remember this,” he said. “This is a memory, whether it’s true or not.” He understood what she meant, even if he was too young to understand what becoming a priest really involved. Still, the idea stayed with him. “That idea of being a priest was really lovingly planted, that seed, by my grandma, who I really respected and loved,” he said. “And so that seed just kept growing.” By high school, the idea had become much more serious. “From a young age, I didn’t always know I was going to be a priest, but I always wanted to be,” he said. “By the time I got to high school, that was the dominant idea, and I knew I wanted to at least try.” He decided to test that calling in a straightforward way. “When I graduated high school, the only school I applied to was the seminary,” he said. His thinking was simple: “That’ll be my sign. If I make it, great.” He entered Mount Angel Seminary in Oregon in 1995, studying philosophy. In 1999, he transferred to St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park, California, where he completed his theological studies. He was ordained a priest in 2004 at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Boise, by Bishop Michael Driscoll, alongside Father Dat Vu. His first assignment took him to Idaho Falls, where he served two churches as well as missions in Roberts and Mud Lake. From there came assignments in St. Anthony, Rexburg and Driggs, followed by campus ministry at the University of Idaho in Moscow. Moscow was not an assignment he expected. “I never expected that,” he said. “It was a wonderful opportunity to work with students.” It was also where he began helping with vocations. After six years in Moscow, he was assigned to St. Paul’s in Nampa. Six years later, Bishop Peter asked him to serve at the Diocesan Pastoral Center. Today, Father Vogel serves as vicar general while also serving as pastor of parishes in McCall, Cascade and Riggins. That means plenty of time on the road. “I go up on Thursday afternoon, and then try to do all that I can to serve the parish there on the weekend,” he said. The arrangement is part of a larger reality facing the Church: There simply are not enough priests. “I think the idea right now is (I’ll do this) for as long as it’s needed and I’m able,” he said. “We need more priests.” And that brings Father Vogel to another kind of road. Father Maruisz Majewski, St. Thomas the Apostle in Coeur d'Alene, and Father Vogel take time for a quick photo before heading out on a long trip to the Arctic Circle north of Canada. (Courtesy photo) The road itself His love of motorcycles goes back to childhood, when he watched his father ride a Honda Trail 90. Over the years, Father Vogel has owned several motorcycles, including a Kawasaki Ninja, a Honda VFR 800 and a Yamaha 750 Special. He has ridden across much of the country and into Canada. One trip took him to Florida and then to Slave Lake in Canada’s Northwest Territories with Father Mariusz Majewski. More recently, he completed a 4,500-mile trip. These days, he often rides with Father Mark Uhlenkott. “We’ll go on big adventures,” he said. But for Father Vogel, riding is not really about speed or the power of the motorcycle. It is about experiencing the journey. “It’s just such a great way to travel,” he said. “I feel like when I’m driving, I’m not driving.” On a motorcycle, there is nothing between him and the world around him. He feels changes in temperature. He smells the trees, the river and everything else along the road. He sees wildlife and scenery that might otherwise pass unnoticed. “It’s completely open,” he said. “I get to be fully exposed to nature, meaning I feel every change in temperature, all of the smells, good or bad.” The difference is especially noticeable on the ride to McCall. “I’m not boxed in by a car,” he said. “I see everything, and I’ve seen so much beautiful scenery and wildlife, and it just changes my mindset when I ride a motorcycle.” It also changes the way he thinks about time. On the way to McCall, there are plenty of places where he can pull off the road. Sometimes he does. “I’ll bring a little lunch, and I’ll just pull off,” he said. He might find a spot along the river, set up a camp chair and sit for half an hour. “I’ll set up my camp chair down by the river, and I’ll have lunch,” he said. “And just take, like, 30 minutes or whatever.” That is something he rarely does in a car. “The motorcycle changes my mindset to where I’m much more engaged in what’s happening, like, in the travel and nature,” he said. “Whereas in a car, I’m all about business.” A car is about getting somewhere. A motorcycle makes the trip itself part of the experience. “On my motorcycle, I’m like, ‘I’m on a trip,’ even when I’m going to do Mass.” For him, that feeling is less about freedom than about being alive and present. “I feel like maybe more alive,” he said. “I feel energized. Again, it feels like I’m on a trip, like on a vacation.” And sometimes, the ride becomes something more. A quiet place For Father Vogel, one of the best things about riding is the quiet. Not necessarily literal silence, but the chance to step away from everything else. “It’s a real undistracted time, and I’m just there with my thoughts,” he said. “So it’s a real peaceful time for me because all I’m doing is just driving.” Sometimes he listens to an audiobook or soft instrumental music. Often, though, he simply rides. “Most of the time, I’m just there quietly,” he said. That quiet can become prayer. “It’s uninterrupted,” he said. “And it can be prayerful. It can be thoughtful. It could be just mindless. I could be working through problems. It could be all kinds of things.” There is something about being on the road, with little else to do but ride, that allows everything else to fall away. “It’s just like the world disappears almost,” he said. “And it’s just me, the road, the bike, and the world there. And my thoughts. It’s pretty cool.” Of course, Father Vogel knows motorcycles can be dangerous. He learned that firsthand during a heavy thunderstorm near Meridian. His motorcycle hit standing water and hydroplaned. “I hit that lake at 55 miles an hour,” he said. “When I hit it, the bike just completely hydroplaned, and it just started fishtailing, and it just laid down.” He was wearing his protective gear and escaped serious injury. The experience reinforced something he had decided years earlier as a young priest: If he was going to ride, he was going to do it responsibly. “I owe it to the Church. I owe it to myself, but really to the Church, that I always wear my gear,” he said. “I have a great helmet. I wear top-grade gear. I don’t really mess around with that. I wear it. I use it because it really works.” For Father Vogel, the motorcycle has become more than a way to get from one place to another. It is a way to slow down.

‘Under the lighted pines event’ slated for Sept. 17 Two volunteers sort through clothing during SVdP North’s early years. (Courtesy photo) COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho — In 1946, Coeur d’Alene was a small lumber and mining community emerging from World War II. Seeing widespread local poverty, a handful of parishioners at St. Thomas Catholic Church began gathering clothing and basic necessities for neighbors in need. They began with a simple clothing closet, relying on volunteers and their own vehicles to get necessities to local families. From the beginning, help was offered to anyone experiencing hardship, regardless of religion, race or background. They could not have known they were beginning an organization that would still be serving North Idaho 80 years later. In 2026, St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho celebrates its 80th anniversary, honoring eight decades of people who saw a need and found a way to help. “This history belongs to North Idaho,” said Scott Ferguson, executive director of St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho. “St. Vincent de Paul is here today because generation after generation of people in this community chose to care for their neighbors. The needs have changed and our work has grown, but dignity, compassion and community remain at the heart of who we are.” Local children donate change at a fundraiser. (Courtesy photo) Growing Alongside North Idaho As Coeur d’Alene and the surrounding communities grew, St. Vincent de Paul grew with them. The clothing closet grew into the Salvage Bureau and thrift stores. Emergency assistance expanded into dedicated shelters and permanent affordable and supportive housing. Over time, the mission grew to include the H.E.L.P. Center, Warming Center, Father Bill’s Kitchen, Trinity Group Homes, family programs and an expanding network of services designed to meet people wherever they are in a moment of need. Behind that growth were people. Employees like Minnie McDonald, who spent more than 43 years behind the thrift-store counter. Leaders like Lynn Peterson, whose two decades as executive director helped transform the organization’s housing and homelessness work. And generations of volunteers, board members, donors, churches, businesses and community partners who saw what was needed and helped make it possible. What a clothing closet became Today, St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho’s network of care includes: 329 affordable and supportive housing units and 55 shelter beds Emergency shelter, the Warming Center and homelessness services Father Bill’s Kitchen, meals, showers and laundry Emergency assistance, case management and connections to community resources Mental health supportive housing, family programs and thrift services The scale is different. The heart of the work is not. An 80-year historical timeline, accompanying this release, tells the fuller story through photographs, newspaper clippings and memories of the people, places and milestones that shaped St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho from 1946 to today. A group of St. Vincent de Paul supporters gather to read a poster detailing the needs of the building project. (Courtesy photo) A celebration 80 years in the making On Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, St. Vincent de Paul will invite the community to celebrate this remarkable history at Under the Lighted Pines, its 80th Anniversary Celebration at Camp Lutherhaven on Lake Coeur d’Alene. The evening will include a cruise and lakeside dinner, the unveiling and sharing of St. Vincent de Paul’s 80-year history, and a celebration of the people and partnerships that have carried the mission across generations. Funds raised that evening will help ensure St. Vincent de Paul continues to be here for North Idaho neighbors experiencing homelessness, housing instability and crisis. “Eighty years ago, a few people saw neighbors who needed help and responded,” Ferguson said. “That same choice has been made thousands of times since. This celebration honors those who built the legacy and invites all of us to help carry it forward.” Under the Lighted Pines: Celebrating 80 Years of Hope Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. Camp Lutherhaven | Lake Coeur d’Alene Tickets and event information are available at www.stvincentdepaulnorthidaho.org North Idaho St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store (Courtesy photo) About St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho Founded in Coeur d’Alene in 1946, St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho has grown from a small clothing closet at St. Thomas Catholic Church into one of North Idaho’s largest networks of housing, shelter, meals and compassionate care. Through eight decades of extraordinary change, one thing has remained constant: neighbors helping neighbors with hope, dignity and love.

Dynamic marriage equips couples to take their marriage to the next level. This course provides the vital tune up needed to keep the complex dynamics of marriage healthy and strengthen the intimate connection between husband and wife. TESTIMONIALS Kirk and Nina Loy St. Charles Borromeo, Salmon We highly recommend this course as it offered tremendous insight into our marriage from the very first session. We learned how to communicate with each other in a more respectful and loving way. It was surprising to finally shed light on things we were doing that were hurtful to each other. During the class, we identified the “love busters” that were causing harm. We also identified and prioritized each other’s emotional needs during the class. In doing so, we learned how to better express our love in a way that will meet those needs. With improved insights into these unique needs, communication has improved greatly. Before, we assumed that any act of affection toward our spouse should render a positive response and evoke feelings of being cherished. Now, we realize there is nuance to our spouse’s emotional needs. When our actions are informed and conducted with tact and care, we can better show love and appreciation in ways that best suit our spouse’s emotional needs. It is imperative that we view meeting each other’s emotional needs as a gift to our spouse, rather than as an obligation. This course proved to be a valuable time investment. We set aside many hours each week to complete “homework” together. That time shared was surprisingly intimate. We never would have guessed that homework would have strengthened our bond and have us fall deeper in love. The weekly group meetings were another enjoyable time commitment. Seeing that other couples also have ups and downs and can grow stronger together despite [difficulty] offers a helpful perspective. It’s tempting to think we are the only ones with a particular struggle, when, in reality, there is nothing new under the sun. Another portion of the time commitment is making time to pray with our spouse each day. This was extremely beneficial and strengthened our faith and spiritual bond. There’s nothing quite like watching your spouse humble themself before God and ask Him to improve our marriage and ourselves. Also, the Bible verses curated for this course were not only inspirational but felt like just the thing we needed to hear at the right time. These words provided us strength and encouragement to boldly live out our marriage vocation. Once again, we highly recommend this course to all married couples. Mark & Teresa Tavelli My wife and I participated in the Dynamic Marriage Course led by Shelly and Shannon Batman in January and February of 2026. Based on our experience, I would recommend this course to couples of any age or number of years married. The course was much different than I expected in that it did not feature lecture-heavy or theory-heavy content but rather focused on practical skill-building designed to improve daily communication and change behavior patterns. We both appreciated and enjoyed this approach. Some of the strengths of the program I valued most included: Giving us a common vocabulary for our emotional needs and associated damaging behaviors Providing very practical tools that facilitate delving into specific problem areas and getting to the heart of the matter Facilitated group format (with eight other couples) that fostered accountability, provided shared wisdom and insight and had a community feel that was evident even though the meetings were over Zoom Course materials which were all well-written and helpful in bringing to surface specific issues in our marriage and identifying potential solutions We covered a lot of ground in the nine weeks, and a lot of work went into completing the various chapters. Some of the issues we were led to discuss were, in all honesty, difficult to get through as it required us to face up to changes related to behaviors practiced over decades. We learned that these changes are difficult and require concerted ongoing effort, practice and repetition to become habit. It all starts with identifying what needs to change and this course was instrumental in that. I am grateful for the opportunity the Dynamic Marriage course offered me. Kudos to our skilled facilitators, Shelly and Shannon Batman, who did a great job of organizing and getting us though the course. It was obvious that the other participants were getting a lot out of the course as well. Jim & Mary Ellen Nourse St. John the Evangelist, Boise Back in Fall 2023, we attended a Marriage Enrichment evening at our parish, St. John’s Cathedral. During the evening, we met Shannon and Shelly Batman, who facilitate Dynamic Marriage classes. Shannon and Shelly were so friendly and enthusiastic about the Dynamic Marriage program that we decided to reserve our Monday evenings to take the class. Earlier this year, as a gift to ourselves, we enrolled in the Dynamic Marriage class a second time. This “Dynamic Marriage Take 2” was a repeat, refocus, and reset for us. Since our initial class back in Fall 2023, life has changed markedly and unpredictably for us. After we almost lost each other due to unexpected illnesses, we decided that we wanted to fully live out, as a couple, however many days, months or years the Lord has planned for us. In addition, we have family commitments that we didn’t have in 2023. Dynamic Marriage enabled us to refocus on each other as a couple, as we worked through the course together. Once again, Monday evenings were set aside for us to repeat, refocus, and reset through the Dynamic Marriage class. This class was an excellent way to know what important likes & dislikes make your special person. One take-away for us is that, from 7:00 to 9:00 weekday evenings, we turn off our phones and social media so we can spend uninterrupted time together. We also are committed to de-cluttering our home. Dynamic Marriage is an excellent program for couples – whether you’ve been married five years or 50!

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Welcome to Idaho Catholic Register, the official source for Catholic Media provided by Diocese of Boise. Featured News Catechism Corner: who is forming the hearts of our children? The understanding of love, sexuality, fidelity and human dignity that children receive during their formative years can become part of the foundation upon which they later approach the vocation of marriage and family life. Catholic Teaching 4 days ago 6 min read Catholic News Articles Catechism Corner: who is forming the hearts of our children? The understanding of love, sexuality, fidelity and human dignity that children receive during their formative years can become part of the foundation upon which they later approach the vocation of marriage and family life. 4 days ago 6 min read St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho Celebrates 80 Years In 1946, Coeur d’Alene was a small lumber and mining community emerging from World War II. Seeing widespread local poverty, a handful of parishioners at St. Thomas Catholic Church began gathering clothing and basic necessities for neighbors in need. In 2026, St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho celebrates its 80th anniversary, honoring eight decades of people who saw a need and found a way to help. 5 hours ago 3 min read Mass and miracles bring a family to the Catholic Church Salt & Light Radio helped them learn about the faith James and Jena Murrell (ICR Photo/Emily Woodham) By Emily Woodham For the ICR James Murrell believed that miracles happen. However, he never expected to receive one at a Catholic Mass. He went to Mass for the first time at the beginning of 2024 simply out of curiosity. “I told a cousin of mine about all the things that I had learned in my studies about different Christian denominations, especially my findings about the Cath 1 day ago 8 min read Dynamic Marriage: Repeat, Refocus, and Reset Dynamic Marriage: Repeat, Refocus, and Reset -- We highly recommend this course as it offered tremendous insight into our marriage from the very first session (K & N Loy) 2 days ago 4 min read St. Mark’s to launch Catholic men’s formation program Men at St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Boise will have a new opportunity this fall to deepen their Catholic faith, strengthen their families and build relationships with other men through a program fittingly called “That Man Is You!” 2 days ago 5 min read Una misión que comienza con la confianza en Dios Estudiantes y misioneros, participaron en SEEK, el congreso católico nacional organizado por FOCUS . (Foto cortesía de Mauricio Rodríguez) Por Vero Gutiérrez Editora Asistente Mauricio Rodríguez el joven misionero de Jerome que renunció a su carrera profesional para salir a evangelizar a estudiantes universitarios en Colorado, reconoce que el aprendizaje más importante que ha construido hasta ahora es reconocer que el esfuerzo humano de nada sirve sin la ayuda de Dios. El p 7 days ago 4 min read More Articles Subscribe to the Register Join the Register and be the first to know about Diocese of Boise news. Subscribe for as little as $20 a year, but if you can give more, you will greatly assist our mission to inform, inspire and teach. You can also subscribe through your parish, or send a check to 1501 S. Federal Way, Boise, ID, 83705 or call 208-350-7554. Basic Subscription $ 20 20$ Every year For those who want to stay informed while providing essential support. Buy Now Your contribution of $20 helps us stay afloat. You'll get 22 issues for $20--that's less than $1 per issue! Out of the Red Supporter Subscription $ 50 50$ Every year For those committed to making a significant impact on our ability to create and share meaningful content. Buy Now If everyone gave $50 per subscription, we would break even. This is the cost of one dinner out, if you don't splurge. Evangelizer Subscription $ 150 150$ Every year For those deeply dedicated to advancing our mission and empowering us to grow and expand our outreach. Buy Now We know this is a lot to ask! $150 allows us to grow and extend our reach. $150 helps us to tell more of Idaho's faith stories. Recent Articles View All

Meet The Team Bishop Peter F. Christensen Publisher Phone (208) 350-7530 Email mbaca@rcdb.org Philip A. Janquart Editor Phone (208) 370-3430 Email pjanquart@rcdb.org Kathryn Ineck Assistant Editor Phone (208) 350-7504 Email kineck@rcdb.org Joe Egbert Digital Media Coordinator Phone (208) 484-6809 Email jegbert@rcdb.org Alex Flores Subscription Manager Phone (208) 350-7554 Email aflores@rcdb.org Marco Roman Communications Director Phone (208) 370-3430 Email MRoman@rcdb.org Vero Gutierrez Assistant Editor Phone (208) 350-7531 Email vgutierrez@rcdb.org Ann Bixby Graphics and Print Production Phone (208) 350-7532 Email abixby@rcdb.org Sheri Boicourt Advertising Phone (208) 350-7515 Email sboicourt2@rcdb.org