Hanover native, 104, might be US's oldest priest

On a July morning in Harrisburg, about 70 parishioners sat in the sanctuary of Saint Catherine Laboure, waiting for the start of a 9 a.m. mass dedicated to one man and his 104 years on earth.

Monsignor Vincent Topper, a Hanover native, sat in full garb while family, friends and churchgoers celebrated his birthday in a most appropriate way: by attending mass.

The 104-year-old priest is considered by some to be the oldest and longest-serving priest in the country.

Topper has been serving in the church since he was 23 years old, said one of his younger sisters, Sister Loretta Topper, who has been in the church for more than 50 years herself.

"We came from a very religious family," she said.

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Today, Topper continues to reside in Saint Catherine Laboure and give back to the church in every way that he can, attending regular mass and accepting visits from parishioners.

The impact he has had on the church is apparent. On an early Thursday morning, the long wooden pews held parishioners of all ages who had gathered to pay their respects to the monsignor.

The congregation sang Topper a heartfelt "Happy Birthday" to close out the ceremony, the song echoing through the halls of the church.

A reception held in the monsignor's honor followed the morning mass.

Glazed donuts were decorated appropriately with a 1 on the left side and a 4 on the right, spelling "104" when combined with the hole in the middle.

Topper has served in the church for the vast majority of his life – 81 years.

And in his life of service, he has influenced many people.

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“Monsignor, you are an inspiration to us. We love you, we salute you and we honor you,” said the Very Rev. Neil Sullivan to the monsignor before Topper took his holy communion on Thursday morning.

To say that priesthood was a calling for Topper would be an understatement.

“From the time he was in second grade, he knew he wanted to become a priest,” said another one of his sisters, Judy McKim.

Topper grew up in Hanover in a red brick house that still sits on West Hanover Street and is still, in fact, in the Topper family.

And while the monsignor admits his memory is fuzzy as of late, he recalls living in that house, working in his father's department store and riding the Toonerville Trolley to Delone Catholic High School in McSherrystown every day.

His sisters said Vincent was a very intelligent student, graduating at 15 and joining the seminary at only 23.

And 81 years later, his parish, the National Catholic Register and the Diocese of Harrisburg all consider the monsignor to be the oldest and longest-serving priest in the country.

When called to confirm the distinction of “oldest and longest-serving priest in the U.S.,” Joe Aponick of The Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg said there is no “official keeper of these records,” but that he thinks the diocese “would have been notified” if he, in fact, was not the oldest.

The humble monsignor said he is sure someone has served longer than he has, though that is quite hard to imagine.

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To this day, Monsignor Topper makes himself available to the community.

During the school year, he receives weekly visits from the children of the Saint Catherine Laboure School. They pray the rosary with him, listen to his stories and bring him cards.

“The kids just adore him,” said the monsignor’s secretary, Andrea Valella.

Topper has always been devoted to educating young members of the church.

"He dedicated his life to Catholic education," Valella said. "He was a builder of minds."

Topper has become a staple of Saint Catherine Laboure. The students and parishioners know him well.

Teachers Kathy James and Bob Kennedy recounted the days when the monsignor would make his daily walks around the church, “swinging his cane for exercise.”

“The kids would come to expect him. They would look out the window for him, waiting for him to come by,” James said.

During Thursday's reception, the monsignor sat around a table with his sisters, caretaker and friends, chatting and laughing. He greeted those who came up to wish him a happy birthday and offered a warm handshake and smile to all.

His days are full of memories and stories, now told best by his friends and family.

“He will have forgotten more things than I will ever know," Kennedy said.