Funeral and Vespers:
Vespers: Friday, May 14 at 7:00PM MDT at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Gallup, NM.
Funeral: Saturday, May 15 at 11:00AM MDT at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Gallup, NM. The funeral will be streamed live on YouTube.
Please note: we incorrectly listed Fr. Badger’s date of birth and childhood town in an earlier edition of this article, which has now been updated.
“My dear people of the Diocese of Gallup:
“I am sad to announce that Fr. Robert Badger, Pastoral Administrator at St. Joseph Parish in Aztec, NM and Holy Trinity Parish in Flora Vista, NM, passed away suddenly on May 05, 2021. There is currently no official cause of death at this time, but we will post an update once we have more information.
“He was an outstanding priest and a true son of the Church, which was expressed through the pastoral care of the people entrusted to him.
“May his soul and the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
“Please join me in keeping Fr. Badger’s family and parish community in your prayers.” – Bishop James Wall
Biography: Father Robert Burton Badger was born to Robert and Elynn Peterson Badger on July 10, 1973 in Safford, AZ. He was raised in a very devout Mormon family in St. Johns, AZ. He was the eldest of eight children: his siblings’ names are Jennifer, Christine, James, Kimberly, Lynnette, Paul and Kelly.
Father always took a great interest in religion, reading, languages and music, as he grew up. He delved deeply into all these things, especially in high school in St. John’s, Arizona.
This interest in religion and the great questions of the world finally drew him to the Catholic Church, and in college he took instructions in the Faith. He completed his RCIA classes in Salt Lake City and was received into the Catholic Church at Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City on April 10, 1993. “The joy of that night was incredible, and something that I never will forget”, he once expressed.
He soon felt the call to become a priest. Fr. Badger studied in St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia, St John’s Seminary in Camarillo, California and the Pontifical College Josephinum in Ohio, where he completed his priestly studies. He was ordained at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Gallup by Bishop James S. Wall on June 4, 2016.
His appointments to parishes to serve to the people in the Diocese of Gallup included:
St. Teresa, Grants NM & all area parishes and missions. (07/01/2016)
St. Mary, Bloomfield NM & St Rose, Blanco NM. (04/18/2018)
St Joseph, Aztec NM & Holy Trinity, Flora Vista NM. (February 1, 2020)
Father also served on the Priestly Life Committee and the Priests’ Retirement Board.
“God took me down a path I never expected to follow. I give thanks for His many gifts, knowing how unworthy I am of them. May Our Lady pray for me as I seek to do her Divine Son’s will.” – Fr. Robert Badger
Father Badger was a member of the Ordination Class of 2016 at the Pontifical College Josephinum, which is the only pontifical seminary outside of Italy. Father Badger maintained steady contact with his Alma Mater over these past 5 years, so as his 5-year anniversary of his Ordination approaches please remember Father Badger in your prayers and give thanks to God that this wonderful young priest fulfilled his life’s calling in a short period of time. The seminarians, faculty, staff, and administration of the Josephinum send their love, prayers and deepest sympathies to Father Badger’s family, his Bishop, and brother priests during this time of loss and grieving. “Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in Peace. Amen.”