Reverend Paul D. Becker

Bismarck

The Reverend Paul D. Becker, 78, passed away at the Benedictine Living Center in Bismarck on March 21, 2026. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, March 25, 2026 at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, 520 Raymond St Bismarck, with the Most Reverend David D. Kagan, Bishop of Bismarck, as celebrant. The priests of the Bismarck Diocese will concelebrate. Visitation will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at the Cathedral with a prayer vigil at 7:00 p.m. Burial will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Bismarck.

Father Becker was born on November 7, 1947, in Bismarck, ND to Paul and Hildegarde (Reyerson) Becker. He was raised in Bismarck and attended St. Mary’s Grade School, Bismarck, Assumption Abbey, Richardton, and graduated from St. Mary’s Central High School in 1965. He continued his education at Crosier Seminary, Onamia, MN 1965-1967. He then continued his studies at St. Thomas Seminary, Denver CO. He was ordained by the Most Reverend Hilary B. Hacker on June 1, 1973 at St. Mary’s Church in Bismarck.

His first assignment in the Bismarck Diocese was Assistant Pastor at the Church of St. Joseph, Mandan along with Teacher at St. Mary’s Central High School until June, 1976. He then served as Chaplain and Director of Religious Life and Religious Education at Trinity High School along with Assistant Pastor at the Church of St. Wenceslaus in Dickinson. He was named Co-Principal of Trinity High School in 1977. From 1978 to 1987, he was the Chaplain at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Minot. He returned to Bismarck to serve as Vice-Chancellor until June, 1988. His next assignment was Director of Pastoral Care at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Minot until May, 2002. During this time, he served for three months as Pastor of the Churches of St. Agnes, Kenmare, and St. Anthony, Donnybrook. He served as Pastor at the Churches of St. Francis of Assisi in Burlington and St. Vincent de Paul in Des Lacs until they both closed July 1, 1994. He also served as Pastor at the Churches of St. Mary, Foxholm, and St. Ann, Berthold, from 1991-2002. His final assignment was Pastor of the Church of Corpus Christi, Bismarck, until his retirement July 1, 2020.

Father Becker is survived by his sisters Paulette Schatz, Carolyn Decker and Susan Bosch. He was preceded in death by his parents and his siblings Robert Becker, Mary Klooster and Patty Sokoloski.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Corpus Christi Emergency Food Pantry.

To share memories, visit www.eastgatefuneral.com.

Published by The Minot Daily News, March 24, 2026.