St. Thomas Council awards Knight of the Month for January 2023 to Very Reverend Wilfred P. Labbe, V.F. Father Labbe has been a knight in the Knights of Columbus for the past 40 years.
Father Bill has been pastor of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux Parish and Saint Matthew Parish in Limerick since July 1, 2019. During his tenure, he has shepherded this parish through difficult times - especially during the pandemic when church attendance was curtailed. Through his leadership, we were able to pull through these difficult times. Now he is in the planning stages of a new parish center which is bound to increase weekly attendance and motivate our parishioners to take a more active part in our parish. Father Bill has also given much encouragement and lent much support to the St. Thomas and Springvale councils of the Knights of Columbus.
Born in Biddeford, Father Labbe was raised in South Carolina and graduated from Greenville High School in Greenville, South Carolina. He attended Saint John’s Seminary in Brighton, Massachusetts, earning a bachelor’s degree from the Saint John's Seminary College and a master’s degree in divinity from Saint John's Seminary. Father Labbe was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Joseph J. Gerry, O.S.B., on May 22, 1999 at Saint Joseph Church in Biddeford.
Father Labbe's first pastoral assignment was as parochial vicar of Holy Cross Parish in Lewiston, where he also served as chaplain at Bates College in Lewiston. In July of 2003, he was appointed pastor of Saint Mary Parish in Eagle Lake and Saint Joseph Parish in Wallagrass. In June of 2005, Father Labbe was named administrator of Our Lady of Wisdom Parish in Orono, Saint Mary Parish in Orono, and Holy Family Parish in Old Town. In July of 2007, in addition to his responsibilities in Orono and Old Town, Father Labbe was appointed administrator of Saint Ann Parish in Bradley and Saint Ann Parish in Indian Island. When the parishes in Orono, Old Town, Bradley, and Indian Island were clustered to form the Parish of the Resurrection of the Lord in 2009, he was named its first pastor in addition to serving as Chaplain at the University of Maine at Orono. In 2019, Father Labbe was appointed pastor of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux Parish in Sanford-Springvale and Saint Matthew Parish in Limerick.
We at the St. Thomas Council, the Springvale Council, St. Therese of Lisieux and St. Matthew's parishes congratulate Father Bill and encourage him to keep up the good work!