Divine Word Father Stanley Plutz, 92, vice postulator for the canonization of St. Arnold Janssen and longtime missionary in the Philippines, died Sept. 23 in Techny.

Born in Appleton, Wisconsin, Father Plutz entered the Society of the Divine Word in 1940 and professed religious vows in 1946.

In 1953, he was ordained to the priesthood and left for his first overseas assignment in the Philippines in 1954.

In 1999, Father Plutz became the vice postulator for the sainthood cause of Father Arnold Janssen, founder of the Society of the Divine Word.

Upon returning to the United States in 2000, he was assigned to the U.S. Southern Province and continued to promote devotion to St. Arnold, who was canonized in 2003.

During his 46 years as a missionary in the Philippines, Father Plutz served as a teacher and spiritual director.

Father Plutz had been living at Techny since 2013.