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Msgr. David H. Benz was born in Chester Pennsylvania in 1943. He enlisted in the US Air Force in 1962. In 1965, after serving two years in Panama, he was assigned to Tan Son Nhut AB, Vietnam as a paramedic. Upon completion of his enlistment in 1966, Msgr. Benz returned to Pennsylvania and received a Bachelor’s degree in accounting from Drexel Institute of Technology. He entered St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Overbrook in 1967, graduating with a Bachelors of Philosophy and a Masters of Divinity.
He was ordained May 19, 1975 in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. During the next several years Msgr. served as assistant pastor to various parishes and as Professor at Bishop McDevitt High School. He joined the Air Force as a Chaplain in 1986 and served until his retirement from military service in 1999. During his career with the Military, he served in the U.S, Washington D.C, Korea and the UK. He distinguished himself by establishing programs to care for deployed spouses during Operation Desert Storm, and was awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Air Force Good Conduct Medal and the National Defense Service Medal with bronze star.
Upon returning to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Msgr. celebrated his jubilee in 2000. He served as Associate Pastor and Pastor in many parishes and was made a Prelate of Honor with the title Reverend Monsignor on June 12, 2005. He retired from St. Therese Parish, Mt. Airy in 2013 and currently resides in Florida. His calling to serve God has not diminished and has led him to Cross Catholic Outreach where he travels and speaks on behalf of the poorest of the poor.