Fr. Stoetzel grew up on a farm near Ellsworth, WI. He went to high school and college seminaries in La Crosse and Milwaukee. Later, he earned a bachelors and licentiate degrees in theology in Rome, Italy while living at the North American College. After ordination to the priesthood, he was assigned as a teacher of religion at Aquinas High School in La Crosse and an associate pastor at a parish. He earned a masters degree in school administration at St. Mary’s University in Winona, MN during that assignment. Later, he was assigned as the principal of Regis High School for nine years. In 1995, he was assigned as pastor at St. John the Baptist in Marshfield, and the next year also at Christ the King Parish in Spencer.

Since his priesthood ordination, he has served on various diocesan organizations: presbyterial council, St. Joseph’s Priest Fund, clergy personnel council, area representative to the diocesan office for Catholic schools, board of governors for the St. Joseph Nursing Home in La Crosse, chaplain to the Catholic Junior League for young women, chaplain of the separated, divorced and remarried Catholics in La Crosse, the general committee for the diocesan capital campaign, and dean of the Marshfield Deanery.