Category: News & Events

Reverend John E. Wall passed away on April 20, 2021, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was born on September 13, 1931 in Cincinnati. He did his preparatory studies at St. Gregory Seminary, Cincinnati and studied theology at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary of the West, Norwood, Ohio. He was ordained on May 25, 1957 at St. Monica Cathedral in Cincinnati, Ohio by Archbishop Karl J. Alter.

Father Wall received his first assignment on June 14, 1957, as Assistant at Resurrection Parish, Dayton, followed by Assistant appointments on October 10, 1957, at St. Elizabeth Parish, Norwood; June 11, 1962, at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Cincinnati; and March 25, 1963, at St. Elizabeth Parish, Norwood. On September 16, 1964, he was appointed Youth Director of the St. Francis de Sales Deanery. On January 15, 1969, he was appointed Assistant Pastor of St. Teresa Parish in Springfield, part-time teacher at Catholic Central High School, Springfield, Assistant Director of Catholic Charities, Springfield, and Director of the Catholic Youth Organization in Springfield.  He was appointed Director of Youth at Central Catholic High School on August 22, 1973.  Father Wall was appointed Pastor of St. Paul Parish, Yellow Springs on June 19, 1974, while remaining Assistant Director of Catholic Charities, Springfield. He was appointed Pastor of Assumption Parish, Dayton on December 2, 1975, then appointed Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Fairfield on June 19, 1984. On August 14, 1990, he was appointed Priest in Residence at St. Julie Billiart Parish, Hamilton.  Father Wall was appointed to the College of Consultors from November 6, 1990 until November 3, 1995. He was appointed Temporary Administrator of St. Margaret Mary Parish, North College Hill on July 5, 1994, appointed Pastor on October 16, 1994 for a period of six years; then re-appointed as Pastor for another six year term, commencing on October 17, 2000.  Father Wall retired from active ministry on July 1, 2003.  After retirement, he was appointed to another term with the College of Consultors from November 8, 2005 to November 3, 2010.

During his time of retirement, he lived and served at St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish, (2003-2017) where he remained very active in his ministry serving the St. Ignatius community. He supported the RCIA program, Christ Renews, and served as the celebrant for many Masses to name a few of the ways he served the St. Ignatius community. (It surely didn’t seem he was “retired” during his time at St. Ignatius) Even after he left St. Ignatius, he continued to serve the residents of Wellington, at North Bend Crossing until his death.

Fr. Wall’s funeral Mass was live-streamed and can be accessed through this link – http://bit.ly/FrJohnWallFuneralMass. 

Fr. Wall’s Celebration of Life Video!

Thank you to everyone who shared photos and videos! Enjoy these memories as a reminder of Fr. Wall and his wonderful service to so many communities.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon. May he rest in peace.

Thank you for joining in with us to celebrate the beautiful soul of Fr. John Wall. 

Radiate Christ Through Mary as a Parish – Consecration Begins May 16

Our Archdiocese will be celebrating its bicentennial on June 19, 2021, which will be marked by a 33 day pilgrimage. See details at Mary2021.org. In preparation for taking this next step in the history of the Church in the Cincinnati area, we are all being invited to consecrate ourselves to Jesus, through Mary, together as a parish and Archdiocese. 

What does “consecrating ourselves to Mary” mean, you ask? It means entrusting ourselves to Mary, to grow closer to Jesus and become the saint He created us to be. Just as Jesus took Mary to be His mother and came to us through her, Jesus also gives Mary to he our spiritual mother who leads us closer to Him, and guides us along His path for us. 

St. Ignatius has been given 1,200 copies of the booklet form of 33 Days to Morning Glory, so that our parish can join in! Pick up your free copy at the doors of church beginning May 1, and begin this 33 day consecration retreat on May 16! To do the final consecration prayer with the rest of the parish, come to the 4:30pm Mass on Saturday, June 19.

You may or may not know that our parish has an on-going collection for St. Leo’s Food Pantry! St. Leo’s parish is one of our parish missions, largely by supporting their food pantry. Click Here for more information about St. Leo’s.  The NEW location for dropping off your donations is the new bookshelf cabinets in the parish office lobby (instead of the old metal drawer). Please donate canned or bottled foods anytime (no bagged or boxed foods). When the cabinet is full a parishioner delivers the items to St. Leo’s.

Additionally, we will have an Outreach Meeting about St. Leo’s on Monday, April 26 from 7-8pm in the parish office’s Fr. Gratsch Room to inform parishioners of our ministry to St. Leo’s and how you can help. Their new director, Amy Kleeman, will be present to speak about how St. Leo’s lives out the works of mercy in their parish.