Funeral Mass for Msgr. John G. Johnson, 77, who died Wednesday, Sept. 30, will be celebrated Saturday, Oct. 10 at Columbus St. Agatha Church with Bishop Earl Fernandes as principal celebrant. Father Mark Summers will be the homilist. Committal will be at a later date in Chicago.
Msgr. Johnson died one day after being struck by a vehicle while walking.
He was born in Waukegan, Illinois, on May 27, 1949 to Gordon and Louise (Heller) Johnson.
He was a 1966 graduate of the Pontifical College Josephinum High School and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in American studies in 1970 and a Master of Arts degree in theology in 1974 from the Josephinum. He also studied English literature at Loyola University of Chicago and earned a doctorate in canon law in 1986 from the Catholic University of America.
He was ordained to the priesthood at Chicago St. Thomas the Apostle Church by Bishop Nevin Hayes, OP (Order of Preachers), auxiliary bishop of Chicago, on June 1, 1974.
He served as pastor at Columbus St. Philip, St. Peter, St. Timothy and Our Lady of Peace churches, assistant pastor at Columbus Immaculate Conception Church, associate pastor at Our Lady of Peace Church and Columbus St. Joseph Cathedral and parochial vicar and administrator pro-tem at Hilliard St. Brendan the Navigator Church. He also was in residence at Columbus St. Agnes, Columbus St. Thomas the Apostle and Reynoldsburg St. Pius X churches and resided at St. Agatha at the time of his death.
He was a member of the diocesan Tribunal for many years before and after his retirement from active ministry on July 9, 2019, serving at various times as defender of the bond, judge, adjutant judicial vicar and judicial vicar. He also worked part-time with the Tribunal’s Court of Second Instance.
Deacon Tom Berg Jr., chancellor for the diocese, described Msgr. Johnson as a brilliant canon lawyer and having a heart for the poor.
In addition, he served as campus minister at Capital University, a Josephinum faculty member and a member of the diocesan priests’ personnel board.
He was awarded the title of monsignor by Pope St. John Paul II on Sept. 24, 1992.
He is survived by two sisters, Mary (Steven) Ford and Monica Johnson, and a nephew. He was preceded in death by his parents and a nephew.