Ten priests who are retired or still serving in the Diocese of Columbus celebrate milestone anniversaries of their ordinations in 2022, ranging from 65 years of service to 25 years.

65 years

Father Vincent W. McKiernan

Father Vincent W. McKiernan, CSP, 91, was ordained at St. Paul the Apostle Church in his hometown of New York City on May 11, 1957, by New York Auxiliary Bishop James A. Griffiths.

The member of the Missionary Society of St. Paul the Apostle has served at Good Shepherd Church in New York; St. Peter’s College in Baltimore; Paulist foundations in Chicago, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baltimore and New York; Mount Paul Novitiate in Oak Ridge, New Jersey; and the Paulist Center in Boston. He also spent a year doing full-time retreat work and preaching in the Northeast and another year preaching parish missions in the Diocese of Reno, Nevada.

Since 1990, he has been assigned to the Columbus St. Thomas More Newman Center at Ohio State University.

60 years

Father James A. Walter

Father James A. Walter, 86, pastor of Sugar Grove St. Joseph Church, was born in Columbus, where he was ordained by Bishop Issenmann at the cathedral on May 26, 1962.

He has been co-pastor and later pastor at Zanesville St. Nicholas Church and pastor at Sunbury St. John Neumann and Lancaster St. Bernadette churches, and associate pastor at Lancaster St. Mary, Columbus Holy Name, Grove City Our Lady of Perpetual Help and Marion St. Mary churches and the cathedral, in residence at Columbus St. Augustine, Columbus St. Francis of Assisi, Columbus Our Lady of Peace and Columbus St. Timothy churches, administrator at the Johnstown Church of the Ascension and a weekend assistant at Westerville St. Paul Church.

He served as secretary to Auxiliary Bishop Edward Hettinger, was a teacher at Columbus Bishop Watterson and Columbus St. Francis DeSales high schools, a member of the Priests’ Senate, chaplain at Doctors Hospital North and Riverside Hospital in Columbus, relief chaplain at the Ohio State University Hospital and vicar for the Northwest Vicariate.

Msgr. Anthony N. Missimi

Msgr. Anthony N. Missimi, 85, is from New Lexington. Bishop Issenmann ordained him on Dec. 22, 1962 at the cathedral.

He served as co-pastor and later pastor at Columbus Holy Spirit Church and pastor of Groveport St. Mary and Columbus Immaculate Conception churches and associate pastor at Columbus St. Augustine Church, and was in residence at the cathedral and Columbus St. Agatha churches.

He taught at Columbus St. Francis DeSales High School, was director of the diocesan Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, chaplain of Knights of Columbus Council 3864, a member of the diocesan board of consultors, vicar for the East Columbus Vicariate and diocesan vicar for religious.

He was named a monsignor, with the title prelate of honor, by Pope St. John Paul II in October 1995. 

He retired in July 2008 and served for brief periods in 2013 as administrator of Columbus St. Matthias and Delaware St. Mary churches.

Father William H. DeVille

Father William H. DeVille, 84, a Columbus native, was ordained on Dec. 22, 1962 in Columbus St. Joseph Cathedral by Bishop Clarence Issenmann.

He was pastor of Wellston Sts. Peter and Paul, Columbus St. Timothy, Columbus Sacred Heart and Columbus Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal churches and associate pastor of Lancaster St. Peter, Chillicothe St. Peter, Columbus St. Andrew, Columbus St. Matthias, Columbus Sacred Heart and Columbus St. Catharine churches and the cathedral.

He also was a teacher at Lancaster Bishop Fenwick, Chillicothe Bishop Flaget, Columbus Bishop Watterson and Columbus St. Francis DeSales high schools, diocesan director of liturgy and assistant diocesan vocations director. He also established the Divine Mercy devotion in the diocese.

He retired from active ministry on July 8. 2008.

50 years

Msgr. Joseph M. Hendricks

Msgr. Joseph M. Hendricks, 75, pastor of Dublin St. Brigid of Kildare Church for 25 years, was born in Columbus and ordained along with Msgr. Enke and Father Frecker on May 27, 1972 by Bishop Elwell.

He also was assistant pastor at Columbus St. Philip Church and served as vice chancellor, chancellor and vicar general of the diocese. He taught at Columbus Bishop Hartley High School and the Pontifical College Josephinum and served as director of the permanent diaconate school at the Josephinum. 

He is chief executive officer of the Villas at St. Therese and vice president of Seton Square, Inc., a diocesan organization that provides affordable housing for senior and citizens and the disabled. He is a member of the Mount Carmel Foundation board of trustees and has been a member of the Ohio Dominican University board and many other civic and diocesan governing bodies.

Pope St. John Paul II named him a monsignor, with the title prelate of honor, in September 1992.

Msgr. Paul P. Enke

Msgr. Paul P. Enke, 76, was born in Blackburn, England. He was ordained by Bishop Clarence Elwell at the cathedral on May 27, 1972.

He is pastor of Granville St. Edward Church and previously was pastor of Delaware St. Mary, Dublin St. Brigid of Kildare and Columbus Our Lady of Victory churches, associate pastor of Columbus Immaculate Conception churches and in residence at Columbus St. Timothy Church.

He also has taught at Columbus Bishop Watterson High School and has been a member of the diocesan board of conciliation and the Priests’ Senate and diocesan episcopal vicar for spiritual life.

Pope John Paul II named him a monsignor, with the title prelate of honor, in September 1992.

Father A. Anthony Frecker

Father A. Anthony Frecker, 76, a native of Zanesville, was ordained at the cathedral on May 27, 1972 by Bishop Elwell.

He was the founding pastor of Canal Winchester Pope St. John XXIII Church, which he served until his retirement in July 2015. He also was pastor of Zaleski St. Sylvester, Columbus Sts. Augustine and Gabriel, Chillicothe St. Peter and Waverly St. Mary churches and associate pastor of Marion St. Mary, Chillicothe St. Peter and Columbus St. Elizabeth churches and was in residence at Midvale St. Paul and New Philadelphia Sacred Heart churches.

He taught at Chillicothe Bishop Flaget and New Philadelphia Tuscarawas Central Catholic high schools, was a member of the Priests’ Senate and served as diocesan evangelization director. 

40 years

Msgr. Stephan J. Moloney

Msgr. Stephan J. Moloney, 66, is a native of Kenton and was ordained on June 12, 1982 at the cathedral by Bishop Edward Herrmann.

He is pastor of Columbus St. Andrew Church and vicar general of the diocese and is serving as diocesan administrator until the ordination of Bishop-elect Earl Fernandes on May 31.

He also has been diocesan vicar general and vice chancellor, pastor of Columbus Immaculate Conception Church, associate pastor of Columbus St. Peter and Corning St. Bernard churches, administrator of Columbus St. Catharine Church and priest moderator of Groveport St. Mary Church.

He is a member of the diocesan Tribunal and the diocesan administrative council, has been a member of the Priests’ Senate, the diocesan finance council, the priests’ personnel board and the diocesan college of consultors and has served as episcopal vicar for spiritual life and episcopal vicar for administration for the diocese.

Pope St. John Paul II named his a monsignor, with the title chaplain to His Holiness, in September 1992. He received the title of prelate of honor in August 1999.

Father Michael Kelly

Father Michael Kelly, 66, director of spiritual formation at the Pontifical College Josephinum, is a Philadelphia native and was ordained by that diocese’s archbishop, Cardinal John Krol, on May 15, 1982 at Philadelphia’s Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral.

He was pastor at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church in Hilltown, Pennsylvania, from 2002 until coming to the Josephinum in 2016, and was associate pastor or administrator at St. Bernadette, St. Andrew, Our Lady of Hope and Epiphany of Our Lord parishes, all in suburban Philadelphia.

He served as dean of formation in the college division of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Overbrook, Pennsylvania, and worked with Irish immigrants and provided pastoral care at hospitals and nursing homes in the Philadelphia area. 

25 years

Father Jeffrey J. Coning

Father Jeffrey J. Coning, 51, was born at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi. Bishop James Griffin ordained him as a priest on May 31, 1997 at the cathedral.

He is pastor of New Philadelphia Sacred Heart and Dennison Immaculate Conception churches and was pastor of Zaleski St. Sylvester Church and associate pastor of Lancaster St. Mary and Dublin St. Brigid of Kildare churches. While serving as diocesan vocations director, he was in residence at the cathedral and Hilliard St. Brendan churches and at St. Brigid. He also was administrator of Zoar Holy Trinity Church.