Dear Friends,
I am truly grateful and very humbled to be appointed Rector of St. Joseph Cathedral & Holy Cross Church by Bishop Fernandes.
I wish to thank Father Kitsmiller for his personal solicitude and patience with me during this time of transition. I am honored to succeed such a fine and good priest as Rector of the Cathedral Community.
My Father entered the Catholic Church here at the Easter Vigil in 1980. I was his sponsor and participated with him in all the rites and liturgies of the RCIA.
Afterwards, I began assisting at Mass at the Cathedral and also served as Lector and Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion on Sundays and at various other celebrations, especially assisting Pontifical ceremonies during Bishop Griffin’s reign.
After I graduated from Walnut Ridge High School in 1979, I attended The Ohio State University where I began studies for pre-Law. I also studied American History, Political Science and French at OSU. But, the more I participated in the life of my home parish, Saint Pius X, and here at the Cathedral, I began to feel called to the Priesthood.
I transferred to Ohio Dominican College to study Theology and Philosophy, and during those days participated in the Diocesan Schola Cantorum at the Cathedral. Graduating in 1986 from ODC, and with Bishop Griffin’s support, my studies continued at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. in preparation for Ordination to the Priesthood.
I was ordained a Priest in Saint Joseph Cathedral by Bishop Griffin June 22, 1991, with my classmates Fathers Thomas Buffer, Theodore Machnik and Patrick Naughton.
In thirty-two years of priestly ministry I have served the Diocese of Columbus in many capacities; teacher, high school and hospital Chaplin, Parochial Vicar, Vicar Forane, member of the Priests’ Personnel Board, on the Diocesan Liturgical and Justice and Peace Commissions, as well as Parish Priest of Saint Colman of Cloyne in Washington Court House, Saint Francis de Sales in Newark, and most recently in Zanesville, at Saint Thomas Aquinas.
My mother, at 93 years old, still lives independently in Reynoldsburg. My father has been deceased for 11 years.
I have one older brother and sister-in-law who live in Wapakoneta.
May our time together-at the very heart of the Catholic Community of Central Ohio-be pleasing to the Lord Jesus, as we offer him worship, in union with Mary and Joseph and all the saints, to the Glory of the Most Blessed Trinity!
Peace and blessing,
Father Sullivan
Rector
We welcome Father Jan Sullivan
to Saint Joseph Cathedral and Holy Cross Parish!
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