Father Louis W. Cheatham was 94 years old when he died this past December 16th. He served as a priest for 69 years and was active until very recently. Born in South Carolina and raised in Baltimore, he was ordained in Baltimore two years before I was born, and served in the Archdiocese of Washington and a stint in Canada before beginning his public ministry in the Greensburg Diocese in 1964. He served in a number of parishes before spending 16 years at the Historic Saint Peter Church in Brownsville, from where he retired. He remained active in substitute ministry, and was often found leading us in prayer at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Church over the years. He took great delight in serving as the diocesan liaison for retired priests at the Neumann House residence for retired priests in Greensburg. Father Lou was always friendly and outgoing, a good priest and a committed servant of God. May he rest in peace.
Father Jerome M. Weiksner died on January 10th of this year in Greensburg. He served as a priest for 59 years, and was 87 years old. Originally from Scranton, PA, Father Weiksner was ordained in 1955 by our first bishop, Hugh L. Lamb. He served in three parishes before becoming the Chaplain of the Newman Center and pastor of Saint Thomas More University Parish at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in Indiana, PA. In his eight years there, he built the Newman Center into a vibrant Catholic presence on campus. He also served as administrator of Saint Joseph Hall, the former minor seminary of the diocese (after my time there), developing it into a retreat and meeting center for the diocese. He has been retired since 1991. For his faithful service, may he rest in peace as well.
No comments:
Post a Comment