Fr. Thomas J. Diehl, SJ, former pastor of St. Xavier Church, founder of The Jesuit Renewal Center (now known as The Jesuit Spiritual Center in Milford, OH) Cincinnati-area native and Jesuit priest died on Thursday November 23, 2006.
Fr. Diehl attended St. James grade school in Wyoming, OH and graduated from St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati in 1937. Shortly afterwards, he entered the Jesuits at the Milford Novitiate. In his studies as a Jesuit he earned an A.B. from Loyola University Chicago and an M.A. in English. He also received his Ph.L. in 1944, from West Baden College, IN and an S.T.L. in 1951. He also completed special studies at Bethesda Hospital in Cincinnati and The Institute of Spirituality and Worship at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley, CA. Fr. Diehl was ordained on June 13, 1950, at West Baden, IN.
After ordination Fr. Diehl was appointed Regional Director of Apostleship of Prayer, in Chicago, a position he held until 1959, when he was appointed National Director of the Eucharistic Crusade. Eight years later he was missioned to serve as executive secretary to the Provincial of the Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus. Fr. Diehl in 1973, moved to Milford, OH, where he was the Director of the Jesuit Renewal Center and served as superior of the Milford Jesuit Community. Diane Bissonette met Fr. Diehl in 1975 and has remained close friends with him ever since, "What stands out most about Fr. Diehl was his kindness to people, whenever someone questioned something he always said ‘do the loving thing.'"
In 1980, Fr. Diehl was appointed pastor of St. Xavier Church in Cincinnati. He viewed this assignment as a great and exhilarating challenge, "It's exciting and busy. There's a lot going on. It's a challenge because there's no residential community. That can be a problem." During his time at St. Xavier he started many programs and initiatives to better serve the parishioners and the needy in the area. Some of these programs included a Business People's Mass on the second Friday of the month, a lunch break program during Advent and Lent for business people downtown, and Project 5000, a program that asked parishioners to fill boxes with requested food items for the needy. Fr. Gene Carmichael remembers, "I once asked Fr. Diehl if he could do anything in the province what would he want to do and he said he wanted to be pastor of St. Xavier Parish. It was his dream job."
After 16 years as pastor at St. Xavier Parish Fr. Diehl returned to the Milford Spiritual Center (now known as The Jesuit Spiritual Center at Milford) where he served as pastoral coordinator of conferences and retreats. In 2001, he was assigned to serve the Milford Jesuit Community in pastoral ministry. He was missioned to Colombiere Center in Clarkston, MI in 2005.
Fr. Diehl is survived by a brother, John Diehl, and by his sisters, Mrs. Catherine Albers, Mrs. Rosalie Snider, Mrs. Judith Saba, and Mrs. Esther Tanner.
Fr. Diehl attended St. James grade school in Wyoming, OH and graduated from St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati in 1937. Shortly afterwards, he entered the Jesuits at the Milford Novitiate. In his studies as a Jesuit he earned an A.B. from Loyola University Chicago and an M.A. in English. He also received his Ph.L. in 1944, from West Baden College, IN and an S.T.L. in 1951. He also completed special studies at Bethesda Hospital in Cincinnati and The Institute of Spirituality and Worship at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley, CA. Fr. Diehl was ordained on June 13, 1950, at West Baden, IN.
After ordination Fr. Diehl was appointed Regional Director of Apostleship of Prayer, in Chicago, a position he held until 1959, when he was appointed National Director of the Eucharistic Crusade. Eight years later he was missioned to serve as executive secretary to the Provincial of the Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus. Fr. Diehl in 1973, moved to Milford, OH, where he was the Director of the Jesuit Renewal Center and served as superior of the Milford Jesuit Community. Diane Bissonette met Fr. Diehl in 1975 and has remained close friends with him ever since, "What stands out most about Fr. Diehl was his kindness to people, whenever someone questioned something he always said ‘do the loving thing.'"
In 1980, Fr. Diehl was appointed pastor of St. Xavier Church in Cincinnati. He viewed this assignment as a great and exhilarating challenge, "It's exciting and busy. There's a lot going on. It's a challenge because there's no residential community. That can be a problem." During his time at St. Xavier he started many programs and initiatives to better serve the parishioners and the needy in the area. Some of these programs included a Business People's Mass on the second Friday of the month, a lunch break program during Advent and Lent for business people downtown, and Project 5000, a program that asked parishioners to fill boxes with requested food items for the needy. Fr. Gene Carmichael remembers, "I once asked Fr. Diehl if he could do anything in the province what would he want to do and he said he wanted to be pastor of St. Xavier Parish. It was his dream job."
After 16 years as pastor at St. Xavier Parish Fr. Diehl returned to the Milford Spiritual Center (now known as The Jesuit Spiritual Center at Milford) where he served as pastoral coordinator of conferences and retreats. In 2001, he was assigned to serve the Milford Jesuit Community in pastoral ministry. He was missioned to Colombiere Center in Clarkston, MI in 2005.
Fr. Diehl is survived by a brother, John Diehl, and by his sisters, Mrs. Catherine Albers, Mrs. Rosalie Snider, Mrs. Judith Saba, and Mrs. Esther Tanner.
Fr. Thomas J. Diehl, SJ, former pastor of St. Xavier Church, founder of The Jesuit Renewal Center (now known as The Jesuit Spiritual Center in Milford, OH) Cincinnati-area native and Jesuit priest died on Thursday November 23, 2006.
Fr. Diehl attended St. James grade school in Wyoming, OH and graduated from St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati in 1937. Shortly afterwards, he entered the Jesuits at the Milford Novitiate. In his studies as a Jesuit he earned an A.B. from Loyola University Chicago and an M.A. in English. He also received his Ph.L. in 1944, from West Baden College, IN and an S.T.L. in 1951. He also completed special studies at Bethesda Hospital in Cincinnati and The Institute of Spirituality and Worship at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley, CA. Fr. Diehl was ordained on June 13, 1950, at West Baden, IN.
After ordination Fr. Diehl was appointed Regional Director of Apostleship of Prayer, in Chicago, a position he held until 1959, when he was appointed National Director of the Eucharistic Crusade. Eight years later he was missioned to serve as executive secretary to the Provincial of the Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus. Fr. Diehl in 1973, moved to Milford, OH, where he was the Director of the Jesuit Renewal Center and served as superior of the Milford Jesuit Community. Diane Bissonette met Fr. Diehl in 1975 and has remained close friends with him ever since, "What stands out most about Fr. Diehl was his kindness to people, whenever someone questioned something he always said ‘do the loving thing.'"
In 1980, Fr. Diehl was appointed pastor of St. Xavier Church in Cincinnati. He viewed this assignment as a great and exhilarating challenge, "It's exciting and busy. There's a lot going on. It's a challenge because there's no residential community. That can be a problem." During his time at St. Xavier he started many programs and initiatives to better serve the parishioners and the needy in the area. Some of these programs included a Business People's Mass on the second Friday of the month, a lunch break program during Advent and Lent for business people downtown, and Project 5000, a program that asked parishioners to fill boxes with requested food items for the needy. Fr. Gene Carmichael remembers, "I once asked Fr. Diehl if he could do anything in the province what would he want to do and he said he wanted to be pastor of St. Xavier Parish. It was his dream job."
After 16 years as pastor at St. Xavier Parish Fr. Diehl returned to the Milford Spiritual Center (now known as The Jesuit Spiritual Center at Milford) where he served as pastoral coordinator of conferences and retreats. In 2001, he was assigned to serve the Milford Jesuit Community in pastoral ministry. He was missioned to Colombiere Center in Clarkston, MI in 2005.
Fr. Diehl is survived by a brother, John Diehl, and by his sisters, Mrs. Catherine Albers, Mrs. Rosalie Snider, Mrs. Judith Saba, and Mrs. Esther Tanner.
Fr. Diehl attended St. James grade school in Wyoming, OH and graduated from St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati in 1937. Shortly afterwards, he entered the Jesuits at the Milford Novitiate. In his studies as a Jesuit he earned an A.B. from Loyola University Chicago and an M.A. in English. He also received his Ph.L. in 1944, from West Baden College, IN and an S.T.L. in 1951. He also completed special studies at Bethesda Hospital in Cincinnati and The Institute of Spirituality and Worship at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley, CA. Fr. Diehl was ordained on June 13, 1950, at West Baden, IN.
After ordination Fr. Diehl was appointed Regional Director of Apostleship of Prayer, in Chicago, a position he held until 1959, when he was appointed National Director of the Eucharistic Crusade. Eight years later he was missioned to serve as executive secretary to the Provincial of the Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus. Fr. Diehl in 1973, moved to Milford, OH, where he was the Director of the Jesuit Renewal Center and served as superior of the Milford Jesuit Community. Diane Bissonette met Fr. Diehl in 1975 and has remained close friends with him ever since, "What stands out most about Fr. Diehl was his kindness to people, whenever someone questioned something he always said ‘do the loving thing.'"
In 1980, Fr. Diehl was appointed pastor of St. Xavier Church in Cincinnati. He viewed this assignment as a great and exhilarating challenge, "It's exciting and busy. There's a lot going on. It's a challenge because there's no residential community. That can be a problem." During his time at St. Xavier he started many programs and initiatives to better serve the parishioners and the needy in the area. Some of these programs included a Business People's Mass on the second Friday of the month, a lunch break program during Advent and Lent for business people downtown, and Project 5000, a program that asked parishioners to fill boxes with requested food items for the needy. Fr. Gene Carmichael remembers, "I once asked Fr. Diehl if he could do anything in the province what would he want to do and he said he wanted to be pastor of St. Xavier Parish. It was his dream job."
After 16 years as pastor at St. Xavier Parish Fr. Diehl returned to the Milford Spiritual Center (now known as The Jesuit Spiritual Center at Milford) where he served as pastoral coordinator of conferences and retreats. In 2001, he was assigned to serve the Milford Jesuit Community in pastoral ministry. He was missioned to Colombiere Center in Clarkston, MI in 2005.
Fr. Diehl is survived by a brother, John Diehl, and by his sisters, Mrs. Catherine Albers, Mrs. Rosalie Snider, Mrs. Judith Saba, and Mrs. Esther Tanner.
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