Fr. John Hoying

CELINA -- Fr. John Hoying, C.PP.S., 89, died at 4:29 a.m. on Monday, January 13, 2025, at Lutheran Hospital, Fort Wayne, after a brief illness.

He was born on June 17, 1935, in Botkins, Ohio, to Aloys and Mary (Borchers) Hoying, and spent his early years in Celina, Ohio.

He entered the Congregation in 1949 at Brunnerdale, its former high school seminary near Canton, Ohio, and was ordained on June 9, 1962, at St. Charles Seminary, Carthagena, Ohio. Fr. Hoying celebrated the 60th anniversary of his ordination in 2022. He spent most of those years in parish ministry. His first assignment after ordination was to St. Augustine Church in Minster, OH. He then served as a parochial vicar at St. Joseph Church, Wapakoneta, OH, from 1963-67; at St. Anthony Church in Falls Church, VA., from 1967-71; Sts. Peter and Paul Church, Ottawa, OH, from 1971-77; and St. John the Baptist Church in Whiting, IN, from 1977-80. In 1980, Fr. Hoying was named pastor of three Indiana parishes-St. Joseph Church in Star City, St. Henry Church in Medaryville, and St. Francis Church in Francisville. He served those parishes for five years. From 1987-98, he was the pastor of St. Michael Church, Kalida, OH, and St. Isidore Church in Cuba, OH. Fr. Hoying served as pastor of St. Peter Church, Winamac, IN., from 1998-2005. In 2005, he retired to St. Charles Center in Carthagena, OH.

He is survived by two sisters, Rita Taylor, of Huron, Ohio; and Sr. Madonna Hoying, SFP, of Cincinnati; a sister-in-law, Lois Hoying, of Fort Recovery; and numerous nieces and nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.

He was preceded in death by his brothers Robert, Virgil, and Lawrence, who died in childhood; and sisters Agnes (Buening), Dolores (Shepherd), and Margaret (Francis). Fr. Hoying was confident of his vocation, which came to him at an early age, and was fully committed to all his Congregations.

He had an independent streak, and it was not always easy for him to follow directives from leadership-yet he remained faithful and obedient. In his life as a pastor, he developed many strong and lasting friendships with parishioners. He loved to travel and enjoyed land destinations, as well as cruises. Fr. Hoying kept many of his emotions and feelings to himself, truly opening up to a small circle of relatives or friends. He also had his share of struggles, including alcoholism, which he was able to overcome. By the end of his life, he had come full circle, returning to St. Charles, the former seminary where he had begun his priesthood, and strengthened by his faith, made peace with those he had held distant and was genuinely ready to go home to God.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 2 P.M., Saturday, January 18, 2025, at St. Charles Center (2860 US Rte 127, Celina, OH 45822), with Fr. Barry Fisher, C.PP.S., presiding and Fr. Dennis Chriszt, C.PP.S., as homilist. Burial will follow in the Community cemetery. Visitation will be held on Saturday, January 18, 2025, from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M.

Memorial donations may be made to the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, United States Province.