Wednesday, June 24, 2009

A Mass of Christian Burial for Father Donald A. Behler will be held at 10 a.m., June 29, at St. Dominic Church in Delhi Township.

Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk will serve as the celebrant, and Father James Meade, pastor of Corpus Christi Parish in Cincinnati, will be the homilist.

Father Donald A. Behler (File photo)

Father Behler died on June 17 at the age of 86.

A native of Cincinnati, Father Behler began his studies for the priesthood at St. Gregory Seminary and then at Mount St. Mary Seminary of the West. He was ordained in 1947 by Bishop George J. Rehring, Auxiliary Bishop of Cincinnati.

Father Behler received his first assignment in 1948 as a memberof the faculty at Elder High School, with residence at St. James Church in White Oak. He was appointed assistant pastor of Old St. Mary’s Church in Cincinnati in June 1953 while still serving at Elder. Six months later, he became assistant pastor of St. Louis Church in downtown Cincinnati.

In 1954 Father Behler was appointed chaplain of the Fontbonne and resided at the Fenwick Club in Cincinnati. That same year, he was named assistant pastor of Annunciation Church while also serving on the faculty at Sacred Heart Academy, both located in Clifton.

In 1958 Father Behler was appointed assistant pastor of Our Mother of Sorrows Church in Roselawn. Four years later he was became assistant pastor of Our Lady of Mercy Church in Dayton.

Father Behler also served as pastor of St. John Fisher Church in Newtown from 1968-1971; Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Greenhills from 1971-1978; and St. Ignatius Loyola Church in Montfort Heights from 1978-1988. In addition, he was chaplain of the Northside Council of the Knights of Columbus.

He was the administrator of St. Ann Church in Williamsburg in 1968 and associate pastor of St. Aloysius Gonzaga Church in Bridgetown in 1988.

After his retirement in 1988, Father Behler lived at St. Dominic Church and at Mercy Franciscan at West Park Retirement Center, where he ministered to these communities.

Father Behler is survived by his sister, Adele Dolan, and a brother, William Behler.

Interment will be in Gate of Heaven Cemetery.