Rev. Harold [“Harry”] Brown, C.PP.S, of Celina, Ohio, died March 22, 2025 at Carthagena, Ohio.  Death was due to heart and kidney failure.

Rev. Harold Brown  was born December 29, 1931, in Glynnwood, Ohio, the son of Roy and Alodia [Oen] Brown, who proceeded him in death. He was ordained into the priesthood on May 31, 1959.

In his early years prior to ordination, he enjoyed hunting [raccoon, fox, rabbits, pheasants, squirrels, and crows] plus trapping.  He entered the seminary in ninth grade, attending Brunnerdale High School Seminary, Canton, Ohio [1946-50].  Then he went to St. Joseph’s College, Rensselaer, Indiana, for two years [1950-52].  The next one year was solid spirituality at St. Mary’s Novitiate, Burkettsville, Ohio, where he made profession August 15, 1953.  Finally, he spent six years [1953-59] studying philosophy and theology at St. Charles major Seminary, Carthagena, Ohio.  After his priesthood ordination, he spent one year in tirocinium [an apprenticeship in ministry] at St. Anthony’s Parish and the University of Detroit in Detroit, Michigan.

Rev. Harold Brown’s assignments were:

1960-61 Assistant pastor at St. Edward’s Church [a Black Parish] in Cleveland, Ohio.

1961-63 Assistant pastor at Holy Ghost Parish, Vinita, Oklahoma, where the pastor put him in charge of two mission churches:  St. Ann, Welch, and St. Elizabeth, Grove.

1963-78 Faculty of Brunnerdale High School Seminary as Athletic Director, Dean of Discipline, Latin and Religion teacher, and Principal from 1973 to 1978.

1978-79 Assistant pastor at St. Anthony Parish in Falls Church, Virginia.

1979-84 Full-time work with Worldwide Marriage Encounter as a recruiter and team priest, based in Tampa, Florida.

1984-96 Director of Family Life Office at the Chancery of St. Petersburg Diocese in Florida at the request of Bishop Thomas Larkin.

1996-2009 Pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish in Glandorf, Ohio, where he celebrated his fiftieth anniversary in 2009.

2009-2023 He was semi-retired at the Sorrowful Mother Shrine near Bellevue, Ohio, at his choice.

2023-2025 Retirement at St Charles Senior Center, Celina, Ohio.

For graduate studies he received an MA in Classical Studies from the University of Michigan in 1969 and an MA in Education Administration from Ohio State University in 1977, both done in summer classes.  He also spent one summer studying Pastoral Psychology at the Catholic University of America.  For cultural education and enjoyment he made three trips abroad under the “American Institute for Foreign Study” to Italy, England, France, Greece, Israel, Russia, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, and Scotland.  He made summer vacation trips to Ireland, Canada, Bahamas, and Jamaica and loved flying.

At Brunnerdale Seminary as principal he became well known for writing and posting “mini” notes [even “post-it” size].

As he specialized priesthood ministry I loved recruiting couples for Marriage Encounter and teaming for the same from 1980 to 2018.  His involvement means that he developed a challenging, vibrant homily called a “Super Marriage Sunday” which resulted in recruiting over eleven thousand couples [a record for any priest or couple in America].  At one parish in Georgia he signed up one hundred nineteen couples and two priests on one weekend.  That was enough to fill four weekend programs.  He teamed for one hundred ninety two programs throughout the fifty states.  For Marriage Encounter he served on Section V Board covering five states and the National Board for several years enriching and saved thousands of marriages.

For twelve years in St. Petersburg, Florida, he teamed for other programs like Retrouvaille [a program for troubled marriages], Engaged Encounter, Pre-Cana I and II, and Choice [a program for young, single adults].

He enjoyed college football, especially the Ohio State Buckeyes whom he followed avidly and faithfully.

His living siblings are:

Mrs. Paul [Ruth] Brown of Wapakoneta, Ohio

Alvin Brown of New Bremen, Ohio

Ann Leinweber of St. Marys, Ohio

Agnes [Cletus] Schmerge of LaSalle, Colorado

Rev. Joseph Brown, C.PP.S, of Carthagena, Ohio

Mrs. John [Pamela] Brown of Celina, Ohio

Mrs. David [Jeannette] Brown of St. Marys, Ohio

Dr. Virgil and Mrs. Mary Ellen Brown of Wapakoneta, Ohio

Theresa and Richard Ramga of Wapakoneta, Ohio

Preceding Rev Brown in death were siblings and in-laws: Anthony and Dorothy Brown; Francis, Mary, and Ruth Brown; Paul, John, and David Brown; Mary and William Yahl, and David Smith [Theresa].  He was blessed with over 330 nephews, nieces, grands, and great-grands plus many cousins.

Viewing will be held at St. Charles Center, Carthagena, Ohio, from 2 to 5 PM and 7 to 9 PM on March 27th.  A prayer service with eulogy stories will begin at 7 PM.  The Mass of Christian Burial will be at 2:00 PM in the St. Charles Center “Gaspar Room” on Friday, March 28th.  Burial will follow in the community cemetery.  All funeral arrangements are under the supervision of the Hogenkamp Funeral Home of Coldwater, Ohio.  Memorials may be directed to the United States Province of the Society of the Precious Blood:  at [email protected] or to the Sorrowful Mother Shrine at 4106 St. Rt. 269, Bellevue, Ohio 44811.

Condolences may be expressed at:  [email protected]