By Jerry Masek
A well-documented shortage of priests in the Catholic faith has now hit close to home.
Effective June 30, the Rev. John M. Pfeifer will serve as pastor of St. Patrick Church, 4427 Rocky River Dr. at Puritas Avenue, and St. Vincent de Paul Church, 3473 W. 135 St., north of Lorain Avenue. According to Google, the two churches are 3 miles apart.
Rev. Pfeifer, ordained in 2007, has served at St. Albert the Great Church in North Royalton since 2015.
Rev. Pfeifer replaces the Rev. James Ols of St. Patrick, who is retiring, and the Rev. Kenneth Wallace of St. Vincent de Paul, who was assigned to another parish. Rev. Ols was ordained in 1975. He has served at St. Patrick since 2012. Rev. Wallace, ordained in 2000, has served at SVDP since 2015.
Maureen Mountcastle, a fixture in the St. Patrick front office for 43 years, is also retiring.