Tuesday, March 25th, 2025
Fr. Harold Brown, C.PP.S
Fr. Harold ["Harry"] Brown, C.PP.S, of Celina, Ohio, died March 22, 2025 at Carthagena, Ohio. Death was due to heart and kidney failure.
I was born December 29, 1931, in Glynnwood, Ohio, the son of Roy and Alodia [Oen] Brown, who proceeded me in death. I was ordained into the priesthood on May 31, 1959.
In my early years prior to ordination, I enjoyed hunting [raccoon, fox, rabbits, pheasants, squirrels, and crows] plus trapping. I entered the seminary in my ninth grade, attending Brunnerdale High School Seminary, Canton, Ohio [1946-50]. Then I 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 I made profession August 15, 1953. Finally, I spent six years [1953-59] studying philosophy and theology at St. Charles major Seminary, Carthagena, Ohio. After my priesthood ordination, I spent one year in tirocinium [an apprenticeship in ministry] at St. Anthony's Parish and the University of Detroit in Detroit, Michigan.
My 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 me in charge of two mission churches: St. Ann, Welch, and St. Elizabeth, Grove.
1963-78 I was on the 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 I celebrated my fiftieth anniversary in 2009.
2009-2023 I was semi-retired at the Sorrowful Mother Shrine near Bellevue, Ohio, at my choice.
2023-2025 Retirement at St Charles Senior Center, Celina, Ohio.
For graduate studies I 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. I also spent one summer studying Pastoral Psychology at the Catholic University of America. For cultural education and enjoyment I make three trips abroad under the "American Institute for Foreign Study" to Italy, England, France, Greece, Israel, Russia, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, and Scotland. I made summer vacation trips to Ireland, Canada, Bahamas, and Jamaica. I loved flying.
At Brunnerdale Seminary as principal I became well known for writing and posting "mini" notes [even "post-it" size]. Some seminarians from that time did mimic me years afterwards. Personally I thought and recognized that tiny notes were read and followed more readily than larger notes.
As my specialized priesthood ministry I loved recruiting couples for Marriage Encounter and teaming for the same from 1980 to 2018. My involvement means that I 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 I signed up one hundred nineteen couples and two priests on one weekend. That was enough to fill four weekend programs. I also teamed for one hundred ninety two programs throughout the fifty states. For Marriage Encounter I served on Section V Board covering five states and the National Board for several years. It was hard work and time-consuming, but it enriched and saved thousands of marriages.
For my twelve years in St. Petersburg, Florida, I 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].
In my leisure I enjoyed college football, especially the Ohio State Buckeyes whom I followed avidly and faithfully. For the news, Fox TV was my favorite.
My 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; and Theresa and Richard Ramga of Wapakoneta, Ohio.
Preceding me 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]. I 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 wnordenbrock@preciousbloodus.org or to the Sorrowful Mother Shrine at 4106 St. Rt. 269, Bellevue, Ohio 44811.
Condolences may be expressed at: hogenkampfh@hotmail.com.
My brother Fr. Joseph Brown and nephew Dn. Martin Brown will officiate with cousin Fr. Edward Oen.
