(Chicago)
Fr. Paul Huber, 96, a legendary Jesuit priest at St. Francis Xavier Church in
downtown Cincinnati, died January 31, 2008, at Colombiere Center
in Clarkston, Michigan. For 53 years, Fr. Huber heard
confessions, conducted Mass, and visited the sick as associate pastor, before
retiring in 2005 at the age of 93. He was a Jesuit for 76 years, a priest for 62
years.
An excellent listener, Fr. Huber was instrumental in
building and continuing the reputation of the St. Francis Xavier Church
confessional before the years of psychotherapy.
“Parish ministry was his niche,” said St. Francis Xavier
Pastor Fr. Eric Knapp (CHG). “He
conducted a quality ministry to the homeless, outcasts, battered women, and
prisoners. People felt loved in his
presence. He was just a walking emissary
of compassion.”
Parishioner Dave Thelen joined St. Francis Xavier Church in
1969 because of Fr. Huber’s example of quiet humility. As their family priest, Fr. Huber lived long
enough to baptize Thelen’s grandchildren.
“He was a part of our family and a very holy man,” Thelen
commented. “I have an urge to pray to
him rather than for him.”
A native of Bellevue, Kentucky, Fr. Huber attended Sacred Heart grade school
and St. Xavier
High School in Cincinnati.
After high school graduation, he was a student at Xavier University
for one year before deciding to join the Jesuits. In 1931, he entered the
Jesuit order in Milford, Ohio.
During his studies to become a priest, Fr. Huber earned a
bachelor’s degree in 1936 and a master’s degree in English in 1939, both at West Baden College, Indiana.
Prior to his ordination, he taught at St.
Xavier High
School from 1939 to 1942. He was ordained a priest on
June 13, 1945, in West Baden.
Shortly after his ordination Fr. Huber was assigned to teach
at University of Detroit High School. During his summers he helped other
ministries: in 1946 he assisted with parish work at Holy
Family Church
in Chicago and in 1948 he worked at Cook County
Hospital.
Fr. Huber remained at University of Detroit High School
until 1951, when he was assigned to St. Xavier Church in Cincinnati as associate pastor. At St. Xavier he celebrated Mass every day,
as well as once a month at the Hamilton
County Justice
Center.
Fr. Joe Schell (DET) became friends with Fr. Huber when they
joined the Jesuits in 1931, training side by side for the first seven years of
their priestly formation. After many years in separate ministries, the two
reunited at Colombiere
Center in 2005 for their
final mission, to pray for the Church and the Society of Jesus.
“Paul didn’t like to be fussed over,” said Fr. Schell.
“Recently, we were at a special event and I tried to brush something off his
mouth. He pushed my hand away and said, ‘I’m not that far gone!’ I’m sure he’s in heaven now, brushing away
the angels while they try to adjust his halo.
If it were my choice I would canonize him. He was a saint.”