Diocese of Columbus Announces Pastoral Transferrals
After 34 years of service to St. Brigid of Kildare Parish, 25 of those years serving as pastor, Monsignor Joseph M. Hendricks will be transferring from his duties as pastor of our parish to a full-time role at the Diocese of Columbus. Bishop Fernandes has appointed Monsignor Hendricks as the Bishop’s delegate for community relations, effective July 11, 2023. St. Brigid of Kildare Parish will be welcoming Father James P. Black as pastor beginning in July, after fulfilling his current role as pastor of St. Joan of Arc Church in Powell.
In his new role, Monsignor Hendricks will be working directly with Bishop Fernandes, community leaders, and government officials to oversee corporate and community relations for the Diocese of Columbus. He will also work with pastors on parish leadership and financial management. As a community representative of the Bishop, he will continue his work on the boards of United Way – Success by Third Grade, YMCA of Central Ohio Metro Board, and The Mt. Carmel Foundation. He will also continue his work as immediate past chair of the board of Life Care Alliance, and consultant and advisor to Ohio Dominican University and the Mt. Carmel Collaborative.
In addition to his new full-time role, Monsignor Hendricks will continue his current duties and positions in the Diocese of Columbus. He is the president and CEO of the Villas of St. Therese in Plain City, which is currently under construction. He chairs the Diocesan Community Retirement Board of Trustees, a sole member corporation of dozens of agencies in the Diocese of Columbus. He also serves as the vice president and COO of Seton Square Housing, Inc, which is comprised of 13 facilities and 1,000 units of HUD Housing sponsored by the Diocese of Columbus. He also oversees the Bishop’s Annual Appeal, the Catholic Cemeteries, and the Chancery renovation. Monsignor Hendricks will continue his other community relations roles, including co-chair to the Mt. Carmel Hospital Campaign, delegate for Intel, treasurer, finance chair, and school board member for St. Mary German Village, and working with the collaborative with the African American Community of Faith Leaders.
In his 25 years as pastor at St. Brigid of Kildare Parish, Monsignor Hendricks has been monumental in the growth of our parish from a small gathering in a barn to the parish of nearly 3,000 families that it is today. He has spearheaded campaigns to build the most recently established Catholic school in the Diocese of Columbus, opening our parish educational center in 1996. He oversaw the expansion of our church, and later the addition of Hendricks Hall. He has created a financial structure for our parish and school that emphasizes stability for the long-term, leaving our parish with no capital debt and in a positive financial position.
St. Brigid of Kildare Parish will be welcoming Fr. James Black, who has been pastor at St. Joan of Arc Church in Powell since 2013. St. Joan of Arc was founded in 1987 in southern Delaware County and has grown to a parish that now serves nearly 4,000 families and 1,200 religious education students. Fr. Black has spent the last 10 years leading the members of St. Joan of Arc through continuous growth and overseeing their over 60 ministries that serve God.
Fr. Black has also served as pastor of St. Peter Church in Chillicothe and St. Mary Church in Delaware. Prior to that, he served as associate pastor at St. Matthew Church in Gahanna, St. Catharine Church in Columbus, and St. Joseph Cathedral. He also served as chaplain of Bishop Hartley High School in Columbus.
Fr. Black is a native of Columbus, and holds a bachelor’s degree from Franklin University and a master’s degree from the Pontifical College Josephinum. He was ordained to the priesthood in June of 1988 at St. Joseph Cathedral in Columbus by Bishop James A. Griffin.
Monsignor Hendricks will continue to reside in Dublin, Ohio as he fulfills his new and current roles at the Diocese of Columbus. Our parish will be forever grateful for the years of service, knowledge, and compassion Monsignor Hendricks dedicated to us all.