Rev. Joseph A. Kerin

Charlotte - Reverend Monsignor Joseph Aloysius Kerin, a retired priest of the Diocese of Charlotte, died on 14 April 2014 at Pennybyrn at Maryfield, a retirement community located in High Point, North Carolina. He was 82 years old.

Monsignor Kerin served the Church in North Carolina well, taking on a variety of responsibilities including pastor, teacher, counsellor, school administrator, principal, vicar forane, chaplain, Diocesan Chancellor, Diocesan Consultor, Presbyteral Council Member, Diocesan Finance Committee Member, and Director of the Hispanic Catholic Center.

Born 15 November 1931 in Mount Vernon, New York, to the late Thomas F. and and Helen Gertrude Murnane Kerin, Monsignor was predeceased by his eight siblings: Dominican Sister Gertrude Mary Kerin, Dominican Sister Thomas Mary, Thomas F. Kerin Jr., Marian Kerin, Theresa Kerin, Evelyn J. Kerin, Lorraine Kerin Hoyt and James Kerin.

Monsignor Kerin received the bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Niagara University, Niagara Falls, NY (1953) prior to seminary studies at Catholic University, Washington, DC (1953-1957). He was ordained priest by the Bishop Vincent S. Waters, Bishop of the Diocese of Raleigh, on 30 May 1957 in Saint Mary’s Church, Wilmington, N.C.

As was the custom at that time, Bishop Waters assigned him to the Missionary Fathers Apostolate as an assistant at St. John’s in North Wilkesboro from May, 1957 to June, 1958. He spent the summer of 1958 with the Apostolate’s Trailer Chapels, which served Catholics in rural areas of the state where there were no Catholic churches.

From September, 1958, to August 1960, Father Kerin was a teacher and counselor at Notre Dame High School in Greensboro. From August, 1960, to June, 1966, he served simultaneously as pastor of St. John the Baptist in Tryon, and as administrator and principal of Asheville Catholic High School. During three of those years, he also was a part-time graduate student at Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, N.C.

He then became pastor of Our Lady of the Assumption, Charlotte, and was serving there when the Diocese of Charlotte was established in January 1972. In August of that year, Father Kerin went to Mexico City to serve the mission operated jointly by the Dioceses of Raleigh and Charlotte.

Upon his return from Mexico in the spring of 1975, Father Kerin served for a month as administrator of St. Gabriel’s parish in Charlotte. In June, Bishop Michael J. Begley named him pastor of Our Lady of Mercy, Winston-Salem and vicar of the Winston-Salem Vicariate.

Father Kerin returned to Charlotte in September, 1977 as rector of St. Patrick’s Cathedral and director of the Hispanic Catholic Center, a post he continued to hold during his service as Chancellor of the diocese and as founding pastor of St. Matthew’s in Matthews. Father also served as State Chaplain of the Knights of Columbus from 1977-79.

In July, 1979, Bishop Begley named him to succeed Monsignor Joseph Showfety as second chancellor of the diocese, with responsibility for the day to day operation of the diocese.

When Father Kerin expressed a desire to return to parish ministry, in September, 1986, Bishop John F. Donoghue named him first pastor of the newly created St. Matthew Parish, Charlotte. In December 1988, His Holiness Pope John Paul II named him a Prelate of Honor.

In January, 1996, at his request, Monsignor Kerin was granted a sabbatical to attend the Vatican II Institute, Menlo Park, CA; shortly after his return to the diocese, Bishop Curlin named him pastor of the newly formed Saint Mark Parish, Huntersville, N.C., where he served until his retirement in July, 2003.

A Wake Service will be held at 6:00 pm on Monday, April 21, with visitation to follow until 8:00 pm, and again on Tuesday, April 22 from 9:00–10:15 am at Saint Mark Church.

The Solemn Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated also in Saint Mark Church on Tuesday, April 22 at 10:30 am, with interment to follow immediately in Belmont Abbey Cemetery, Belmont, N.C.

Harry & Bryant Company is serving the Diocese.