Rev. David J. Bonnar will be ordained as the sixth Bishop of Youngstown, Ohio, next Tuesday, January 12, surrounded by family, co-workers and parishioners from his home diocese.
Bishop-elect Bonnar, a priest of the Diocese of Pittsburgh for 32 years, was named Bishop of the Diocese of Youngstown by Pope Francis. He succeeds the late Bishop George Murry, S.J.
Bishop David Zubik will preach the homily at the Mass of Ordination and Installation, and serve as co-consecrator with Bishop Paul Bradley of the Diocese of Kalamazoo, formerly of Pittsburgh. Erica Gamero, episcopal master of ceremonies in the Diocese of Pittsburgh, will serve in that role at the ordination Tuesday. Laetitia Bridges of the Pittsburgh diocese and Darcy Osby of Saint Aidan Parish in Wexford will be proclaimers.
In addition, Chaz Bowers of Saint Michael the Archangel Parish in the South Hills wrote music for a responsorial psalm, which will be sung by fellow parishioner Linda Eckenrode. Father Bonnar’s family members will present his bishop’s mitre, crozier and ring.
Due to limitations related to the pandemic, the 2 p.m. ceremony is not open to the public, but all are invited to watch via livestream at https://doy.org/media/cathedral.
“I am very excited about the future, but also overwhelmed by the calling,” said Bishop-elect Bonnar. “I look forward to making Youngstown my home and serving the clergy and faithful of this great diocese. Already I have been so warmly received by so many people.”
Bishop-elect Bonnar was educated at Saint Gabriel of the Sorrowful Virgin School and Seton LaSalle High School and earned a B.A. in social communication at Duquesne University. During his senior year, he entered the priestly formation program at Saint Paul Seminary and attended the North American College in Rome, where he received a bachelor’s degree in sacred theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University.
He was ordained a priest at his home parish on July 23, 1988. He served as parochial vicar at Saint Vitus Parish in New Castle, Saint Rosalia in Pittsburgh’s Greenfield neighborhood, and Saint Thomas More in Bethel Park.
Later he became pastor at Saint Bartholomew in Penn Hills, served 11 years as pastor of Saint Bernard Church in Mt. Lebanon and administrator of Our Lady of Grace in Scott Township before being assigned pastor of Saint Aidan Parish last July.
Bishop-elect Bonnar also served as rector of Saint Paul Seminary, diocesan director of pre-ordination formation, director of vocations, director of the permanent diaconate, secretary of parish and ministerial leadership, and vicar for clergy.
In addition, Bishop-elect Bonnar was a part-time chaplain at Central Catholic High School in Pittsburgh, and served 12 years as chaplain of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He will continue in his role as editor of The Priest magazine, published by Our Sunday Visitor.
Photo Credit: OSV