SCRANTON — Young Dave Bohr answered “the call” some 60 years ago and he has never stopped.
Monsignor David Bohr’s calling to become a priest came to fruition on Dec. 11, 1971, when he was ordained for the Diocese of Scranton, and the “calls” just kept coming.
As he steps down as Diocesan Secretary for Clergy Formation, Director of the Permanent Diaconate & Continuing Formation of Priests, and rector of Villa Saint Joseph home for retired priests, the time has come to reflect upon a priesthood overflowing with unparalleled scholarship, pastoral ministry and administrative leadership.
A mere glance of the curriculum vitae of Monsignor Bohr reads like the index of a history book on the Scranton Diocese.
On more than 20 occasions, Father/Monsignor David Bohr was called upon to serve in a plethora of assignments for the past 52 years — covering an expanse of time that undeniably proved his faithful service and loyalty to his home Diocese and five of the ten Bishops who have headed our local Church.
From assistant chancellor to high school catechist, hospital chaplain to religious education director, seminary rector to Cathedral pastor — and a smattering of assignments in between — Monsignor Bohr has faithfully gone where few Catholic priests have gone before.
Along the way, he also served the Universal Church in a key administrative position at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. His return to the Eternal City stirred memories of his priestly formation and seminary studies at the Pontifical Lateran University and Pontifical Gregorian University.
Rome was also setting for the successful defense of Monsignor Bohr’s doctoral dissertation, leading to the conferral of his Doctorate in Moral Theology a few short years after his ordination.
Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, the most recent Bishop of Scranton Monsignor Bohr has closely ministered with, may have said it best.
In extending his profound gratitude, and that of the entire Diocese, on the occasion of Monsignor’s recent retirement, Bishop Bambera said of his longtime colleague, “It is very hard to sum up 50-plus years of very active ministry of writing, reflecting and teaching. As I look at the number of individuals you have touched, from priests to permanent deacons to religious to lay faithful, in many respects you, more than most any of us, have touched people’s lives and drawn them and given them the ability to come closer to the Lord than any of us could ever hope for or imagine.”
Most notably, Monsignor’s leadership ability and theological acumen were called upon when he was chosen as founding director of the Diocese’s Religious Education Institute, Office of Evangelization, and Office for the Permanent Diaconate.
As he wryly related, “I served twice as director of continuing formation of priests and three times as director of permanent diaconate formation. I tell people, ‘They figured if they gave me these positions enough times, I would finally get them right.’”
A prolific writer, Monsignor Bohr is the author of four books, the most recent — The Diocesan Priest: Consecrated and Sent — receiving the 2010 Catholic Book Award from the Catholic Press Association.
“I am truly grateful for all the wonderful people I have met and have gotten to know along the way,” Monsignor shared. Forever the teacher, he offered one last important lesson upon his departure: “Pope Francis likes to speak of Christ knocking on the door of our heart; not to get in, but to get out to welcome and serve others. I pray that we all can spend the rest of our lives doing just this.”
The positions vacated by Monsignor Bohr will now be filled by Father Mark DeCelles as Director of the Permanent Diaconate Program; Father Ryan Glenn, Director of Continuing Education of Priests; and Father Alex Roche, Secretary for Clergy Formation.