By Wes Kroninger
When Monsignor Joseph Hendricks came to St. Brigid of Kildare Parish in January 1988, Dublin was just a village with one main road.
As his parish grew along with the community, Hendricks has seen to the physical and mental well-being of those around him, expanding his parish and becoming involved with numerous community organizations.
“I’ve gained more than I’ve given from my community service,” Hendricks says.
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Hendricks knew from an early age that he wanted to give his life to helping others. Inspired by the priests and nuns at the Corpus Christi parish on Columbus’ west side where he attended grade school, Hendricks decided he wanted to become a priest. By eighth grade, he had a chance to attend vocational fairs, where he found other priests very supportive of his goal.
His parents, too, encouraged him.
“I think they became more comfortable with the idea as I grew along with it,” he says. “They certainly didn’t object.”
In the early 1960s, Hendricks, his twin brother, his younger sister and his parents moved to Columbus, Ind., for his father’s job. This Columbus was a small town in the southern part of the state with about 25,000 people. Hendricks attended high school there, then moved back to Columbus, Ohio, to attend seminary at St. Charles College in 1965.
Upon graduating in 1969, Hendricks attended the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., for his graduate degree in theology. Following that, he studied business and finance at Seattle University.
Hendricks put his education to use first as a teacher at Pontifical College Josephinum, north of Worthington, where he taught Latin and theology for 10 years. In 1982, he served as vice chancellor of the Columbus Diocese and secretary to the bishop.
Hendricks, now 67, was 41 years old when he came to St. Brigid as a resident priest in 1988. When the parish was started a year earlier, it had 600 families. By the time Hendricks was made pastor, in 1997, the church had grown to almost 2,000 families.
Since Hendricks became pastor 17 years ago, that amount has swelled to 3,200-3,300 families.
Though St. Brigid saw considerable growth before Hendricks’ term as pastor began – the church was built in 1991, and St. Brigid of Kildare School opened in 1996 – he was tasked with undertaking a four-phase strategic plan to expand services. The church purchased property across the street, to become known as St. Brigid Green, for sports and recreation fields.
It also built a gymnasium, expanded the church and constructed an administration building. The parish raised about $20 million for the projects.
“I’ve been lucky I’ve been able to stay,” Hendricks says. “I hope I’ve made a positive impact.”
Hendricks’ current endeavor is a $50 million campaign to endow the school, which includes preschool through eighth grade. Begun in 2012, the campaign is up to about $6 million.
In 2008, the 680-student school was recognized by the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program for its elementary program. In 2014, it received the award again, making it the only Ohio school that has received the award twice in the last 10 years, Hendricks says.
“We have a very fine educational system here,” he says.
While Hendricks has worked to improve the parish, he has also spent a great deal of time trying to better the central Ohio community.
From 2010 to 2012, he chaired the board of United Way of Central Ohio. He has also chaired the Goodwill Columbus board and the YMCA of Central Ohio Metropolitan General Board of Trustees, the latter twice.
Hendricks serves on the boards of the Community Shelter Board, Ohio Dominican University and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Ohio. The Ronald McDonald House recently became the largest in the nation when 40 rooms were added to its south Columbus facility, which provides housing for families of patients in Nationwide Children’s Hospital who can’t afford hotels.
“It’s just a wonderful opportunity to serve the community in that way,” Hendricks says.
Aiding the poor is, of course, a top priority for someone at Hendricks’ station in life. But even before he entered the priesthood, he was motivated by his upbringing to serve the less fortunate. Though they were never homeless and always had enough food, he and his family grew up poor, he says.
“We had a very modest upbringing,” he says.
Hendricks does his part to help those in his community gain access to health care, freedom of speech, religion and education.
“All of these things I have been given,” he says. “And so it’s time to give back.”
In particular, he is proud that his volunteerism has helped people move from poverty to stability, achieve job training and have safe, clean environments in which to live.
“It’s helping the helpless,” he says.
Many of Hendricks’ current efforts revolve around preparing for his successor. Hendricks plans to retire at 70, at which point he could serve other parishes as a senior priest.
And his advice for his successor?
“Try to allow the people to see Christ in you, so that they might see Christ in themselves,” Hendricks says.
Sarah Sole is an assistant editor. Feedback welcome at hbealer@cityscenecolumbus.com.
