First African-American priest ordained in archdiocese for 33 years

CATHEDRAL DEANERY - It was simply joyous.

Father Reynaldo S. Taylor, the first African-American man to be ordained as a priest in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati in 33 years presided over his first Mass at his home parish, St. Joseph Catholic Church in the West End May 20.

CT/E.L. HUBBARD

Father Rey Taylor is greeted in the undercroft following his ordination.

At the time of his ordination, Father Taylor has served as a religious for 33 years and has worked in many roles in Cincinnati and beyond during his career. He was program director of Boys Hope-Girls Hope from 1990 to 1998. John Richardson, a graduate of St. Xavier High School and Boys Hope, under Father Taylor's leadership said, "Brother Rey is being ordained as a priest this month, and will now be called Father Rey, however he has been a father to me for many years."

Father Bill Cross, the second African-American priest ordained in Cincinnati, said that, "I am thrilled that Rey decided to become a priest. Perhaps his ordination will encourage other African Americans to join the priesthood. He is enthusiastic, personable, dedicated to the ministry, and he has a heart to help people."

Maxine Rivers, sister of late Father Clarence Rivers, the first African American priest in Cincinnati said, "Father Rey is a very special gift from the black community to the Catholic Church. There are only five to seven black Catholic priests ordained in this country every year; and for this archdiocese, Father Rey is the first black priest ordained in 33 years, and his ordination comes 51 years after the ordination of my brother. This is indeed a historic and momentous occasion. The Rivers family jubilantly joins Archbishop Pilarczyk and the people of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati in celebrating the priestly ordination of Father Rey Taylor and his fellow ordinands."

Father Taylor regards his ordination as a new beginning. "God is not through with me, but this ordination is evidence of my total surrender to the providence of God, who I put my trust in. I look forward to doing my part to help build the kingdom of God in this archdiocese and beyond. I always have a bag packed to go where the Lord leads me. My motto is: 'I want to tell you about a man named Jesus. . . . He is real and I am a living testimony as to what God can do.' "