Reverend William B. Homola, 83, Accomplished organist and enjoyed gourmet cooking
Reverend William B. Homola, age 83, native Lorainite, died Thursday September 5, 2002 at St. Augustine Manor following a lengthy illness. Born in Lorain on June 19, 1919, Rev. Homola attended Holy Trinity School. At age 14, he entered the High School and Preparatory College of the Carmelites in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. After two years of study, he entered the Novitiate of the Carmelite Order in San Antonio, Texas. He majored in Philosophy and Liturgical Music at the International College of Philosophy of the Discalced Carmelites in Haifa, Israel. He returned to the U.S. in 1939.Rev. Homola served in the United States from 1941-1945 in the South Pacific Theater of Operations in the Figi Islands, New Zealand, and New Caledonia. He was part of the Island Command HQS Intelligence in the Censor Division. He handled mail, radio, and cable sent in foreign languages. Hew as decorated with the American Defense Ribbon, American Theater Ribbon, Asiatic-Pacific Theater Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, and Victory Medal. In 1945 he received an Honorable Discharge.
He resumed his theological studies in 1946 at St. Thomas Seminary in Denver, Colorado. He was ordained a priest on June 3, 1950 for the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, New Mexico. He then obtained a Master's degree in Social Work at Catholic University in Washington, D.C.
Rev. Homola began his ministry in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe as Director of Catholic Charities from 1952-1964. He served as a faculty member of Immaculate Heart Seminary, Santa Fe, where he was also chaplain and Spiritual Director for the Order of Carmelite Nuns.
He served as Associate Pastor of our Lady at Fatima and Holy Rosary Churches of Albuquerque. He was pastor of San Ysidro Church, Corrales, New Mexico from 1971-1975; and Pastor of St. Anthony Church, Ft. Sumner, New Mexico from 1982-1985. He became assistant to the Senior Citizens Ministry in Albuquerque and Parochial Vicar of Our Lady of Guadeloupe Church until his retirement in 1989.
Rev. Homola returned to Ohio in 1989 where he lived in residence at St. Gregory the Great Parish in South Euclid; and later St. John Parish, Lorain. Currently he was serving as a resident chaplain at St. Augustine Towers, Cleveland.
He was also accomplished organist and enjoyed gourmet cooking.
On June 3, 2002, Revered Homola observed the Golden Jubilee of his Ordination to the Priesthood with a private family celebration.
He is survived by 13 nieces and nephews, and numerous grand nieces and grand nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, Joseph Homola in 1966; mother, Anna (nee Kopronica) in 1978; sisters Mary Zuffa in 1947 and Anna Gluvna in 1980; brothers; John in 1960 and Joseph in 1983.
Visitation will be Friday from 7-9 p.m. at 7 p.m. in Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 2428 Elyria Avenue, Lorain. His funeral mass will be at 11:00 a.m. in Holy Trinity Church with Auxiliary Bishop Roger Gries of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland as principal celebrant, and the Rev. David A. Novak, pastor of Holy Trinity, as homolist. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Lorain.
Memorial contributions in his memory may be made to St. Augustine Towers, 7821 Lake Avenue, Cleveland, 44102 or Carmelite Monastery, 49 Mt. Carmel Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Gluvna-Shimo-Hromada Funeral Chapel, Lorain.