ABOUT US
EARLY YEARS and CHILDHOOD - By Fr. John Catoir
I am the son of Jack Catoir and Kitty Caslin -- born a year after they were
married in New York. Growing up as a boy I was interested in sports, having fun, and being free.
My father was an athlete and enjoyed raising me over his head on one hand!  My Dad promised
he would never drop me, and he never did!  I think that's how I learned to trust my Father in
heaven. My sister, Cathy, and I, were raised in a loving family where God, home and country
were important.

I did become an Altar boy, and loved it, but I mainly did it to get out of school when there was a
funeral. I joined the Boy Scouts and set my sights on becoming an Eagle Scout. When I was
sixteen my mother pinned the Eagle Scout medal on me. It was a great day.

In high school the stirrings to become a priest began, but I repressed them. I wanted to make
God the center of my life, but I wanted to get married and have a family in the process. I
graduated from Forham University in 1953 with a Business Degree. The Korean War was on
and I was drafted and ended up an MP at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. It wasn't until I
joined the Army that I came back to the idea of priesthood. The year before I was discharged
from the Army, the Post Chaplain asked me to serve as his assistant. By 1955, I knew that I
wanted to be a priest for the rest of my life.

Little did I know in all those years, that my grandmother, Anna Horan, (below right) who died
when I was six months old, was part of this process. I was ordained a priest on May 28, 1960, but
long after I had been ordained, my Aunt Letitia told me that Grandma Anna had prayed all her
life that one of her children would be born on her birthday, September 8, the feast of Our
Blessed Mother's birth. She also prayed that one of her sons would become a priest. None of
these prayers would be answered until 1931, when I was born on September 8th.
THE CHRISTOPHERS
In 1978, the Christophers chose me as their new Executive Director. I moved to Manhattan, NY, and served in radio and TV
ministry, as the host of "Christopher Closeup" for 30 years. It was my honor to interview celebrities about their faith and
interacted with many more, including -- Jimmy Durante, Jack Benny, Tony Bennett, Jimmy Cagney, Mickey Rooney, Sid Caesar,
Milton Berle, Steve Allen, and many others. Extraordinary moments of grace -- met Pope John Paul II in 1980 and concelebrated
Mass together in his private chapel. Asked to give a nine day retreat for Mother Teresa and her Novices. Received an honorary
doctorate from St. John's University.
PRIESTHOOD
My mother died in 1957, during my second year in seminary. She was only 54, but had been sick for seven years. On May 28,
1960, I was ordained to the priesthood and went on to study and receive my doctorate in Canon Law at Catholic University.
When I returned to the Diocese of Paterson, N.J., Bishop McNulty put me in charge of hte Marriage Tribunal, and later, I was
named Pastor of Our Lady of Victories Parish in Patterson. I baptised many babies, learned to offer Mass and hear confessions
in Spanish, and cared for the elderly. In the 1960's-70's I actively supported social justice issues and was asked to start the
Catholic Interracial Council for the Diocese, later going to Selma, Alabama, with a group of priests, to support Martin Luther
King. In 1973, I also served as Clergy Personnel Director. In 2010, I celebrated my Golden Jubilee (50 years) of priesthood.
Fr. John Catoir
. . . Messenger of Joy
Catoir Family Information:
Father - John Thomas Catoir, Sr.
b. 04-29-1907, NJ - d. 04-06-1992, FL
Married: 11-27-1929  

Mother - Catherine Mary "Kitty" Caslin,
b 08-26-1902, NY - d. 10-01-1957, NY


Catoir Children:
Fr. John T. Catoir, Jr. b - 09-08-1931, NY
Catherine Mary Catoir (Sister)
Benjamin
St. John Paul II met Fr.
John in 1979. The Pope
encouraged him to
become a true  
"Messenger of Joy." He
prayed and took that
challenge seriously.


Fr. Catoir gave a retreat
(left) to St. Mother
Teresa of Calcutta and
her nuns in New York.
A great life blessing.