Father McNulty retires as Pastor of St. Augustine Church after 43 years 

(Plain Press, December 2020)           Cleveland City Council – Councilman Kerry McCormack is offering well wishes to the Rev. Joseph D. McNulty, who retired this month as director of Catholic Charities Ministry to Persons with Disabilities for the Diocese of Cleveland and as pastor of St. Augustine Parish, a position he has held since 1977.

   Father McNulty became pastor of St. Augustine Parish in Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood after five years as associate pastor there. St. Augustine Church is known for, among other good works, its regular meals programs for the needy that for decades included Sister Corita. Sister Corita and Father McNulty made numerous media appearances appealing for volunteers and donations for their meal service, especially at holiday times.   

   Father McNulty, while associate pastor also was an instructor of religious education at Cleveland Central Catholic High School. He was also the Episcopal Liaison for Persons with Mental Illness and their families since 1988. 

   Ordained to the priesthood May 31, 1969, his first assignment was as associate pastor of Parma’s St. Francis de Sales Parish and coordinator of pastoral counseling at Nazareth Academy.

   Prior to his ordination, he occupied part-time positions as both a supervisor and caseworker with the Department of Human Services, Cuyahoga County Welfare Department, and as a coordinator for Project PEACE (Program of Educational and Cultural Excellence).

   Fr. McNulty’s educational degrees include a Bachelor of Arts from Borromeo College of Ohio, a Bachelor of Sacred Theology from Catholic University of America, and both a Master of Theology and Master of Divinity from Cleveland’s St. Mary Seminary.

   Fr. McNulty is being replaced by Cleveland-native Fr. William “Bill” O’Donnell, C.PP.S. (Missionaries of the Precious Blood) who has worked in ministries outside of Cleveland and outside of the United States since leaving for seminary in 1964 and being ordained in 1977.