Date of death: 11/6/2022
Saint Meinrad Class: O 1950
Father Joseph H. Voor, born October 9, 1925, was baptized at Saint Peters Church in Louisville, Kentucky. He attended Saint Vincent DePaul and Saint Francis of Assisi, Louisville, Kentucky, for elementary school, Saint Xavier and Saint Mary for high school, and Saint Mary College. Father Voor attended Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in St. Meinrad, Indiana for major seminary. He was ordained a priest on June 3, 1950. Father Voor completed graduate studies at Catholic University, earning a MA (1953), PHD Psychology (1956), participated in the NSF Research Fellowship Program at Florida State University and was a Visiting Scholar at the University of Michigan while as a Priest in Residence in Ypsilanti, Michigan. He passed away on November 6, 2022.
Following ordination, Father Voor served as Pastor at Saint William Church, Louisville; Co-Pastor at Immaculate Conception, LaGrange (also planned and built the Multipurpose Building: Marian Center, dedication June 1994) and Saint Matthew Mission Church, Bedford; and as Associate Pastor at Saint Matthias and Saint Philip Neri. After retiring, Father served as a Senior Associate at Saint Brigid and Saint James Churches, both in Louisville.
Father Voor served as Chairman of Psychology, Director of Guidance, Director of Housing, Director of Upward Bound Project and was a faculty member at Bellarmine [College] University. He also taught at Nazareth College. Father Voor served as a member of the Engaged Encounter Program, Presbyteral Council, Chairman of the Committee on Parish Councils, Executive Director of the Commission on Councils, Director of Continuing Education for Priests, and as a member of the Retired Priests Committee for the Archdiocese of Louisville. Father was a Chaplain at Kentucky State Reformatory, Luther Luckett Correctional Complex, Roederer Correctional Complex, Cedar Lake Lodge, Tri-County Baptist Hospital, Saint Serra Club, Knights of St. John, and Kindred Hospital, and as a Spiritual Advisor-Secular Order of Carmel. Father Voor also served as an Executive Member Team Priest-World Wide and at the National level as a Provincial Representative to the National Federation of Priests Council (NFPC) and the Founding and First President of the National Organization for the Continuing Education of Roman Catholic Clergy (NOCERCC).
Father Voor was a recipient of several awards and honors: Knights of St. John Noble Knight Award (1951), Ph.D in Psychology from Catholic University of America (1956), First President of Bridgehaven Advisory Board (1962), Archdiocese Senate of Priests Award for Service (1968-1972), National Catholic Guidance Council Executive Director (1966-1968), Licensed Psychologist in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Outstanding Educators of America (1970), Award from Priests of the Archdiocese for Leadership in Continuing Education of Clergy (1983), and John XXIII Award for Continuing Education of Roman Catholic Clergy from NOCERCC (1986).
Father Voor was preceded in death by his parents, William H. Voor, Sr. and Elizabeth Kamenisch Diehl, and siblings: John, Bernard, Joan and Angela. Father is survived by siblings, Jim and Mary, several nephews and nieces and grand-nephews and grand-nieces.