Date of death: 10/16/2013
Saint Meinrad Class: O 1964
Patrick J. Shields was born on 18 November 1938. His parents were the late Michael F. and Helen C. (Fralka). He was educated at St. Vincent Grade School and High School, Akron, Saint Meinrad Minor Seminary, Indiana, Borromeo College and St. Mary Seminary, Cleveland. On 23 May 1964 in the Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist, Bishop Floyd L. Begin ordained him to the priesthood for the service of the Diocese of Cleveland.Fr. Shields’s first assignment was as Parochial Vicar of St. Therese, Garfield Hts. On 7 September 1966 he was given an additional appointment as Director of the Confraternity Program of Christian Doctrine for the Cleveland Southeast Deanery. Fr. Shields was appointed Parochial Vicar of Ascension, Cleveland on 24 June 1971 with a part time appointment as Assistant Chancellor. On 12 November 1973 his appointment to the Chancery was changed to full time Assistant Chancellor. He was appointed Vice-Chancellor on 10 August 1974. On 31 July 1976 Fr. Shields was appointed Secretary to Auxiliary Bishop Michael J. Murphy with residence at St. Peter, Akron. On 9 March 1979 he was appointed Secretary to Auxiliary Bishop Gilbert J. Sheldon. Fr. Shields was appointed Parochial Vicar of Holy Family, Parma on 29 September 1979. On 20 November 1986 he was transferred to St. Gregory the Great, South Euclid to serve as Parochial Vicar. On 14 February 1989 Fr. Shields was appointed Administrator of St. Ladislaus, Lorain. On 14 June 2003 he was appointed Parochial Vicar of St. Mary, Elyria. Fr. Shields was transferred on 20 March 2006 to serve as Senior Parochial Vicar of Holy Family, Stow. Fr. Shields retired on 30 March 2009.The Funeral Mass will be celebrated Monday, 21 October in Holy Family Church, 3450 Sycamore Drive, Stow at 11:00 a.m. Bishop Richard Lennon will be the main celebrant and Fr. Paul Rosing will be the homilist. Interment is at Holy Cross Cemetery, Akron. The son of the late Michael and Helen (nee Fralka) Shields, he is survived by his sisters, Bernadine (Martin) Myers, and Eileen Shields; brothers, Andrew and Michael Shields; many nieces and nephews, including special niece, Sr. John Paul, O.P.; and close friends, Coletta and Laurene. In addition to his parents Fr. Shield’s siblings, Mary Ann Fassnacht and James Shields also preceded him in death.In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia, 801 Dominican Dr., Nashville, TN 37228-1909.Published in Akron Beacon Journal from Oct. 18 to Oct. 19, 2013.