Rev. Joseph C. Hilbert, 86

February 04, 2014

Rev. Joseph C. Hilbert, 86, of Lancaster, died Tuesday, February 04, 2014 at St. Anne’s Retirement Community after an illness. Born and raised on Cabbage Hill (corner of Poplar and Filbert Sts) Lancaster. He was the son of the late Carl L. and Helen (Ruof) Hilbert.

He attended St. Joseph School in Lancaster and attended Lancaster Catholic High School. Father Hilbert entered St. Charles College in September 1943 and completed four years of studies on August 17, 1946. He went onto attend St. Charles Seminary in Overbrook, PA from September 1, 1946 to May 1, 1952 and procured his Masters degree in Education from Villanova University in 1960.

Father Hilbert was ordained May 10, 1952 in St. Patrick Cathedral in Harrisburg by Bishop George Leech and was a Catholic Priest in the Diocese of Harrisburg for over 62 years. He served from 1952-1955 as an assistant pastor at St. Joseph Parish, Danville, PA, 1955-1965 principal at Lebanon Catholic High School, 1957-1965 Rector of Villa Vianney (Priests’ Retirement Home in Lebanon), 1965-1968 principal of Bishop McDevitt High School, Harrisburg, 1968-1970 administrator of St. Richard, Manheim, 1970-1976 St. Michael the Archangel Sunbury, 1976-1984 St. Rose of Lima, York, 1984-1994 Cristo Rey, Bendersville, 1994-2002 St. Francis Xavier Gettysburg, 2002-present retired from St. Joseph, Lancaster.

Father Hilbert has served as campus minister at Susquehanna University and director of ministry to migrant farm workers. He served as Commissioner for the York City Human Relations Commission; as a diocesan consultor, member & president of Presbyteral Council, vice-president of National Federation of Priests’ Council. He was active in the Sunbury Ministerium, Sunbury Interfaith Council, the Sunbury Chapter of the American Red Cross and the Sunbury Bicentennial Committee. Father Hilbert was the Division Chairman for the Susquehanna Valley United Fund and a member of the Northumberland County Mental Health/Mental Retardation Advisory Board; he also served on the executive committee of Tri-County Commission of Economic Opportunity, the Secondary School Department of the National Catholic Educational Association and was also their vice-president. From 1960 to 1969 he was the Director of the Radio and Television Apostolate for the diocese.

Father Hilbert enjoyed playing golf, and hiking””often traveling to different states to do so, eating sushi, enjoying a good rare steak, and visiting with his family.

Surviving is a brother, Robert A., husband of Barbara Hilbert, of Bel Air, MD, 2 sisters, , Bernadette A., wife of Philip H. Glatfelter, of Columbia, Helen M., wife of Franklyn W. Gross, of Lancaster. Also surviving is a sister-in-law, Betty Wills Hilbert, of Harrisburg, and a brother-in-law, Robert A. Landis, 26 nieces and nephews and 55 great-nieces and nephews and 5 great great nieces and nephews. His brother, Carl Hilbert and sister, Mary T. Landis preceded him in death.

Services and Viewing Times are as followed: Mass of Transferral will be held on Friday, February 7, 2014 at 7PM at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 440 St. Joseph St, Lancaster, PA 17602. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday morning at 11AM at St. Joseph Catholic Church with The Very Rev. Robert M. Gillelan as Celebrant. Viewing times at St. Joseph CC will be Friday from 5 until 7PM and Saturday morning from 9 until 10:45am. Interment will be at St. Joseph New Catholic Cemetery. Please omit flowers, memorial contributions in Father Joe’s memory may be made to St. Joseph Catholic Church at the above address, or to St. Anne Retirement Community, 3952 Columbia Ave., Columbia, PA 17512