Introducing Fr. Henry Hoffmann
Praised be Jesus Christ! It is a joy for me to begin ministry here at Our Lady of Divine Providence Family of Parishes. I look forward to serving you and getting to know you. Please feel free to invite me into your families and homes. I love being a priest and sharing the joy that comes from knowing the truth.
I have been a priest for almost four years (my ordination anniversary is on the Feast of St. Joseph, March 19th), and my favorite thing to do as a priest is to hear confessions, because it is such a powerful and beautiful participation in the redemptive and healing work of Christ. The hands of the King are truly the hands of a healer!
I am the oldest of three boys. I grew up in the woods and creeks of Clermont County outside of Batavia, Ohio. I self-identify as a red necked hillbilly. I was homeschooled through high school, and then attended college at Hillsdale College in southern Michigan. While at Hillsdale College, I became Catholic and began discerning a vocation to the priesthood. Subsequently, my younger brother also became Catholic and is also now a priest. My youngest brother is not yet Catholic, and he is married and an officer in the Navy (he is a pilot).
My favorite hobby is bowhunting for deer, and I also enjoy shooting, fishing, hiking, and any outdoors activities. In high school and college, I practiced martial arts, and played rugby in college. I enjoy a good bourbon and a cigar and I like to travel and try new food. I read a lot as well, and I own too many books.
In addition to parish ministry, I occasionally serve as a priest at Lebanon Correctional Institution, a level III high security prison near Lebanon Ohio, and I am a chaplain to the Cincinnati Police (District 3) and Delhi Police Departments, and I am currently engaged in online studies to complete a master’s degree in psychology. With all that, I really don’t like the word “busy.” I am not busy, and I will certainly make as much time as I need to serve you as I ought. I have a big heart for those who are suffering in their marriages (sadly, my own parents are divorced, and so I have a passion for helping marriages to succeed), and those struggling with anxiety and the many cares and burdens of our world today.
I look forward to getting to know you all, and to minister in these parishes under the mantle of our Lady. I entrust myself to your prayers and be sure that I am praying for you. May our Lady of Divine Providence guide us all with her deep wisdom and fair love.
- Fr. Henry
