Bishop Mark E. Brennan has announced the appointment of Monsignor Joseph L. Peterson as vicar general and moderator of the curia of the Diocese of WheelingCharleston, effective April 11, 2023.
After the bishop, the vicar general is the highest-ranking official in the Diocese, having authority to exercise a degree of episcopal jurisdiction in the bishop’s name. Bishop Brennan expressed his gratitude to Msgr. Peterson for accepting this appointment. “He is a
priest of high integrity who enjoys the esteem of his brother priests, our deacons and religious and the lay faithful. I know I will be able to rely on him for sound advice and for wise decisions when I have to be out of the Diocese.”
“I am honored that Bishop Brennan has asked me to serve the Diocese as Vicar General,” Monsignor Peterson said. “While I was content being retired and providing priestly coverage for parishes in the Northern Panhandle, I look forward to working with the Bishop and the Chancery staff in the service of the people of our Diocese.”
Born in Steubenville, Ohio, Monsignor Peterson was ordained a priest for the Diocese of WheelingCharleston April 19, 1975, by Bishop Joseph H. Hodges. He served as associate pastor of Corpus Christi Parish in Wheeling from 1975-1978 and St. Peter Parish in Fairmont from 1978-1979. From 1979-1984, Monsignor Peterson served as the rector and vocation director of the Seminary House of Studies in Wheeling. For the next 36 years, he served as pastor at many parishes throughout the diocese, most recently as rector and administrator at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Wheeling from 2019-2020. He has served as Vicar Forane for several vicariate territories in the Diocese and has also served on the College of Consultors.
The appointment comes in coordination with the retirement of Monsignor Eugene S. Ostrowski who has served as vicar general for the Diocese since September 3, 2019.
“At his appointment,” Bishop Brennan said, “I asked Monsignor Ostrowski to serve me for one year. He has served three and one half. He spearheaded several initiatives that have brought our people closer to God, most notably the reconstitution of the lay-led Diocesan Pastoral Council and the recent diocesan-wide synodal meetings. I am in great debt to him for his generous service to me and to the people of this Diocese. As Simeon said when he saw the infant Jesus, Now you can let your servant go in peace. Having seen the Lord at work among his people during his service as Vicar General, Monsignor Gene may now rest a little, I hope, as he resumes his retirement. May God bless him.”
