HJ704: Celebrating the life of the Reverend Monsignor Joseph Patrick Lehman III.
WHEREAS, the Reverend Monsignor Joseph Patrick Lehman III, pastor of Saint Bede Catholic Church and rector of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, both in Williamsburg, died on December 13, 2022; and
WHEREAS, known by his parishes as “Father Joe,” Joe Lehman grew up attending Saint Mary Star of the Sea School in Hampton, where he first heard the call to the priesthood; and
WHEREAS, Joe Lehman would go on to graduate from the former St. John Vianney Minor Seminary in Richmond in 1972, earn a bachelor’s degree from Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in Indiana in 1976, and complete his formation at the Pontifical North American College in Rome in 1980; and
WHEREAS, Joe Lehman was ordained a priest for the Catholic Diocese of Richmond on August 16, 1980, devoting the next 42 years to providing spiritual leadership and counsel to communities throughout the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Joe Lehman was actively involved in both the Virginia Lutheran-Anglican-Roman Catholic-United Methodist Committee, which he served as ecumenical and interreligious officer, and the Virginia Council of Churches; in recognition of his interfaith work, he received the pontifical honor of being named a monsignor from Pope John Paul II in 2002; and
WHEREAS, Joe Lehman became both pastor of Saint Bede Catholic Church and rector of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham in 2019, where he took great joy in supporting the faith of his parishioners; and
WHEREAS, Joe Lehman previously served as pastor of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Lynchburg from 1980 to 1984, Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church in Bedford and Resurrection Catholic Church in Moneta from 1984 to 1988, Christ the King Catholic Church in Norfolk from 1988 to 1997, and Our Lady of Nazareth Catholic Church in Roanoke from 1997 to 2019; and
WHEREAS, Joe Lehman additionally served as associate director of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Rocky Mount and as pastor of Resurrection Catholic Church in Moneta from 2005 to 2009 and as administrator of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Salem in 2016; and
WHEREAS, preceded in death by his father, Joseph, Jr., Joe Lehman will be fondly remembered and dearly missed by his mother, Beverly; his siblings, Ann, Chris, Teresa, John, and Tim, and their families; and numerous other family members and friends; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of the Reverend Monsignor Joseph Patrick Lehman III, a cherished faith leader of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, whose service in communities throughout the Commonwealth benefited countless lives; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of the Reverend Monsignor Joseph Patrick Lehman III as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect for his memory.
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 704
WHEREAS, the Reverend Monsignor Joseph Patrick Lehman III, pastor of Saint Bede Catholic Church and rector of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, both in Williamsburg, died on December 13, 2022; and
WHEREAS, known by his parishes as “Father Joe,” Joe Lehman grew up attending Saint Mary Star of the Sea School in Hampton, where he first heard the call to the priesthood; and
WHEREAS, Joe Lehman would go on to graduate from the former St. John Vianney Minor Seminary in Richmond in 1972, earn a bachelor’s degree from Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in Indiana in 1976, and complete his formation at the Pontifical North American College in Rome in 1980; and
WHEREAS, Joe Lehman was ordained a priest for the Catholic Diocese of Richmond on August 16, 1980, devoting the next 42 years to providing spiritual leadership and counsel to communities throughout the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Joe Lehman was actively involved in both the Virginia Lutheran-Anglican-Roman Catholic-United Methodist Committee, which he served as ecumenical and interreligious officer, and the Virginia Council of Churches; in recognition of his interfaith work, he received the pontifical honor of being named a monsignor from Pope John Paul II in 2002; and
WHEREAS, Joe Lehman became both pastor of Saint Bede Catholic Church and rector of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham in 2019, where he took great joy in supporting the faith of his parishioners; and
WHEREAS, Joe Lehman previously served as pastor of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Lynchburg from 1980 to 1984, Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church in Bedford and Resurrection Catholic Church in Moneta from 1984 to 1988, Christ the King Catholic Church in Norfolk from 1988 to 1997, and Our Lady of Nazareth Catholic Church in Roanoke from 1997 to 2019; and
WHEREAS, Joe Lehman additionally served as associate director of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Rocky Mount and as pastor of Resurrection Catholic Church in Moneta from 2005 to 2009 and as administrator of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Salem in 2016; and
WHEREAS, preceded in death by his father, Joseph, Jr., Joe Lehman will be fondly remembered and dearly missed by his mother, Beverly; his siblings, Ann, Chris, Teresa, John, and Tim, and their families; and numerous other family members and friends; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of the Reverend Monsignor Joseph Patrick Lehman III, a cherished faith leader of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, whose service in communities throughout the Commonwealth benefited countless lives; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of the Reverend Monsignor Joseph Patrick Lehman III as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect for his memory.