Fr. Adam Hertzfeld

Earlier this year, Bishop Blair named Fr. Hertzfeld the new pastor of Toledo St. Joseph effective July 1, in addition to his duties as Director of Vocations. Father Joseph Poggemeyer, the current pastor of St. Joseph, was to become pastor of the newly-united Toledo SS. Adalbert & Hedwig July 1.

In letters addressed to parishioners of St. Joseph and SS. Adalbert & Hedwig the weekend of June 26-27, Bishop Blair announced Fr. Hertzfeld’s new assignment and said that as a result of the change, Fr. Poggemeyer is to stay on as pastor of St. Joseph in addition to assuming the pastorate of SS. Adalbert & Hedwig.

In the letter, Bishop Blair explained he received a request from Rome to release Fr. Hertzfeld for service to the English Language Section of the Vatican Secretariat of State after he was chosen as the new pastor of St. Joseph.

“This is the papal secretariat which serves the Holy Father directly in his ministry to the universal church,” Bishop Blair noted.

“You will understand that I could not refuse such a request for service to Pope Benedict even though our need for priests at home is also great,” Bishop Blair wrote. “Although Fr. Hertzfeld did nothing to seek this position, he is willing to accept, and so he will be leaving Toledo for Rome, most likely at the end of the summer.”

Bishop Blair noted Fr. Poggemeyer has already been relieved of his responsibilities on the faculty of Toledo Central Catholic High School, and he joins the ranks of the many priests in the diocese who are responsible for the pastorate of two parishes.

“It is not my intention for him to do this alone,” the bishop added. “We are in the process of finding another priest who can serve as associate pastor to the two parishes.”

The bishop has yet to assign a new Director of Vocations to replace Fr. Hertzfeld, who has served in the office since July 2008.

Ordained a priest in 2002, Fr. Hertzfeld is no stranger to Rome. He studied for five years at the Pontifical North American College in Rome as a seminarian, and returned there in 2005 to complete his license and doctorate in sacred theology after serving three years as associate pastor of Findlay St. Michael the Archangel.