A memorial Mass for Father Donald F. Molitor, a retired educator and parish priest, will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 13, at Our Lady, Queen of Peace Church, 4696 Notre Dame Lane in House Springs. Father Molitor died March 3 at age 83.
Born in St. Louis, Father Molitor was ordained to the priesthood in 1963 by Cardinal Joseph E. Ritter. Following ordination, he served as assistant pastor of St. Sabina Parish in Florissant and as a part-time teacher at St. Thomas Aquinas High School. In 1964, he was named assistant pastor at Most Holy Rosary Parish in north St. Louis and to continue studies at Saint Louis University. He also taught at the former DeAndreis High School during that time. Father Molitor was named associate pastor of Visitation Parish in north St. Louis in 1968 and St. Bridget Parish in Pacific in 1970.
He was named part-time associate pastor of St. Paul Parish in Fenton and to teaching duties at Kenrick Seminary in 1976, and part-time associate pastor of Cure of Ars Parish in Shrewsbury and to continue teaching at Kenrick in 1980. Three years later, he was named part-time associate pastor at Little Flower Parish in Richmond Heights and a full-time teacher at Kenrick, then in 1988 as resident member of the formation team and to continue teaching Church history at the seminary. While pursuing a doctorate degree at Aquinas Institute of Theology, he was named to reside at St. Boniface Parish in south St. Louis in 1993. He was appointed as pastor of All Saints Parish in University City in 1994. He moved to St. John the Baptist Parish in Villa Ridge in 1999 and Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in House Springs in 2001 before retiring in 2009.
In retirement, Father Molitor lived in Neier, where he grew up. He celebrated Mass and heard confessions at the parish in House Springs and other places where needed. He worked with 17 pastors during his years in the priesthood and was assigned to seminary work for more than 20 years, remaining there until 1999. His work at the seminary included many facets, including formation, directing the deacon program, working with students’ internships, spiritual director and more. In addition to his assignments, he served as a chaplain at Christian Hospital in north St. Louis County as part of his parish duties and part time at St. Anthony’s Medical Center while he was assigned to the seminary. He recalled interesting times as a young priest in the 1960s with Vatican II and the Civil Rights movement.
Survivors include a brother, John Molitor, and two sisters, Mary Mitchell and Margaret Lowry. Father Molitor donated his body to medical science.