TOLEDO –
Following the transfer of Archbishop Leonard P. Blair who was installed as Archbishop of Hartford, CT on
Monday the College of Consultors of the Diocese of Toledo has elected Father Charles F. Ritter to serve
as diocesan administrator.According to canon law, the College of Consultors is required to elect the
administrator within eight days of the vacancy of the see – the day on which Archbishop Blair was
installed in Hartford. Ritter will begin serving as administrator immediately.According to Rev. Monte
Hoyles, chancellor for the diocese, "the role of the administrator is to essentially maintain the
operations of the diocese – to keep the status quo – and provide for the needs of the faithful until the
next bishop is named by the Holy Father."Ritter, 71, currently serves as associate pastor of Saint
Joseph Parish, Sylvania. He has previously served as pastor of Saint Patrick Parish, Bryan, and Saint
Mary Parish, Leipsic; he also has served as an associate pastor at various parishes throughout the
Diocese of Toledo. In addition to his parochial assignments, Ritter has also served as director of the
diocesan social justice office. He was ordained in 1967.In addition to electing the administrator when a
diocese is sede vacante, that is, without a bishop, the diocesan College of Consultors advises the
bishop.The diocese’s College of Consultors is comprised of eight diocesan priests, including Ritter and
Rev.Herbert F. Weber, pastor of Blessed John XXIII Parish in Perrysburg.Others in that group include
Rev. Michael O. Brown, pastor of St. Clement Parish, Toledo; Monsignor William Kubacki, diocesan
Moderator of the Curia; Rev. David M. Ross, Pastor of two parishes in Lima; Monsignor Christopher P.
Vasko, Judicial Vicar for the diocesan tribunal and Pastor of Immaculate Conception and St. Patrick
Historic Parishes in Toledo; Rev. Dennis Walsh, Pastor of St. Patrick of Heatherdowns Parish, Toledo;
and Rev, Michael J. Zacharias, Pastor of St. Ann and St. Joseph Parishes in Fremont.