Fr. George E. Reinheimer

Fr. George E. Reinheimer, co-director of the archdiocesan Family Consultation Service for many years and pastor of two parishes, died March 9 at the Hebrew Hospital Home of Westchester. He was 85.

He was named associate director of the Consultation Service in 1969 and director in 1972, and served until 1979. He returned as co-director, 1986-1998.

He was pastor of St. Ann’s, Nyack, 1979-1986, and also served eight months as pastor of Holy Name of Mary in Croton-on-Hudson in 1987. He provided psychological services to the Metropolitan Tribunal of the archdiocese from 1998 until he retired in 2007.

He also served in the marriage preparation programs of the archdiocese.

Archbishop Dolan offered the Funeral Mass March 12 at Christ the King Church in Yonkers. Msgr. William Belford, vicar for clergy, gave the homily.

Father Reinheimer was “a man of many interests and many gifts,” Msgr. Belford said in the homily.

“One of his great qualities as a priest, which was compassion, led him to his role as counselor. Father George recognized the sufferings of people,” he said.

He said that Father Reinheimer, known for his direct manner, often used provocative remarks to make a point. “He may have saved a lot of people a lot of heartbreak with his wise and humorous advice…I know that in his counseling and sacramental healing he tried to do a lot of repairs,” Msgr. Belford said.

Born in Brooklyn, Father Reinheimer grew up in the Bronx and studied for the priesthood at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie. He was ordained in 1950. He held a master’s degree from Iona College and a doctorate from St. John’s University.

He served at several parishes as parochial vicar from 1950 to 1969: Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Tuxedo; St. John the Baptist, Yonkers; Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Manhattan; St. Joseph, New Paltz; and St. Jerome and Our Lady of Refuge, both in the Bronx.

Also in the Bronx, he taught dogmatic theology at Misericordia Hospital School of Nursing, was a counselor at Rosalie Hall and taught a marriage preparation course at St. Catharine Academy. He taught in Manhattan at De La Salle High School and Manhattan Prep.

Burial was in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Valhalla.