Father Thomas Eisweirth, a retired priest, was ordained for the Youngstown Diocese on June 15, 1974, by Bishop James Malone at St. William Parish in Champion. He retired in 2018 after serving in various parishes—most recently as pastor of Blessed Sacrament (now St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish) in Warren.
A Conneaut native, he attended St. Mary School and St. John High School in Ashtabula, before progressing to St. Gregory Seminary in Cincinnati, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, and Mount St. Mary’s of the West Seminary, also in Cincinnati, where he graduated in 1973 with a Master of Divinity.
After serving a year as deacon at St. William Parish in Champion, he was ordained a priest there in 1974. His first assignment after ordination was associate pastor of St. Rose Parish in Girard, where he also served as treasurer of the Girard-McDonald Clergy Association. Other duties included acting as diocesan coordinator for the Charismatic Renewal in Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties, and as a member of the core group for the Ministry to Priests program. In 1980, he was named associate pastor of the Kent State University Newman Center Parish.
Father Eisweirth assumed his first pastorate at Sacred Heart (now St. Angela Merici Parish) in Youngstown in 1986. He was transferred in 2000 to the pastorate of St. Paul in Salem and also served as dean of Columbiana County. He assumed the additional responsibility of administrator of St. Patrick Parish in Leetonia. In 2010, Father Eisweirth was appointed pastor of Blessed Sacrament in Warren, where he served until his retirement in 2018. In 2017, he was named advocate for diocesan senior priests—serving until 2021.
In addition to his pastoral duties, at various times he served as regional director of vocations for Trumbull County, as advisor for diocesan priest personnel and three terms as dean of Columbiana County. He was a member for three terms on the diocesan Presbyteral Council. In addition, he was consultant for the diocesan Priest Personnel Board and an ex officio member. At all his parishes, he was involved in the local ecumenical ministerial association, and he has also served in prison ministry—including at the present time.
After retirement, Father Eisweirth continued for a time to assist at parishes. Currently, he offers Mass for the Humility of Mary Sisters and the Villa Maria Education and Spirituality Center and periodically for the Ursuline Sisters at the Ursuline Center in Canfield.
