Fr. Richard Yost, OSFS, entered eternal life on Jan. 13, 2024, at the age of 76.
Born in Toledo, Ohio, on Feb. 17, 1947, Fr. Yost was the son of Paul Yost and Helen Rose (Thomas) Yost. As a student at St. Francis de Sales High School, he first encountered Oblates of St. Francis de Sales as his teachers. After his graduation from St. Francis, he entered the Oblate Novitiate in Childs, Maryland, in 1965.
In his letter of acceptance to the Oblate Novitiate, the Provincial, Very Reverend John Conmy, OSFS, wrote him, “Never doubt that what the good Lord has given you the grace to begin, He will also give you the grace to finish.” Fr. Yost kept those words in his heart.
He professed his first vows in September 1967 and was ordained a priest on May 1, 1976. When requesting to be ordained as a priest, he wrote, “I recognize that requesting to be ordained to the Order of Priest is principally a faith response and I do this trusting that God’s grace will sustain me.” The Lord indeed sustained Fr. Yost and blessed his life and ministry as a priest and teacher.
Fr. Yost was especially devoted to deaf ministry in the Archdiocese of Detroit at both Our Lady of Loretto West Detroit Catholic Deaf and St. John’s Deaf Center. He enjoyed teaching at Brother Rice High School and celebrating Mass in various Detroit-area parishes. In his last words to his Provincial while in hospice, he said, “I have no regrets. I’ve had a wonderful life.”
Visitation will be held at Our Lady of Loretto Parish (17116 Olympia, Redford, Michigan 48240) on Thursday, Jan. 18, beginning at 4 p.m. and concluding with a prayer service at 6:30 p.m. Visitation will continue at Our Lady of Loretto Parish on Friday, Jan. 19, from 10 a.m. until the time of Fr. Yost’s funeral Mass at 11 a.m. A light reception will follow. Burial will take place at Resurrection Cemetery in Toledo, Ohio, on Jan. 20 at 11 a.m.
Obituaries for clergy and religious who have lived or served in the Archdiocese of Detroit may be emailed to [email protected]. Obituaries are printed as they are submitted, but may be edited for grammar and style. Detroit Catholic reserves the right to refuse or edit any submissions.
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