Death of Father Ronald Joseph Cioffi announced
March 12, 2025 at 5:44 p.m.
Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., announced that Father Ronald Joseph Cioffi, a priest of the Diocese for 55 years; former longtime pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Keyport, and director of the former diocesan Office of Social Concerns, died March 12.
Funeral arrangements are pending and will be posted as soon as they become available.
Born in 1941 in Long Branch, Father Cioffi graduated from Red Bank Catholic High School and prepared for the priesthood in St. Charles Seminary, Catonsville, Md., and St. Mary Seminary and University, Baltimore. He also held a master’s degree in pastoral counseling from Iona College, New Rochelle, N.Y., and a second master’s degree in ecumenics from Princeton Theological Seminary.
Following his May 31, 1969 priestly ordination by Bishop George W. Ahr in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, Father Cioffi was assigned as parochial vicar of St. Joachim Parish, Trenton (now part of Our Lady of the Angels Parish, Trenton); St. Leo the Great Parish, Lincroft, and St. Mary Parish, South Amboy (which is now part of the Metuchen Diocese).
In 1977, Father Cioffi was relieved of his parish duties in St. Mary Parish to become a faculty member in St. Mary’s Seminary, Roland Park, Md. When he returned to the Diocese in 1981, he began his more than 30-year tenure with St. Joseph Parish, when was named the parish’s parochial vicar, followed by appointments as temporary administrator and then as pastor in 1989.
For Father Cioffi, parish work dovetailed with the call to Catholic social teaching, and with his appointment as part-time director of the diocesan Office of Social Concerns, he focused attention on educating the faithful on affordable housing and the importance of bringing an end to the death penalty. His long tenure in St. Joseph Parish, which is now part of Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Keyport, permitted him to promote Catholic social teaching there and he was able to develop numerous ministries including a vital and active St. Vincent de Paul Society, a health ministry and the longtime Haitian committee which gave parishioners an opportunity to provide outreach to the struggling nation.
Upon his retirement in 2016, Father Cioffi was interviewed by The Monitor in which he cited his work with the Haiti Committee and his participation in the million plus rally against nuclear weapons on the Great Lawn of Central Park while the United Nations held a Special Session on Disarmament as being two of a long list of highlights of a very meaningful life of faith in action.
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Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., announced that Father Ronald Joseph Cioffi, a priest of the Diocese for 55 years; former longtime pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Keyport, and director of the former diocesan Office of Social Concerns, died March 12.
Funeral arrangements are pending and will be posted as soon as they become available.
Born in 1941 in Long Branch, Father Cioffi graduated from Red Bank Catholic High School and prepared for the priesthood in St. Charles Seminary, Catonsville, Md., and St. Mary Seminary and University, Baltimore. He also held a master’s degree in pastoral counseling from Iona College, New Rochelle, N.Y., and a second master’s degree in ecumenics from Princeton Theological Seminary.
Following his May 31, 1969 priestly ordination by Bishop George W. Ahr in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, Father Cioffi was assigned as parochial vicar of St. Joachim Parish, Trenton (now part of Our Lady of the Angels Parish, Trenton); St. Leo the Great Parish, Lincroft, and St. Mary Parish, South Amboy (which is now part of the Metuchen Diocese).
In 1977, Father Cioffi was relieved of his parish duties in St. Mary Parish to become a faculty member in St. Mary’s Seminary, Roland Park, Md. When he returned to the Diocese in 1981, he began his more than 30-year tenure with St. Joseph Parish, when was named the parish’s parochial vicar, followed by appointments as temporary administrator and then as pastor in 1989.
For Father Cioffi, parish work dovetailed with the call to Catholic social teaching, and with his appointment as part-time director of the diocesan Office of Social Concerns, he focused attention on educating the faithful on affordable housing and the importance of bringing an end to the death penalty. His long tenure in St. Joseph Parish, which is now part of Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Keyport, permitted him to promote Catholic social teaching there and he was able to develop numerous ministries including a vital and active St. Vincent de Paul Society, a health ministry and the longtime Haitian committee which gave parishioners an opportunity to provide outreach to the struggling nation.
Upon his retirement in 2016, Father Cioffi was interviewed by The Monitor in which he cited his work with the Haiti Committee and his participation in the million plus rally against nuclear weapons on the Great Lawn of Central Park while the United Nations held a Special Session on Disarmament as being two of a long list of highlights of a very meaningful life of faith in action.