Father Ronald Joseph Cioffi, a priest for 55 years, laid to rest
March 18, 2025 at 4:26 p.m.
Friends, loved ones and well-wishers gathered March 17 for a Mass of Christian Burial to remember and pray for the soul of Father Ronald Joseph Cioffi. A priest of the Diocese of Trenton for 55 years, the majority as pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Keyport (now part of Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Keyport), Father Cioffi died March 12 following a lengthy illness at age 84.
Nearly 20 priests concelebrated the Mass in St. Rose of Lima Chapel, Freehold, including Msgr. Thomas Mullelly, the Diocese’s episcopal vicar for clergy and consecrated life, and Msgr. Joseph Rosie, episcopal vicar of Monmouth County. Father Anthony Carotenuto, a retired priest of the Diocese and close friend of Father Cioffi, was principal celebrant of the Mass and homilist.
“Ron was continually blessed with the unique ability to fire up our hearts, our consciences, to bring people of all ages and temperaments together around him so that his blessing became our blessing, and our humanity blossomed like a beautiful flower in his presence,” Father Carotenuto said.
“Today on the day of his burial, we speak his name with reverence and affection, and we pray that his name . . . will remain in eternal memory.”
Father Cioffi was born in 1941 in Long Branch. He 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 degrees in pastoral counseling from Iona College, New Rochelle, N.Y., and 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 named 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 (in the Metuchen Diocese).
In 1977, Father Cioffi was transferred from St. Mary Parish and became a faculty member in St. Mary’s Seminary, Roland Park, Md. Upon his return to the Diocese in 1981, he began his more than 30-year tenure with St. Joseph Parish. He was first named a parochial vicar, followed by appointments as temporary administrator and then pastor in 1989.
During his pastorate, he established several outreach ministries, including a parish conference of St. Vincent de Paul Society, a health ministry and a Haiti committee which facilitated local support to those in the struggling nation.
Father Cioffi also served as part-time director of the diocesan Office of Social Concerns for about 25 years, focusing attention on issues such as affordable housing and abolishing the death penalty.
Concelebrating priests sing the Salve Regina as Father Cioffi's casket is brought forth from St. Rose of Lima Chapel following his funeral Mass.Father Cioffi was an advocate for the Church’s ministry to the LGBTQ community and was also supportive of The Catholic Worker Movement established by Dorothy Day, where he made weekly visits, celebrated Mass and delivered donations of clothing and food collected by his parishioners.
Upon his 2016 retirement from active ministry, Father Cioffi celebrated Mass where needed and visited local hospitals and nursing home patients.
Father Cioffi was predeceased by his parents, Henry Michael and Jean Elizabeth (Strollo) Cioffi, his brother, Henry Cioffi, and his nephew, Michael Cioffi. He is survived by his brother, Dr. Robert Cioffi; sister-in-law, Jean A. Cioffi; two nieces and a nephew; several grandnieces and grandnephews, cousins, and close friends.
Memorial donations may be made to The Catholic Worker, 55 E. 3rd Street, New York, N.Y. 10003; Covenant House NYC, nycovenanthouse.org; Catholic Relief Services, crs.org, or Doctors Without Borders, doctorswithoutborders.org. Father Cioffi would also want to encourage those who are able to donate blood.
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Friends, loved ones and well-wishers gathered March 17 for a Mass of Christian Burial to remember and pray for the soul of Father Ronald Joseph Cioffi. A priest of the Diocese of Trenton for 55 years, the majority as pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Keyport (now part of Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Keyport), Father Cioffi died March 12 following a lengthy illness at age 84.
Nearly 20 priests concelebrated the Mass in St. Rose of Lima Chapel, Freehold, including Msgr. Thomas Mullelly, the Diocese’s episcopal vicar for clergy and consecrated life, and Msgr. Joseph Rosie, episcopal vicar of Monmouth County. Father Anthony Carotenuto, a retired priest of the Diocese and close friend of Father Cioffi, was principal celebrant of the Mass and homilist.
“Ron was continually blessed with the unique ability to fire up our hearts, our consciences, to bring people of all ages and temperaments together around him so that his blessing became our blessing, and our humanity blossomed like a beautiful flower in his presence,” Father Carotenuto said.
“Today on the day of his burial, we speak his name with reverence and affection, and we pray that his name . . . will remain in eternal memory.”
Father Cioffi was born in 1941 in Long Branch. He 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 degrees in pastoral counseling from Iona College, New Rochelle, N.Y., and 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 named 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 (in the Metuchen Diocese).
In 1977, Father Cioffi was transferred from St. Mary Parish and became a faculty member in St. Mary’s Seminary, Roland Park, Md. Upon his return to the Diocese in 1981, he began his more than 30-year tenure with St. Joseph Parish. He was first named a parochial vicar, followed by appointments as temporary administrator and then pastor in 1989.
During his pastorate, he established several outreach ministries, including a parish conference of St. Vincent de Paul Society, a health ministry and a Haiti committee which facilitated local support to those in the struggling nation.
Father Cioffi also served as part-time director of the diocesan Office of Social Concerns for about 25 years, focusing attention on issues such as affordable housing and abolishing the death penalty.
Concelebrating priests sing the Salve Regina as Father Cioffi's casket is brought forth from St. Rose of Lima Chapel following his funeral Mass.Father Cioffi was an advocate for the Church’s ministry to the LGBTQ community and was also supportive of The Catholic Worker Movement established by Dorothy Day, where he made weekly visits, celebrated Mass and delivered donations of clothing and food collected by his parishioners.
Upon his 2016 retirement from active ministry, Father Cioffi celebrated Mass where needed and visited local hospitals and nursing home patients.
Father Cioffi was predeceased by his parents, Henry Michael and Jean Elizabeth (Strollo) Cioffi, his brother, Henry Cioffi, and his nephew, Michael Cioffi. He is survived by his brother, Dr. Robert Cioffi; sister-in-law, Jean A. Cioffi; two nieces and a nephew; several grandnieces and grandnephews, cousins, and close friends.
Memorial donations may be made to The Catholic Worker, 55 E. 3rd Street, New York, N.Y. 10003; Covenant House NYC, nycovenanthouse.org; Catholic Relief Services, crs.org, or Doctors Without Borders, doctorswithoutborders.org. Father Cioffi would also want to encourage those who are able to donate blood.