Rev. Larry J. Hess

Rev. Larry J. Hess, 63, Pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church, Reading, died February 21, 2014, in St. Joseph Medical Center surrounded by his family.

Born in Reading, he was the son of Mary G. (Lawlor) Hess, West Lawn and the late Lyman R. Hess.

He was a graduate of Central Catholic High School in 1968, DeSales University in 1972 and Mt. St. Mary's Seminary in 1979.

Fr. Hess began his 35 year career as a catholic priest as Associate Pastor at St. Joseph's Church in Easton, he then served in the academic arena for 19 years including; Notre Dame High School in Easton, Muhlenberg and Cedar Crest Colleges, and Kutztown University in campus ministry. In 1999 he was named Pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Gordon, and later served as Pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Bangor and St. Vincent DePaul Mission, Portland. In 2009 he returned to his hometown of Reading where he was named Pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Church in Millmont.

A well known speaker & preacher along the entire East Coast, Fr. Hess was highly regarded for his charismatic leadership (Bishop's Charismatic Liaison for 30 years), but more importantly he was much loved and revered for his healing & forgiveness ministry. Known as the "Priest of the Holy Card", where he wrote down a healing prayer that he had been using when visiting the sick in hospitals, and now over 10,000 per month of his prayer cards are requested not only throughout the United States, but also in Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Nigeria, Japan, Bolivia, Philippines and Ireland.

In addition to his mother, he is survived by his two sisters, Catherine M. Hess, Greenville, SC and Mary Grace Rugh, Shillington. Nephew David Rugh, Jr., husband of Jeanne and their daughter Kayla; niece Kelli, wife of John Gauker and their children Emily, Meredith and Calvin, and nephew Kevin Rugh, husband of Jessie and their children Olivia, Abigail, Zeno and Eli also survive him.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11am, Monday, March 3, 2014, in his childhood parish of St. Catharine of Siena Roman Catholic Church, 4975 Boyertown Pike, Reading, PA 19606. Entombment will be private in Gethsemane Mausoleum. Viewings will be held Sunday, March 2, 2014, from 3 to 7 p.m. and Monday, March 3, 2014, from 8 to 10:45 a.m. in St. Catharine's church. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to LaSalle Academy, 440 Holland Street, Shillington, PA 19607 or Berks Catholic H.S., 955 E. Wyomissing Blvd., Reading, PA 19611. Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., West Reading is in charge of arrangements. www.kuhnfuneralhome.com