Pastor of St. Louis" "New Cathedral" Dies

By Michael D. Sorkin0
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
June 18, 2015

http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/faith-and-values/pastor-of-st-louis-new-cathedral-dies/article_e093d8f7-fa09-5a4b-b236-15b23ee6736f.html

Monsignor Joseph D. Pins was pastor of the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, and his funeral Mass will be celebrated there next week.

He died this week of cancer at age 70, the Archdiocese of St. Louis announced Thursday.

The cathedral, 4431 Lindell Boulevard, is still known as the “New Cathedral,” although the first Mass was celebrated there in 1914. It is the seat of the archbishop and is considered the spiritual center of the archdiocese.

Monsignor Pins was named rector there in 2004.

The giant gray-stone blend of Byzantine and Romanesque styles is a major attraction for St. Louis visitors. Monsignor Pins was known for his hospitality and stressed that all were welcome.

In a statement, Archbishop Robert J. Carlson praised Monsignor Pins and said, “His passing will leave a great pastoral void in the Archdiocese of St. Louis.”

Monsignor Pins attended the former St. Louis Preparatory South High School, Cardinal Glennon College and Kenrick Seminary. He was ordained a priest in 1970.

His first assignment was at St. Luke Parish in Richmond Heights.

He became associate pastor of the Cathedral Basilica Parish in 1975. In 1980, he was assigned to the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France, commonly known as the Old Cathedral, on the downtown riverfront. His last assignment before the New Cathedral was as pastor of Ascension Parish in Chesterfield.

The archdiocese issued a news release about Monsignor Pins’ death and a spokesman said he had no other information about the monsignor or his accomplishments.

Monsignor Pins is mentioned in a pending civil lawsuit accusing the Archdiocese and the archbishop of covering up for a priest, the Rev. Xiu Hui “Joseph” Jiang. The priest was accused of molesting a teenage girl in Lincoln County. The suit claims the archbishop and the monsignor ignored Jiang’s requests to reassign the priest from the New Cathedral, where he met the girl. Criminal charges in the case have been dropped.

In 2004, Monsignor Pins was named to a newly created post of episcopal vicar at the St. Louis Review. That put him in charge of the archdiocesan newspaper, representing the archbishop.

He was chaplain for the St. Louis chapter of Legatus and helped establish the chapter of the organization for Catholic CEOs and business presidents while serving at the Old Cathedral, where many business people attend Mass during the week.

Monsignor Pins traced his desire to become a priest to the first grade.

He died Wednesday (June 17, 2015) at Mother of Good Counsel Home in north St. Louis County.

A public viewing is scheduled from 2-8 p.m. Monday at the New Cathedral. The funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Tuesday, also at the New Cathedral.

Survivors include a brother, David Pins of St. Louis.