Msgr. Clement P. Lemon, a Wilmington native and longtime pastor who served the diocese in a number of administrative roles, died Oct. 11. He would have celebrated his 86th birthday on Oct. 26.
Msgr. Lemon graduated from St. Elizabeth School and attended Salesianum School for a year before transferring to St. Charles Minor Seminary in Catonsville, Md. He studied at St. Mary’s Seminary, Baltimore. He was ordained in 1964 by Bishop Michael W. Hyle.
He served as an associate pastor at St. Paul’s, Wilmington, and Holy Spirit, New Castle. In 1974, he was named pastor-designate of a new parish to be constructed in the Ogletown area near Newark, and in 1979 he became the founding pastor of Holy Family Parish, a position he held for five years. His final parish assignment was at Immaculate Heart of Mary in Brandywine Hundred, where he arrived in 1998 and remained as pastor until retiring in 2014.
He told The Dialog in 1996 that parish work was his first love and that he used his experiences in parishes to try to help his fellow priests develop vibrant faith communities. He was an advocate of letting people with expertise in various areas run those departments, freeing the priests up to focus on their primary roles.
“Our job is to serve and to lead, and to be as holy as we can,” he said of the clergy. “That’s my whole focus.”
Father Bob Wozniak was assigned to IHM when he arrived in the Diocese of Wilmington and succeeded Msgr. Lemon as pastor. He said he was inspired by the late priest.
“He was amazingly dedicated to doing Christ’s work,” Father Wozniak said.
“It just blew my mind that he never got tired or he never backed off. He never took his collar off. He was always set to go to help if he was needed.”
Msgr. Lemon “kept the people laughing,” Father Wozniak continued, and was always approachable and available. Father Wozniak recalled that after Masses, Msgr. Lemon would carry a pen and notepad with him, and when people requested prayers for a sick loved one or for a personal issue, he would write down the person’s name and phone number and would be certain to reach out. His parishioners realized that their pastor “gave 100 percent” for them.
“He was just a wonderful pastoral man that way,” Father Wozniak said.
Msgr. Lemon was well-known in the diocesan offices, having held a number of positions in administration. In 1968, he became the diocesan director of vocations and head of the Propagation of the Faith. After his tenure at Holy Family, he was appointed to the diocese’s College of Consultors, and in 1987 he was named the first vicar for clergy. He was named a Prelate of Honor with the title of monsignor in 1992.
The late Bishop Robert Mulvee noted the sacrifice made by Msgr. Lemon in agreeing to give up parish work to become vicar for priests.
“Father Clem is above all a pastor and a very extraordinary one,” Bishop Mulvee wrote. “His pastoral skills will now be diocesan in scope. I have great confidence that his work among us will bring great blessings not only to the clergy, but to all people of God.”
In 1997, Msgr. Lemon assumed the title of vicar for priests and was relieved of his responsibility for ministry to the diocese’s permanent deacons and duties as director for clergy personnel. He stayed as vicar for priests during his pastorate at IHM.
After retiring, Msgr. Lemon lived and ministered at the Jeanne Jugan Residence in Newark.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
This post will be updated.
