Fr. Elmer Marquard Makes Connects with Fellow Residents and Staff
Making people feel welcomed and accepted at Regina Health Center (RHC) is important to Fr. Elmer Marquard. A 14-year RHC resident, Fr. Elmer knows how to navigate the campus well. He zooms from place to place in his electric wheelchair, greeting everyone he sees with a smile and kind words – not to mention a wisecrack or two.
“I’m a people person. I used to do stand-up comedy, so I enjoy joking around with the staff and my friends,” said Fr. Elmer. “Relaxing and talking to people, that’s what I like to do most. Simple things like that go a long way.”
Make no mistake, though; Fr. Elmer takes his Catholic faith seriously. He values living in a place where he can continue living out his priesthood, even in retirement. When needed, he prays with fellow residents and administers the anointing of the sick. He also attends Mass every day.
The emphasis of spiritual life at RHC, Fr. Elmer said, sets it apart from other similar places. “This is the nicest community. We treat each other with dignity and respect. The work done here is a good testament to the Church’s pro-life teachings,” he said.
Fr. Elmer’s perspective on building community comes from his many years as a priest in the Diocese of Cleveland. Originally from St. Angela Merici in Fairview Park, post-ordination Fr. Elmer was first assigned to St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Wooster.
After ministering to parishioners there, his journey would take him to being a college chaplain. He then worked in medical ethics at the Cleveland Clinic and was the chaplain at St. John Hospital in Westlake. Additionally, Fr. Elmer served as the Diocese of Cleveland’s director of continuing education for priests, setting up workshops, speakers and seminars.
His keen listening skills and ability to talk to anyone, about anything can also be attributed to the many years he had his own two-hour, call-in radio talk show on Sundays, and his status as a licensed ham – or amateur – radio operator.
Today, Fr. Elmer focuses on keeping his mind, body and spirit in the best form possible. He uses the arm bike and completes his stretches daily – “therapy is my favorite thing to do, and safety first is the motto around here” he said – and checks out the social events the activities department offers.
Fellowship remains at the top of his to-do list.
“Connecting with others—that human touch—needs to be present in everyone’s life,” Fr. Elmer said. It’s present at Regina Health Center.”
