Joseph Ruiz Obituary

We still think about you and your Service to our parish.

As a long time friend ,and fan of Ordinary Time Just had to add my voice. We will miss him, for sure.
Mary Philbin====St. Edmunds

So sorry to hear about Father Joe; we grew up on the same block on Wood Street and from the beginning he was always a person of integrity and honesty. May his remaining family know how much he (and all the family) was loved by everyone on Wood Street.

Your light has shown for us since your time at the Ford City Catholic Center,
rest in peace, friend.

We knew Father Joe at St. Joseph Church in Homewood, 30+ years ago. He saw us through many difficult times, including the premature birth of two baby daughters. He was a dear, compassionate man, and we were blessed to know him. Rest in peace, Father Joe.

Joe was a good man and fine priest. That sounds very general and perhaps cliche, but I do believe it very truly. As many of the entries say, he was approachable, practical, yet spiritual. A real person. I am truly sorry I had to miss the visitation and Funeral Mass. I certainly would appreciate having a prayer card or remembrance of him. I already had an out-of-town commitment, otherwise would not have missed the services. We need more priests like him. Rest in peace, Joe.

As a former Oak Parker, living now in Minnesota, I only recently became aware of, surprised and saddened by the death of (Fr.)Joe Ruiz. Joe was in the class ahead of me in the seminary, which I later left. I was not a close friend but I knew him as a "solid guy," easily approachable with no airs about him. Years later, we met on occasion while he was pastor at St. Edmund's where he was a what you see is what you get, an unassuming kind of a priest and pastor who accepted people where you were at, again in classmate parlance, just a "really good guy." How powerful to read the beautiful tributes from so many touched deeply by his soft wisdom and compassionate spirit, from Joe Kulaga, his classmate and another "really good guy," and from my beautiful niece's earlier, wonderful tribute to Fr. Joe's deep compassion and powerful presence in her life. Aware of these, I'm honored to say, I knew Joe Ruiz and he really was an authentic "good guy" and a really good priest. Nice going, Fr. Joe. Enjoy your well deserved rewards and reunions with deceased friends, classmates, parishioners and loved ones.

We were very blessed to see Fr. Joe one last time, at his last Mass. Thank you for everything you did Father and may your rest in peace.

Your Funeral Mass was a love story of life Father Ruiz. My husband & I with our daughter Shannon were humbled to attend and learn so much more of your practices in preaching "The Golden Rule." Thank God for you -- The Good Family @ MHR, Brian, Shawn, Brendan, Shannon & Kyle

Fr. Joe was a friend and colleague who provided me bedside support during a difficult surgery. His quiet reassurances and prayers will never be forgotten. A gift of his photo of the Sea of Galilee sits on my desk and his memory in my heart.
John Shack,
Douglas, Michigan

I was fortunate enough to have attended several Centering Prayer Retreats that Fr. Ruiz helped to lead. He had such a peaceful, humble spirit about him. He was truly what a priest should be. I can just imagine his peaceful countenance in heaven.

Father Joe was a kind, spiritual man who had a quiet impact on my life and the lives of my children. May he rest in peace.

Joe was a classmate at the minor seminary, Quigley. Joe continued and I left. Our lives took different paths. But we both had a conviction that God loved us and we were there to help that love grow, each in our own way. Requiescas in pace Joseph!

We will remember Fr. Ruiz for his gifted preaching. His homilies delivered clear, powerful, and timely messages that inspired and instructed. We will miss you, Father...rest in eternal light and peace knowing that you've made a difference.

Fr. Joe married my husband and I, and baptized our oldest. He was always warm, welcoming, gentle and kind. He knew how to be both serious and enjoy a good laugh, making the clergy human to many who thought them "stiff". He was a wonderful man who will be greatly missed - especially his contagious smile!

Father Ruiz had a great sense of humor.
As a altar boy at St. Justin we would kneel before Father as he gave us a blessing. When he finished the blessing he would whack us across the head 3 Stooges style. It never hurt and we knew it was coming giving us plenty of time to duck. He was a wonderful priest.

John Linehan, St. Justin Martyr

How sad to hear of Fr. Joe's passing. He was a wonderful man who helped me to learn the the practice of centering prayer...I still have his tape and listen to it when I need to be grounded. His gentleness, candor and sense of humor created a unique personality and made his gifts accessibe to so many. He will be missed.

Fr. Joe is/ws the perfect example of a holy, priestly man. He lived his faith and was a wonderful example for all of us. He will not be forgotten. Peg Boivin

My heart is saddened by the news of Fr. Ruiz. He brought me back into the Catholic faith. I grew up in St Edmund's from a family of 12. I came back to this church when he was Pastor and his sermons were full of joy, humor, serious, spiritual and spoke to each of us. When he left St Edmund's I was very sad, but working at the Borders Bookstore in Oak Park, he came in one day and I was so delighted to see him that I shouted his name so loud, the whole store gathered to see what my joy was about! My last words with him were when the store was closing and I was losing my job, he as always gave me words of comfort and strength, reminding me that Lord sees and understands, will care for all of us and we must love the Lord and live his words. He was always inclusive at St Edmund's, making everyone feel welcome at the table of the Lord. I thank Jesus for the gift of his life to us who were lucky enough to know him. My husband and I extend our deepest sympathy to his family. I will miss you Fr. Ruiz, I will miss that I will not see your smiling face on this earth again, but hope that we will meet again someday in the Kingdom of Heaven. If anyone has restored that faith in me, it was you. May the Lord bless you dear Father Joseph Ruiz.
Lorrie Wilkie-Nelson

Fr. Joe was a presence in the life of my family for over 20 years embracing our joys and sharing our tragedies. He was a constant—a good friend, a wise counselor, witty, kind, generous and a truly gifted speaker. He had a strong spiritual connection which others have mentioned here. I believe, however, I witnessed it in its truest form one evening in the intensive care unit of a hospital when he approached a woman who had been in a coma for three days, she awakened, they spoke and prayed together for about 15 minutes, he left, and she slipped back into a coma for four more days before awakening. It was a remarkable event that she did not remember and left me knowing this was no ordinary man. He was the finest priest I have ever known and I will miss him and all he meant to my family.

Fr.Joe was my spiritual director for many years guiding me through deep and difficult times including the death of our son. His insight was not only right on but it challenged growth and
a closer love of the Lord. He tempered his wisdom with humor and gentle holiness. He went to the Lord with his hand on the plow. Rest in Peace,dear friend,

Fr. Joe was my spiritual director for many years and guided me through many a deep and difficult times including the death of our son. His incite was not only right on and challenging but balancing with a deep holiness. He went home to God while tending the plow. Rest in peace,dear friend.

We will always remember with appreciation and fondness the warm welcome and parish home Fr. Joe made for us and our three children at St. Edmund's. We know he will be missed and offer our sympathy to all of his family members and friends. Mark and K (Detroit, formerly Oak Park, IL)

Fr. Joe will always be remembered as a man of compassion and prayer.we will miss you Fr. Joe but you will always be in our hearts.
Gloria Burback & Family

Father Joe married my husband and I at Most Holy Redeemer in 2006. I always enjoyed chatting with him and attending the mass he served. He was very helpful and concerned when my daughter was going through the death of a classmate. He sincerly cared about what she was feeling. We have lost a very caring and loving man but heaven has acquired a joyful presence. My God Bless Father Joe and his Family.

Father Joe married my husband and I in 2006. He was a wonderful priest and always gave me insightful advice. He spoke consoling words to my daughter when a classmate of hers passed away. I grew to love Father Joe and I will miss him greatly. He will brighten up heaven with his presence and will enjoy everlasting life with our Lord.God Bless Father Joe.

Fr. Joe was such a kind man who I held in high regard. No other priest quite measured up to him. He was so easy to talk to. I was going through a particularly tough time at one point in my life.Fr. Joe was always willing to talk as well as to provide spiritual insight. Fr. Joe you were one of a kind. Your spirit will always live on through so many of us who were lucky enough to have known you.

We first me Joe Ruiz when he came to Ford City Catholic Center in 1973. Over the years he became a close friend to our family, presiding at our children's marriages, baptizing grandchildren, (once going to the hospital for an emergency baptism), joining us for fun family dinners,counseling when difficulties arose, always in his gentle and caring way. Joe helped us plan and presided at our 50th Wedding Anniversary. He introduced us to Centering Prayer. The trip with him too the Holy Land was the event of a lifetime. Seeing the sites we'd read about so often really brought them to life. Joe's homilies were unique and right to the point. You felt as if he was talking just to you personally. The same could be said of his Ordinary Time column. We will miss it as we will miss Joe. When we saw him last month he looked wonderful and was in great spirits as we sat and talked about many things, always giving us good insight to the topics of the day. We are so grateful for the blessing of having Joe Ruiz a part of our life journey. Rest in peace, Joe!

God gave us all a wonderful blessing. This wonderful blessing was a holy, spirit filled, peoples' priest, Joe Ruiz. Our family was profoundly impacted by his calm presence, deep faith, and spiritual wisdom. We will remember his sense of humor and sharp wit. Father Joe could always find the good in each of us. His inner strength was based on his relationship with God. Father Joe helped us to understand our connections with each other and at the same time how to deepen our relationship with our Lord. Thank you, God, for giving us the gift of Father Joe. He will be missed. May God's comfort and peace with all who mourn his passing.

Fr Joe was a wonderful man and will be greatly missed by his family, friends and former parishioners. It was an honour and privilege to have known him. God bless him for all that he has done.

My husband, 3 children and I will truly miss our 25 year friendship with Fr. Joe, a gentle man of deep faith, compassion, humor, wit, acceptance, and authenticity. We know his spirit will live on in all who have been touched by him. My prayers go out to his friends and family

I first met Fr Joe at St Justin's through the teen club and my first job answering phones in the rectory. Me and another gal shared the evening job that included dinner. Dinner for the priests was in the big dining room, the rest us ate in the kitchen. EXCEPT on Wednesday nights when it was Fr Ruiz' night on call. He hated eating in the dining room alone and would join us in the kitchen. I so looked forward to my turn working Wednesday nights. I will always remember his wit, this thoughtfulness and his habit for asking the tough question - you know that innocent question that had you thinking for days. I will not forget Fr Joe.

I remember Fr Joe as one of the older "kids" at St Basil's as a classmate of my brothers. His Mother and mine were friends... Throughout the years we met occasionally..always talking about the "Glory Days" of our childhood in "Basils"! My prayers are with Dave & the Ruiz family.

Fr.Joe, a light in my heart that will never dim.

Fr. Joe was a very dear friend of my uncle, Fr. Burke. Because of this, I grew up knowing Joe and learned early on what a great man he was. His sense of humor was priceless. He will be dearly missed. To all those who loved Joe, I wish you courage, strength and peace in this most difficult time.

Fr. Ruiz was a great homilist. He utilized his speaking talents very effectively. He will be missed at Most Holy Redeemer

My husband and I feel very blessed to have attended Fr. Ruiz's last Mass on Sunday at Most Holy Redeemer's. He was a great priest. Ted & Terri Durkalski

At St. Justin Martyr, Joe drove the coolest torquise Barracuda. We also had to bang on the rectory door to wake him up for early Mass on Saturday mornings. The altar boys and Joe both agreed it was too early for Mass. John F. Kennedy '72 St. Justin Martyr

Fr. Joe was a great priest and he was family to me and I will miss him dearly. I am so sorry for your loss,
Love, Kathy Owens

To the family of Joseph Ruiz may God give you comfort and peace by means of prayer - Philipians 4:6,7. My deepest sympathy

Fr. Joe positively impacted my spirituality as my pastor and priest at St Edmund from the pulpit, through his example, and in our relationship. His depth, intensity, wisdom, and wit were strong subtle forces. May the Lord bless Joe with eternal joy and his family and friends with peace.

Fr. Joe was our pastor at St Joe's in Homewood who became a friend. He was a lovely man and a gentle priest. W
e will miss him. Dick and Jeri Maxwell

We so loved Fa. Ruiz. His homilies were most insightful. Glynne Gervais

I fondly remember Fr. Joe as the first "Cool" priest I had ever met back in 1967 at St Justin. He did a lot for the teens..Created a Teen Center for us with live music and other activities. Even the tough guys from 68th & Wood attended. He was alot of fun and extremely witty. Great sense of humor but didnt take any nonsense from us either.
I had the opportunity to drive to California with Fr. Joe, Fr Burke and sister Pat Burke in 1967. What a fun trip that was.
Fr Joe left St Justin but came back to preside at my wedding in 1974. I so appreciated him doing that. When the Pastor, at the time was ordering us to have the wedding ceremony as he wanted, Fr. Ruiz in his calm manner told me everything would be fine and allowed us to have the traditions that we wanted.
My deepest sympathy to his Family. His compassion, humor, wit and great smile will be missed.

Joe and I were classmates for 12 years at QPS and Mundelein.He had a sense of humor, yet a deep seated faith and was a very caring person. I will miss his humor and his deep insights into our shared faith at our annual retreat. Rest in peace brother.
Joe Kulaga Class of '66.

Fr. Joe celebrated our wedding 22 years ago. We traveled to Israel with him in 1999 where we renewed our vows at Cana. He was a kind and gentle man with a profound spirituality. Jean and Joseph Kriz

Met Father Joe at FCCC when I was just a teen. Soft spoken man with a great sense of humor. His passing will leave a void.

I've known Joe and his family for over sixty years. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace.

Fr. Ruiz was a saintly priest who baptized my children in the 1980s. I will always remember and am grateful for his many kindnesses to us.