Rev. Richard W. Shoda

Father Shoda was born Feb. 22, 1951, in Bluefield, W.Va., to the late Robert and (Margaret) Ruth (Ball) Shoda. He graduated from Wheeling College in 1973 with a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy. He completed his theological studies in 1976 at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, where he went on to receive his Master of Arts in theology in 1977.

Father Shoda was ordained to the priesthood at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Wheeling by Bishop Joseph H. Hodges Oct. 13, 1978. He served a number of parishes throughout West Virginia: as associate pastor of St. Margaret Mary Parish in Parkersburg from 1978 to 1979, temporary administrator of St. Patrick Parish in Coalton in 1979, temporary associate pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish in Beckley in 1979 and 1980 and associate pastor of St. Teresa Parish in Morgantown from 1980 to 1982. He returned to Beckley in 1982 as associate pastor at St. Francis de Sales, where he served until 1984. He was then appointed pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Hinton and its Mission of St. Mary of the Greenbrier in Alderson.

Father Shoda then went to The Catholic University of America in Washington, where he received his licentiate in canon law in 1988. He served as judicial vicar of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston from 1988 to 1998 and pastor of Blessed Trinity Parish in Wheeling from 1988 to 1995. He served as chaplain at Bethany College in Bethany from 1995 to 1998 and at West Liberty State College from 1996 to 1998. He was then appointed pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Ronceverte and its missions of St. Louis, King of France, in Lewisburg and St. Andrew the Apostle in Union from 1998 to 2005. He also served as vicar forane of the Beckley Vicariate from 2002 to 2005 and pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Parish in White Sulphur Springs from 2004 to 2005. In 2006, he served as moderator of the Inter-diocesan Court of Appeals and was in residence at St. Alphonsus Parish in Wheeling. He then moved to the Welty Apartments in Wheeling and provided supply ministry across the entire diocese. In 2014, he served as temporary administrator of St. Alphonsus and of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Moundsville. He retired from active ministry Jan. 31, 2018.

Father Shoda was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Robert. He is survived by his brothers Randy Shoda and Brian Shoda.

Friends will be received at the Altmeyer Funeral Home, 1400 Eoff Street, Wheeling, WV, Sunday, August 12, 2018, from 4 pm until time of vigil service at 7 pm. Father Shoda will then lie in state at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, Wheeling, Monday, August 13, 2018, from 9 am until time of Mass of Christian Burial at 11 am, with Bishop Michael J. Bransfield as celebrant.