Charles Fehrenbach (priest)

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Charles Fehrenbach (born May 17, 1909 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) was a Redemptorist priest who was an author, translator and host of a local religious radio program in the Philadelphia area. He obtained a Ph.D. in German from the Catholic University of America after he was ordained in Esopus, New York, on June 23, 1935. He worked at St. Mary's Seminary in North East, Pennsylvania as registrar from 1942-1959; during this period he became known as an outstanding spiritual director and confessor, conducting retreats and Lenten missions in addition to his work at the seminary. He translated several critical editions of works ("The Glories of Mary" and "The Passion and Death of Jesus Christ") by the founder of the Redemptorists, St. Alphonsus Liguori, and also helped prepare an analytical index of the Redemptorist Constitution and Statutes. Following his departure from St. Mary's, he worked at a series of parishes; his longest assignment was at St. Peter's in Philadelphia, where he served from 1978-1995, before retiring to the St. John Neumann Home in Saratoga Springs, New York, where he was residing when he died. At. St. Peter's, Fr. Fehrenbach worked with the Shrine of St. John Neumann, the Redemptorist priest who had been canonized in 1977 and he greeted tour groups, saying Mass and hearing confessions for the pilgrims as well as for parishioners. During this period, he also hosted a daily fifteen minute program on station WTMR during which the Rosary was recited.

Fr. Fehrenbach was also the author of the book Mary Day by Day which is a devotional booklet containing meditations for each day of the year with quotes from scriptures and the writing of saints on Mary; the book was published by the Catholic Book Publishing Compnay.