Father Anthony (Tony) A. Borgia

TOLEDO — On Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018, Father Anthony (Tony) A. Borgia, 61, passed away doing what he loved most...being part of a parish family event.He was born March 16, 1957, to Rose (Skinn) (Borgia) Riedy and James V. Borgia in Norwalk. He graduated from St. Paul High School in 1975. After graduation he worked in Sandusky at Barone's Beer Barrel as a cook and a bartender. He entered the seminary at St. Gregory's in Cincinnati in 1976 and studied theology at Mount St. Mary's Seminary of the West, Cincinnati.Ordained a deacon in 1983, he served for a year at Findlay, St. Michael's. He was ordained a priest on June 9, 1984; his first assignment was as an associate pastor of St. Patrick of Heatherdowns. In 1986, he was assigned to the Diocesan Youth Office serving as Spiritual Director of Youth, Chaplain of Scouting, Associate Director of CYO and Director of Youth Ministry. He served as Pastor of Galion, St. Joseph from 1993-2000; Fort Jennings, St. Joseph and Ottoville, Immaculate Conception from 2000-2005; St. Peter's, Mansfield from 2005-2011; St. John the Baptist, Point Place and St. Michael, Toledo from 2011-2015. In July of 2015, he came full circle having been assigned as Pastor of St. Patrick of Heatherdowns.Tony was also extremely involved in prison ministry and served as a spiritual counselor for inmates on death row.Tony will be forever remembered by his mother, Rose Riedy; brothers and sisters, Karen (Denny) Schild, Jim Borgia, Mark (Karla) Riedy, Lynn Borgia, Tom (Ann) Borgia, Julie (John) Keegan, Lori (Mark) King, Lynne (Mark) Ludlum and Pam (Tracy) Armstrong; numerous favorite nieces and nephews and great- nieces and nephews who will fight over the title; and several close friends with whom he vacationed.He was preceded in death by his father, James V. Borgia; stepfather, Edwin P. Riedy; brother, Gene Borgia; and great-niece, Calla Rose Bellman.Visitation will be Thursday, Dec. 20, at Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral beginning with Reception of the Body at 3 p.m. and continuing until 8 p.m. Vespers will be prayed at 7:30 p.m. The Funeral Mass will be 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 21, with the Most Revered Daniel E. Thomas, Bishop of Toledo, as the principal celebrant, with visitation 9-11 a.m.Visitation in Norwalk will be 6-8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 21, at St. Paul's Catholic Church, 91 E. Main St., Norwalk. Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 22, at St. Paul's, with the Rev. Kenneth Morman officiating, interment will follow in St. Paul Cemetery.Tony would not want us to be sad, but he would want us to celebrate his life of serving Christ. He had a huge personality, a huge heart and huge ambitions for all the parishes he served. He was a force that could not be contained and his impact will continue to ignite flames for a long time.The family would like to thank Fr. Paul Schreiner, Lydia Ellinwood, Tina Abel, and all the staff and parishioners of St. Patrick of Heatherdowns for their support.In lieu of flowers, family requests memorial donations in memory of Tony be made to St. Patrick of Heatherdowns, 4201 Heatherdowns Blvd., Toledo, OH 43614, or FCEDO, 93 E. Main St. Norwalk, OH 44857.Please view and sign the guest registry at coylefuneralhome.com and/or send condolences with the familly at edwalkerfuneralhome.com.