The wake for Father Lawrence J. Bayer will begin with vespers at 3 p.m. Aug. 10 in St. Bridget of Kildare Church, 5620 Hauserman Road, Parma. Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost will preside with Father Rob Wisniewski, St. Bridget pastor, as the homilist. The wake will continue until 5 p.m.
Bishop Martin Amos, retired bishop of Davenport, Iowa, will be the principal celebrant at Father Bayer’s funeral Mass at 11 a.m. Aug. 11 in St. Bridget Church. Father Joe Workman, parochial vicar at St. John Bosco Parish in Parma Heights.
Father Bayer, 93, died Aug. 4. He was pastor emeritus of St. Bridget of Kildare Parish.
He was born on Jan. 19, 1932 to the late Andrew and Helen (Fischler). Father Bayer was educated at Immaculate Conception School, St. Aloysius School and Saint Ignatius High School, all in Cleveland; St. Meinrad College, Indiana, and Saint Mary Seminary, Cleveland.
He was ordained to the priesthood for service to the Diocese of Cleveland by Archbishop Edward Hoban on May 24, 1958 in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist.
Father Bayer’s first assignment after ordination was as parochial vicar at St. Paul Parish in Akron. On June 13, 1963, he was transferred to serve as parochial vicar for Assumption Parish in Broadview Heights. He was appointed assistant chaplain at University Hospitals on June 11, 1964, with residence at Our Lady of Peace Parish in Cleveland. In addition to this assignment, he served as chaplain for the Cleveland Chapter of Catholic Nurses, effective Oct. 8,1964. Father Bayer was assigned as parochial vicar of St. Marian Parish in Cleveland on July 11, 1967. He was transferred to serve as parochial vicar at St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Parma on June 24, 1971.
On Feb 21, 1976, Father Bayer was named pastor of St. Bridget of Kildare. During this assignment, he also served as associate judge for the Diocesan Tribunal.
When Father Bayer retired on Jan. 31, 2005, he was named pastor emeritus of St. Bridget of Kildare.
Those who knew him said Father Bayer was a kind and gentle soul who dedicated his life to the service of the Church. He was a soft-spoken priest who loved the people of St. Bridget Parish and he said he was grateful for the priestly fraternity in the diocese.
Interment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery in Brook Park.