Longtime beloved pastor Father Thomas J. Lehning died peacefully in his sleep Feb. 25 at age 80. He retired five years ago and was residing at the St. Rose of Lima Priests’ Retirement Villa in Annandale.
He was born Nov. 3, 1945, in Washington to Thomas and Eileen Lehning. He attended St. James School in Falls Church, Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington, and St. John Vianney Seminary in Richmond. He graduated from St. Mary College in Baltimore in 1967, and attended the Pontifical Gregorian University for four years while residing at the Pontifical North American College in Rome.
As a transitional deacon, he served with the U.S. Army and Air Force in Germany. He was ordained Dec. 18, 1970, by Bishop James A. Hickey at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. He earned a licentiate in sacred theology in 1971. His doctorate in theology is from The Catholic University of America in Washington.
He served as parochial vicar of St. John the Beloved Church in McLean (1971), Star of the Sea Church in Virginia Beach (1971-73), Holy Family Church in Dale City (1973-75), St. Michael Church in Annandale (1975-79) and St. Agnes Church in Arlington (1979-80).
Father William B. Schardt, who served with Father Lehning at St. Michael, remembered him as “a genuinely nice guy.” As parochial vicars, the two made frequent visits to the parish school and ministered to the elderly at local nursing homes. “We had a good time together,” he said.
Father Schardt recalled Father Lehning’s love of theology and working on his theology studies while serving at St. Michael. “In the evenings, he was reading a lot,” he said. “In the midst of all of that, he was a nice friend to have.”
Father Lehning was appointed pastor of St. Thomas à Becket Church in Reston in 1980, where he served until 1987. He was also pastor of St. Francis de Sales Church in Kilmarnock (1987-95), Sacred Heart Church in Manassas (1995-2004) and St. Clare of Assisi Church in Clifton (2004-21).
The year after he arrived at St. Clare of Assisi, Father Lehning hired Hawla Donley, who worked alongside him for 17 years. She described him as calm and understanding, devoted to parish families. “People came all the time to just talk to him, because he definitely was a very good listener,” she said.
Father Lehning devoted himself to marriage ministry throughout his priesthood, serving with the Worldwide Marriage Encounter for many years. Starting in 1974, he also worked for the diocesan tribunal, including as Defender of the Bond.
A history buff, Father Lehning often snuck historical factoids into his homilies, Donley said. And on his birthday, he always indulged in a slice of coconut cake, she said.
For Donley, Father Lehning was more than a boss. “He became a part of the family; all the holidays he spent with my family,” she said. As Donley’s three children grew into teenagers, Father Lehning connected with them with openness and understanding, she said. “He had common sense, a lot of common sense about what’s going on with people at any age level,” she said.
Donley spent time with Father Lehning in the days leading up to his death. “I spent seven hours each day with him,” she said. She even brought him his favorite ice cream sundae: two scoops of vanilla with chocolate sauce, whipped cream and a cherry on top. “He’s going to be missed,” she said, her voice full of emotion.
In an interview with the Catholic Herald just before his retirement in 2021, Father Lehning looked back on his 50 years of priestly ministry with a humble attitude. “I don’t think I have done that many great things in my life,” he said. “But I can see that the Lord has used me as his instrument to do some great things in other people’s lives.”
Visitation will take place March 3, 6-8 p.m., at Mountcastle-Turch Funeral Home, 4143 Dale Blvd., Dale City, and March 4, 9-11 a.m., at Sacred Heart Church, 12975 Purcell Rd., Manassas. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered March 4 at 11 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church, with interment to follow.
