Rev. Harry E. Winter, O.M.I.

Father Harry E. Winter is a Catholic Priest who has taken a strong interest in Lynnside and Sweet Springs. He worked closely with Lynn Spellman in the 1980s and was the key figure in getting the Lynnside Historic District named to the National Registration List of Historic Places.

After an absence of many years, Father Harry returned to Lynnside and Monroe County in August 2014.  His description of that return, posted at the web site of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, United States Province, is here.

Harry Winter was born on December 18, 1937, in Norwich, NY. He took perpetual vows in the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, in Roviano, Italy, September 8, 1961, and joined the priesthood, in Rome, Italy, December 16, 1964. The Oblate of Mary Immaculate was founded in 1821 by St. Eugene de Mazenod, see here.

His academic training includes a Licentiate in Theology, from the Gregorian University, Rome, Italy (June, 1965) and a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (December, 1976).

His teaching and academic background includes serving as an Instructor of Theology at Oblate College (Seminary) in Washington, DC (1965-67), Professor of Philosophy and Theology, at Oblate College (Cluster of Independent Theological Schools), Washington, DC (1970-75), and President of Oblate College, Washington, DC (1994-97).

From 1979-94 he was Pastor at churches in Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina and served on ecumenical commissions in each diocese. It was during his service in Union, West Virginia, that he became interested in Lynnside and the role of Letitia Preston Floyd as an important early Virginia convert to Catholicism.

From 1998-2006 he was Pastor at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Buffalo, NY.

He is currently (2014) Director of the Oblate Residence, 104 N. Mississippi River Boulevard, St. Paul, MN, 55104. His website is www.harrywinter.org.

His article about Letitia Preston Floyd, his description of the Lynnside cemeteries, and his History of St. John's Chapel, are linked at the top of the table of contents of this web site here.