"A Man of Vision" - Rev. George Zimney

George John Zimney was born on March 24, 1922 to parents George Zimney and Annie Jacko in the city of Vranov, Czechoslovakia. His family did not stay long in Czechoslovakia, choosing to settle in Windsor, Ontar io some time before George began grade school. He attended St. Francis’ Primary School, before attending Assumption College for secondary school.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Western Ontario and entered St. Peter’s Seminary in Lond on, Ontario. He was ordained on June 7, 1952 by Bishop John C. Cody, and from there went to become assistant pastor at Holy Name of Mary Parish in his hometown of Windsor. He stayed there from 1952 to 1956.

From 1956 to1957, he took some time off to do post graduate studies at Laval University in Quebec City before returning in 1957 to teach at St. Peter’s Seminary, as well as serving at St. Christopher’s Parish in Forest, Ontario. He stayed in this position until 1963, when he became pastor at Blessed Sacrament Parish in London. He served there for three years, until 1966, when he went to St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Windsor, from 1966 to 1970. While there, he was named Dean of Essex.

Following this he served as pastor at St. Joseph’s Parish in Chatham. He stayed in Chatham until 1974, before becoming pastor at St. Gabriel’s Parish in Windsor, where he stayed until his retirement in 1982. It was during this period of time that Father Zimney celebrated twenty five years in the priesthood, in June 1977.

Father Zimney spent his ministry serving the poor and needy, working with the St. Vincent de Paul Society to further this aim, and was so important in this work that there is a plaque on the Society’s headquarters in London describing him as “a friend of the poor,” and “a man of vision.” Perhaps the highest accolade of all came from Bishop Cody, who described Father Zimney as “truly priestly.”