By Gail Finke

In Memoriam found here.

Fr. Rob Jack supported Catholic radio in Greater Cincinnati since the days of its founding, and recorded some of Sacred Heart Radio’s first prayers and seasonal programming—including the popular Lenten series “Carrying Our Crosses.” Known for his scholarship and Marian devotion, he taught a variety of classes at Cincinnati’s seminary, spent time assisting at parishes around the archdiocese, and worked for years as a chaplain at Jewish Hospital. Always willing to counsel anyone in need and hear hours of confession, he developed great insight into suffering, illness, and grief.

Inspired by broadcasting priests Ven. Archbishop Fulton Sheen, Fr. Patrick Peyton (“The family that prays together, stays together”) and others, Fr. Rob bought a CD burner and recorded sets of homilies he gave away by the thousands, to reach and teach even more people. After Sacred Radio’s morning drive-time program, “The Son Rise Morning Show,” had become a staple in Catholic radio around the country as well as in the region, Station Manager Bill Levitt envisioned a unique talk show for afternoon drive-time, one featuring a unique voice: a priest who would bring a pastoral perspective to issues and interviews, and who could also deliver daily “homilies” to help listeners live as faithful Catholics in an increasingly secular world.

Fr. Rob Jack’s unique background, talents, education, and long interest in broadcasting put him before the Sacred Heart Radio microphone, but listeners kept him there. They loved his perspective, his in-depth but always understandable explanations of Catholic teachings, and his refusal to sugarcoat hard issues. Whenever the radio staff made parish visits, fans of his show would rave that “Father Rob tells it like it is!” But many would also share that they’d gone to him for counsel our sought his help during an illness or difficult period in their lives, and that he’d restored their faith in a loving God.

His own poor health kept Fr. Rob from much travel beyond his busy weekends celebrating Masses, delivering talks, and leading retreats. But God’s ways are not our ways, and through “Driving Home the Faith,” his voice was heard by tens of thousands of people in three states on the airwaves, and all over the country online, and can still be heard any time on Sacred Heart Radio’s website or SoundCloud podcasts.