Joe Zimmerman, Ph.D, O.F.M

Decatur native Fr. Joseph Zimmerman attended St. James School and after he graduated from the eighth grade went on the St. Joseph Franciscan Seminary in Westmont for high school and his first two years of college. He spent a year at the Franciscan novitiate in Teutopolis and studied philosophy for three years at Our Lady of Angels Seminary in Cleveland. He then returned to Teutopolis for four years of theology. He was ordained June 13, 1962 by Bishop Henry Ambrose Pinger, OFM,  at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Teutopolis.

In 1964 Father Joseph was sent to graduate school in Boston, where he was awarded a doctorate in sociology from Harvard University. He was a professor of sociology at Quincy College (now Quincy University) from 1970-2003. He served as chair of the Division of History and Social Science, and as president of the Faculty Senate. He was guardian of the Franciscan community from 1978 to 1984. He was in administration at QU from 1999 to 2007. He has been involved with racial justice at the diocesan level and in the Quincy area.

Father Joseph is now serving in supply ministry and lives at Holy Cross Friary in Quincy.