By Karen Andrew
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The Rev. Albert E. Lauer began a number of organizations to help his parishioners.

Father Lauer died on Sunday of cancer. The Over-the-Rhine resident was 55.

He was born in 1947 in Hamilton and grew up in St. Ann Parish. He studied philosophy and theology at St. Gregory and St. Mary's seminaries and earned masters of arts in those subjects from the Athenaeum of Ohio and a master of arts in classics from Xavier University. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 25, 1974 by then-Archbishop Joseph Bernardin.

Father Lauer served as associate pastor at St. Luke parish in Beavercreek, 1974-75; St. Joseph, Springfield, 1975-77; St. Leo, North Fairmount and the former Our Lady of Presentation, 1977-84; and St. Lawrence, Price Hill, 1984-97.

In 1977, he was appointed chaplain for Jewish, Holmes and Children's Hospitals, while in residence at St. Francis de Sales Church. In 1997 he was appointed temporary administrator of St. Pius Church. In 1998, he was appointed pastor of Old St. Mary's Church, where he served until his death.

Father Lauer founded the St. Peter Claver School for inner-city boys. He opened the Old St. Mary's Pregnancy Center and began the Brothers and Fathers of Pentecost, dedicated to outreach to ethnic minorities.

He also founded Presentation Ministries, a lay association of small faith communities and ministries. He was the creator of Bible teaching under the title of "Daily Bread" on radio and television broadcasts and author of the daily meditation book, One Bread, One Body.

"He has dedicated his life to bringing people closer to Jesus and deeper in their faith," said Marianne Lander, a full-time volunteer at Presentation Ministries. "He was always teaching." Surviving are his mother, Antoinette Lauer of Hamilton; a sister, Christina Endres of Fairfield; and a brother, Edward of Cincinnati.

Visitation will be 1-6 p.m. Friday at Old St. Mary's Church with the formal reception of the body at 1 p.m. and the wake service at 5 p .m. The funeral Mass will follow at 7 p.m. at St. Peter in Chains Cathedral with Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk as the main celebrant. Burial will be 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Mary Cemetery, Hamilton.

Memorials: Old St. Mary's Church, 123 E. 13th Street, Cincinnati 45202-7638; Presentation Ministries, 3230 McHenry Ave., Cincinnati 45211-7534; and St. Peter Claver Latin School for Boys, 123 East 13th Street, Cincinnati 45202-7638.

E-mail kandrew@enquirer.com