Priest jubilarians mark milestone anniversaries of their ordinations

PATERSON  With a combined 1,145 years of service, the annual Dio­cesan Priest Jubilee Mass was celebrated honoring priests marking milestone anniversaries of their priesthood ordination. Priests, both diocesan and religious, marking 65, 60, 50, 40 and 25 years of service were recognized at the Mass held at St. Gerald Majella Church here June 9.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney was the main celebrant of the Mass and was also one of the jubilarians marking his silver anniversary in the priesthood this year. From around the Diocese, priests concelebrated the Mass to honor their brother priests in the presbyterate, filling a quarter of the church. Also attending the Mass were the upper-grade students of St. Gerard School led by their principal, Filippini Sister Jo-Ann Pompa, and parishioners from around the Diocese to support the priest jubilarians.

“We give thanks in a special way today for the gift of the priesthood,” said Bishop Sweeney. “We give thanks for the beautiful gift today that each of us has received, for the call of Jesus to follow him and to serve him as his priests. We give thanks for that blessing and for God’s family, the Church.”

Giving the homily at the Jubilee Mass was Father David McDonnell, pastor of Our Lady of the Lake Parish in Sparta, who is marking the golden anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. In his homily, he reflected on the priesthood and building up the Body of Christ.

To his fellow jubilarians and brother priests, he said, “You have shared privileged moments in the lives of people — teaching over a period of many years, being a compassionate presence of those struggling with addictions of one kind or another, stepping out in faith to answer the challenging call to ministry, advocating for the poor and the marginalized, putting your lives on the line to support the innocent and vulnerable, courageously exploring new paradigms for parish renewal, serving as chaplain in the military, rejoicing with your people in moments of celebration and standing by them with no easy answers in times of grief and sorrow. Yes, you have availed yourselves in the many opportunities of ministering to them and to helping them feel God’s love especially in the celebration of the Sacraments. Chances are your most enduring experiences of Christ have occurred at the Eucha­ris­tic table.”

To his fellow brother priests, Father McDonnell said, “We are a mixed group coming from different countries, different accents and personalities. Different ways of doing things. At times, we get on each other’s nerves or step on each other’s toes but despite our differences we share something precious — we share in the priesthood of Jesus Christ.”

A native of County Mayo, Ireland, Father McDonnell was ordained in his homeland on June 10, 1972 for the Pater­son Diocese and arrived in the U.S. one month later. After he arrived in the U.S., his first assignment was as parochial vicar of St. Mary Parish, Denville. He is founding pastor of St. Matthew the Apostle Parish in Randolph. Father McDonnell is also a vocal artist, who has recorded several music records to raise money for charities.

Father McDonnell said in his homily, “Together with our Bishop we will continue to share our gifts and talents in service of God’s people here in the Paterson Diocese.”

He ended his homily with a quote from St. Oscar Romero, a martyred El Salvadorian priest, “We are workers, not master builders, ministers, not messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own.”

Following the homily, Father Richard Bay, pastor of St. Simon the Apostle Parish, Green Pond; and minister to senior priests and chairman of priestly life, called out each jubilarians’ name before Bishop Sweeney led them in the renewal of their priestly vows.

Near the end of the Mass, Sister Jo-Ann led the students attending the Mass in song and prayer in thanksgiving for the priest jubilarians and for all toshare “the love of Jesus with others.” Some of the students then presented the Bishop with a gift on the occasion of his 25th anniversary to the priesthood.

In his closing remarks, Bishop Sweeney noted the attendance of the young people at the Mass and encouraged them “to be open to God’s call.” He went on to say, “Sister Margaret Mary, my seventh-grade teacher, told us: ‘Think about what you want to be when you grow up but think about what Jesus wants you to be.’ We all need to pray for vocations and we pray in a special way for our young people that they will be open to God’s call to the priesthood or in consecrated life.”

In closing, the Bishop said, “We don’t get many opportunities like this to be together but it is truly a blessed day, a beautiful day and we are privileged to be together to celebrate the Mass, to celebrate the priesthood as we give thanks. Once again to our jubilarians: Congratulations. Ad multos annos.”