CHESTER When you first meet Msgr. George Dudak, a retired diocesan priest who has served in priestly ministry for 59 years, he doesn’t want you to call him “monsignor.” “Father George is fine. If you know that monsignor translates to ‘my Lord,’ I’d rather be known as father,” said the 84-year-old priest, who is currently living at Nazareth Village here, the priests’ retirement residence in the Paterson Diocese.
Opened in July 1993, 33 priests have called Nazareth Village their home over the years. These priests have served as pastors, educators and chaplains throughout the Paterson Diocese and some, as missionaries in foreign lands.
Because of the service these men have given to the Church, the Bishop’s Annual Appeal gives back to these dedicated priests. Under the theme, “Serving Christ Among Us,” the Bishop’s Annual Appeal will also support diocesan Catholic Charities agencies; inner-city area Catholic schools in the diocese; and seminarian education. Last year $340,000 was allocated to help support Nazareth Village.
Currently 13 priests reside at this one-of-a-kind home, which provides a well-earned option for priests to have both fraternity with their brother priests and independence. While these priests may be in retirement, many of them continue to minister throughout the diocese, assisting for weekday and weekend Masses, making sick calls to the faithful and taking part in diocesan events.
Msgr. Dudak, who has lived at Nazareth for eight years, said, “The staff at Nazareth Village truly is great in making us old guys feel at home. Msgr. Ray Lopatesky is an excellent director (at Nazareth Village). He has such wisdom. This place is a great thing that happened for the diocese, giving retired priests a place to have companionship and live along side our brother priests. We’ve known each other for years.”
When Msgr. Dudak isn’t at Nazareth, he can often be found helping Father John Tarantino, administrator at Resurrection Parish in Randolph, as part-time parochial vicar. “I’m happy to still be able to help parishes,” said Msgr. Dudak, “At Resurrection, it is sort of funny because when I served at St. George Parish in Paterson, Father Tarrantino was one of the altar boys serving at Masses. Now, I’m assisting him.”
In addition to serving at St. George in Paterson, Msgr. Dudak also served for 30 years as pastor of Our Lady of the Mountain Parish in Long Valley. He also served at Our Lady of Mercy in Whippany and Our Lady of Lourdes in Paterson. Before becoming pastor at Our Lady of the Mountain, he also served for five years as a missionary in Ica, Peru. His time in Peru was some of the happiest years serving as a priest, he said.
At Nazareth Village, each priest’s apartment has a sitting room, bedroom, bathroom and kitchenette. In addition, there are several community rooms such as a library, game and TV room, refectory, parlor, laundry, physical therapy room, scriptorium and an exercise room. The residents are charged a portion of their monthly pension for rent.
During the weekdays, a main meal is served at Nazareth Village and this is when all the priest-residents come together for food and fellowship. “These meals make us never feel alone here,” said Msgr. Dudak.
Before moving to Nazareth Village seven years ago, Msgr. Dudak had retired in 1999 for health reasons, to take care of his mother and fix up his family home in Hibernia. “While it was nice to be back home with my mom, I was almost isolated. When I came here, I was able to live an old familiar routine,” said Msgr. Dudak.
The cornerstone and heart of Nazareth Village is its chapel, Our Lady, Mother of Priests. That is where the priests celebrate the Sacred Liturgy when they are not helping out in area parishes. The chapel reminds all of the lifetime commitment that each priest makes for the people of God.
“I thank the good people of the Paterson Diocese for enabling us to live here with our brother priests as we continue to serve the diocese in our golden years,” Msgr. Dudak said.