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| Photo: The Pilot |
Today (May 19) marks the 52nd anniversary of my
ordination as a priest!
I remember my ordination day as clear as a
bell! The weather was beautiful day
and I remember driving from the seminary to the cathedral in my blue
Volkswagen - with the all the windows rolled down. I was nervous but
mostly excited about what was going to happen, what would begin that day, when Cardinal
Humberto Medeiros laid hands on my head and anointed my hands with chrism.
Although I could never have dreamed or anticipated then what these 52 years would bring, I'm grateful for every one of them: for five years at St. Ann Parish in Quincy; for four years at the University of Notre Dame in graduate studies and positions in seminary formation and campus ministry; for nine years at St. Ann University Parish in Boston serving Northeastern University and Emerson College; for three years at St. Joseph Parish in Medway; for ten years in my first pastorate at Our Lady Help of Christians Parish in West Concord and 15 more years in that beloved town after Our Lady and Saint Bernard parishes were reconfigured as Holy Family; for 2 years in Belmont's New Roads Catholic Community; and finally for these last 4 years at Good Shepherd Parish in Wayland.
Although I could never have dreamed or anticipated then what these 52 years would bring, I'm grateful for every one of them: for five years at St. Ann Parish in Quincy; for four years at the University of Notre Dame in graduate studies and positions in seminary formation and campus ministry; for nine years at St. Ann University Parish in Boston serving Northeastern University and Emerson College; for three years at St. Joseph Parish in Medway; for ten years in my first pastorate at Our Lady Help of Christians Parish in West Concord and 15 more years in that beloved town after Our Lady and Saint Bernard parishes were reconfigured as Holy Family; for 2 years in Belmont's New Roads Catholic Community; and finally for these last 4 years at Good Shepherd Parish in Wayland.
And of course, in 1973 we had never heard the words blog or Facebook!
Over more than half a century, the life of the Church and my own ministry have seen both great joy
and tragic sadness. Still, in every one of those years I have counted myself blessed to
serve God’s people as a priest and blessed by the people it’s been my
privilege to serve. I thank God for all of you! Please pray today for all the priests, living and deceased, of the ordination class of 1973!
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