New Priests for New York Cardinal Dolan to Ordain 14 Priests at Cathedral May 28
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May 26, 2016 CATHOLIC NEW YORK • ORDINATIONS 13 New Priests for New York Cardinal Dolan to Ordain 14 Priests at Cathedral May 28 Graduates of the Class of 2016 at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, look relaxed and confi dent as their priestly ordination approaches. Cardinal Dolan will ordain 14 men, his largest class as Archbishop of New York, at a Mass in St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Saturday, May 28, at 9 a.m. Nine of the men will serve as priests of the archdi- ocese and fi ve are Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. The ordination class includes Father John Wilson and Father Jesús Ledezma Castro, who have studied at Pontifi cal North American College in Rome. St. Joseph’s ordinands are, seated from left: Father Hartley Bancroft, Father Dismas Marie Kline, C.F.R., Father Cruz Alejandro Sánchez Mares and Father Christian Amah. Standing, from left: Father Xavier Mariae Meiergerd, C.F.R., Father Innocent Montgomery, C.F.R., Father Bernardino Maria Soukup, C.F.R., Father Jon Tveit, Father Jean-Pierre Seon, Father James Sheridan, Father Thomas Colucci and Father Antonio Maria Diez de Medina, C.F.R. PROFILES WRITTEN BY JULIANN DOSSANTOS, DAN PIETRAFESA, CHRISTIE L. CHICOINE AND JOHN WOODS. PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHRIS SHERIDAN. 14 CATHOLIC NEW YORK • ORDINATIONS May 26, 2016 before Cardinal Dolan asked him to tight copy requirements in his newspa- Father John Wilson undertake major seminary studies at per life may help him “keep my homi- Pontifi cal North American College in lies short!” More seriously, he added he year was 2005, with John Rome, where he is pursuing a licentiate that his work in the daily press “taught Wilson a sophomore in col- in sacred theology at Pontifi cal Univer- me a lot about the human condition, es- lege, when the pivotal event sity of St. Thomas Aquinas. His thesis pecially the reality of sin.” that spurred his decision to is on St. Thomas and the Sensus Fidei. “It’s also where I came to know and become a priest occurred. He’s also the liturgical master of cer- love my adopted city,” notes Father TIt was the death of Pope John Paul II emonies at the seminary, and yet he Wilson, who added that he “can’t wait” at the end of a 27-year pontifi cate that fi nds time to enjoy playing on the Ulti- to serve in New York as a priest. would see him canonized in 2014. mate Frisbee team there. In the archdiocese, he’s had assign- “I was observant, but not especially His experience with classmates from ments at St. Paul and St. Ann’s parish, ‘on fi re’ for my faith growing up, so his across the United States “means that Congers, for the past two summers, and death was my fi rst opportunity to get to news from the Church in other parts of for one at St. Clare’s on Staten Island. know his life,” said Father Wilson, 31. “What jumped out at me was the joy he had in his priesthood—and his sense FATHER WILSON will celebrate his First Mass at St. Michael’s Church in of adventure.” Manhattan on Sunday, May 29, at 12:15 p.m. Father George Rutler, pastor of Others played key roles in his priest- St. Michael’s, will be the homilist. ly vocation, perhaps none more so than Father George Rutler, pastor of St. Mi- the country isn’t just news—it’s some- A native of Hebron, Conn., he is the chael’s parish in Manhattan, who was thing that’s happening to one of my oldest of three children (one sister and his spiritual director before he entered brothers.” one brother) of Michael and Lorraine the seminary. “I was struck by how, “I’ve also had the opportunity to learn Wilson. Tagging along with his mother A Saintly Pope’s even as a man of great intellectual eru- from many holy priests, even ones I’ve to parish meetings and activities at Holy dition, he found so much fulfi llment in never met, who have been inspirations Family parish in Hebron helped him Death Spurred the day-to-day work of a parish priest.” to my classmates,” he said. form “a very early and powerful sense Father Wilson holds a master’s de- Father Wilson may follow current of the Church as a second home.” Him Toward gree from Claremont McKenna College events more closely than most. He cov- His father, though not Catholic, in California. He did his pre-theology ered state and city politics as a journal- would join the family at Mass each Priesthood training at St. John Neumann Resi- ist for the New York Post. Sunday. And this year, he was received dence and Hall in Douglaston, Queens, Showing his sense of humor, he says into the Church at the Easter Vigil. endeavor, as opposed to an abstract and Father Jesús Ledezma Castro complex thing.” At NAC, he cited the mentorship of former rector, now-Bish- n many ways, it should not have Residence and Hall while earning a op James Checchio, who was ordained come as a surprise that Jesús Le- bachelor’s degree in philosophy from as Bishop of Metuchen, N.J., on May 3. dezma Castro decided to pursue St. John’s University in Queens. He is looking forward to serving as a the priesthood. He had thought Early in his fi nal year of college semi- priest in the archdiocese, but fi rst must about such a vocation since he nary, he and his classmate, Father John return to NAC to complete a licentiate Iwas a child growing up in a family with Wilson, met with Cardinal Dolan, who in biblical theology. seven sisters and one brother in Za- asked if they would continue their He has interests ranging from His- catecas, Mexico. priestly formation at Pontifi cal North panic and prison ministries to evange- The Ledezmas were steeped in fam- American College (NAC) in Rome. lizing the culture and biblical theology. ily values and their Catholic faith. Jesús Before they left, the prelate shared a He has enjoyed parish service during cited his parents, Jose and Guadalupe, as “strong models of faith and love, supporting me in every way, especially FATHER LEDEZMA CASTRO will celebrate his First Mass at Our Lady with their prayers.” of Mercy Church in the Bronx on Sunday, May 29, at 3 p.m. Father As Jesús began to consider his priest- Luis Saldaña, director of spiritual formation at St. Joseph’s Seminary, ly calling in high school, he drew sup- Dunwoodie, will deliver the homily. port from the pastors of St. Joseph’s parish in his hometown of Tayahua. brief prayer in Italian that remains with summer breaks, fi rst at St. Patrick’s Reading about the lives of the Mexi- him. “Sia lodato Gesu Cristo, sempre Cathedral and then for two years at St. can martyrs who were persecuted for sia lodato.” (“Praised be Jesus Christ, Ann’s on Staten Island. their Catholic beliefs confi rmed his de- may He always be praised.”) He counts the celebration of the Eu- His Priestly sire to serve the Lord. He called his years at NAC “an en- charist and the prayer of the Liturgy His own journey to the priesthood riching experience,” made more so by of the Hours as important sources of Journey Fueled would take him far from his native the “diversity” of seminarians from strength. “No one gives what he does land. He cited his parents for “willing- across the United States. not have, so the encounter with Christ by Family, Parish ly” making the sacrifi ce to be separated During his studies in New York, he and His Church at the celebration of the from him as his studies continued. gained priestly insight from Father Luis Eucharist and the following encounters Priests First, he relocated to New York, where Saldaña, who explained that “priestly throughout the day inspire, guide and he took up studies at St. John Neumann holiness is a very practical and human sustain any other activity,” he said. May 26, 2016 catholic new york • orDINATIONS 15 Father Cruz Alejandro Sánchez Mares ather Cruz Alejandro Sán- quite how it was meant to be. sacrifices to become a priest, he does chez Mares, 35, was born That’s when he realized, “When you not feel that his life will be lacking. in the small town of Teco- have a calling, every time you resist, “It’s natural to desire to have a wife, lotlan in the Mexican state your life is miserable.” a family,” he said. “I gave that up, but I of Jalisco. The community It wasn’t easy, he noted. “I was debat- feel in my life, it’s worth it. A priest is Fthere had only 300 people, and a priest ing. I had a job, my family. I had all I not sacrificing connections to some- visited just once a week. needed.” one else. A priest is connected to the He was one of 10 children—eight He came to New York in 2009 and families in the parish.” brothers and one sister—born to entered the St. John Nuemann Resi- His formation at St. Joseph’s Semi- Bartolo Sánchez Brambila and Juana dence and Hall then the Cathedral nary, he noted, has helped him further Mares Perez. Seminary House of Formation. develop that relationship. “When you His family was Catholic—and he learned some of the basics of the faith such as attending Mass, praying the Father Sánchez’s First Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of Guadalupe Rosary—but that was pretty much all.