May 24, 2018 catholic new york • orDinationS 15 Ordinations 2018 PROFILES WRITTEN BY ARMANDO MACHADO, DAN PIETRAFESA, CHRISTIE L. CHICOINE AND JOHN WOODS PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHRIS SHERIDAN Graduates of the Class of 2018 from St. Joseph’s Seminary in Dunwoodie will soon serve the faithful entrusted to their care as priests. Cardinal Dolan will ordain nine men at Mass at St. They Answered the Call Patrick’s Cathedral Saturday, May 26, at 9 a.m. Five will serve as priests of the Archdiocese of New York and four are Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. The ordination class includes Father To Bring Christ to Others Kareem Smith, who has been serving as a transitional deacon at St. Patrick’s Cathedral; Father Carlos Limongi, who pursued priesthood studies at Theological College in Washington, D.C.; and Father Louis Masi, who studied at Pontifical North American College in Rome. From left: Cardinal Dolan to Ordain Father Osvaldo Hernandez; Father Angelus Montgomery, C.F.R.; Father Kareem Smith; Father Pierre Toussaint Guiteau, C.F.R.; Father Mark-Mary Maximilian Ames, C.F.R.; Father Michael 9 Priests at Cathedral May 26 Connolly; and Father Francesco Gavazzi, C.F.R. 16 catholic new york • orDinationS May 24, 2018 Father Father Connolly will celebrate his first Mass at his home parish, St. Augustine Church in Michael Ossining, on Sunday, May 27, at noon. The homilist will be Father Robert M. Dunn, a former Connolly parochial vicar of St. Augustine parish and a mentor and friend of Father Connolly’s. When Cardinal Dolan and talk Once there, he saw the cardinal de- bringing me back was like getting to show host and comedian Stephen scend the lobby stairs and cheerfully meet myself all over again.” Colbert appeared at Fordham Uni- greet people. “I just felt this complete Now, through the priesthood, versity six years ago to discuss faith joy come over me, because it just “robed with Him as my armor, I can and humor, neither could know how emanates from him. I thought, I have go back in and communicate that, the event encouraged then-Fordham to have that joy.” and sort of be like a missionary to student Michael Connolly to listen to He concedes that his devout prac- millennials,” Father Connolly said. a call deep within himself. tice of the faith, rooted in childhood, “But what’s so confusing for us “We were all abuzz about it in the “took a backseat” freshman year of millennials right now is that we’re dorms, and getting ready to get on college, at Fordham’s Lincoln Center being told from everywhere else that line and get our ticket,” Father Con- campus. Despite all the fun he was there’s no such thing as a mistake; nolly, now 25, recalled. Leading up to having, “I just got to this point where whatever you feel like doing, that’s ‘Missionary that, “all I heard was, ‘Oh, I’m going I was so lonely, sad and empty. what you should do, that’s the truth, to go see Colbert. Hey, are you going “God gave me a graced conversion that’s the good thing.” to Millennials’ to go to Colbert?’ moment and I just could see how Millennials are owed much more “I found myself thinking, I’m going horribly dark I felt.” Without think- credit than they’re given. “We can Thinks They Can to see the Cardinal. Then I thought ing, he went to the chapel. He apolo- take it, and, in fact, we want it,” Fa- Take It about that and was like, Why do I gized to God and asked him to show ther Connolly said. “We’re not going feel that way? I just had this reaction: him what he wanted him to do. to just fall apart if you tell me that no, I’m not going to see Colbert, I’m “At that point, it wasn’t even neces- there is such a thing as sin and poor going to see the Cardinal, and then sarily priesthood. The first step was choices. We want to know the truth.” wondered, Whoa. Why?” just coming back” to Church. “God continued ON page 21 Father Father Hernandez will celebrate his first Mass at St. Elizabeth’s Church in Osvaldo Miguel Manhattan Sunday, May 27, at 3 p.m. Father Luis Saldaña, spiritual director Hernandez at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Yonkers, will deliver the homily. At age 18, in his native land, the months of serious discernment, and English, in Washington Heights, Dominican Republic—those are the he decided on the priesthood and where many residents are originally “when and where” answers to the amicably broke up with his girl- from the Dominican Republic. question of Father Osvaldo Miguel friend, who supported his decision. In 2009, he entered St. John Neu- Hernandez’ decision to pursue the He had been a choir member during mann College Seminary on the priesthood. Father Hernandez, now high school, in the family’s parish, campus of St. Joseph’s Seminary. He 30, is prepared to make that aspira- San Pio X in Santiago, where he was graduated from St. John’s University tion a reality. born and raised. in Queens in 2014, with a bachelor’s “It was an invitation from my prin- When he was 19, his family immi- degree in philosophy and minors in cipal to attend a vocational retreat, grated to the Untied States, settling theology and Spanish. and I had a personal encounter with in Washington Heights in Manhattan “It is a calling, when you realize with God,” said Father Hernandez as he and later in the Bronx. He worked certainty that God is calling you,” Fa- Priestly Calling described how the retreat cemented to learn English, and held a job at a ther Hernandez said of the priesthood. Led Him to Do his decision to become a priest. factory and later at a restaurant to “You don’t know how to describe it… “I remember being in my room, in help his family financially. His desire We decide to do the will of God.” God’s Will my parents’ home in Santiago (in the to seek the priesthood, which had Father Hernandez’s apostolic as- Dominican Republic, before the re- begun to wane, was rekindled during signments included Jeanne Jugan treat). I was confused, asking myself, a Catholic Charismatic Renewal gath- Nursing Home in the Bronx, and the ‘What am I going to do?’ ering in the Bronx, when he was 21. Westchester County Department of Father Hernandez said his teenage Father Hernandez, who was Correction in Valhalla. His summer confusion stemmed from facing the ordained a transitional deacon last parish assignments included Immac- choice of whether to seek the path November at St. Joseph’s Seminary ulate Conception parish in Tucka- to the priesthood, or continue his in Dunwoodie, where he has done hoe, St. Patrick’s parish in Yorktown relationship with his girlfriend and his priestly formation, will celebrate Heights and Sacred Heart parish in study to become an engineer. After his first Mass as a priest, in Spanish continued ON page 21 May 24, 2018 catholic new york • orDinationS 17 Priesthood’s Draw Ruled Over Architecture Father Carlos Limongi recalled being enthralled Father Louis Masi says the Lord has by the Communion line during Masses in his parish worked in “very ordinary ways” through- assignments as a seminarian. “There was something out his life, leaving “subtle signs that He about seeing the people coming to receive Christ was calling me to the priesthood.” that encouraged me to continue in my journey, so I He first expressed a desire to become a could also bring Christ to them,” he said. priest as a second-grader at St. Theresa of His call to the priesthood was gradual. Through the Infant Jesus School in his home parish a lay evangelization movement for the Hispanic in the Bronx before giving the idea serious community called Movimiento de Retiros Parro- consideration while attending Jesuit-run quiales Juan XXIII, which he joined at age 18, he Regis High School in Manhattan, where he was introduced to ministry and apostolic work. cited encouragement from Father Anthony “As I grew in the faith, I would go to Ado- Andreassi, C.O., a priest of the Oratory of ration and the typical prayer of someone St. Philip Neri, who taught history. “By his trying to live a faithful Catholic life be- example and our many conversations, he helped came my own: ‘Lord, I’ll go wherever you me to grow as a man of virtue and of prayer,” want me to go, I will do whatever you want Father Masi recalled. me to do, I’ll say whatever you want me Father In high school, he was greatly influenced by to say.’ It was in those moments of prayer the writings of Pope Benedict XVI, and drew where I first heard a voice in my heart say, Louis inspiration from the Holy Father’s insistence that ‘Be a priest.’” “Catholicism is fundamentally about an encoun- At first, he brushed the call aside. “I Masi ter with a Person, the Lord Jesus, who gives life don’t think I was ready because I still had a new horizon and a decisive direction.” As a plans to be a huge, famous New York archi- senior, Father Masi decided to attend St. John tect,” he explained. Father Masi will offer Neumann college seminary, then on the grounds A few years later, in 2012, a friend of St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie. his first Mass at St.