Cardinal Dolan will ordain 10 men to the priesthood—six for the CATHOLIC Archdiocese of New York and four for the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal— NEW YORK Saturday, May 29, at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Each of the ordinands is AMERICA’S LARGEST CATHOLIC NEWSPAPER profiled inside the 12-page special MAY 20, 2021 VOL. XL, NO. 18 $1.00 section that wraps the regular issue. ChRIS Sheridan TO BE ORDAINED—Eight members of the Class of 2021 at St. Joseph’s Seminary pose on the Dunwoodie campus. From left, they are Father Frantisek Marie Chloupek, C.F.R., Father Ignatius Pio Mariae Doherty, C.F.R., Father Joseph Michael Fino, C.F.R., Father Robert Carolan, Father Kevin Panameño , Father Elijah Marie Perri, C.F.R., Father Steven N. Gonzalez and Father Matthew Breslin. All eight, plus Father Carmine Caruso and Fa- ther Wesbee Victor, will be ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Dolan at St. Patrick’s Cathedral Saturday, May 29. A2 CATHOLIC NEW YORK May 20, 2021 The Priesthood and Publishing he special section wrapping around the outside of this issue of Catholic New York Tis close to our hearts. As you can see, it features profiles about the 10 men Cardinal Dolan will ordain to the priesthood at St. Pat- rick’s Cathedral on Saturday morning, May 29. A lot of preparatory work and effort goes into produc- ing a section such as this one, especially this year. From our end, all of our reporters and editors get involved in the reporting and writing of the profiles. While we each bring our own personal style to the assignment, we try our best to keep the focus where it belongs—on the seminarians, now transitional deacons, who in slightly more than a week will be ordained to the priesthood. We get a lot of help in turning out this par- ticular product, especially from the leadership and staff of St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, where eight of this year’s ordinands completed their formation for the priesthood. Of course, that includes Auxiliary Bishop James Massa of Brooklyn, the rector, and Father William Cleary, the vice rector, who for several years has helped ChRIS Sheridan us to coordinate the interview schedule of the SPRING STROLL—The eight members of the Class of 2021 of St. Joseph’s Seminary enjoy a walk on seminarians and facilitate the flow of basic the tree-lined Dunwoodie campus last month. In the front row, from left, are Father Kevin Panameño, background questions to and from them. Father Robert Carolan and Father Steven N. Gonzalez. Cardinal Dolan will ordain all eight to the priest- In years such as this one, when more men are hood at a Mass in St. Patrick’s Cathedral May 29. being ordained, keeping everything running smoothly is no small matter, so the seminar- ians aren’t burdened with too many additional responsibilities as graduation and ordination Cardinal to Ordain 10 Priests at Cathedral Mass May 29 nears and we are able to get the information Cardinal Dolan will ordain 10 men to the priesthood at a Mass in St. Patrick’s Cathedral at 9 and access we need to publish. a.m. on Saturday, May 29. From CNY’s perspective, ordinations are an Six are being ordained as priests for the Archdiocese of New York, and four for the Francis- important story, in terms of news and in the can Friars of the Renewal. life of the archdiocese. It goes almost without The new archdiocesan priests are Father Matthew Breslin, Father Robert Carolan, Father Car- saying at this point, but bears repeating, that we mine Caruso, Father Steven N. Gonzalez, Father Kevin Panameño and Father Wesbee Victor. in the Archdiocese of New York and just about Being ordained for the Renewal Friars are Father Frantisek Marie Chloupek, C.F.R., Father every other diocese in the United States could Ignatius Pio Mariae Doherty, C.F.R., Father Joseph Michael Fino, C.F.R., and Father Elijah Marie use more priests. You can likely see the need Perri, C.F.R. clearly in your own parish. Eight of the new priests completed their formation for the priesthood at St. Joseph’s Seminary This section is one way we personally work in Dunwoodie. Father Carmine Caruso completed his priestly formation at Pope St. John XXIII to counter that trend. We endeavor to deliver National Seminary in Weston, Mass., and Father Wesbee Victor completed his priestly formation not only the basics about the new priests’ edu- at the Theological College of The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. continued ON page A11 CATHOLIC NEW YORK Vol. XL, No. 18 HOW TO REACH US DEADLINES May 20, 2021 1011 First Avenue, Ste. 1721 Editorial copy must be received in CNY’s offices at least one week before the publication date. New York, N.Y. 10022 Editor in Chief Advertising/Business Manager CHANGE OF ADDRESS John Woods Matthew E. Schiller Phone (212) 688-2399 Please clip old label and mail with new address Fax (212) 688-2642 to the Circulation Dept. Catholic New York (ISSN 0278-1174) is published biweekly, 26 issues for $26.00 per year, 1011 First Avenue, Ste. 1721, by Ecclesiastical Communications Corp., 1011 First Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10022. Periodi- Email [email protected] New York, N.Y. 10022 cal postage paid at New York, N.Y. and at additional mailing offices. On the web www.cny.org Delivery problems: (212) 688-2399 ext. 3140 Postmaster: send address changes to Catholic New York, 1011 First Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10022. May 20, 2021 CATHOLIC NEW YORK A3 First Priest From Highland Father Robert Carolan decided in Parish Credits God 2015 to continue teaching in a different role. The physical education teacher Working Through Him in the archdiocese entered St. Joseph’s Seminary in Dunwoodie and will be Father Matthew Breslin knew at a young ordained a priest by Cardinal Dolan at age as an altar server at daily Mass he felt an St. Patrick’s Cathedral May 29. attraction and desire for the priesthood. “My first two years at Dunwoodie, His father, Alex, had just lost a 10-year I was the book bearer for both ordi- battle with brain cancer and Father Breslin nation Masses,” he told CNY. “I was said becoming more involved with his parish right up front with the Cardinal as the at St. Augustine in Highland helped him with guys were being ordained. his grief and discernment to the priesthood. “Now, I’ll be on the other side. I “He was diagnosed when my mother won’t be the book bearer, I will be (Maureen) was pregnant with me and my the one getting ordained. Obviously, sister (Megan, now Sister Mary Strength of you’re going to be excited, emotional. Martyrs of the Servants of the Lord It’ll just hit you. Right now, we’re busy and the Virgin of Matara) was 2 years ChRIS Sheridan with papers and getting things ready old. It was inoperable, and they said for ordination.” he wouldn't live to see me born. Father Carolan, 37, grew up in Yorktown Miraculously, he lived 10 years after Heights as one of four children of Robert and that,” Father Breslin, who will be the Father Caryn Carolan. He has three sisters—Pam first priest from St. Augustine’s parish Leone, Christine Benson and Kim Fox—and in its 121-year history, told CNY. Robert 11 nephews and nieces. “His life was a great lesson to me in He attended Sunday Mass with his fam- many ways. He was a great dad who Carolan ily at St. Elizabeth loved being a dad, loved his children Ann Seton Church A Good and loved his wife. It was a lesson that in Shrub Oak where I can apply to my priesthood in the Father Carolan will he was enrolled in Listener, fatherly heart he had for my sister and celebrate his first the parish school for I of wanting to spend every day with a few years before Mass at St. Elizabeth He Learned us and fighting to stay alive as long as later graduating he could. Ann Seton Church in from Yorktown High to Trust in “My mom in my life is the epitome Shrub Oak on Sunday, School. He earned ChRIS Sheridan of self-sacrificial love. She was always a bachelor's degree the Lord’s the rock of the family despite having this May 30, at 3 p.m. in applied sociology horrible, horrible life scenario. She went Father Robert Quarato, from East Carolina Plans from caring for her two children and dying University in North pastor of St. Elizabeth Father husband and then transitioned to now being Carolina and a master's in physical education Matthew a single mother to children who no longer Ann Seton parish, will in sports pedagogy from Manhattanville Col- have a father and really didn't miss a beat. I be the homilist. lege in Purchase. Breslin still consider her one of my best friends.” Father Carolan said he first heard a calling As a priest, Father Breslin is looking to the priesthood as a junior in high school, forward to celebrating Mass, hearing confes- and his faith grew through college and as a Father Breslin will sions, meeting people and being a “vehicle of physical education teacher for seven years at God’s mercy and presence in the world.” He archdiocesan schools. celebrate his first also hopes to remain involved in high school “The call was getting stronger and stron- Mass Sunday, May ministries and retreats.