NEW YORK — As the Church prepares to commemorate the Year for Priests, seven Holy Name friars recently commemorated their 50th and 60th ordination anniversaries at events in Boston and New York.
Reginald Redlon, OFM, who lives at St. Anthony Residence in Boston, celebrated his 60th anniversary of ordination on June 10 in the friars’ chapel of St. Anthony Shrine across the street. With several invited guests present, Dominic Monti, OFM, Provincial Vicar, celebrated the Mass. At the end of the Mass, Reginald expressed his gratitude to all present and gave thanks for his years of priesthood, according to John Maganzini, OFM.
A native of Maine, Reginald devoted his early religious career to the Province’s educational ministry, serving as rector of St. Francis College in Rye Beach, N.H., and as president of St. Bonaventure University in Western New York from 1967 to 1972; he later was pastor of several Province parishes in northern New Jersey.
Marking their 50th anniversary of ordination are Angelus Gambatese, OFM, St. Stephen of Hungary, New York City; Roderic Petrie, OFM, St. Anthony’s Friary, St. Petersburg, Fla.; Thomas Jones, OFM, Convento Sao Francisco, Goias, Brazil; Robert Gavin, OFM, St. Francis of Assisi, New York City; Edward Metzger, OFM, St. Anthony of Padua, Helper, Utah; Raymond Mann, OFM, St. Anthony Shrine, Boston; and Mathias Tumulty, OFM, a former Holy Name friar who now belongs to St. Barbara Province in California.
Members of the class of 1959 got together last month at St. Stephen of Hungary Church in New York City, hosted by Angelus, the pastor. They had dinner the evening of May 8 and then joined in celebrating the Eucharist on May 9, with Provincial Vicar Dominic preaching and presiding. The group organized a luncheon after Mass for family and friends. Former friar Jack Shuk traveled from San Diego to be with his classmates.
Raymond, who was featured in the Boston Herald newspaper, celebrated the Shrine’s 10:00 a.m. Mass on Sunday, June 14 in honor of his 50th anniversary of priestly ordination.
This year, Timothy Shreenan, OFM, of St. Francis of Assisi, New York City, marks his 25th anniversary of ordination.
Friars celebrating their 25th and 50th anniversaries of profession will be honored by the Province on June 24 at St. Francis of Assisi in New York City.
The Province officially sponsors the celebration of silver and golden anniversaries of first profession, when a friar vows to live the rest of his life by the Rule written by the founder of the Order of Friars Minor, St. Francis of Assisi. Celebrations of other milestone years, or of ordination anniversaries, are organized by individual classes or honorees.
The Church’s Year for Priests opens June 19 with a vespers service at the Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI will close the celebrations during a World Meeting of Priests in St. Peter’s Square June 19, 2010, according to Catholic News Service.