Golden Jubilee

Morello ordinatio

On Tuesday of our Provincial Assembly in San Antonio, we celebrated the golden priestly jubilee of four of our friars.  On April 29^th 1962, Fathers Joseph Neilson and Sam Anthony Morello were ordained in Rome.  On May 26^th 1962, Fathers Christopher Timoney and John Henry Bordeaux were ordained in San Antonio.  Father Joseph died this year in San Antonio on Saturday March 17^th at Morningside Manor on Babcock Rd at 4:20 am, one month short of his 50^th ordination anniversary.  His classmate in Rome, Fr. Sam Anthony had taken ill at Marylake, and was unable to make it to the assembly.  Fr. Christopher has been residing at St. Francis Nursing Home in San Antonio since 2002.  He attended the jubilee Mass in a wheel chair. 

At the same Mass, we celebrated the silver ordination jubilee of Fr. John Magdalene Suenram who was ordained on November 22, 1987, in this basilica.  Father John, recuperating from a devastating automotive accident in 2010, preached for the jubilee Mass.  Father ascended the pulpit in the basilica where he had been pastor for almost all of the ‘90s, and announced to a hearty applause, “It’s good to be back home.”

The offertory gifts were presented to Father Henry by his two sisters from Milton LA, Janie and Gloria.  Linda Drum is a photographer who took these pictures, and was kind enough to send them to me for our archives.  Fr. Henry was the principal celebrant for this Mass.  In addition to his fellow Carmelite friars, we were joined by three priest friends of Fr. Henry on the altar and one Society of St. Peter priest in the pews.  He was assisted by two deacons, Jacques Abat, and Daniel Cisnernos.  Also assisting were our two students, Juan Guillermo and Jorge, as well as our postulant Martín Orosco. 

 

Father Henry was flanked by the other jubilarians: Father John Magdalene to his right, and Fr. Christopher to his left.  In back can be seen Fathers Bonaventure, Jerome and Stephen.  The deacons are on the far right.  Stephen has just been named our new novice Master who will soon receive Martín into the novitiate at Mount Carmel of Dallas. 

At the end of Mass, Father Henry gave a short thanksgiving address to all who have supported his vocation to the priesthood.  He tried his best to get Christopher to say a few words, but was unsuccessful in this endeavor.  One of the few rare times in Christopher’s life when he was been at a loss for words!  Father Henry continued to give thanks to all those who promote vocations and support our priests in their sacerdotal vocation. 

Our final photograph shows Father Henry flanked by [left to right]: Ralph Reyes (pastor and superior in Oklahoma City), John Magdalene (jubilarian), Henry, Luis Belmonte (pastor of the Basilica), Luis Castañeda (Our Father Provincial) and Gregory Ross (Vocation Director).  Let us all heed the jubilarian’s words to pray for vocations to the Priesthood and to Religious life.