First Myanmar-born Jesuit

Jesuit Father Wilbert Mireh was ordained to the priesthood in Loikaw Cathedral in Myanmar in May, making him the first Myanmar-born Jesuit to be ordained since the Society of Jesus was approved 473 years ago. Twenty Jesuit priests were present for the ceremony, including Jesuit Father Wardi Saputra, Fr. Mireh’s novice master. “A long time ago the bishop [of Taunggyi, Fr. Matthias U. Shwe] kept asking me, ‘When will we have a Jesuit ordained in Myanmar?’” recalled Fr. Saputra, who came to Myanmar from Indonesia in 1998 to set up a novitiate. For Fr. Mireh, the moment of ordination was one of grace in which he felt the blessing of God. While aware of the responsibility that would come with being his country’s first Jesuit priest, Fr. Mireh said he felt tremendous support from those around him. “It’s a privilege, and a feeling of being ready to begin my ministry — I’ve been wanting to do this for so long. As a Jesuit, I am filled with the missionary spirit,” he said.

Link (here) to Jesuit.org

16 Jesuits Priests Recieve Holy Orders

Nearly three months after the historic election of the first Jesuit Pope, the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), the largest order of priests and brothers in the Roman Catholic Church, will ordain 16 new priests this month in the United States. Ordination ceremonies are being held in New York, New Orleans, Los Angeles and Chicago. At Fordham University in the Bronx, N.Y., the Most Rev. Thomas Donato, Auxiliary Bishop of Newark, N.J., will preside. At Holy Name of Jesus Church in New Orleans, the Most Rev. Gregory M. Aymond, Archbishop of New Orleans, will preside. At Church of the Blessed Sacrament in Los Angeles, the Most Reverend John C. Wester, Bishop of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, will preside. At Madonna della Strada Chapel at Loyola University Chicago, the Most Rev. George V. Murry, S.J., Bishop of the Diocese of Youngstown, Ohio, will preside. Before entering the Society of Jesus, the ordinands worked in nonprofit community service, higher education, state government, documentary film production and biomedical research, and several taught in high schools and colleges. A diverse group, the ordinands range in age from 32 to 53 and hail from Connecticut, Hawaii, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin.

The Most Rev. Thomas H. Smolich, S.J., president of the Jesuit Conference, said, “This is a joyful time for both the Society of Jesus and the Catholic Church as we welcome 16 new brothers being ordained this month. Their call to priestly ministry is as varied as their hometowns and former occupations, but they have one thing in common: a desire to dedicate themselves to the Jesuit mission of serving the Church where the need is greatest.”

Those called to Catholic priesthood in the Society of Jesus undergo extensive training – from the moment novices enter the Society until they’re ordained -- a process that can take anywhere from eight to 12 years. Following ordination, the new priests will serve in parishes and teach in Jesuit high schools and universities, among other assignments.

The 16 Jesuit priests being ordained this year can be found (here) at the Digital Journal

In 2011, the Society of Jesus in the United States ordained 11 men to the priesthood. 

Read about them (here)

New Jesuit Priest

Archbishop Wilton Gregory with Fr. Joel Medina, S.J.

As a nurse, Fr. Joel Medina, S.J. treated physical ailments. Now, he wants to treat spiritual ones. After years working in health care, the 56-year-old has traded his scrubs for the collar of a Jesuit priest. “I was interested in serving people,” Medina said. “I felt the call to do that by serving as a priest.” Joel Medina Medina started his career in health care at age 19, working in Jackson as a nursing assistant. He went on to become a registered nurse through Jackson Community College and earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Wayne State University in Detroit. He then worked about 16 years off and on at the University of Michigan hospital. That all ended nine years ago, when Medina applied to be a Roman Catholic Jesuit and entered The Society of Jesus, Chicago-Detroit Province’s Novitiate at Loyola House in Berkley, Mich. Friends and family said they weren’t surprised by the decision. “We always knew (the priesthood) is where he’d end up,” said Medina’s sister, Linda Berkemeier, 51 of Jackson. “He was sensitive and interested in theology. We were just waiting for him to do it.”

Link (here) to read the full article at  MLive.com

Should I Fall A Victim To 'Yellow Jack,'

Each "province" of the Society of Jesus has some foreign mission confided to its charge. Thus an outlet for Irish zeal is afforded by Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand; and England has the West Indies. To the West Indies, therefore, Father Law was sent. A letter to his father on the 12th of November, 1866, is dated from "the Tasmania at sea," 25 degrees of north latitude, 51st degree of west longitude, wherever that may be. "I was so delighted, as I told the Provincial, with the generosity with which you willingly and cheerfully let me go to Demerara. For, should I fall a victim to 'Yellow Jack,' I could not die a better death after martyrdom; and I hope that in that ease God in His mercy might overlook all my other shortcomings. However, by the help of your prayers, I trust God may spare me many years to labour for His glory, and, if it be His will, to see you again, my dear, dear father. But fiat voluntas Dei. This is not our home. Heaven is our home, and it is there the best and happiest meeting will take place. But you know and understand all this far better than I do. Pray that I may know and understand it better every day. I shall be so delighted when Friday morning comes, for I shall then, I hope, be able to say Mass at St. Thomas's. It will almost appear to me like a first Mass. For, before this voyage, I had only missed saying Mass one day since my ordination."
Link (here) to the full account of Fr. Augustus Law, S.J. in the Irish Monthly

Jesuit Ordination In Nepal

An ordination ceremony for three priests in Nepal’s remotest parish, has given villagers there a chance to celebrate and an early opportunity to meet their new spiritual advisors. 

The three Indian-born priests, a diocesan and two Jesuits were ordained in Jesuit-run Maheshpur parish, 600 kilometers east of Kathmandu, 

on February 12 by Nepal’s apostolic vicar Jesuit Bishop Anthony Sharma.

Link (here) to CathNews

Two Jesuits Ordained To The Priesthood

Priestly ordination of Jason Furtado, S.J. and Anil D' Almeida, S.J.

A unique festive mood was in evidence during the Christmas Season at Barkur in the district, on the morning of Tuesday December 28, 2010. As the Bishop of Shimoga diocese, Dr Jerald Isaac Lobo, climbed the holy altar of the historical Church of St Peter the Apostle, the giant bells were quick to herald the beginning of the ceremony of ordaining two youth of the parish – Jason Furtado, the proud son of William and Celine Furtado of Hosala, and Anil D’Almeida , son of the late Peter and the late Veronica D’Almeida of Halekody. Both of them were escorted by the family members to offer them to Almighty’s altar to serve Him and His men.At about 10.15 am, the Bishop anointed both Jason and Anil as young Jesuit priests, in the vineyard of Jesus to spread, propagate, lead and preach the Christen values to the society. In his touching homily, Bishop Lobo narrated, what is priesthood, duties and challenges ahead…….’yes they are selected from amongst you, to serve you but chosen by Almighty Himself ……’ After the holy ceremony, it was a grand reception and honour to the newly ordained priests,

Link (here) to read the full story and see more Jesuits

Way To Go Gentlemen! Jesuits Enter The Diaconate

Archbishop Wilton Gregory

Seven Jesuits who are students at the School of Theology and Ministry now have added the title of deacon to their credit. The seven — John Brown, SJ, Jeff Johnson, SJ, Joe Laramie, SJ, Joel Medina, SJ, Antoine Paumard, SJ, Aaron D. Pidel, SJ, and Alejandro Olayo Méndez, SJ — received the sacrament of Holy Orders on Oct. 8 at St. Ignatius Church, where they were ordained as deacons, enabling them to preach sermons, perform baptisms and witness marriages. Archbishop of Atlanta Wilton D. Gregory presided at the Mass and administered the ordination, with family and friends of the seven looking on as well as members of the STM and University communities. [See a slideshow of the event at http://bit.ly/9c3nxD] “The ordination was beautiful,” said Laramie, who was joined at the celebration by his parents, grandparents, godparents, sister and her future brother-in-law. “The music, having my family attend, along with brother Jesuits and fellow STM students — I was really able to pray during the Mass. I felt so grateful that God has called me to this life. As a deacon, I’m honored to serve the Church.” “It was a beautiful, terrific ceremony,” echoed Johnson, whose parents traveled from Tennessee to be at the ordination. A reception, sponsored by STM, followed on the Brighton Campus. The formal process of ordination involves the bishop invoking the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands on the deacon candidates. The deacon candidates then receive their vestments from a priest they have chosen to perform the vesting ritual. Johnson said he chose Rev. Brad Schaeffer, SJ, rector of Blessed Peter Faber Community, to do his vesting to thank him for all the support he has shown him. Deacon Pidel, a native of Georgia, chose his spiritual director Rev. Casey Beaumier, SJ, a graduate student, to do his vesting. “The ordination was magnificent,” said Fr. Beaumier. “It is a great sign of hope. It was a gift to me to be able to participate and their ordination is a gift to our church.”

Link (here) to the rest of the article.

There Are 230 Jesuits Living In The Oregon Province

Twenty members of the Jesuits’ Oregon Province will celebrate jubilees as ordained priests or as Jesuits at a Mass, Saturday, Aug. 14, at Gonzaga University in Spokane. Those marking 60 years as Jesuits include Father Jack Morris, a former Jesuit Volunteer Corps director, African missionary and western Oregon parish priest. He is now doing some writing from his residence at the Jesuit community in Southeast Portland. With 25 years as a Jesuit is Father J.K. Adams, English teacher at Jesuit High School in Portland and superior of its Jesuit community. Every year Oregon Province Jesuits gather in summer for ordinations to the priesthood, to honor jubilarians and celebrate first vows, and for discussion and fellowship.There are 230 Jesuits living in the Oregon Province which is comprised of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. 

Link (here) to the Catholic Sentinel

A New Jesuit Priest In Chile

Diaconal Ordination Jose Tomas Gatica SJ

New Jesuit Priest Ordianed In St. Louis

Archbishop Robert J. Carlson ordained Father Kevin B. Dyer to the priesthood for the Society of Jesus on June 12 at St. Francis Xavier "College" Church in Midtown St. Louis. Father Dyer, 35, is the son of David and Judy Dyer of St. Paul Parish in St. Paul. After graduating from St. Dominic High School in O'Fallon, he attended St. Louis University, where he met a number of Jesuits who inspired his religious vocation. After graduation from St. Louis University, he attended law school at Georgetown University for a year before applying to the Jesuit novitiate, entering in August 1999. He professed his vows in 2001.

Link (here)

Five New Jesuit Priests From Ranchi Province India

(Top, L-R) 

Fr. Anuranjan Hassa Purty, Sarwada; Fr. Sanjay Dilip Ekka, Patrachauli;
(Below, L-R) 

Fr. Rajenius Barla, Lachragarh; Fr. Bruno Toppo, Noadih; Fr. Vijay Kumar Minj, Mandar.

Link (here)

From Chef To Ordination As A Jesuit Priest

The Rev. Robert Pecoraro will be one of two Jesuit priests ordained by Archbishop Timothy Dolan at Fordham University Church (pictured) ordon June 12, 10:30 a.m. Father Pecoraro, 43, was born on Staten Island and is the older of the two sons of Geraldine and the late Robert Pecoraro. He grew up in Rosebank, graduated from Monsignor Farrell High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in food systems management from New York College at Buffalo. For years, he worked as a private-sector chef, culinary instructor and restaurant consultant. He taught at the New York School for Food and Hotel Management in Manhattan. But it was a job running the food service department at Mount Manresa in Fort Wadsworth at age 31 that deepened his spiritual journey. “I helped with the retreats and it became more and more evident that I wasn’t just supposed to help out with the Jesuits, but be a Jesuit,”

Link (here) to the full article.

New Orleans Province Ordination

The 10-state New Orleans Province of Jesuits is celebrating the ordination of an Oregon native. Rev. Mr. Anthony Wieck will be ordained June 5 by Archbishop Thomas Rodi of Mobile, Ala. Originally from Enterprise, Rev. Mr. Wieck entered the Society of Jesus in August 1999. Before taking vows, he graduated from the Jesuit University of San Francisco with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a minor in mathematics. After teaching in Phoenix, for several years, he began theological studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He completed a master’s degree in pastoral studies at Aquinas Institute and was missioned to teach at Strake Jesuit College Preparatory in Houston, Texas. He later completed a licentiate in sacred theology at the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, Calif. and went on to teach at Spring Hill College in Mobile, Ala. He will continue to serve at the college after his ordination.

Link (here) to the Sentinel.
Photo is from the future Jesuit Father Anthony Wieck's Facebook page

New Jesuit Priest From Port Washington Wisconsin

Tom Neitzke was like a lot of other children when he made a bold prediction about his future, but he was far different than most young people when he chose a path in life that has led him from the quiet confines of Port Washington to the mean streets of Milwaukee, the leper colonies of China, the barrios of Central America and the schools of Africa to a calling few men are willing to answer. 

“When I was in kindergarten, I told my mom I wanted to either be the milkman or the pope,” he said. “It certainly doesn’t look like I’m going to be a milkman.” On Friday, June 11, Neitzke, a graduate of St. Mary’s Catholic School in Port Washington and Port Washington High School, will be ordained a Jesuit priest during a ceremony at Gesu Church in Milwaukee. 

The following day he will celebrate his first Mass in the familiar surroundings of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Port Washington, where decades ago he was an altar boy. Neitzke’s journey, a challenging 11-year immersion in the Catholic faith and Jesuit teachings that has literally taken him to the far ends of the earth and put him in the company of people ranging from Pope John Paul II to destitute outcasts, has led him down the road less traveled. 

At the June 11 ceremony, he will be one of only six Jesuits from the Midwest and the only one from Wisconsin ordained into a church reeling from a shortage of priests. Neitzke, who will be 36 when he is ordained, is also in exclusive company locally. 

St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Port Washington has produced 22 priests — only two of whom have been Jesuits — since 1879, according to Kevin Wester, who compiled the history of the parish for its 150th anniversary in 2003. Wester was the last parish member to be ordained in 1990, although he has since left the active ministry of the priesthood. Neitzke’s ordination will be a grand affair that promises to pack the immense Gesu Church with hundreds of fellow Jesuits, but it is his first Mass at his childhood church that will be particularly special, he said. 

Link (here) to the full article

New England Jesuit Novice Mascots: Gumby And Pokey

Gumby and Pokey have been two of the mascots of the novitiate of the Society of Jesus of New England since 1985, and their by-now bent, crumpled plastic representations have been passed down from novice to novice for over 20 years. Gumby even showed up at my ordination, though the Jesuit who brought him did not, as he jokingly threatened, set him face down in the aisle alongside me during the ordination rite.

One common joke is that Gumby and Pokey have stayed in the Jesuits longer than many of the novices have.

On the other hand, they've never made it out of the novitiate. But that's another story.

Link (here) to the Jesuit Fr. James Martin, his full post is located at America's blog, In All Things.

The Face Of A Jesuit

Korean Jesuits Shin-jae Youh, Jin-hyon Lee, and Jin-hyuk Park, were joined by East Timorese Jesuit Plínio Gusmão Martins at the ordination, with Bishop Greg O'Kelly, S.J. presiding. In his homily, Bishop O'Kelly spoke of the journeys of the four young men into their vocation.

Bishop O'Kelly said he was intrigued to learn that both Shin-jae and Plínio, in their younger days, had been told by different people that they had the ‘face of a Jesuit'.

‘This is intriguing me', he said.

‘I have fears about what some people might think a Jesuit face might look like.

That's clearly an avenue that might be explored by the Jesuit vocations committee. Ordination to the diaconate is a special sacrament within the Catholic Church, said Bishop O'Kelly. ‘Holy orders has three levels of practice as is reflected in the apostolic church where we find deacons, priests and bishops. Something does happen to the inner person with these sacraments.

The sacrament imposes an inner configuration - to use a term favoured by Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict - an orientation of the person that can never be revoked.'

As deacons, the four young men have the tasks of proclaiming the Gospel, preparing the Eucharist, giving communion, bringing God's word, presiding over public prayer, as well as saying baptisms, marriages, providing last rites, and leading the rites of burial.

Link (here) to the full article in the Province Express

Thai-Cambodian Jesuit Ordained To The Priesthood

The Church in Cambodia has ordained the first Jesuit priest since the Church revived in the country during the early 1990s.

Father Phongphand Phokthavi, a Thai national, was ordained by Bishop Emile Destombes, apostolic vicar of Phnom Penh, on May 24, in a special ceremony in Battambang attended by 2,000 people.

The ordination of Father Phongphand, 53, brings the number of Thai priests serving in Cambodia to four.

Ham Sok, one of the many people at the ordination, said the scale of the event was a sign that the Church in Cambodia is growing.

During the ceremony, Jesuit Monsignor Enrique Figaredo, apostolic prefect of Battambang, said Father Phongphand "always gives himself to others, loves the poor and encourages people who have lost hope."

The monsignor, who has known the priest for 20 years, cited one occasion when Father Phongphand saw some people without shoes and offered them his own, saying, "I have another pair."

Cambodia has a special place in the Thai priest's heart. During the 1980s he helped Cambodian refugees in Thailand while working with the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS). Later in the 1990s he went to Cambodia with returning refugees and helped build a vocational center for the disabled near Phnom Penh.

Link (here)

In The Philippines

At present time there are 72 young Jesuits who are preparing for ordination.
Read about them (here) at Monk's Hobbit

Four Holy Families Make Four New Holy Jesuits Priests

Mangalore: Bishop Ordains Four Jesuit Deacons as Priests

News by Fr. Francis D’Almeida
Daijiworld Media Network—Mangalore (CN)

Mangalore, Dec 30: Four deacons of the Jesuits of Karnataka were ordained priests on Sunday December 28, at Fatima Retreat House Mangalore.

The ordination was conferred on Rudolf Noronha, Ronald Menezes, Cyril Menezes, and Jerald D’Souza by Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, Bishop of Mangalore, in a ceremony held at 3.00 pm and attended by many.

The solemn Eucharistic celebration began with the introduction of the deacons by Br Austin D’Souza of Asha Kiran Jesuit residence. Fr Vijaykumar Prabhu, provincial, Karnataka Jesuits, invited the deacons to receive the orders of priesthood.

After the ordination ceremony, the four newly-ordained priests were felicitated. The ceremony was compered by Br Arun D’Souza of Loyola Prenoviciate.

The parents of the four, the provincial, and Fr Ronnie Prabhu, director, Fatima Retreat House, were present on the dais. Fr Melwy Sunny Pinto, lecturer, department of Journalism, St Joseph’s College, Bangalore, raised the toast.

On behalf of the new priests, Fr Rudolf Noronha thanked everyone and Fr Francis D’Almeida, campus minister, St Aloysius College, proposed the vote of thanks.

Fr Noronha hails from Ferar, and he will serve as a lecturer and hostel warden at St Aloysius College, Mangalore. Fr Ronald Menezes, from Moodbidri town parish, will be stationed at St Aloysius High School, Mangalore, as a teacher. Fr Cyril Menezes who has done his B Ed, hails from Modankap, BC Road, and will teach at St Joseph’s High School, Hassan, and Fr Jerald D’Souza, a lawyer by profession, has been assigned to (Great Link!) Bijapur Jesuit mission. He is from Nakre parish of Karkala taluk.

All these priests hail from devout Catholic families of DK and Udupi districts. All of them have completed nearly 15 years of training. Fr Rudolf has spent two years in Wimbledon at London.

Link (here) and see all twenty pictures chronicling the outside ordination.