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Nine priests of the archdiocese are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their ordination this year. They are: Msgr. Douglas J. Mathers; and Fathers Michael W. Cichon, John DeBellis, Arthur Leo, Joseph P. McAndrew, Peter Popovich, Eric Raaser, Andrew Thi and John J. Vondras.
Their years of service include assignments as pastors, parochial vicars, teachers and pro-life advocates. They have worked in the field of canon law, and as hospital chaplains and in the armed forces. Seven were ordained by Cardinal O'Connor on Nov. 16, 1985, with two others, Fathers Thi and Vondras, ordained by the cardinal on June 29, 1985. All studied for the priesthood at Dunwoodie, with Father Thi also studying in Taiwan and Father Raaser at St. Pius X Seminary in Erlanger, Ky.
Msgr. Douglas J. Mathers has been pastor of St. John the Evangelist in Manhattan since 2007; he earlier served there as administrator. He also has served as a vice chancellor of the archdiocese since 1996. He is a canon lawyer and a civil lawyer, and was a judge of the Metropolitan Tribunal, 1992-1995, after serving earlier as defender of the bond and canonical consultant. He was a parochial vicar at Our Lady of Victory, Manhattan, and St. Martin of Tours, the Bronx. Born in Manhattan, he studied for the priesthood at St. Joseph's Seminary. He was named a monsignor in 2006. He holds a doctorate in canon law from the University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome and a licentiate in canon law from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and a law degree from St. John's University School of Law.
Father Michael W. Cichon has been pastor of Assumption-St. Paul's on Staten Island since 2007. He was pastor of St. Joseph-St. Thomas on Staten Island, 2001-2007. He was parochial vicar at St. Clare's, Staten Island, 1994-2001; Immaculate Conception, Stony Point, 1994; St. Patrick's, Yorktown Heights, 1988-1994; and St. Charles, Staten Island, 1985-1988. Born on Staten Island, he studied for the priesthood at Cathedral College and St. Joseph's Seminary.
Father John A. DeBellis has been parochial vicar at St. James the Apostle in Carmel since 2006. He served as pastor at St. Ann's in Yonkers, 2000-2006, and was administrator there for one year before that. He also served at Our Lady Queen of Peace on Staten Island, 1994-1999; Holy Family in the Bronx, 1994; St. Joseph's in Bronxville, 1991-1994; and Holy Rosary on Staten Island, 1985-1991. Born in the Bronx, he studied for the priesthood at St. Joseph's Seminary.
Father Arthur Leo, who retired in 2007 for medical reasons, is in residence at Hebrew Home in Valhalla. Earlier, he was in residence at Our Lady of Consolation, the Bronx. He served as parochial vicar of Assumption in Peekskill from 1990 until 2005, when he took a leave of absence for health reasons. He was parochial vicar at St. Joseph's, New Windsor, 1990; St. Joachim, Beacon, 1989-1990; and Our Lady of Mercy, Port Chester, 1985-1989. Born in Brooklyn, he studied for the priesthood at St. Joseph's Seminary. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1964 until 1969.
Father Joseph P. McAndrew retired in 2007 at the age of 75. He was chaplain of St. Anthony's Community Hospital in Warwick from 2000 until his retirement. He was parochial vicar of Holy Rosary, Greenwood Lake, 1999-2000; Holy Family, the Bronx, 1994-1999; Our Lady of the Assumption, the Bronx, 1992-1994; and Blessed Sacrament, Staten Island, 1985-1989. He was also a chaplain at NYU Medical Center. Born in New Rochelle, he studied for the priesthood at St. John Neumann Residence and St. Joseph's Seminary.
Father Peter A. Popovich (Father Popaj) has been pastor of Our Lady of Shkodra in Hartsdale since 1998. He also served the Albanian parish as administrator, 1993-1998. He also served at the former Our Lady of Good Counsel Albanian Catholic Center in the Bronx. He was parochial vicar at Our Lady of Shkodra, Greenburgh, 1989-1993; and at St. Lucy's in the Bronx, 1985-1989. Born in Shen Gjergj, Montenegro, he came to the U.S. in 1973. He studied for the priesthood at Cathedral College and St. Joseph's Seminary.
Father Eric P. Raaser has served as pastor of Immaculate Conception-Assumption parish in Tuckahoe since 2005. He was a parochial vicar at St. Benedict's in the Bronx, 2001-2005. He was dean of students at St. John Neumann College Seminary, 2000-2001, and on the faculty at Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, 1993-2000. He served as parochial vicar at Christ the King, Yonkers, 1989-1993, and St. John's Kingsbridge, the Bronx, 1985-1989. Born in Newark, N.J., he studied for the priesthood at St. Pius X Seminary in Erlanger, Ky., and at St. Joseph's Seminary.
Father Andrew A. Thi served as parochial vicar at St. Patrick's Old Cathedral in Manhattan, where he is in residence, from 1985 until his retirement in 2008. He was born in Canton, China, and was doing pastoral work in Vietnam when he fled that country in 1975 on a small boat with 50 other Chinese Catholics. He learned English at the Maryknoll seminary in Ossining and worked as a sacristan at Transfiguration Church in Manhattan's Chinatown. He entered St. Joseph's Seminary in 1980, continued his studies at St. Thomas Seminary in Taipei, Taiwan, then returned to Dunwoodie.
Father John J. Vondras has been pastor of St. Francis of Assisi parish in Newburgh since 1997. He served there as administrator, 1996-1997. He served for two years at St. Aedan's in Pearl River before being appointed associate director of pro-life programs for the Family Life/Respect Life Office in the Bronx. In 1994, he was made parochial vicar at St. Joseph's in Bronxville. He served as parochial vicar at St. Ann's in Nyack, 1985-1990. Born in Newburgh, he studied for the priesthood at Dunwoodie and was ordained in 1985.
