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Ten priests of the archdiocese are celebrating their 25th anniversaries of priesthood this year.
Seven of the jubilarians were ordained by Cardinal John O’Connor at a Mass in St. Patrick’s Cathedral on May 13, 1989. They are: Archbishop Charles Brown, Father Matthew Fernan, Father Michael Morris, Father Peter Pilsner, Father John Sheehan, Father Joseph Tyrrell and Father Matthew Yatkauskas.
Father Marc Oliver was ordained by Cardinal O’ Connor at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, on May 20, 1989. Father Thomas Mestriparampil was ordained in his native India on Aug. 6, 1989. Father Jose Rivas was ordained in his native Colombia on Oct. 25, 1989.
Archbishop Charles Brown has served as apostolic nuncio to Ireland since 2011. From 1994 to 2011 he served as an official of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. He served as adjunct secretary of the International Theological Commission, 2009-2011. He served as parochial vicar at St. Brendan’s, the Bronx, 1989-1991. Born in Manhattan, he studied for the priesthood at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, and holds a doctorate in sacramental theology from the Pontifical Athenaeum of St. Anselm, Rome. He was named a monsignor in 2000, and ordained as an archbishop in Rome by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012.
Father Matthew F. Fernan has served as pastor of St. Matthew’s, Hastings-on-Hudson, since 2004, and as administrator of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Ardsley, since 2013. He was parochial vicar of Immaculate Heart of Mary, Scarsdale, 2000-2004, and St. Benedict’s, the Bronx, 1989-1992. He served on the faculty of Cardinal Hayes High School, the Bronx, 1992-2000. Born in Jamaica, Queens, he studied for the priesthood at St. John Neumann Residence, the Bronx, and St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie.
Father Thomas Mestriparampil has served as a chaplain at Rikers Island correctional facility since 1997. He served as parochial vicar at Our Lady of Mercy in Port Chester, 1994-1997. He was incardinated into the archdiocese. He studied for the priesthood at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago and the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome before being ordained in his native India. He was incardinated into the archdiocese by Cardinal Dolan in 2010.
Father Michael Morris has served since 2011 as archivist of the archdiocese at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, where he has been professor of Church history since 2007. He was administrator of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, Roosevelt Island, 2012-2013. He served as pastor of Blessed Sacrament, Staten Island, 2004-2007, and St. Francis of Assisi in the Bronx, 2000-2004. He served as administrator at Most Holy Trinity, West Point, 1997-1999. He was parochial vicar at St. Augustine’s, Larchmont, 1999-2000; Holy Child, Staten Island, 1999; St. Barnabas, the Bronx, 1991-1997; and Most Holy Trinity, West Point, 1989-1990. Born in Orange, N.J., he studied for the priesthood at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie.
Father Marc Oliver, who is in residence at St. Peter’s parish in Kingston, has served as campus chaplain at Dutchess Community College and the Culinary Institute since 2010. He was named administrator of St. Peter’s in 2010. He also served as campus chaplain at Dutchess Community College and Culinary Institute, 1997-2002. He was campus chaplain at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie for many years, beginning in 1994. He served as assistant dean at the Archdiocesan Catechetical Institute and assistant director of the Diaconate Formation program, 1989-1994. A former Episcopal priest, he was ordained to the Catholic priesthood after having been received into the Church four years earlier.
Father Peter Pilsner has served on the faculty of Cardinal Spellman High School, the Bronx, since 1997. He served at St. Joseph-St. Thomas, 1994-1997, and St. Rita’s, 1989-1994, both Staten Island. Born in the Bronx, he studied for the priesthood at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie.
Father Jose Rivas has served as pastor of St. Athanasius in the Bronx since 2010. He was parochial vicar of St. John Chrysostom, the Bronx, 1998-2010. He was ordained to the priesthood in his native Colombia. He was incardinated into the archdiocese by Cardinal Dolan in 2010.
Father Joseph Tyrrell has served as pastor of St. Peter’s in Lower Manhattan since 2012. He was parochial vicar and master of ceremonies at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, 2008-2012. He was administrator of Our Lady of Lourdes, Manhattan, 2000-2003. He was parochial vicar of the following parishes: Epiphany, Manhattan, 2003-2008; St. Philip Neri, the Bronx, 1998-2000; St. Raymond’s, the Bronx, 1994-1998; St. Mary of the Assumption, Katonah, 1993-1994; and Notre Dame, Manhattan, 1989-1993. The Chicago native studied for the priesthood at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie.
Father Matthew Yatkauskas has served as administrator of St. Charles Borromeo in Gardiner since 2013. He served as parochial vicar of the following parishes: St. Francis de Sales, Manhattan, 2011-2013; St. Joseph’s, Yorkville, Manhattan, 2002-2011; Holy Name of Mary, Croton-on-Hudson, 1996-2002; St. Joseph’s, Croton Falls, 1992-1996; and St. Francis of Assisi, Mount Kisco, 1989-1992. Born in Queens, he studied for the priesthood at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie.
Father John Sheehan has served as parochial vicar of St. Frances of Rome in the Bronx since 1998. He was parochial vicar of St. John Chysostom, the Bronx, 1992-1998, and St. Ann’s, Ossining, 1989-1992. Born in Sioux City, Iowa, he graduated from Harvard University before studying for the priesthood at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie.
