Fifteen Priests Celebrate Golden Anniversaries

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Fifteen priests of the archdiocese are celebrating their golden anniversaries this year. Cardinal Dolan celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving with them at St. John the Evangelist Church in Manhattan May 10. 

Cardinal Francis Spellman ordained 12 of the 15 priests at a Mass in St. Patrick’s Cathedral on May 27, 1967. 

 Msgr. John Meier was ordained on Dec. 21, 1967, in Vatican City, where he studied for the priesthood at Pontifical North American College. 

Msgr. Peter Tran Van Phat was ordained on Dec. 21, 1967, in his native Vietnam. Father Virgilio Competente was ordained on March 11, 1967, in his native Philippines. Both were later incardinated into the archdiocese.

Auxiliary Bishop Gerald T. Walsh has served as vicar for clergy and episcopal vicar of Central Westchester, South Shore Westchester and Yonkers deaneries since 2012. He also has served as the archdiocese’s vicar general and vicar for development. He was rector of St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, 2007-2012. He served as pastor of St. Elizabeth, 1998-2007, and Incarnation, 1989-1995, both in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan, and also was regional vicar of North Manhattan, 1998-2007. He served as priest secretary to Cardinal John O’Connor, 1996-1998. He served with archdiocesan Catholic Charities as director of the Department of Family and Children’s Services, 1983-1989, and associate director, 1980-1983. He was parochial vicar of Holy Trinity, Manhattan, 1967-1980. He was named a monsignor in 1990 and ordained a bishop in 2004. 

Father Peter Bannan retired in 2014 and has resided at Archbishop Stepinac High School, White Plains, since then. He served as pastor of St. Catharine’s, Pelham, 1991-2014. He was parochial vicar at Corpus Christi, Manhattan, 1983-1991; St. Joseph’s, Manhattan, 1975; SS. John and Paul, Larchmont, 1969-1973; and Immaculate Conception, Tompkins Cove, 1967-1969. He taught at Archbishop Stepinac, 1975-1983, and was temporary administrator at St. Charles Borromeo, Dover Plains, 1975.

Father Karl Bauer retired in 2013 after serving as pastor at St. Anthony’s, Yonkers, 1999-2013. He was pastor of St. Frances of Rome, the Bronx, 1987-1999. He served on the Metropolitan Tribunal in Poughkeepsie, 1984-1987. He was parochial vicar of St. Elizabeth Seton, Shrub Oak, 1976-1984; St. Mary, Wappingers Falls, 1967-1976; and St. Aloysius, Livingston Manor, 1967.

Father Martin Biglin retired last year from Holy Name of Jesus, New Rochelle, where he had served as pastor since 1990. He was temporary administrator at Blessed Sacrament, New Rochelle, 2012-2014. He was appointed to a three-year term as regional vicar of the South Shore Vicariate in 2010. He served as co-pastor at Holy Cross, Manhattan, 1985-1990. He was parochial vicar at St. Barnabas, the Bronx, 1971-1985, and Sacred Heart, Barrytown, 1967-1971.

Father James Borstelmann retired as parochial vicar from St. Catherine Laboure-St. Colman, Lake Katrine, in November 2015. Before the two parishes merged, he served at St. Colman as pastor, 2011-2015, and administrator, 2005-2011. He was pastor of St. Joseph’s, Croton Falls, 1991-2003. He was parochial vicar at St. Brendan’s, the Bronx, 1986-1991; St. Joseph’s, Bronxville, 1981-1986; St. John’s, Kingsbridge, the Bronx, 1972-1981; and St. Catharine’s, Blauvelt, 1967-1972.

Father Virgilio Competente retired in 2014 after serving as parochial vicar at Immaculate Conception, Yonkers, since 1994. He was parochial vicar at St. Philip Neri, the Bronx, 1983-1994, and Holy Trinity, Manhattan, 1981-1983. He was incardinated into the archdiocese in 2000.

Father John Durkin had served as pastor of Immaculate Conception, Amenia, from 1988 until his retirement in 2009. He taught at John S. Burke Catholic High School, Goshen, 1982-1988, and Cardinal Hayes High School, the Bronx, 1970-1982. He was parochial vicar at St. Frances de Chantal, the Bronx, 1967-1970.

Msgr. William Foley retired in November 2015 after he had served as pastor of Immaculate Conception, Stony Point, since 2007. He was pastor of St. Margaret of Cortona, the Bronx, 2006-2007; St. Augustine, New City, 1994-2006; and St. John’s, Kingsbridge, the Bronx, 1984-1994. He was parochial vicar at St. Joseph’s, Bronxville, 1984; St. Brendan, the Bronx, 1975-1984; and St. Francis de Sales, Manhattan. He was named a monsignor in 1995.

Msgr. Thomas Gilleece has served as pastor of St. John and St. Mary, Chappaqua, since 2007. He was pastor of St. Paul, Congers, 1990-2001. He served as chancellor of the archdiocese, 2001-2007. He was named to College of Consultors in 2005, serving a five-year term. He was associate secretary for education in the archdiocese, 1978-1990, and was on the faculty at Cardinal Spellman, the Bronx, 1970-1978. He was parochial vicar at Immaculate Conception, Manhattan, 1967-1970. He was named monsignor in 1995.

Msgr. Thomas Kelly has served as pastor of St. Augustine’s, Larchmont, since 2007. He was pastor at St. Gabriel’s, the Bronx, 1995-2007. He was temporary administrator of Infant Saviour, Pine Bush, 1995. He served as principal of Moore Catholic High School, Staten Island, 1982-1985, and was on the faculty at Msgr. Farrell High School, also in Staten Island, 1970-1982. He was regional director of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, 1969-1970. He was parochial vicar at Blessed Sacrament, Staten Island, 1967-1970. He was appointed a monsignor in 2006.

Msgr. Joseph Martin has resided at St. James the Apostle, Carmel, since retiring in 2013. He served at St. Mary, Mother of the Church, Fishkill, as senior priest administrator, 2009-2013, and pastor, 1994-2009. He was director of the Parish Mission Team, 1988-1994. He served as spiritual director at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, 1982-1988. He was director of vocations in the archdiocese, 1977-1982. He was parochial vicar at St. Patrick’s, Yorktown Heights, 1967-1977. He was named a monsignor in 1995.

Msgr. John Meier has held the William K. Warren Chair in Theology at the University of Notre Dame since 1998. He is internationally known for his published works, including the five-volume series “A Marginal Jew: Rethinking the Historical Jesus.” He was a professor of the New Testament at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., 1984-1998. He was chairman of the Scripture department and professor of New Testament at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, 1972-1984. He served as a parochial vicar at St. Joseph, Bronxville, 1968-1969. He was named a monsignor in 1995. 

Msgr. James Moore, who retired in 2014, served as pastor of St. Joseph parish, Somers, 2003-2014, and Annunciation, Crestwood, 1989-2003. He served as priest secretary to Cardinal John O’Connor, 1988-1989; executive director of the Trustees of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, 1988-1989; director of Calvary and Allied Cemeteries, 1983-1988; and director of the Archdiocesan Data Systems Center, 1979-1983, where he also served, 1970-1979. He also served in the Superintendent of Schools office, 1974-1976, and as procurator of St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, 1976-1979. He was on the faculty of Archbishop Stepinac High School, White Plains, 1968-1970, and was a parochial vicar of St. Patrick’s parish, Bedford, 1967-1968. He was named a monsignor in 1990.

Msgr. Joseph Penna, who retired in 2015, served as pastor of St. Aedan parish, Pearl River, 1995-2015, where he earlier was administrator for a year. He served on the faculty of St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, 1975-1994. He also served on the staff of the Metropolitan Tribunal, 1971-1973. He served as a parochial vicar at Blessed Sacrament, Manhattan, 1973-1975, and St. Stephen, Warwick, 1967-1968, with summer assignments at Our Lady of the Rosary, Manhattan, and St. John the Evangelist, Clove. He was named a monsignor in 1995.  

Msgr. Peter Tran Van Phat, who retired in 2012, served as pastor of Holy Name of Jesus parish, Otisville, 2001-2012, where he previously was administrator for 18 months. He served as a parochial vicar of St. Anthony, Nanuet, 1995-2000; St. Vito, Mamaroneck, 1985-1995; and St. Mary, the Bronx, 1973-1985. He was incardinated in the archdiocese in 1989 and named a monsignor in 2006.