June 19, 1977

Ordination day with my family, June 19, 1977

Today I go back 38 years ago, as I join my classmates in celebrating our anniversary to the priesthood. All of them are now in Malta, a few still pastors, others semi-retired, while others still working at various positions and offices in the church in Malta. We spent 7 glorious years together at the Major Seminary, while studying at the University of Malta. Seminary life was very special to me, and living in a community was very rewarding and enriching. At one time we were close to 100 seminarians at various stages of the priesthood. Nowadays the numbers have dwindled even though vocations for the priesthood and religious life are still fairly healthy. 

My Ordination holy card, front and back

The quote I used for my Ordination holy card was from the first letter of St Peter: "Tend the flock of God in your midst, [overseeing] not by constraint but willingly, as God would have it, not for shameful profit but eagerly." (1 Peter 5:2.) I offer my Mass today for the Rectors, Vice-Rectors, Spiritual Director and professors and teachers who taught us over the 7 years we spent together, most of whom have since passed away. I offer my Mass for my parents, brothers and sisters, nephews and relatives and friends in the parishes I served over the past 38 years, St Julian’s, (Malta,) New Hyde Park, Rocky Point, Hicksville, Pleasant Valley (all in New York) and John Day, Baker City and Bend (all in Oregon.)

With my classmates just after the ordination Mass