Cardinal Timothy Dolan celebrated with priests who were marking their gold and silver jubilees, 50 and 25 years since ordination, respectively.

Celebrating their golden jubilees this year are Monsignor Francis McAree, pastor emeritus of St. Catherine in Blauvelt, and Father Brian McCarthy, pastor emeritus of St. Margaret of Cortona-St. Gabriel in Riverdale. The silver jubilarians are Father Eric Rapaglia, pastor of St. Joseph-St. Thomas-St. John Neumann on Staten Island, Father Joseph McLafferty, Dean of Dutchess and Putnam Counties and pastor of St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish in LaGrangeville, and Father Slawomir Ciszkowski of Saint Stephen the First Martyr Parish in Warwick and St. Joseph and Saint Stanislaus Parish in Florida and Pine Island.

They joined Cardinal Dolan, Bishop Edmund J. Whalen, vicar for clergy of the Archdiocese of New York, Monsignor Joseph P. LaMorte, vicar general, and Father Stephen Ries for Mass and lunch on Wednesday, June 4 at the St. John Vianney Clergy Residence in the Riverdale section of the Bronx.

“Praised be Jesus Christ, for your 50 and 25 years, praised be Jesus, we praise Him for you,” Cardinal Dolan said during the homily. Cardinal Dolan spoke with the priests, asking after their seminary classmates, and learning more about who had ordained them.

Cardinal Dolan referred to the day’s gospel. “Jesus today is talking to his priests, and He is saying, ‘Keep us together. Keep us one. And I think that’s the key to being Christian. I love the prayer you and I say all the time, ‘Keep me always faithful to your commandments and never let me be parted from you,’” he said.

After Mass, Cardinal Dolan, Bishop Whalen, Monsignor LaMorte, and Father Ries joined those celebrating their jubilees for lunch and fellowship.

“I’ve been very blessed by God for the gift of priesthood, and very thankful to Him for all the blessings He’s given me,” golden jubilarian Father McCarthy told The Good Newsroom in an interview after Mass. “It’s been great to be able to be a priest and bring Christ to others through the Sacraments and in other ways. I’m just very humbled and very thankful.”

The St. John Vianney residence provides a comfortable and safe home for retired priests who have devoted their lives to serving parishes and schools throughout the Archdiocese of New York, according to the archdiocese website.