Father Joe Haas returned home to Washingtonville to celebrate his first Mass on Sunday, May 24, one day after being ordained to the priesthood at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan. 

Concelebrating with Father Haas was Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who, while Father Haas was still a teenager, had first asked him if he had ever considered the priesthood. They were joined by Bishop Gerardo Colacicco, vicar for clergy for the archdiocese, Father Christopher Argano, pastor of the Church of St. Mary, where the Mass was held, and numerous other priests from surrounding parishes and friends from Father Haas’ time at St. Joseph’s Seminary. 

A vocation reordered 

In his homily, Cardinal Dolan celebrated the young priest he had come to know throughout his years as archbishop of New York. “Father Joseph, you do realize how much we love you, how much we rejoice in you this glorious afternoon. How enthusiastically we congratulate you and praise our Lord that you replied ‘yes’ to that call to vocation years ago. 

“To preach Jesus and his Church at the first Mass of a man who, just 30 hours ago, had his life reordered — re-ordained. That’s what we call a priest: one whose life is reordered to act in the very person of the one true, eternal high priest, Jesus Christ. And now he loves and leads and forgives and fathers and feeds and heals and shepherds the Church as one of the priests of Jesus,” Cardinal Dolan said. 

After thanking Father Haas’ parents, Tony and Maureen, for the gift of their son, Cardinal Dolan offered one more observation: “You’ve already shown us that you’ve got one of the attributes of the good priesthood: your singing is lousy. Thank God. Thank God we got you.” 

Father Haas gives thanks 

Cardinal Dolan was among the first to whom Father Haas expressed gratitude in remarks at the end of Mass. “It is only fitting that we now stand in the same church, with me as a priest, in the very spot where you first asked me if I had ever considered the priesthood,” Father Haas said. “Who would have thought that your simple invitation that day would lead to this moment? Thank you, Your Eminence, from the bottom of my heart.” 

After thanking numerous other bishops, priests, and attendees, along with his brother Billy, a firefighter, he turned to his parents. In keeping with tradition, he presented his father with the stole he used while hearing his first confession. Father Haas then gave his maniturgium — the cloth a newly ordained priest uses to wipe excess chrism, or holy oil, from his hands after they have been consecrated — to his mother. 

WATCH: 2026 Ordinandi Class: Deacon Joseph Haas 

Blessings, rain, and hot dogs 

Following the Mass, Tony Haas told The Good Newsroom, “It’s probably the best day of my life. I shed many tears today, but happy tears, and I’m kind of numb, and it’s beautiful.” 

As hundreds of parishioners waited in line to receive his first blessing, and with the Knights of Columbus of Council No. 5890 outside in the rain cooking hamburgers and hot dogs for hungry guests, Father Haas said, “I’ve never felt more alive than I do today and yesterday at the ordination. What the world says will give us happiness and joy — family, good career, wealth — I gave that all up yesterday for a life with Him, a life with Christ, and I’ve never felt more alive than I do today.” 

“They say don’t be afraid to ask. Priests will tell me that. They never give up. To hear that validated? For him to remember,” Cardinal Dolan told The Good Newsroom at the celebration after Mass. “Alleluia! If the Lord can work through me, he can work through anybody.”