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Father Dandeneau, son of Jacquelyn (Sheehan) and James Dandeneau, is a member of St. Aidan Parish, Cumberland, while Father Nixon, the son of Shannon Burrington and Kevin Nixon is a member of St. Augustin Parish, Newport.
During the Election of the Candidates, the two priesthood candidates were called forward by Deacon Christopher Murphy and presented to Bishop Tobin by Father Michael Najim, diocesan director of vocations. Once the worthiness of the candidates was confirmed, they were formally “elected” or chosen by the bishop for ordination to the presbyterate, and the congregation signified their consent by replying, “Thanks be to God” and offering enthusiastic applause.
In his homily, Bishop Tobin congratulated the new priests and thanked them for the “generous way” that they responded to God’s call.
“No one, no man is worthy of the precious gift of the priesthood,” the bishop continued, emphasizing that the ordinandi were chosen by God to minister to his people. “The priesthood is pure gift.”
Adding that no relationship is more important than the one that the new priests will have with Jesus Christ, Bishop Tobin urged them to “commit to a life of prayer” and to make the Eucharist the center of their priestly lives.
“The Eucharist will nourish you on your long journey that you are beginning today,” the bishop said.
During the Rite of Election, Bishop Tobin questioned the candidates about offering a life of service to the church and the people of God. The candidates then pledged their obedience to the bishop and his successors. The bishop and all priests present then called forth the Holy Spirit upon the ordinandi, which along with the Prayer of Consecration, form the central act of ordination.
Father Dandeneau said his journey to ordination began with his parents.
“They were great influences on me,” he acknowledged, also listing the many bishops, diocesan and religious order priests, college and lifelong friends, and his siblings as all playing an important role in his formation.
“I discovered my vocation in college by attending daily Mass and meeting other men who interested in the priesthood,” Father Dandeneau said.
He added that as a seminarian and deacon, he enjoyed hospital ministry and bringing the Eucharist to the homebound, and teaching religious education classes, including Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) classes.
“I’m extremely grateful to God for inviting me to become his minister to impart his grace on his people and bring them closer to heaven,” Father Dandeneau reflected.
“I’m also very grateful to Bishop Tobin for inviting me to pursue a vocation to the priesthood and allowing me to share in his ministry to God’s people,” he added.
“We feel very blessed and grateful to our Lord,” said James Dandeneau, father of the new priest. “He really worked very diligently and purposefully. He was very focused on becoming a priest.”
Father Nixon, a convert to Catholicism who was baptized as an adult in 2004, credited his mother for teaching him how to pray and to live a life for God and the good of others.
“The Lord picked me up and carried me along,” he said, adding that while his family was initially surprised when he converted to Catholicism, they were pleased to witness his contentment.
“When I came into the church, the priesthood seemed like a natural fit,” he said, adding that as he became a Catholic, he gave considerable thought to dedicating his life to serve God’s people.
Father Nixon said his studies at the Gregorian University in Rome, where he returns in the fall to complete a licentiate degree in sacred theology, offered him an opportunity to observe the universality of the Catholic Church as he studied with and ministered to people from all over the world. He added that he hopes to bring that appreciation to his ministry when he returns to the diocese.
“I’m grateful to Bishop Tobin for being a spiritual father and a strong leader,” he concluded.
Father Nixon’s mother Shannon Burrington emphasized that she is “very proud” of her son.
“There is joy in having an adult child who is very happy,” she reflected.
“He is very spiritual,” Burrington said of her son. “I am very happy for him.”
Father Robert Hayman, pastor emeritus of St. Sebastian Church, Providence, and longtime diocesan historian, said that while priests being ordained in the 21st century still perform the same sacramental ministries as priests who were ordained decades ago, there have been some changes for new priests, such as the structure of rectories where fewer priests now live, and the assignment of responsibilities such as coordinating social events and CYO programs that were once assigned to new priests and are now mostly performed by laypeople.
Music was provided by the Gregorian Concert Choir and Orchestra, directed by Msgr. Anthony Mancini, with Philip Faraone serving as organist.
