PROVIDENCE – The Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul was filled with prayerful gratitude and applause on Saturday when Deacons Ryan W. Connors, Francesco Francese and Christopher J. Murphy were ordained to the priesthood. Bishop Thomas J. Tobin presided as ordaining bishop.
Click here for more photos. Father Connors, son of Joseph and Lisa Connors of Riverside, where he is a member of St. Brendan Parish. Father Francese, is the son of Attilio and Maria Francese of Westerly and is a member of St. Pius X Parish. Father Murphy, also a parishioner of St. Brendan Church, is the son of Gerard and Judy Murphy.
In his homily, Bishop Tobin told the ordinandi that “God created you for this moment” and thanked them for their “grateful acceptance of God’s call.”
Adding that the pursuit of holiness is the work of a lifetime, Bishop Tobin told the new priests that the world looks to priests because they want to see Christ. “People look to you to find him,” the bishop continued, urging the ordinandi to “be living icons striving to grow in personal holiness” by praying fervently with their people, administering the sacraments, preparing effective homilies, being determined agents of the New Evangelization and making Christ visible in the world.
During the Rite of Election, Bishop Tobin questioned the candidates about offering a life of service to the church and God’s people. The three candidates then pledged their obedience to the bishop and his successors.
Bishop Tobin and the concelebrants then invoked the Holy Spirit upon the ordinandi, which along with the Prayer of Consecration, form the central act of ordination.
Father Connors credited his parents for passing on their great faith and love, and leading a good example as prayerful disciples of God.
“God has given the church of Providence three new priests because God loves his people and wants to feed them and forgive their sins,” he said.
Father Connors was inspired by the seminarians he met during his formation who motivated him with their desire for holiness and commitment to serving God and his people.
“I feel very proud of Ryan,” said Lisa Connors. “My husband and I are very happy for Ryan and for the diocese – we got three new priests today.”
Joseph Connors noted that his son “discovered the truth of his faith and the Catholic Church” while he was a student at Bishop Hendricken High School.
“We have always considered ourselves lucky to be Ryan’s parents and we are blessed to call him our son,” he added.
Serving those less fortunate, and the sick and elderly, are two important ministries that Father Francese is looking forward to performing as he begins his priesthood.
“I’m full of gratitude to almighty God for giving me the gift of this vocation,” Father Francese said, adding that during his formation, he was privileged to minister at the Jeanne Jugan Residence in Pawtucket, and at St Martin’s Residence in Baltimore, Md., both conducted by the Little Sisters of the Poor.
“It’s so beautiful and so needed,” he said, of the importance of health care ministry and the comfort that priests offer by administering the sacraments to those who share in Christ’s suffering in hospitals and nursing homes, as well as to their families and the staff in those facilities.
“It’s a challenge I am open to,” he acknowledged.
Father Francese’s mother Maria admitted that the ordinand’s family was “emotional but happy” to witness the sacrament of Holy Orders.
“I saw this coming for quite some time, but I never approached him,” she continued. “I always prayed for him.”
Adding that Father Francese received the prayerful support of the entire St. Pius X community during his formation, she added. “We’re so blessed with a beautiful parish.”
According to the newly ordained priest’s father, his son always showed compassion to those less fortunate, was respectful and kind to the elderly, and very protective of his younger brother Michael.
Among the many family members attending Father Francese’s ordination was his cousin, Passionist Sister Anna Zanfino, who traveled from Italy for the joyous event.
Sister Zanfino emphasized that Father Francese’s vocation was a sign of God’s love for their entire family and added that she was inspired in her own ministry to always be humble when she witnessed the ordinandi blessing Bishop Tobin and their families.
Father Murphy said that as a new priest, he is looking forward to teaching people about their faith, preaching the word of God and bringing Jesus and the Eucharist to the elderly and infirm.
“I am overjoyed to receive this extraordinary gift, this supernatural gift of the priesthood,” he said. “It’s a great privilege to be a Christ-bearer and to bring him to all those who are united in his suffering.”
Noting that she had created a scrapbook as a ordination gift for her son, Father Murphy’s mother Judy said she recently found her son’s first grade journal from St. Brendan School.
In it was a colorful drawing of a priest with arms outstretched standing before a large crucifix, and at the bottom of the page read the caption, “I want to be a priest.”
“We always knew that there was something special about Chris,” said Gerard Murphy, the priest’s father. “Once he made the decision, it clicked. We knew it was his calling; he never had a moment of doubt.”
Archbishop George H. Pearce, and Bishops Robert C. Evans, Robert E. Mulvee, Louis E. Gelineau, Francis X. Roque and more than 100 diocesan and religious order priests concelebrated the Ordination Mass. Music was provided by the Gregorian Concert Choir and Orchestra, under the direction of Msgr. Anthony Mancini. Philip Faraone served as organist.
