Family, friends celebrate new priests

By Tanya Connor  
The Catholic Free Press

WORCESTER – A standing-room-only congregation  applauded and cheered for the seven men who were ordained priests for the Worcester Diocese Saturday.
More than 100 priests and deacons processed into St. Paul Cathedral with Bishop McManus for the ordination Mass. More than 700 people filled the pews, and some stood in aisles. A Communion line stretched through the vestibule and out to the cathedral’s front doors.
People came from near and far for the new priests: Fathers James Joseph Boulette, Cleber de Paula Rodrigues, Julio Rafael Granados Alvarado, Michael David Hoye, Thiago Rodrigues Ibiapina, Derek Anthony Mobilio and Juan David Parra Rave.  
Since three grew up in the Worcester Diocese, two in Brazil and two in Colombia, Scripture readings and songs were in English, Portuguese and Spanish.
“I wouldn’t miss an ordination, and we’re so blessed that we have seven” new priests, Candace Jaegle, of Christ the King Parish, told The Catholic Free Press. “God is so good to Worcester. Fabulous day, fabulous music.”
“I thought the richness of the liturgy was wonderful,” said Yvonne Murray, of St. George Parish, where Fathers Granados and Ibiapina served as seminarians. She said the light on all the new priests’ faces was “so joyous.”
“The music was just heavenly, especially with the Spanish and Brazilian choirs,” she said. “Seeing all the priests up there … And then they were hugging the new priests. I just was very touched by it. And I loved the fact that they had some women up there who were lectors.”
Aparecida Alvarado, from the Brazilian community at Holy Family Parish in Worcester, said she read the first reading in Portuguese at the invitation of the ordinands from Brazil – Fathers de Paula and Ibiapina. She said she hopes for more Brazilian seminarians.
“They need our prayers, because it’s not easy to be a priest,” she said.
Lane Maciel, from the Brazilian community at St. Anna Parish in Leominster, said this was the best ordination she’s been to – because two Brazilians were ordained.
“Very touching, the ceremony,” said Suzanne Bilodeau, who came from Maine with her husband, Marc, for the ordination of their nephew and godchild Father Boulette.
“We’re totally thrilled – very proud of him,” she said. She said it was her first time attending an ordination, and she’d never seen so many priests in one place.
“It was a late vocation and he surprised us all,” said Father Boulette’s father, Richard Boulette, adding that the family told him to pursue priesthood if that was his calling.
Nino Giamei, a Knights of Columbus District Deputy, said the Knights weren’t surprised when they learned that one of them –“Jimmy” Boulette – was going to seminary.
“I always enjoy ordinations, but it’s very different” when you know one of the ordinands, said Mr. Giamei, who’s from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish at Our Lady of Loreto Church.
“It was an awesome experience seeing someone I mentored” get ordained, said Adam Cormier, of Mary, Queen of the Rosary Parish in Spencer. He was principal of St. Mary’s High School in Worcester when then Mr. Mobilio taught there.
“I remember him as a boy that never had any behavior issues” in physical education class, Mary Elizabeth Surprenant said of Father Mobilio, who was one of her students at Our Lady of the Angels Elementary School in Worcester.
A member of St. Mark Parish in Sutton, she also knew Father Hoye as a boy; she remembers when his mother was expecting him, and her daughter was an altar server with him. Mrs. Surprenant recalled how Father Joseph McKiernan, a senior priest at St. Mark’s, now deceased, asked altar boys if they ever thought of being a priest. She said she thinks Father Hoye will be a beautiful priest.
Sebastian Manrique, from Tampa, Florida, said he knew Father Granados in Colombia.
It was a blessing to attend the ordination because I’ve known Julio for 10 years, he said. “And I know how hard was his process,” starting in Colombia and coming here. He said Father Granados is resilient, and pursued God’s call.
“It’s just amazing – I knew this priest before he was a priest,” Karen Trevino, of Holy Family Parish in Leominster, said of Father Boulette. As a member of Serra Club of Northern Worcester County, which supports vocations, she chose to “sponsor” him after meeting him, she said.
“We keep him in our prayers all the time,” she said, explaining what Serran sponsors do. “I send him cards, words of encouragement. … Most of us give gifts (for) holidays, birthdays.”
“A lot of us from St. Leo’s are close to Cleber,” who served there, said Sylvia Pepin, a St. Leo’s parishioner from Serra North. “He’s been a ray of sunshine for me.”
“He’ll make a wonderful priest,” said Kathleen Pliska, another Serra North member and a parishioner at Our Lady of the Lake Parish in Leominster, where Father de Paula also served.
Judy Clonan, of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Fitchburg, raved about Father Parra, who served there.
“I think he’s a wonderful man,” said Mrs. Clonan, whose husband, Joseph, now deceased, was a permanent deacon for the diocese. She said Father Parra will be a wonderful priest, “and he’s not afraid to hug – that’s important. … I’m just so thrilled for him.”
Father Parra’s family was thrilled too.
His cousin Sebastian Londoño Parra said he and his brother came from Seattle, Washington, and their parents came from Colombia, for the ordination. They are so proud to have a priest in the family for the first time, he said.
His mother wrote her sentiments in Spanish, which translated as: “Today is a beautiful celebration. I am very happy with the ordination of my nephew … We are two families whom this celebration brought together” – the Parra Sanchez and Rave Rendon families.
Mrs. Parra’s message to her nephew was: “We love you and wish you the best success in this beautiful mission.”

ORDINATION PHOTO ALBUM