Priests celebrate significant anniversaries

Priests of the diocese celebrating significant anniversaries of their ordination this year were recognized at the Chrism Mass Tuesday at St. Paul Cathedral.
This year, three priests are celebrating their 50th jubilee, having been ordained in 1971. They are: Msgr. Francis Scollen, Father James J. Caldarella, and Father William N. Cormier. Those ordained 45 years ago are: Father Ernest P. Allega, Father Lawrence J. Esposito, Father Thomas B. Fleming, Father Thomas H. Hultquist, Father Michael A. DiGeronimo and Father Terence T. Kilcoyne. Two priests, Msgr. Michael F. Rose and Father Ronald G. Falco are marking 40 years since ordination. Those celebrating their 25th jubilee are: Father Daniel J. Becker, Father David B. Galonek, Father Albert Irudayasamy and Father Emerito Ortiz. (Their biographies follow)
All clergy have been invited to participate in this diocesan liturgy at which the bishop blesses the Oil of the Sick and the Oil of Catechumens and consecrates the Holy Chrism to be used for the administration of the sacraments throughout the year, and during which all priests will renew their priestly commitment. Due to pandemic restrictions, Holy Oils will not be distributed following the liturgy but will be delivered directly to the parishes.  
Lay people who wish to attend should register through the Office for Divine Worship using the following link: https://bit.ly/3ch7lrb.
Following is the schedule for Holy Week celebrations at St. Paul Cathedral at which Bishop McManus will preside. These liturgies will also be livestreamed at the diocesan website, worcesterdiocese.org.
Palm Sunday at 10 a.m. 
Chrism Mass, Tuesday, March 30 at 10:30 a.m. 
Holy Thursday, April 1, at 7:30 p.m. 
Good Friday, April 2, at 3 p.m. (No Stations of the Cross processions) 
Easter Vigil, April 3, at 7:30 p.m. 
On Easter Sunday Bishop McManus will celebrate the noon Mass in Spanish. The 10 a.m. Mass in English will be livestreamed.  




Rev. James J. Caldarella

Father James J. Caldarella Jr. was born in Hartford, Connecticut, on July 27, 1943, the son of James J. Caldarella Sr. and Rita M. Murphy. He graduated from Talcott Junior/Senior High School, West Hartford, Connecticut in 1958.
He graduated from LaSalette Minor Seminary, Hartford, in June 1961. In 1963 he received his associate’s degree from LaSalette Junior College, Altamont, New York.  In 1964 he took simple vows after attending LaSalette Novitiate in Bloomfield, Connecticut. In June 1966, he received a bachelor’s degree from LaSalette Major Seminary in Ipswich. He completed his studies for the priesthood at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. In 1968, he joined the Diocese of Wheeling, West Virginia, and was ordained a deacon in March 1969. He served in several parishes there while teaching religion at Madonna High School at Weirton, West Virginia.
In March 1971 he came to the Diocese of Worcester as a deacon, first at Notre Dame Parish, Southbridge, and then at St. Paul Cathedral. On Oct. 23, 1971, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Bernard J. Flanagan.
Following ordination, he was assigned as associate pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish. On June 15, 1973, he was named a co-pastor of St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, Milford. During this time, he received a master’s degree in education from Boston College.  In December 1978 he was appointed associate pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Worcester.
In August 1983 he began studies at Duquesne University in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. He resided at the Oratory of St. Philip Neri assisting the Oratorian Fathers with campus ministry at area universities. In 1984, he received a master’s degree in leadership in formative spirituality from Duquesne studying under Father Adrian van Kaam. In 1985 he received a certificate in spiritual direction.
After a temporary assignment at St. Joan of Arc Parish, Worcester, on Nov. 15, 1985, he was named associate pastor of our Lady of Loreto Parish, Worcester.
On April 10, 1987, Father Caldarella was named pastor of Prince of Peace Parish, Princeton. He conducted spiritual retreats at St. Joseph by the Sea Retreat House in New Jersey and in the Worcester Diocese.
 On July 1, 2014 he was named Minister to Priests, while remaining pastor. On July 1, 2015, he was appointed full-time diocesan Minister to Priests, with residence at St. Stephen Parish then Our Lady of Loreto Parish, Worcester. He retired July 1, 2018, moving to Old Saybrook, Connecticut. He continues to serve on the Diocesan Review Committee. Upon retirement he was granted faculties from the Diocese of Norwich, Connecticut, where he continues to assist various parishes.


Rev. William N. Cormier
Born in Worcester on Sept. 5, 1936, the son of Amedee F. and Mary L. (Hanks) Cormier, Rev. William N. Cormier attended Millbury Memorial High School and Northeastern University. He studied for the priesthood at Holy Apostles Seminary, Cromwell, Connecticut.
He was ordained to the priesthood on April 16, 1971, in St. John Church, Worcester, by Bishop Timothy J. Harrington.
Father Cormier was associate pastor at North American Martyrs Parish, Auburn, before becoming the associate director of the diocesan Bureau of Catholic Charities and director of its Southbridge office.
Following his appointment as associate pastor of St. Louis Parish, Webster, in January 1980, he was named co-pastor of St. Patrick Parish, Whitinsville, on Feb. 18, 1982.
Father Cormier joined the U.S. Navy in May 1990, and served three years as a Navy chaplain, returning to the diocese in 1994. He was assigned temporary administrator of St. Mary Parish in North Grafton. On June 16, 1995, he was appointed associate pastor of Mary, Queen of the Rosary Parish in Spencer. On Nov. 15, 1996 he was named pastor of St. Denis Parish in Douglas and served there until he retired from active ministry on June 30, 2012.


Msgr. Francis J. Scollen

Msgr. Francis J. Scollen was born in Worcester on Oct. 11, 1945, the son of Francis J. and Helen M. (Sexton) Scollen. Msgr. Scollen attended St. John High School, Shrewsbury, and prepared for the priesthood at Our Lady of Providence Seminary, Warwick, Rhode Island, and St. Mary Seminary, Baltimore. 
He was ordained to the priesthood on May 14, 1971, in the former St. Anthony Church, Worcester, by Bishop Timothy J. Harrington. He was appointed associate pastor of St. Anthony’s and on June 16, 1972, was named director of the Urban Ministry Commission with residence in St. John’s Rectory, Worcester.
On July 27, 1977, Msgr. Scollen was named temporary administrator of St. John Parish, where he remained until Sept. 12, 1984, when he was named pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Worcester.  In June 1989, he was appointed pastor of St. Peter Parish, Worcester, where he still serves.  He was named a monsignor on Feb. 2, 1992.
He was chaplain at the Department of Youth Services from 1972-1990. He was a commissioner with the Worcester Housing Authority for 10 years. He was named “Man of the Year” for his charitable works in Worcester in May 1992 by the Vernon Hill American Legion Post.
He was asked by Bishop Reilly to restart work in the diocese with a Black Catholic Ministry at St. Peter’s and to this day hosts an annual Gospel Mass.  On Jan. 18, 2010, he received the Eleanor Hawley Community Service Award at the 25th annual Worcester County Community Breakfast honoring the memory of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
He is the diocesan director for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.


Rev. Ernest P. Allega

Father Ernest P. Allega was born in Westfield on Oct. 23, 1949, the son of Ernest P. and Anna F. (Andreotti) Allega. He attended schools in Uxbridge and graduated in 1967 from St. John High School, Shrewsbury. He studied for the priesthood at St. Charles College, Catonsville, Maryland; St. Mary Seminary, Baltimore, and St. John Seminary, Brighton, where he received his master’s of divinity degree.
He was ordained to the priesthood on June 5, 1976, in St. Paul Cathedral, by Bishop Bernard J. Flanagan. He was assigned as associate pastor of St. George Parish, Worcester; Sacred Heart Parish, Gardner; Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Worcester; St. Rose of Lima Parish, Northborough, and St. Joseph and St. Pius parishes, Leicester. He was named pastor of Ascension Parish in Worcester on June 28, 1991. On July 15, 1994, he was appointed pastor of St. Mary Parish, Uxbridge, where he remained until being appointed pastor of St. Thomas-a-Becket Parish in South Barre, Sept. 29, 2000. During that time he pursued a master’s degree in counseling psychology at Assumption College, Worcester. On June 30, 2012, he was named pastor of St. Denis Parish in Douglas. He retired from active ministry July 1, 2018.


Rev. Lawrence J. Esposito

Father Lawrence J. Esposito was born Feb. 23, 1946, in Webster, the son of Lorenzo and Anne (Rulli) Esposito. He attended St. Louis Elementary School, graduated in 1963 from Bartlett High School and studied from 1963 to 1964 at Glastonbury Latin School in Hingham. He studied for the priesthood from 1964 to 1972 at St. Thomas Seminary, Bloomfield, Connecticut; Holy Apostles Seminary, Cromwell, Connecticut; Christ the King Seminary, Aurora, New York, and St. Francis Seminary, Loretto, Pennsylvania.
He was ordained to the priesthood June 5, 1976, by Bishop Bernard J. Flanagan in St. Paul Cathedral. He served as associate pastor at St. Catherine of Sweden Parish until Aug. 1, 1979, when he joined the faculty of Holy Name Central Catholic High School. On July 13, 1984, he was named associate pastor at Immaculate Conception Parish, Worcester. In January 1985, he was named to the Diocesan Youth Ministry Office and associate pastor at St. Mark Parish, Sutton, both part-time positions. Later, he was named chaplain to the Diocesan Boy Scouts. In May 1987, he was named chaplain at UMass-Memorial Hospital. He was named temporary administrator of St. Joseph the Good Provider Parish in Berlin in April 1991, and, a month later, was named bishop’s liaison to the Charismatic Renewal Pastoral Team. In March 1993, he was named pastor of St. Joseph the Good Provider Parish, Berlin. He was named director of the Diocesan Office of Evangelization in 1995. On Aug. 1, 1999, he was named pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Auburn, and, on July 1, 2008, pastor of Good Shepherd Parish, Linwood. He was named administrator of St. Augustine Parish, Millville, effective July 1, 2014. A year later he was named pastor of St. Augustine Parish while remaining pastor of Good Shepherd Parish. He was also named chaplain of Milford Regional Medical Center in 2011, and named pastor of St. Augustine on July 1, 2015, while remaining pastor of Good Shepherd. He retired from active ministry on Nov. 15, 2019.
 

Rev. Thomas B. Fleming

Father Thomas B. Fleming was born in Worcester on Jan. 16, 1950, the son of William T. and Bertha M. (LeBritton) Fleming. He graduated from St. Peter’s High School. He studied at St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield, Connecticut, and completed his priestly studies and work on his master’s degree in theology at Christ the King Seminary and St. Bonaventure University in New York.
On June 5, 1976, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Bernard J. Flanagan in St. Paul Cathedral. He served as associate pastor of St. Stephen and St. George parishes, Worcester, before being named co-pastor of Christ the King Parish on July 16, 1980. He also served as associate pastor at the parishes of Holy Family of Nazareth, Leominster; St. Roch, Oxford; St. Patrick, Rutland; St. Luke, Westborough and St. Joan of Arc, Worcester. He was a Franciscan Friar of the Holy Name Province in New York from 1989 to 1991 and served in the Archdiocese of Boston AIDS Ministry until 1995.
He was assigned as associate pastor of St. Anna Parish in Leominster before being named as the first director of the diocesan AIDS Ministry Office and associate pastor of Notre Dame-St. Joseph Parish, Worcester, on Oct. 17, 1996. He was founding director of Compassion House, Worcester, on May 15, 2000. He was assigned associate pastor of Christ the King Parish in November 2002. He was appointed pastor of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Bolton on Sept. 12, 2003. The parish was merged with Holy Trinity Parish in Harvard in 2006 and Father Fleming became a chaplain at UMass Memorial Hospital.
After a medical leave, he was named associate pastor at St. Joseph Parish in Charlton in February 2009. In July 2010 he was transferred to emergency response ministry with residence at Sacred Heart-St. Catherine of Sweden Parish, Worcester. He retired from active ministry July 1, 2014.


Rev. Thomas H. Hultquist

Father Thomas H. Hultquist was born Oct. 2, 1948, in Whitinsville, the son of Carl H. and Antoinette (Abbate) Hultquist. He graduated in 1966 from Uxbridge High School and in 1968 from Glastonbury Latin School in Hingham. He studied for the priesthood from 1968 to 1976 at St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield, Connecticut, and Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora, New York.
He was ordained to the priesthood on June 5, 1976, by Bishop Bernard J. Flanagan in St. Paul Cathedral. He served as associate pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Worcester; St. Joseph Parish, North Brookfield; St. Camillus de Lellis Parish, Fitchburg, and St. Peter Parish, Worcester, before being appointed associate at St. Cecilia Parish, Leominster. On March 20, 1992, he was named temporary administrator of St. Joseph Parish, Barre, and St. Augustine Mission, Wheelwright. He was named administrator in July 1992 and was appointed pastor on April 23, 1993. He was appointed to special ministry effective July 6, 2013. On July 1, 2014 he was appointed pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Lancaster, where he still serves.
Rev. Michael A. DiGeronimo

Father Michael A. DiGeronimo was born on Sept. 24, 1950, in Fitchburg, the son of Antonio and Antonina (Nitti) DiGeronimo. He graduated in 1968 from Leominster High School and from Assumption College in 1972. He studied for the priesthood from 1972 to 1976 at St. Mary Seminary, Baltimore.
He was ordained to the priesthood on June 12, 1976, by Bishop Flanagan in St. Paul Cathedral, Worcester. He served as associate pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel-St. Ann Parish and Our Lady of Loreto Parish, both in Worcester. On April 6, 1979, he was appointed co-pastor of St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, Milford. He served as associate pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Auburn; Christ the King Parish, Worcester; St. Anna Parish, Leominster and St. Boniface Parish, Lunenburg. On June 26, 1992, he was named pastor of St. Joseph and St. Pius X parishes, Leicester. On July 1, 2009, he was appointed pastor of St. Mark Parish in Sutton. On June 30, 2012, he was appointed pastor of St. Anne Parish in Manchaug while remaining pastor of St. Mark Parish. He is currently serving as dean of Deanery V.



Rev. Terence T. Kilcoyne

Father Terence T. Kilcoyne was born Nov. 29, 1949, in Clinton, the son of Thomas and Alice (Morrison) Kilcoyne. He graduated in 1967 from St. John High School in Shrewsbury, in 1971 from Worcester State College and in 1976 from St. John Seminary in Brighton.
He was ordained to the priesthood on Sept. 18, 1976, by Bishop Bernard J. Flanagan in St. Paul Cathedral. He was associate pastor of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Worcester, and St. Paul Cathedral. He was also named a pro-synodal judge of the diocesan Tribunal. He was associate pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Gardner, In 1986 he was named director of pastoral services and chaplain of St. Vincent Hospital. In 1989, he received a doctor of ministry degree from the Graduate Theological Foundation at the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana. In June 1997, he began sabbatical studies at The Tantur Ecumenical Institute in Jerusalem. He was named temporary administrator of Our Lady of Jasna Gora Parish in Clinton on Dec. 29, 1997. On June 12, 1998, he was appointed pastor of St. Edward the Confessor Parish, Westminster. He was named pastor of Holy Trinity Parish, Harvard/Bolton, on July 1, 2010, where he remains.



Rev. Ronald G. Falco

Father Ronald G. Falco was born March 21, 1953, in Worcester, the son of Santo M. and Nancy (Mangiulli) Falco. He attended St. Stephen Elementary School and graduated from St. Stephen Central Catholic High School and Boston University. He completed his studies for the priesthood at St. John Seminary in Brighton, where he earned a master’s of divinity degree. Subsequently he earned a master’s degree in pastoral counseling from Assumption College as well as a degree certificate in advanced graduate studies in theology.  He has a basic unit in clinical pastoral education, a certificate in the prevention of suicide among adolescents, and a certificate in youth ministry studies. 
He has studied spiritual direction under the guidance and instruction of Trappist Father M. Basil Pennington.
He was ordained to the priesthood in 1981 by Bishop Bernard J. Flanagan. Father Falco served as associate pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel, West Boylston; Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Worcester; Our Lady Immaculate, Athol, and St. Anthony de Padua, Fitchburg, before being named temporary administrator in 1993 of St. Anna Parish, Leominster, and on May 5, 1995, he was appointed pastor of St. Anna’s.
He has served on the interviewing committee for the permanent diaconate program and been an instructor of the New Testament, with a focus on the four Gospels, for permanent diaconate candidates.  Father Falco was also an adjunct instructor of theology and philosophy at Anna Maria College, Paxton.
On June 30, 2007, he was named pastor of St. George Parish, Worcester. In addition, on July 1, 2008, he was appointed director of the Office of Ongoing Priestly Formation. In November 2013 he was named pastor of St. Bernadette Parish in Northborough, where he remains today.


Msgr. Michael F. Rose

Msgr. Michael F. Rose was born on Aug. 14, 1955, in Worcester, the son of David A. and Leona M. (Massard) Rose. 
He graduated in 1973 from St. John High School, Shrewsbury, and from the College of the Holy Cross in 1977. He studied for the priesthood at St. Bernard Seminary, Rochester, New York, and graduated in 1981. 
He was ordained to the priesthood on June 20, 1981, by Bishop Bernard J. Flanagan in St. Paul Cathedral. He served as associate pastor of Christ the King Parish, Worcester, and in November 1984, was assigned to St. Joseph Parish, Auburn.    
 On Sept. 1, 1988, Father Rose was appointed to the faculty of St. Peter-Marian Central Catholic Junior/Senior High School. He served as co-pastor of Ascension Parish, Worcester, from June 1989 to June 1991, while remaining on the faculty at St. Peter-Marian until he was appointed pastor of St. James Parish, South Grafton, in June 1993.
He served as director of the Office of Continuing Education of the Clergy from 1995 to 2005. 
On June 25, 2005, he was appointed pastor of St. Mary Parish, Shrewsbury, where he still serves.



Rev. Daniel J. Becker

Father Daniel J. Becker was born Sept. 9, 1962, in Natick, son of Robert L. and Cecilia A. Becker. He was raised in Ashland and graduated from Marian High School in Framingham. He received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1984. He received a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin, in 1986 and a doctorate from the University of Texas in Dallas in 1992. He worked for three years as an engineer for Texas Instruments in Dallas.
He returned to Massachusetts and entered St. John’s Seminary in Brighton where he received a master’s of divinity degree in 1996. He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Daniel P. Reilly on Dec. 14, 1996 in St. Paul Cathedral.
He served as associate pastor at St. Paul Cathedral from Dec. 23, 1996, until May 9, 1999, when he was named temporary associate pastor at St. Mary Parish in Shrewsbury. He also served as chaplain at St. Peter-Marian Central Catholic Junior/Senior High School.
He was named associate pastor at St. Stephen Parish June 18, 1999. He was named temporary administrator of that parish on April 12, 2002. He was named pastor of St. Paul Parish in Warren and St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in West Warren, effective Jan. 9, 2004, after having served as administrator of both parishes since Sept. 13, 2002.
On Oct. 1, 2019, he was named chaplain to the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Still River, where he still serves.


Rev. David B. Galonek

Father David B. Galonek was born on Jan. 30, 1947, in Southbridge to Bernard E. and Lillian T. (Osimo) Galonek.
He graduated in 1965 from St. Mary High School in Southbridge. He was a Franciscan lay brother from 1965-1972. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Canisius College in Buffalo, New York, as a seminarian with the Consolata Fathers in Buffalo from 1972-1977.
He was employed as a mental health counselor at Harrington Memorial Hospital, Southbridge, from 1977-1992.
He studied for the priesthood at Immaculate Conception Seminary, now Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey, where he earned a master’s of divinity degree in 1996. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 8, 1996, by Bishop Daniel P. Reilly at St. Paul Cathedral.
His first assignment was as associate pastor at St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, Milford.
In 2002, he was named pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in West Brookfield.
He was named dean of Deanery IX in 2010.
In November 2011, St. Mary Parish in Brookfield was merged with Sacred Heart to form Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish; Father Galonek remained as pastor. He retired on Oct. 13, 2014, and now lives at Southgate in Shrewsbury.


Rev. Albert K. Irudayasamy

Father Albert K. Irudayasamy was born June 4, 1969 in Palayam, Tamil Nadu, India, son of Irudayasamy and Ranjithamary. (His parents don’t use last names; he took his father’s first name for a last name.) 
Father Irudayasamy entered the novitiate of the Society of the Divine Word in 1989 and on Jan. 22, 1995 made his perpetual vows in Pune, Maharastra, India. He was ordained a priest on May 3, 1996 in Palayam. 
In 1990 he received his bachelor’s degree in English literature from St. Philomena’s College at the University of Mysore in Mysore, Karnataka, India, and his bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Vidya Niketan, also in Mysore. In 1995 he got his bachelor’s degree in theological studies from Jnana Deepa Vidyapeeth in Pune, Maharastra. From 2002 to 2003 he was in the formators course at the Southeast Asia Interdisciplinary Development Institute near Manila in the Philippines. 
He was a spiritual counselor at St. Jude Parish and associate pastor of St. Margaret Parish in Hong Kong. From 2003 to 2008 he formed and trained seminarians at St. Freinademetz Apostolic School in Hong Kong. From 2008–2009 he was a resident priest at St. James the Greater Parish in the Chinatown section of Boston, working with the Chinese community. From 2009 to 2011 he was a resident priest at St. Catherine of Genoa Parish in Somerville. 
He received dual master’s degrees in pastoral ministry and in counseling psychology in 2011, and in 2012 a post master’s certificate in spiritual direction, from Boston College. From 2012-2015 he was a clinician at the Family Continuity Agency in Worcester and Whitinsville while in residence at St. Roch Parish in Oxford. On Jan. 4, 2016, he became sacramental minister at St. Anne Parish in Southborough and was named parish administrator that June. In June 2019 Bishop McManus named Father Irudayasamy pastor of St. Anne after he became incardinated into the diocese.
 

Rev. Emerito Ortiz


Father Emerito Ortiz was born in Coamo, Puerto Rico, on March 27, 1954, son of Felix and Francisca (Rivera) Ortiz.
He graduated in 1974 from Florencio Santiago High School  and received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 1979 from Catholic University of Puerto Rico.
From 1983 to 1989 he worked as a chemist for the Puerto Rico Health Department. He received his master’s of divinity degree in 1996 from Immaculate Conception Seminary at Seton Hall, where he studied for the priesthood.
He was ordained a priest on June 8, 1996, by Bishop Daniel P. Reilly in St. Paul Cathedral. He served as associate pastor of St. Joan of Arc Parish, Worcester; St. Peter Parish, Worcester; St. Brigid Parish, Millbury, and St. John the Evangelist Parish, Clinton.
On June 30, 2007, he was named pastor at St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Fitchburg, with ministry to the Hispanic community in Gardner. 
On July 1, 2010, Father Ortiz was assigned pastor of the newly established territorial parish of St. Francis of Assisi. He retired for medical reasons in June 2019.