Frs. Branden Gordon and Joshua Sciullo to Be Ordained

By Fr. Mike Mendl, SDB

(New Rochelle, NY – May 17) – Frs. Branden Gordon, SDB, and Joshua Sciullo, SDB, will be ordained priests on Saturday, May 27, at Our Lady of the Valley Church in Orange, NJ. The celebrant will be Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Mariadiaga, SDB, archbishop emeritus of Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Dozens of Salesian priests and friends of the ordinands are expected to concelebrate, assisted by Deacons Mark Sciullo and Asterio Velasco.

Both new priests completed their theological studies at Immaculate Conception Seminary in South Orange, NJ, this year and resided in the Salesian formation community at Orange. Fr. Josh studied his first three years of theology at the Studium Theologicum Salesianum in Jerusalem, whereas Fr. Branden did all his studies at Immaculate Conception.

Fr. Joshua Christian Sciullo was born on January 2, 1993, in Jacksonville, FL. He’s the son of Mark and Jody Sciullo and is the youngest of their three sons and one daughter. Mark Sciullo is a permanent deacon in the diocese of St. Augustine, serving at Most Holy Redeemer Parish in Jacksonville.

Fr. Josh belonged to Immaculate Conception Parish in Jacksonville as a youngster, was an altar server, and went to a summer camp run by a religious order. He heard a lot about Don Bosco and Dominic Savio there, even though the camp wasn’t Salesian. Is it a coincidence that Fr. Josh likes to juggle and do magic tricks? He also likes fishing and hiking.

Josh found the Salesians online and was also prodded by his father and sister to consider a vocation with them. He related very well with the first Salesians he met and the environment he found at Orange while discerning. Consequently, he became a candidate at Orange in August 2011 and began a bachelor’s degree program in theology at Seton Hall University during his two years there.

Josh spent 2013-2014 at Port Chester, NY, as a prenovice and became further acquainted with the Salesian charism, as well as visiting many of the Salesian works in the Eastern Province. In August 2014 he went to Rosemead, Calif., for novitiate and was one of ten men who professed the following August 16. Returning to Orange for postnovitiate, he continued his formation and completed his B.A.

Br. Josh did practical training at Archbishop Shaw High School in Marrero, LA, teaching religion, during 2017-2019, deepening his experience of Salesian life and ministry and his relationship with Christ. He made perpetual profession in 2021. In 2019 he went to Jerusalem for theology and was ordained deacon there in 2022. Some of his family went to the Holy Land for the ordination and then toured the holy sites with Deacon Josh and Fr. Dave Moreno.

During summer breaks he was able to come back to the U.S. for camp ministry, including two summers at Mary Help of Christians Camp in Tampa and diaconal ministry at St. Benedict’s Parish in Toronto.

At Immaculate Conception, Fr. Josh earned a master’s degree in systematic theology. During his last year of theology, he ministered as a deacon at Our Lady of the Valley Church, served by the Orange Salesian community. He enjoyed preaching about twice a week (on the weekend and in the community), and also did a few Baptisms. Since his first priestly assignment is CYM at Our Lady of the Valley, he won’t even have to pack and move, and he expects a smooth transition into priestly ministry. He hopes to provide solid accompaniment to the young people of the parish, and he looks forward to hearing confessions and dispensing God’s mercy.

Fr. Branden Jermaine Gordon was born on April 10, 1987, in Toronto. He’s the son of Ronald and Rita Gordon and has a younger brother, Michael. His parents exemplified generosity, care, and service.

As a student at Monsignor Percy Johnson Secondary School, Branden met Fr. Frank Kelly to talk about "life’s big questions." At the invitation of a friend, he got involved in youth ministry at St. Benedict’s Church in Etobicoke, ON, near his high school. This led to his resumption of Catholic practice, a closer relationship with God, and acquaintance with the Salesians.

Branden studied philosophy and education at Toronto’s York University, worked part-time in recreation, and after graduation became a schoolteacher. Continued involvement in Salesian ministry led to his discerning a call to religious life. Local Salesians Fr. Kelly, Fr. John Puntino, Fr. Mike Pace, and Br. Bernie Dubé were models for him and accompanied him in discernment. He entered initial formation in 2013 at St. Benedict, which included prenovitiate. He made perpetual profession in 2021.

As a postnovice, Br. Branden was part of the formation community at Orange and earned a master’s degree in systematic theology at Seton Hall University. He experienced a strong brotherhood in the community and thrived in youth ministry and RCIA at Orange. He did two years of practical training (2017-2019) at Salesian High School in New Rochelle, teaching religion. He found these years "a great opportunity to hone his skills in the use of the Preventive System, as well as share some of the knowledge he had acquired at Seton Hall."

Br. Branden had a variety of summer experiences, serving two summers each in Toronto, Montreal, and Sherbrooke, and his summer as a deacon at St. John Bosco Parish in Port Chester, particularly helping with Bible and First Communion classes. In 2018, he spent the summer in France, working on his language skills.

Br. Branden studied theology for four years at Immaculate Conception Seminary while being part of the community at Orange and, this past year, serving as a deacon at both Our Lady of the Valley and in young adult ministry at Seton Hall. He’s enjoyed preaching twice a week (in the parish and in the community).

In his two recent summers at Sherbrooke, Br. Branden has striven to improve his French and while assisting in the Bosco Bicycle program. French has been a little bit of a struggle, but he has tried to show Salesian love in his actions more than his words.

As a priest, Fr. Branden looks forward to the first time he’ll pronounce the words of consecration at Mass and the first time he’ll give absolution to a penitent. He’s very grateful to Jesus for calling him to share in his priestly authority; "it’s humbling, a gift Jesus is giving me for the benefit of others with love and mercy."

He’ll return to Sherbrooke in June to assist with the Salesian mission to the young people at Le Salésien. He expects he’ll get good guidance from Fr. George Harkins, whom he’s known since 2007. Although Fr. Branden is a native Canadian, he recognizes that Quebec has a unique culture, and he’s counting on valuable assistance from Fr. Alain Leonard with inculturation as well as the language.