St. Philip Province Celebrates 15 Jubilarians

By Julia St. Clair

(New Rochelle, NY – October 29) – The province of St. Philip the Apostle celebrated the profession and ordination anniversaries of 15 jubilarians on Saturday, October 29, at the Marian Shrine in Stony Point, NY. The jubilarians included nine confreres observing the 40th, 50th, 60th, 65th, and 70th anniversaries of their first religious profession; four observing the 40th, 50th, and 65th anniversaries of priestly ordination; and two observing both priestly and religious anniversaries.

The jubilees Mass began shortly at 10:00 am ET, lasted almost 90 minutes, and was led by Fr. Provincial Tim Zak. Several jubilarians were able to participate in person. Various photos and videos were taken during the Mass, which will be featured throughout the province social media pages over the next few weeks.

Fr. Tim discussed the important of Don Bosco’s physical and spiritual strength, as well as his fragility. Since Don Bosco understood suffering through personal experience, he could easily sympathize with others, especially the young. In turn, the boys’ knowledge of his health helped Don Bosco renew his education. Thus, Don Bosco’s weaknesses united him more with the poor youth in Turin. Moreover, the life of Don Bosco identifies with St. Paul in his second letter to the Corinthians, and both St. John Bosco and St. Paul give a clear message today.

Fr. Tim continued with how the jubilarians are celebrated and deserve to be honored while acknowledging that God shows His strength through earthly vessels. This is not to discourage anyone, but to give thanks to God. As St. Paul declared, “everything indeed is for you,” so the message to the jubilarians is “everything is for the young, and contribution do not end, even if the assignments change.” He thanked the jubilarians for their witness to Christ, giving to young, and for inspiring vocations. To read the full version of Fr. Tim's homily, click here.

This year’s “double jubilarians” are Fr. Luis Aineto (60 years ordained and 70 professed) and Fr. Mark Hyde (40 years ordained and 50 years professed). Fr. Luis Ainetto also stands as one of the longest-serving confreres, along with Fr. Enzo Trigatti, who has been a professed Salesian for 65 years.

Originally from Huesca, Spain, Fr. Luis Aineto made his first profession 70 years ago on August 16, 1951 and was ordained 60 years ago on July 1, 1961. He is 87 years ago and currently resides at the St. Philip the Apostle Residence in Tampa, FL. He most recently served as the assistant pastor of St. John Bosco Church in Chicago, IL from 2008 until earlier this year.

Fr. Enzo Trigatti, 93, has been a member of the Etobicoke community since 2015. He hails from Italy, where he also served as the vocation director in Ivrea from 1966-1972 and in the general secretariat in Rome from 1973-1996. From 1996-2015, he worked as the assistant pastor of Maria Ausiliatrice Parish in Montreal, QC.

Jubilarians celebrating 60 years of religious profession include:

Originally from Montreal, Fr. Tito Iannaccio, 77, has been the assistant pastor of the city’s Maria Ausiliatrice Parish since 2008. Prior to that time, he served in as a teacher, director, pastor throughout the world in the Argentine and African provinces.

Fr. Henry Bonetti, 78, hails from Clifton, NJ and has been a part of the Korean Province since 1961. He currently lives in Seoul, South Korea with theologians as a formator and is also in charge of Don Bosco Volunteers.

A true “Salesian for all seasons,” Fr. Thomas Dunne, 78, is currently the province delegate for the Salesian Family and the province delegate for the Salesian Cooperators. Originally from Brooklyn, NY, he served as Provincial from 2009-2015 and Vice Provincial from 1982-1985. Fr. Tom also created the Salesian Leadership Retreat over 45 years ago and his youth ministry experience saw him take on the roles in the Haverstraw and East Boston communities, as well as having served as the director of youth ministry for the Archdiocese of Boston from 1998-2006.

Fr. George Harkins, 72, has been a beloved member of the Sherbrooke community for over 55 years. Originally from St. John, NB, he also spent nine years at Etobicoke, where he served in pastoral ministry and was later the director and assistant pastor of St. Benedict’s Parish from 2003-2011.

A cherished member of the Etobicoke community since 2005, Fr. Joseph Ho, 82, has been the assistant pastor at St. Benedict’s Parish since 2007. Originally from the Hong Kong province, he previously worked at the Mary Help of Christians Chinese Catholic Parish in Edmonton, AB in the roles of assistant pastor, youth hostel director, and later pastor between 1990-2005.

Br. David Iovacchini, 80, has been a member of the St. Philip the Apostle Residence in Tampa, FL since 2008. He has been a member of the Tampa community since 2003. Originally from Harrisburg, PA, he held previous positions in Newton, NJ; Ipswich, MA; Columbus, OH; and Elizabeth, NJ.

Additionally, Br. Bernard Dubé, Fr. Mark Hyde, and Fr. James McKenna commemorated their 50^th anniversary of religious profession.

Br. Bernard Dubé, 72, currently serves as the assistant coordinator of youth ministry at Salesian High School and is a resident at the Provincial House in New Rochelle, NY. Originally from Lewiston, ME, he has nearly 50 years of youth ministry experience that has taken him throughout Toronto-Etobicoke, ON and Surrey, BC and the northeast United States. He also served as a Salesian Family provincial councilor from 2009-2012.
 

Fr. Mark Hyde, 68, is currently the pastor of St. John Bosco and St. Rosalie Parishes in Harvey, LA. He directed Salesian Missions from 2009-2020 and also served in Tampa, FL; East Boston, MA; Columbus, OH; Elizabeth, NJ; Haverstraw, NY; and Birmingham, AL. He has a plethora of experience in being a pastor, youth minister, and the director of nonprofits (Salesian Missions; the Salesian Boys & Girls Club in East Boston, MA; and the former Salesian Boys & Girls Club in Columbus, OH).

Fr. James McKenna, 70, has recently been based at Don Bosco Prep’s advancement office in Ramsey, NJ, where he graduated from and also worked as a teacher. He previously served as provincial treasurer from 1991-1994 in New Rochelle, NY and most recently as director for the Stony Point community from 2009-2021. He also has spent time in Tampa, FL; New York, NY; Port Chester, NY; Belle Glade, FL; and Marrero, LA.

Having celebrated the 50^th anniversary of his ordination, Fr. Frank Kelly, 82, has been in Etobicoke, ON as an in-residence spiritual director for the Don Bosco Residence since 2008. Originally from Brooklyn, NY, he has also served as the assistant pastor and later pastor of St. Benedict’s Parish, as well as the director of the Don Bosco Residence, from 1993-2007. He also served as Canadian Vice Provincial from 2000-2006.

Additionally, Fr. Louis Molinelli, 60, celebrated his 40^th anniversary of religious profession. Hailing from Mahwah, NJ, he is currently the province youth ministry delegate at the Salesian Provincial Center in New Rochelle, NY. An alumnus of Don Bosco Prep (the Prep) in Ramsey, he also served as the Prep’s director and president from 2004-2010, as well as the provincial councilor for formation from 2006-2009. He most recently served as the director of the Marrero community in Louisiana from 2011-2021.

Along with Fr. Mark Hyde, two more confreres marked the 40^th anniversary of their priestly ordinations—Fr. Kenneth Rodes and Fr. Mario Villaraza.

Fr. Kenneth Rodes, 73, has served our province and the United States of America as a chaplain for the US Navy from 1989-2011 and is a member of the East Boston community. Originally from Winthrop, MA, he held previous positions at Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, NJ; Archbishop Shaw High School in Marrero, LA; and the former Savio Preparatory High School in East Boston, MA.

Fr. Mario Villaraza, 66, is the parochial vicar of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Sherwood Park, AB. Originally from the Philippines and having served in both of the country’s provinces, he has been a member of the SUE province for 17 years. He previously served as the pastor and director of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Surrey, BC from 2005-2014.

View photos from Salesian Youth Ministry's Flickr and Br. Kevin White's Google Drive.