SUE Province Celebrates the 2023 Jubilarians

By Fr. Mike Mendl, SDB

(New Rochelle, NY – October 5) – The SUE Province celebrated 21 jubilarians at a Eucharistic celebration and sit-down dinner on Saturday, September 30. Mass was celebrated at the Marian Shrine in Stony Point, NY, and dinner enjoyed at Town & Country Caterers in Congers, NY.

Twelve of the 21 Salesians being honored were present to be honored and to renew their priestly commitment and/or their religious profession. The other nine confreres were impeded by illness, age, or distance. Last week, Salesian News profiled all 21.

Salesians, Cooperators, family members, past pupils, and the youth core team for this week’s leadership retreat participated, nearly filling the Shrine chapel and making for a crowded banquet venue.

Fr. Dominic Tran, provincial, presided and preached at Mass. More than 40 priests concelebrated. The Mass was the memorial of St. Jerome, doctor of the Church and ardent proponent of the sacred Scriptures. Fr. Dominic linked the first reading, from the prophet Zechariah, and St. Jerome’s love for Scripture to the lives of the jubilarians.

Zechariah announced the freedom and harmony of God’s city, which would enjoy God’s glorious, protective presence. The jubilarians have lived in God’s glory and been signs and instruments of his presence. They’ve preached His Word and ministered His mercy. For this, we’re all grateful to God and to the jubilarians, and we pray we’ll continue to be God’s presence in the world.

Fr. Dominic also addressed the leadership core team, challenging them to consider their own vocations: how will they reveal the presence of God?

At the banquet, Fr. Bill Bucciferro spoke for the jubilarians, giving God the credit for all the blessings they’ve experienced. He recalled his late older brother Fr. Eugene and his faithfulness in living his priesthood. He thanked God for being faithful to us. Then he called for the jubilarians and everyone to be humble as we continue God’s work, and to stay young at heart—that, too, is God’s gift.

Fr. Dominic thanked God, the jubilarians, and all who’ve supported the jubilarians in living their vocations—especially their parents, the greatest benefactors of the Congregation. The audience applauded two mothers of jubilarians who were present, Betty Conway and Miriam Feliciano.

Finally, Fr. Dominic presented statuettes of Don Bosco to two 50-year jubilarians, Fr. John Serio and Fr. Jay Horan. He also gave them a statuette to bring to Fr. Dennis Donovan, whom they would go to visit in the hospital.

View photos from the celebration on Flickr!