Seven of the men who are celebrating their 25th anniversaries as priests were ordained by Bishop Thomas V. Daily on June 1, 1991. Details of the other ordinations are included in the brief biographies that follow:
Father Thaddeus Abraham, a parochial vicar at St. Sebastian’s, Woodside, since 2011, who was incardinated into the Brooklyn Diocese in 2014, celebrated a Mass of thanksgiving with family and friends in India, and will celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving at St. Sebastian at a future date.
Born in Bangalore, India, he attended Catholic schools there and entered the Franciscans at age 16.
After seven years with the Franciscans, he discerned his vocation to enter the Secular Institute of Our Lady, India, and was ordained on April 27, 1991.
In 1994, he arrived in the Diocese of Brooklyn to study at St. John’s University, Jamaica, while residing at Holy Family, Flushing.
He has served as an assistant at St. Nicholas of Tolentine, Jamaica; St. Margaret, Middle Village; St. Ephrem, Dyker Heights; Mary’s Nativity, Ozone Park; and as chaplain at Flushing Hospital and New York Hospital Queens, both Flushing.
He currently serves as chaplain of the Knights of Columbus General Sherman-Father Shine Council.
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Father Francis Kwame Asagba, an assistant at St. Francis of Assisi, Astoria, for the past year, will celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving at the church on Sunday, June 5, at 12:30 p.m.
Born in Accra, Ghana, he attended Pope John XXIII Secondary School and Junior Seminary in Ghana; St. Peter’s Regional Seminary, Ghana, and was ordained in 1991.
He came to the U.S. in 1997, to do graduate studies in canon law. After ministering in his home Diocese of Accra, Ghana, he returned to minister in the Diocese of Brooklyn in 2006. Since then, he has ministered at St. Catharine of Alexandria, Borough Park; Our Lady of the Angelus, Rego Park; and at St. Francis of Assisi.
In addition to working as a judge at The Tribunal in Douglaston, he ministers at St. Francis of Assisi parish.
He was incardinated into the Brooklyn Diocese earlier this year.
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Father Hugues Berrette, parochial vicar at Holy Cross, Flatbush, since 2014, was born in Grand’ Anse, Haiti, and attended Our Lady of the Sacred Heart School, Port-au-Prince; Faustin Soulouque, Petit-Goave; the minor seminary of St. Martial, and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Seminary. He was ordained Jan. 20, 1991, by Bishop Frantz Colimon at SS. James and Philip Cathedral, Jacmel.
He served as parochial vicar at St. Benedict, Bodaire, Haiti, 1991-92, and was founding pastor of Sacred Heart, Thiotte – Anse à Pitres, 1992-98.
From 1996 to 2004, he was the diocesan director of Catholic Charities in Jacmel. During that time, he also founded Sacred Heart parish, Meyer Jacmel and served as the diocesan accountant of Jacmel.
From 2004 to 2006, he studied at Brooklyn College, and the Stratford Career Institute in Washington, D.C.
He ministered at St. Jerome, East Flatbush, 2004-05; Holy Innocents, Flatbush, 2005; St. Teresa of Avila, South Ozone Park, 2005-06; and Our Lady of the Angelus, Rego Park, 2006-07.
In 2007, he also received a master’s degree in pastoral studies from Fordham University and has served at St. Jerome, 2007-11; and Sacred Heart, Cambria Heights, 2011-14.
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Father David Bertolotti, an assistant at St. Mary Star of the Sea-St. Gertrude parish, Far Rockaway, will celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving at the church on Sunday, May 12.
Born in Brooklyn and baptized in St. Finbar’s Church, Bath Beach, he attended St. Athanasius School, Bensonhurst; Xavier H.S., Manhattan; and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, L.I. He served as a Merchant Marine officer with a marine engineer’s license, receiving commission as an officer in the U.S. Naval Reserve. Promoted to the rank of lieutenant, he worked as a marine engineer in Arlington, Va.
He then attended St. Meinrad Seminary, Indiana, serving a pastoral year at Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish, Astoria.
Her served as an assistant at St. Anthony-St. Alphonsus, Greenpoint, 1991-97; Holy Spirit, Borough Park, 1997-98; St. Vincent Ferrer, East Flatbush, 1998-2002; St. Teresa’s, Woodside, and St. Malachy’s, East New York, 2002-07; and All Saints, Williamsburg, 2007-13.
He also has worked as a chaplain at Woodhull Hospital, Williamsburg; L.I. Jewish Hospital; and ministered to the elderly and infirm in Far Rockaway.
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Father Dariusz Blicharz will celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving at Holy Cross Church, Maspeth, on May 22, 12:30 p.m. After Mass, a reception will be held at the parish, and a banquet will follow at the Terrace On the Park.
Born in Bilgoraj, southeastern Poland, he attended public grammar school and high school, majoring in mathematics and physics. He entered the seminary affiliated with the Catholic University of Lublin in 1985 and was ordained on May 18, 1991 in Lublin Cathedral.
He was an assistant at Blessed Mother Church, Tomaszow Lubelski, 1991-93, and Sacred Heart Church, Biszcza,1993-98. In 1998, he studied canon law at the Catholic University of Lublin and received a JCL certificate in 2001. He received a doctorate in canon law in 2006.
He came to the U.S. in 2001, working for a year in the New York Archdiocese Tribunal as a defender of the bond. At the same time, he assisted at both St. Stanislaus Kostka, S.I., and Epiphany parish, Manhattan.
He was then assigned to Our Lady of Czestochowa, Sunset Park, 2002-08; St. Catharine of Alexandria, Borough Park, 2008-12; and Holy Cross, Maspeth, 2012-present. In addition, he has been an active canonical judge in the Brooklyn Diocese Tribunal.
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Father Charles Caccavale, a member of the faculty at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, plans a private celebration with his family.
Born in Richmond Hill, he attended St. Benedict Labre School; Cathedral Prep, Elmhurst; Fordham University, Lincoln Center; Immaculate Conception Seminary, Huntington, L.I.; and Academy of St. Alphonse, Lateran University, Rome.
He served as an assistant at Queen of Angels, Sunnyside, 1991-97, before post-ordination studies in Rome. He joined the faculty at Immaculate Conception Seminary, Huntington, in 2001, serving there until 2012 when the seminary system was reshaped and Brooklyn men began theology studies at St. Joseph’s.
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Father William Chacon, pastor of All Saints, Williamsburg, since 2008, will celebrate his jubilee later this year.
Born in Costa Rica, he attended Catholic University and Juan Pablo Seminary, both in his homeland. He was ordained Dec. 21, 1991 in Costa Rica by Bishop Ignacio Tiejos Picado.
He has served as an assistant at St. Gabriel, East Elmhurst, 2006; Ascension, Elmhurst, 2006-07; and was named administrator of All Saints in 2007, becoming pastor there in 2008.
He was incardinated into the Brooklyn Diocese in 2007.
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Father Brian P. Dowd, pastor of Queen of Angels in Sunnyside since 2009, will celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving at the church on Sunday, June 5, at noon. A reception and celebration will follow in the parish auditorium.
Born in Brooklyn and raised in Glendale, he attended St. Pancras School; Cathedral Prep, Elmhurst; Cathedral College, Douglaston; and Immaculate Conception Seminary, Huntington.
He served as an assistant at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, South Ozone Park, 1991-96 and St. Edmund, Sheepshead Bay, 1996-2000, before being appointed pastor of St. John Vianney, Flushing, in 2000.
From 1994 to 1999, he was master of ceremonies to Auxiliary Bishop Gerald Barbarito. He received the “Sunnysider of the Year” award in 2011 from the Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce. He is the Dean of Deanery Queens 2 with the title of Very Reverend and the coordinator of the Irish Apostolate.
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Father James King, spiritual director at the Cathedral Seminary House of Formation, Douglaston, will offer a Mass of thanksgiving on Sunday, June 12, at 3 p.m., in the chapel at the Immaculate Conception Center in Douglaston.
Born in Brooklyn and raised in East New York, he attended St. Malachy’s School and then entered the Franciscan Order, beginning his formation in Washington D.C.
After graduating from the University of Maryland with a degree in education, he was assigned to teach in Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York. He also received a master’s degree in pastoral studies from Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Mass.
In 1985, he began studies for the priesthood at Immaculate Conception Seminary, Huntington, L.I.
He has served as an assistant at Our Lady of the Snows, 1991-96; St. Ephrem, Dyker Heights, 1996-97; St. Anselm, Bay Ridge, 1997-98, and St Bernard, Mill Basin, 1998-2001.
In 2001, he was named pastor of St. Vincent de Paul, Williamsburg.
In 2004, he became pastor of Holy Child Jesus, Richmond Hill, until 2006 when he became the administrator of Holy Family, Flushing.
From 2009 to 2014, he was the pastor of Assumption, Brooklyn Heights.
He also has served as chaplain to the Boy Scouts, a member of the Presbyteral Council and master of ceremonies to Bishop Ignatius Catanello.
He also is on the faculty of the Pastoral Institute and an adjunct in theology at St. John’s University.
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Msgr. Paul Lawer Kodjo will celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving July 3, in St. Catharine of Alexandria Church, Borough Park.
Born in Akrusu-Saisi, Ghana, he attended the Pope John Junior Seminary, St. Peter’s Regional Major Seminary, Cape Coast, Ghana. He was ordained July 13, 1991, at St. Maria Goretti Church, Battor, Ghana, for the Diocese of Koforidua, Ghana.
He was appointed parochial vicar at Holy Trinity Church, Agomanya, 1991, and became pastor of St. Michael’s parish, Nkawkaw, Ghana, in 2001.
He arrived in the Brooklyn Diocese in 2014 for a sabbatical leave and has been doing pastoral work in St. Catharine of Alexandria.
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Father Fred Marano, pastor of SS. Simon and Jude parish, Gravesend, since 2014 will celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving at the church on Sunday, June 26, at 10:15 a.m., followed by refreshments in the lower church.
Born and raised in Our Lady of the Snows parish, North Floral Park, he attended the parish school; Cathedral Prep Seminary, Elmhurst; Cathedral, Douglaston; and Immaculate Conception Seminary, Huntington, L.I.
He served as an assistant at SS. Simon and Jude, Gravesend, 1991-95; and was assigned to the faculty of Cathedral Prep for eight years as spiritual director and faculty member.
He was an assistant at St. Camillus parish, Rockaway Park, 2002-03, and administrator of St. Rose of Lima, Parkville, 2003-08, before returning to Cathedral Prep as rector-principal, 2008-13. He also served for four years as co-spiritual director at the Cathedral Seminary College Residence in Douglaston.
He was an assistant at St. Edmund, Sheepshead Bay, and Holy Family, Fresh Meadows, 2013-14.
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Father Vincent F. Miceli has been pastor of St. Joseph’s, Astoria, since 2013.
Born in Astoria, he attended St. Patrick’s School and Mater Christi H.S.; St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie; St. John’s University and Immaculate Conception Seminary, Huntington.
He served as an assistant at St. Aloysius, Ridgewood, 1991-95; and Most Precious Blood, Astoria, 1995-2003; before becoming pastor of St. Fortunata, East New York, in 2003. He also served as temporary administrator of St. Sylvester’s, City Line.
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Bishop Witold Mroziewski, auxiliary bishop of Brooklyn since 2015, and pastor of Holy Cross parish, Maspeth, since 2013, is a native of Augustow, Poland.
He attended grammar school in Kolnica; Grzegorz Piramowicz H.S., Augustow; and the seminary in Lomza.
He earned a master’s degree in theology from the Catholic University of Lublin and was ordained a priest by Bishop Juliusz Paetz on June 29, 1991 in the cathedral in Lomza.
He served as an assistant at Holy Spirit, Kadzidlo, Poland and in 1992 was assigned to the Diocese of Brooklyn where he served as an assistant at Our Lady of Czestochowa-St. Casimir, Sunset Park.
In 1997, he began studies in canon law and administration at the Catholic University in Lublin. In 2000, he was named administrator of Our Lady of Czestochowa-St. Casimir, and pastor there in 2002.
In 2003, he earned his doctorate in canon law. In 2005, he was honored as a Canon of the cathedral of Lomza.
He was named to the Diocesan Tribunal in 2000, serving there as an attorney and later as a judge. From 2008 to 2015, he was the coordinator of the Diocesan Polish Apostolate.
In 2009, he was promoted to Commander among the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre.
He also has served on the Presbyteral Council and the Diocesan College of Consultors. He is a member of the Polish Lawyers Association and the American Lawyers Association.
He was ordained to the episcopacy on July 20, 2015 by Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio at St. Joseph’s Co-Cathedral, Prospect Heights.
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Father Michael Tedone, parochial vicar at St. Bernard’s parish, Mill Basin, is a native of Brooklyn, who attended St. Rose of Lima School, Parkville; Cathedral Prep, Brooklyn; St. Francis College, Brooklyn Heights; St. John’s University, Jamaica; and Immaculate Conception Seminary, Huntington, L.I.
Before ordination, he was a member of the faculty at Cathedral Prep, Brooklyn.
He has served as an assistant at Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, Ridgewood, 1991-96, and then was the diocesan vocation director, from 1996 to 1999.
He also served as an assistant at St. Jude, Canarsie, 1999-2007; and Our Lady of Lourdes, Queens Village, 2007-2015.
He currently also serves as chaplain at Kingsborough Community College, Manhattan Beach, and chaplain at Beth Israel and Community Hospitals, both Brooklyn.
While stationed in Queens Village, he also was chaplain at The Mary Louis Academy, Jamaica, and Queensborough Community College.
Father David Bertolotti is an example of what Jesus has taught us to be. He is a very compassionate Priest, who works endlessly for all. I am honored to know such a good and holy Priest. God bless Father David.
Elaine Jonmar
Hello my name is Sandra my sister and I were just wondering about a priest, that was serving at the Miraculous Medel Church during the early 70’s into the early 80’s, I believe, his name is Father Shine, he was our favorite, and very kind and handsome.We were wondering if he is still with. Thank You very much and I’m hoping this little note finds everyone well and I hope to be hearing back from you soon, ThankYou.
Father Shine left the ministry many years ago.