![](https://thetablet.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/First-Mass_cmyk-1024x768.jpg)
Father Stephen A. Saffron, who served as a transitional deacon at St. Matthias parish, Ridgewood, celebrated his First Mass of thanksgiving as a priest at the church on Sunday, June 24. Here he accepts the offertory gifts from members of the congregation. Father Saffron has been assigned as a parochial vicar to St. Mark’s, Sheepshead Bay.