Father James E. McLinden, S.S.J., celebrated his 40th anniversary as a Josephite priest with a Mass of thanksgiving May 2 at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Washington, D.C.

Born in Brooklyn, Father McLinden was baptized at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Brooklyn Heights. He attended St. Jerome’s School, East Flatbush; Erasmus Hall H.S., Flatbush; the Josephite minor seminary, Newburgh, N.Y.; and St. Joseph’s Seminary, Washington, D.C.

He took two years off from his seminary studies to assist his family.  During that time, he taught fifth grade at Holy Cross School, Flatbush, and also worked at St. Mary’s Hospital, Brooklyn.

He was ordained on June 5, 1971 in his home parish of St. Jerome’s by Auxiliary Bishop Charles R. Mulrooney.

He celebrated his First Mass of thanksgiving at St. Jerome’s on June 12, 1971.

His first assignment was serving as an assistant at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Washington, D.C., 1971-76, and then pastor of St. Veronica’s parish, Baltimore, Md., 1976-85. He was also the founder of St. Veronica’s Retreat Center in the Catskill Mountains.

He served as pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Washington, D.C., 1985-93.

He also has been director and coordinator of vocations for the Josephite Fathers; spiritual director at St. Joseph’s Seminary; he served in several parishes in Washington, and Alexandria, Va.; and was the director of The Josephite Pastoral Center in Washington, D.C.

He currently serves as pastor of St. Francis Xavier parish, Baltimore.

Among those attending his anniversary celebration was Father McLinden’s sister, Sister M. Kathleen John, O. Carm.