Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio officially incardinated five priests into the Diocese of Brooklyn during a Mass celebrated in the chapel of the diocesan offices, Park Slope. Assisting in the altar were Auxiliary Bishops Raymond Chappetto, Neil Tiedemann, C.P., and James Massa.

Four priests were foreign-born and all from different countries and one priest received most of his formal education in Queens and Brooklyn.

Fathers Sebastian Tarciziu Andro, Raynolds Basilious, O.C.D., Timothy John Lambert, Jose Evangelista Lopez and Felix Sanchez joined the ranks of the Brooklyn Diocese and were no longer members of their previous dioceses by the process of incardination.

Even though the priests’ home countries range from Romania, Spain, Colombia, India and the U.S., collectively they have each ministered in Brooklyn and Queens for at least five years.

Father Lambert, 62, was ordained in the Diocese of Metuchen, N.J., in 1991. He said after working there for 19 years, the timing was right for him to come back to his home diocese and be close to family. He shared a unique memory as he sat next to Bishop Chappetto after Mass.

“I served his first Mass when he was ordained a priest,” said Father Lambert, who was named administrator of St. Columba parish, Marine Park, in 2015.

A native of Queens, Father Lambert is a graduate of St. Anastasia, Douglaston; St. Francis Prep, Fresh Meadows, and St. Francis College, Brooklyn Heights.

“I’ve known Father Lambert since 1970,” said Bishop Chappetto. “We’re die-hard Mets fans.”

 

Colombian and Brazilian Priests

Father Jose Evangelista Lopez, 55, was born in Colombia and in 1995 was ordained in the Diocese of Garagoa, a province of Tunja that is situated northeast of Colombia’s capital of Bogota.

When he first came to the Brooklyn Diocese, he served as parochial vicar at St. Dominic’s in Bensonhurst.

“When I came here, I found that there are a lot of Spanish-speaking people and also there was an opportunity to help them in increasing their faith and help them in different situations as immigrants,” said Father Lopez.

Father Felix Sanchez, 53, was born in Madrid, but ordained in the Diocese of Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1996. He first began his ministry within the Brooklyn Diocese in 2011 at St. Joseph’s parish in Astoria as parochial vicar. He presently serves as the administrator of St. Pius V in Jamaica.

Romanian Roots

Father Sebastian Tarciziu Andro, 53, was born in Romania and ordained in the Diocese of Rieti in 1998, which is located outside of Rome, Italy. He received most of his formal education in Romania, but attended the seminary in Rieti in 1992.

Father Andro then moved to Diocese of Santander in northern Spain for five years before coming to the U.S. for the first time in 2012.

His ministry in the Brooklyn Diocese began in Jackson Heights as a visiting summer priest at St. Joan of Arc Church. He continued his ministry at Regina Pacis in Bensonhurst again as a summer priest, and is now back serving in Queens since 2014.

“It’s beautiful to serve in this diocese,” said Father Andro, parochial vicar, at St. Matthias, Ridgewood.

Trust in The Lord

Father Raynolds Basilious, O.C.D., 52, a member of the Discalced Carmelites, founded by St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross, said he places his trust in the Lord to serve the people.

Originally from India, Father Basilious was ordained in Kerala in 1997. While he had no issues with his order or superior, he had a desire to serve in a more pastoral way.

His first assignment in Brooklyn was as a parochial vicar at St. Finbar, Bath Beach, before serving at St. Mary Mother of Jesus in Bensonhurst for nearly 10 years. He faithfully gives his time and pastoral talents also as parochial vicar at Blessed Trinity in Breezy Point.

“My gratitude is to the Lord, to Bishop DiMarzio, to other bishops and priests,” said Father Basilious.