The Tablet Staff
WINDSOR TERRACE — Nine priests of the Diocese of Brooklyn have been named monsignor, a title that is typically bestowed upon priests who have distinguished themselves.
Last week’s news of the nine new monsignors comes six years after Pope Francis said that he would limit the distinction to priests who were at least 65 years old to prevent careerism among the clergy. Rather, the pope wanted to honor priests who have served the church for a long time.
“Each of these senior priests has given extraordinary service, as missionaries and pastors for many years. May God give them many more years of service to His people in Brooklyn and Queens,” said Brooklyn Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio.
REVEREND MONSIGNOR
RICHARD J. AHLEMEYER
Chaplain of His Holiness
Born: July 8, 1950
Ordained: March 12, 1977
Father Richard J. Ahlemeyer has been pastor of St. Camillus – St. Virgilius in Rockaway Beach since 2007. He was dean of the Queens 10 deanery from 2013-2018. On a Diocesan administration level, he serves on the Diocesan Building Committee and the Diocesan Cemetery Committee.
He was pastor of St. Pius V Church, Jamaica, from 1995-2007, and St. Clement Pope Church, South Ozone Park, from 2005-2007.
Previously, he served at Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, Jamaica, 1983-1993,
and as a parochial vicar at St. Mary Church, Long Island City, 1977-1983.
In 1982, Father Ahlemeyer received a master’s degree in pastoral counseling from Iona College.
From 1985 to 1990, he served at the Cathedral Preparatory School and Seminary, the diocesan high school seminary in Elmhurst, as an adjunct faculty member for counseling. In 1992, he was assigned as a faculty member of the Cathedral Prep.
Father Ahlemeyer speaks Spanish, and he ministers as a chaplain for the Knights of Columbus, Long Island Chapter.
REVEREND MONSIGNOR
JOSEPH L. CUNNINGHAM
Chaplain of His Holiness
Born: March 4, 1937
Ordained: June 1, 1963
Father Joseph L. Cunningham is a senior priest in residence at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Church in Forest Hills. He’s also pastor emeritus of St. Gregory the Great, Bellerose, where he had served as pastor from 1991 until his retirement in 2012.
During his retirement, he has served as temporary administrator at St. Andrew the Apostle Church, Bay Ridge, and has also served in four parishes as parochial vicar, when the need arose, while remaining in retired status.
In 1979, Father Cunningham was assigned as principal of the Cathedral Preparatory School and Seminary, Elmhurst, where he served until 1984. He was released from diocesan assignment to serve as rector/president at the St. Vincent de Paul Seminary in Florida, where he served until 1991.
His first assignment following ordination was to Our Lady of Mercy Church in Forest Hills.
In 1967, he received a master’s degree in sacred liturgy from the University of Notre Dame. He served on the liturgical committee for many years.
REVEREND MONSIGNOR
EDWARD PATRICK DORAN
Chaplain of His Holiness
Born: December 17, 1940
Ordained: January 13, 1984
Father Edward P. Doran is ministering as spiritual director of the priests on Administrative Leave and the Life of Prayer and Penance.
He is a member of the Diocesan Addictions Committee; a part-time professor in the department of theology and religious studies at St. John’s University, Jamaica; and a part-time chaplain at Queensborough Community College, while remaining in retired status.
Father Doran was named pastor of St. Francis Xavier, Park Slope, in 1993 and pastor of St. Gerard Majella Shrine, Hollis, in 1999. In September 2008, Father Doran was assigned as pastor of St. Charles Borromeo, Brooklyn Heights.
From 2013 to 2016, he served as dean of the Brooklyn 3 Deanery. His first assignment as a priest was at St. Leo Church in Corona. He served in campus ministry beginning in 1984.
Prior to his ordination, Father Doran was a Marist Brother from 1966 to 1978. As a Marist Brother, he was director of guidance at Archbishop Molloy H.S., Briarwood.
REVEREND MONSIGNOR
CASPER JOSEPH FURNARI
Chaplain of His Holiness
Born: April 3, 1943
Ordained: June 1, 1968
Father Casper J. Furnari is pastor emeritus in residence at Holy Family Church in Fresh Meadows. He was pastor of the parish from 2009-2019.
Previously, Father Furnari was pastor of St. Mary Mother of Jesus, Bath Beach. He started that assignment in 2003. Before that, he served as pastor of Queen of All Saints, Clinton Hill, where he was assigned in 1998.
Father Furnari served at St. Jude Shrine Church, Canarsie, from 1994 until 1998, and was assigned to Our Lady of the Snows Parish, Floral Park, in 1998.
His first assignment as a priest was as parochial vicar at St. Rosalia Regina Pacis Parish in Bensonhurst. In 1980, he was assigned to Mary’ s Nativity Parish in Flushing.
In addition to his parish assignments, Father Furnari has served on the board of directors of the diocesan Pastoral Institute and as a member of the Catholic-Jewish Relations Council of Flushing.
REVEREND MONSIGNOR
JOHN JOSEPH GILDEA
Chaplain of His Holiness
Born: June 2, 1940
Ordained: May 28, 1966
Father John J. Gildea, who is now a senior priest, is serving at St. Bartholomew Church in Elmhurst.
He was named pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in 2002, and served jointly as pastor of nearby Queen of All Saints Church, Williamsburg.
Father Gildea ministered at St. Michael the Archangel/St. Edward the Confessor Parish; St. Martin of Tours Parish, Bushwick; Our Lady of Mercy, Brownsville; and Holy Family Church, Canarsie.
During his priesthood, Father Gildea has served two stints as a missionary in Paraguay. He also served in the Dominican Republic for five years during the 1990s.
Following his ordination, he studied Spanish at Catholic University in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
His first local assignment was at St. Matthew Church, Crown Heights, where he was parochial vicar.
Father Gildea later served at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Park Slope; Holy Name of Jesus, Windsor Terrace; and Blessed Sacrament, Jackson Heights.
REVEREND MONSIGNOR
JOHN PATRICK HARRINGTON
Chaplain of His Holiness
Born: March 17, 1938
Ordained: May 28, 1966
Father John P. Harrington, a retired priest of the diocese, continues to celebrate Masses in Spanish at various parishes as needed.
He was pastor of St. Joseph Church, Long Island City, fro 2004 until 2013, at which time he became pastor emeritus.
Father Harrington served as pastor of St. Rita Church, Long Island City, 1997-2004.
His first assignment was as parochial vicar at Immaculate Conception Church in Long Island City.
In 1979, he attended the Spanish Summer Institute in Ponce, Puerto Rico, to learn Spanish.
Also in 1979, he began his ministry at Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Red Hook.
Father Harrington was appointed pastor of St. Sylvester Church in New Lots in 1982. He went to St. Michael Church in Flushing in 1989. He served there until 1994.
Father Harrington ministered out of the Diocese of Brooklyn in 1994 on missionary apostolate in the Diocese of LaVega in the Dominican Republic.
REVEREND MONSIGNOR
WILLIAM MATTHEW HOPPE
Chaplain of His Holiness
Born: January 8, 1952
Ordained: April 15, 1978
Father William M. Hoppe has been pastor of St. Joan of Arc Church in Jackson Heights since June.
Before that, he had served as pastor of St. Leo Church, Corona, since 2008. He was pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Woodhaven, from 1999 until 2008.
After his ordination, he was assigned as parochial vicar at Holy Cross Church, Flatbush.
In 1984, Father Hoppe was sent to the Pontifical North American College in Rome for post-ordination studies for canon law. Father Hoppe speaks Spanish.
Upon his return to the diocese from studies, Father Hoppe served as parochial vicar to St. Therese of Lisieux in East Flatbush, where he was later named pastor in 1992.
On the diocesan level, Father Hoppe has served as vice chancellor, associate promoter of justice for the diocesan tribunal and diocesan judge on the tribunal.
REVEREND MONSIGNOR
RAYMOND PAUL RODEN
Chaplain of His Holiness
Born: December 11, 1951
Ordained: October 3, 1981
Father Raymond P. Roden is the pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Corona, which is one of the largest parishes in the Diocese of Brooklyn with a multiethnic population, particularly the Spanish-speaking people. Mass is celebrated in Spanish or English 11 times each weekend.
In 2011, Father Roden was named spiritual director to the Cathedral Seminary House of Formation, the college seminary of the diocese in Douglaston, where he was in residence.
His first assignment was as parochial vicar at Ss. Peter and Paul Church in Williamsburg.
Father Roden has earned a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in psychology. He was released from diocesan assignment during the time when practical experience was necessary at Covenant House, Manhattan, and Spofford Juvenile Center, the Bronx.
He was in residence at St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish in Carroll Gardens while he served at St. Vincent’s Services in Brooklyn, and as a chaplain at St. John’s Preparatory H.S. in Astoria.
REVEREND MONSIGNOR
JOHN EDWARD VESEY
Chaplain of His Holiness
Born: October 5, 1943
Ordained: June 1, 1968
Father John E. Vesey has been serving as the pastor of St. Michael Church in Flushing, since 2014.
He had been on missionary apostolate with the Maryknoll Society in China from 2005 until 2014.
Following his ordination, he studied at the Catholic University in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
Upon his return, his first assignment in the diocese was as parochial vicar at Holy Family Church in Canarsie.
In 1974, Father Vesey went on missionary apostolate to Paraguay. Upon his return to the Diocese of Brooklyn, he served at Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Red Hook.
In 1984, Father Vesey went on another missionary apostolate, this time to the Diocese of Solola in Guatemala.
Later, he served at Blessed Sacrament Church in Cypress Hills, starting in 2001, and at St. Brigid Church in Bushwick, beginning in 2005.