Six diocesan priests are celebrating their 25th years in the priesthood. Here are brief biographies of each and their plans for jubilee celebrations:
Father Patrick G. Burns, former pastor of Blessed Sacrament, Jackson Heights, will celebrate his anniversary privately.
Born in Brooklyn, he attended Good Shepherd School, Marine Park; Sheepshead Bay H.S.; Iona College; Cathedral College, Douglaston; and Immaculate Conception Seminary, Huntington.
He was ordained May 23, 1992 by Bishop Thomas V. Daily at St. James Cathedral-Basilica, Downtown Brooklyn.
He served as an assistant at St. Catharine of Alexandria, Borough Park, 1992-93; St. Mary’s, Winfield, 1993-95; and Blessed Sacrament, Jackson Heights, 1995-99.
He also was pastor at St. Martin of Tour-Fourteen Holy Martyrs, Bushwick, 1999-2004; St. Michael, Sunset Park, 2004-10; and Blessed Sacrament, 2010-13.
He was placed on a medical leave in 2013. He has been helping out as a weekend assistant at St. Leo’s, Corona.
Father Jovito Carongay Jr., a native of the Philippines, studied finance before entering the seminary at age 23. He was ordained for the Diocese of Borongan on March 18, 1992 by Bishop Leonardo Medroso.
He served as a pastor, prefect of discipline at the minor seminary and as parochial vicar at the National Shrine of the Sacred Heart in Manila.
In 2000, he came to Diocese of Brooklyn and became a chaplain at Wyckoff Heights Hospital, Bushwick, while living at Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal rectory in Ridgewood.
He also served at St. Ann, Flushing, and St. Joan of Arc, Jackson Heights, with the intervening year spent back in the Philippines.
Father Carongay has been the administrator of Ascension Church in Elmhurst, since 2009.
He was incardinated as priest of the Brooklyn Diocese last year.
Father Jose Carlos da Silva, pastor of St. Rita’s parish, Long Island City, since 2013, will celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving on Saturday, May 20, at 7 p.m. at the church. Light refreshments will follow in the school.
Born in Brazil, he attended the Seminary of St. Antonio, and was ordained May 24, 1992, for the Archdiocese of Belo Korizonte, Brazil by Cardinal Serafim Fernandes Araujo.
He earned a master’s degree in philosophy from the Catholic University, Minas Gerais, and in Theology from the St. Tomas de Aquino Institute, Minas Gerais.
He taught theology in the Catholic University in Minas Gerais and was an assistant at of Our Lady of Conception parish, Raposos, Minas Gerais. He also served on the Archdiocesan Council of Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
He was sent to America by the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil to minister to Brazilians in the United States, through the Mission Ad Gentes.
He came to the Diocese of Brooklyn in 2002 and was assigned to St. Rita’s parish where he served as an assistant until 2010 when he was named administrator there.
He has been serving as the coordinator of the diocesan ministry to Brazilians since 2007. He also was a chaplain to the students at LaGuardia Community College, Long Island City, until 2014.
He was incardinated as a priest of the Brooklyn Diocese in 2005.
Father Joseph G. Fonti, president and rector of Cathedral Prep and Seminary, Elmhurst, since 2013, will celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Windsor Terrace, on Sunday, June 11, at 11:45 a.m.
Born in Brooklyn, he attended Immaculate Heart of Mary School; Cathedral Prep, Brooklyn; Cathedral College, Douglaston; and the North American College, Rome.
He was ordained June 27, 1992 by Bishop Thomas V. Daily at St. James Cathedral-Basilica, Downtown Brooklyn.
He served as an assistant at St. Thomas Aquinas, Flatlands, 1992-97; St. Robert Bellarmine, Bayside, 1997-98; Our Lady of Guadalupe, Dyker Heights, 1998-2001, and then was named pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and administrator of Annunciation, Williamsburg, in 2001.
In 2008, he was assigned to the SS. Peter and Paul Spirituality Center, Douglaston, and also served as associate spiritual director and then spiritual director at Cathedral Seminary Residence.
In 2012, he was named associate director of the Sacred Heart Institute, Huntington.
He also serves as director of the diocese’s Priestly Ministry Program.
Father William A. McLaughlin, parochial vicar at Immaculate Conception, Astoria, since 2012, will celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving on Saturday, May 23, at 5 p.m. at Immaculate Conception Church.
Born in Flushing, he attended St. Fidelis School, College Point; St. Francis Prep, Fresh Meadows; St. John’s University, Jamaica; and Immaculate Conception Seminary in Huntington.
From 1982 to 1988, he taught social studies and religion at St. Joseph’s School, Astoria; Mary’s Nativity School, Flushing; and St. Joan of Arc School, Jackson Heights.
He was ordained May 23, 1992 by Bishop Thomas V. Daily at St. James Cathedral-Basilica, Downtown Brooklyn.
He served as an assistant at St. Matthias, Ridgewood, 1992-97; and St. Anthony-St. Alphonsus, Greenpoint, 1997-2000.
He was named pastor of St. Agnes, Cobble Hill, 2000 and served there until 2006.
He was administrator of Holy Child Jesus, Richmond Hill, 2007-08, and St. Fidelis, 2011-12. He also was an assistant at St. Anastasia, Douglaston, 2008-11.
Father McLaughlin has taught various courses in the diocesan School of Evangelization and at St. John’s University.
Father Robert M. Powers, pastor of St. Patrick’s parish, Long Island City, since 2014, will celebrate a private Mass of thanksgiving.
A native of Manhasset, L.I., he attended St. Mary’s elementary and H.S. there; Notre Dame University, South Bend, Ind.; and Immaculate Conception Seminary, Huntington.
He was ordained May 23, 1992 by Bishop Thomas V. Daily at St. James Cathedral-Basilica, Downtown Brooklyn.
He served as an assistant at Presentation of Blessed Virgin Mary, Jamaica, 1992-93; St. Catharine of Alexandria, Borough Park, 1993-99; and Blessed Sacrament, Cypress Hills, 1999-01.
In 2001, he became pastor of Our Lady of Mercy, Brownsville.
In 2007, he was named administrator of St. Paul and St. Agnes, Cobble Hill.
Before entering the seminary, he taught at St. David’s School, Manhattan, 1981-86, and at the Lenox School, Manhattan, 1986.
He also worked at the Catholic Near East Welfare Association, Manhattan, in 1987.
Father Powers also served as a chaplain at LaGuardia Community College, Long Island City, 2014-2016.
He was a weekday Mass assistant and
confessor at Our Lady of Victory, Manhattan, 2014-16.