New Rochelle Province Celebrates 18 Jubilarians

by Bro. Ronald Chauca, SDB

Due to various commitments, I'm rather tardy in posting this story. Since yours truly was one of the jubilarians this year, I asked one of our young SDBs in formation to write the article for E-Service, the province newsletter. A while back he'd expressed an interest in doing some journalism, and this is his first go at it--with some assistance from E-Service's editor.

The photos were shot by several different people, especially Bro. Tom Sweeney, Bro. Travis Gunther, and Jakeline Lira. I composed their captions.

The jubilarians with Fr. Tim Zak after Mass. Front row: Fr. Mike Mendl, Fr. Mike Pace, Bro. Joe Ackroyd, Fr. Peter Granzotto, Fr. Javier Aracil, Fr. Tony D’Angelo, and Fr. Raul Acosta. 2nd row: Fr. Larry Urban, Fr. Paul Dzaitkiewicz, Fr. Zak, and Bro. Don Caldwell. Back row: Fr. Steve Ryan and Fr. Mike Conway.

On September 23 the Salesian Family of St. Philip the Apostle Province celebrated the perseverance of Christ in the lives of 18 Salesians. The 18 confreres celebrated jubilee years of profession or ordination ranging from 25 to 70 years of fidelity to Christ among Don Bosco’s sons.

Attending confreres, sisters, seminarians, Cooperators, family members, and other friends of the jubilarians almost filled the Shrine chapel.

The Jubilee Mass was celebrated at the Marian Shrine Chapel in Haverstraw, N.Y. Fr. Tim Zak, provincial, presided and preached.

"A great cloud of witnesses"--concelebrating the Holy Eucharist

Celebrating jubilees of profession were Fr. Peter Granzotto, 70 years professed; Fr. Javier Aracil, 65 years; Fr. Raul Acosta, Fr. Tony D’Angelo, Bro. George Marquis, and Bro. Joe Tortorici, 60 years; Bro. Joe Ackroyd and Frs. Manuel Alvarez, Steve Dumais, Tom McGahee, and Mike Mendl, 50 years; and Bro. Don Caldwell and Fr. Mike Pace, 25 years.

Your humble blogger (2d from left) and Bro. Joe Ackroyd (at right) – 1/3 of the surviving members of the profession class of 1967 – pose with their novitiate assistant, Fr. Tom Dunne (at left, in that year a cleric in his 2d year of practical training), and their master of novices, Fr. Peter Granzotto (2d from right).

Ordination jubilarians were Fr. Granzotto, 60 years; Frs. Acosta, D’Angelo, and Ken Germaine, 50 years; Frs. Alvarez, McGahee, Paul Dzaitkiewicz, and Larry Urban, 40 years; and Frs. Mike Conway and Steve Ryan, 25 years.

Fr. Pete Granzotto, pushing 91, celebrated 70 years of Salesian profession and 60 years of ordination.

Although the longest-serving jubilarian, Fr. Granzotto, 90, and the oldest, 94-year-old Fr. D’Angelo, were present, on account of health or distance 6 of the 18 men were not able to attend.

Fr. Tim Zak with the oldest American Salesian in our province, Fr. Tony D’Angelo, 60 years professed and 50 years ordained.

Joining the celebration were a special guest, our Interamerica regional councilor, Fr. Tim Ploch, dozens of Salesians, and many friends and family members of the jubilarians, all of whom came close to filling the Shrine chapel.

Fr. Tim Zak delivering the homily.

In his homily, Fr. Zak reminded us that we are not alone in our commitment to Christ: the “cloud of witnesses” (Heb 12:1) mentioned in the day’s 1st reading encourages us to keep walking on this journey. Not only do we have examples in the saints who came before us, but also in our Salesian brothers in front of us. The life of each of the 18 jubilarians speaks to us in a loud voice saying, “Don’t give up, keep persevering, keep running the race.” The journey of fidelity to Christ entails ongoing conversion, which can only happen through letting go of the things that hold us back, such as sin, certain attitudes, hurts, attachments, and resentments, so that we can be free to do God’s will.

Priest jubilarians renew their priestly commitment: l-r, Frs. Tony D’Angelo, Raul Acosta, Mike Conway, Steve Ryan, Larry Urban, and Paul Dzaitkiewicz, and in the background Fr. Pete Granzotto. Candidate Kevin Long assists Fr. Tim Zak.

Furthermore, Fr. Tim reminded the Salesian Family that we have to keep in mind our call to make disciples of the young, witnessing to God in our lives even though we have our faults. Fr. Tim went on to say that it would be wrong to base our identity as Salesians on what we do; instead, we have to base it on Christ’s victory in our lives.

Fr. Tony D’Angelo, Fr. Javier Aracil, Bro. Joe Ackroyd, Bro. Don Caldwell, Fr. Mike Mendl, Fr. Mike Pace, and Fr. Raul Acosta renew their religious profession. So does Fr. Pete Granzotto, not pictured.

After the Mass, the celebration moved to Patriot Hills Golf Club, where we had a beautiful gathering of friends and family. Fr. John Serio gave the welcome as the guests prepared for the meal, and afterwards spoke entertaining words of gratitude on behalf of the province to each of the dozen jubilarians present; between every few names Fr. Steve Ryan led the singing of the chorus of what Fr. Serio called the “Salesian Anthem,” Fr. Steve Schenck’s “Friend of the Young and the Poor.”

Fr. Zak closed the afternoon by reminding us of how important our biological and Salesian families are to our Salesian journey, and therefore we remember our deceased family members and those family members and jubilarians not present.

Confreres professed for 50 years receive a statuette of Don Bosco as a gift from the Rector Major as a token of appreciation for their fidelity: Bro. Joe Ackroyd and Fr. Mike Mendl with Fr. Tim Zak.

As a Salesian in temporary profession, I find great hope in events such as the province jubilees. They enable me to aspire and look forward to a faithful Salesian life. It amazes me to see men who have labored for so many years in God’s vineyard with joy and holiness. What a blessing it is to be part of this family and be called to a Salesian vocation! So let us keep going on our journey and do our best to witness to Christ. As the years come, we hope that many more Salesians can celebrate their 70th year of profession like Fr. Granzotto, or more!

Jakeline Lira shot a couple of short videos:

Fr. Tim's homily:

https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=AgiDvvLeiG7NtgA&cid=6C90E5F70AA2825E&id=6C90E5F70AA2825E%21178&parId=6C90E5F70AA2825E%21179&o=OneUp

“Friend of the Young and the Poor”

https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=AgiDvvLeiG7NtgA&cid=6C90E5F70AA2825E&id=6C90E5F70AA2825E%21172&parId=6C90E5F70AA2825E%21179&o=OneUp

Additional photos by Jakeline Lira, Bro. Travis Gunther, Bro. Tom Sweeney, Sr. Denise Sickinger, and Donna Ragusa at https://pix.sfly.com/Ko6zgj

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Some family members and close friends graced the celebration with me:

Clockwise from yours truly: Sr. Denise Sickinger, FMA; Scouting champs Nancy & Ed Maselli, Mike & Donna Ragusa; cousins Majie, John, & Margaux Yannacci and Ginny & Ron Faillace.