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Feature News | Tuesday, March 23, 2021

2 bishops, 15 priests mark jubilees

All will be honored at the annual chrism Mass to be celebrated Tuesday of Holy Week

MIAMI | Two bishops and 15 priests are marking anniversaries of ordination this year, with the oldest celebrating 65 years of priesthood and the youngest 25.

The bishops are John C. Favalora, archbishop emeritus of Miami, marking 60 years; and Enrique Delgado, auxiliary bishop of Miami, marking 25.

All will be honored at the annual chrism Mass which is celebrated on the Tuesday of Holy Week at St. Mary Cathedral.

Following are brief biographies of the jubilarians. 

 

DIAMOND JUBILARIANS – 65 YEARS

Msgr. Seamus Doyle

Msgr. Seamus Doyle

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Msgr. Seamus Doyle

Born Feb. 12, 1931 in Wexford, Ireland, Msgr. Doyle was ordained June 3, 1956 for the Diocese of Auckland, New Zealand. He served there until 1970, when he went to Denver, Colorado, and then, in 1975, to South Florida. He served as associate pastor at St. Lawrence, North Miami Beach, and St. Rose of Lima, Miami Shores until 1983, when he was appointed pastor of St. Elizabeth of Hungary in Pompano Beach. He returned to St. Rose as pastor in 1991 and served there until his retirement in January 2012. Msgr. Doyle also served as archdiocesan chaplain to the Knights of Columbus. In 2008, he received the honorary title of monsignor from Pope Benedict XVI.

 

Msgr. Vincent Kelly

Msgr. Vincent Kelly

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Msgr. Vincent Kelly

Msgr. Kelly was born July 21, 1933 in Kilrush, County Clare, Ireland and ordained June 10, 1956 in Thurles, Ireland. He was initially assigned to the Diocese of Nebraska, where he spent 13 years as a teacher and high school principal. After obtaining a degree in education administration from the University of Nebraska in 1969, he came to South Florida and was assigned to the faculty of Cardinal Gibbons High School in Fort Lauderdale. A year later, he was named principal and later supervising principal of St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale. In 1975, he was named acting superintendent of schools for the archdiocese, a position which ultimately became permanent and lasted until 2011. In 2003, he took on added responsibilities as supervising principal at Cardinal Gibbons. In 1980, Msgr. Kelly founded the Archdiocesan Education Foundation (now part of the Catholic Community Foundation), an endowment fund to secure the future of the archdiocese’s Catholic schools. Concurrent with his educational work, he has served as parochial vicar at St. Pius X Church in Fort Lauderdale, and since 1982 as pastor of St. John the Baptist in Fort Lauderdale. Pope St. John Paul II conferred on him the honorary title of monsignor in 1998.

 

DIAMOND JUBILARIAN – 60 YEARS

Archbishop John C. Favalora

Archbishop John C. Favalora

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Archbishop John C. Favalora

Archbishop Favalora was born Dec. 5, 1935 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He studied for the priesthood at St. Joseph Seminary in St. Benedict, Louisiana; Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans; and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome,  where he was ordained on Dec. 20, 1961. Upon his return to New Orleans, he served in various ministries, from parochial vicar to Latin teacher to vice-chancellor, director of vocations, director of the office for the permanent deaconate, and seminary rector, as well as pastor. He was appointed bishop of Alexandria, Louisiana, on June 24, 1986; bishop of St. Petersburg, Florida, on March 7, 1989; and third archbishop of Miami, to succeed retiring Archbishop Edward A. McCarthy, on Nov. 3, 1994. He retired as archbishop on April 20, 2010 but continues to help with confirmations and other archdiocesan activities.

 

GOLDEN JUBILARIANS – 50 YEARS

Father Francis Akwue, Spiritan Fathers

Spiritan Father Francis Akwue

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Spiritan Father Francis Akwue

Born Feb. 14, 1938 in Ogidi, Anambra, Nigeria, Father Akwue was ordained April 17, 1971 for the Congregation of the Holy Spirit. Sent for further studies at St. John's University in Collegeville, Maryland, he also obtained a master's degree in religious education and a doctorate in moral theology from St. Paul's University and the University of Ottawa, both in Ottowa, Canada. He arrived in the Archdiocese of Miami in February 1990 and was named parochial vicar at Little Flower Church, Coral Gables (1990-93). He later served as parochial vicar at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary (now Holy Rosary-St. Richard), Palmetto Bay (1993-94); St. Andrew, Coral Springs (1994-96); and St. Catherine of Siena, Miami (1996-98). Since 1998, he has served at St. Henry Church in Pompano Beach, first as parochial vicar, then as administrator (2005-07) and since 2007 as pastor.

 

Father John Fink

Father John Fink

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Father John Fink

Born July 2, 1940 in Cleveland, Ohio, Father Fink graduated from the University of Dayton with a bachelor’s degree in education. He obtained a master’s in theology from St. Vincent de Paul Seminary in Boynton Beach and was ordained May 29, 1971 for the Archdiocese of Miami. He has served as parochial vicar at: Nativity Church in Hollywood (1971-72); St. Margaret in Clewiston, now part of the Diocese of Venice (1972-75) St. Hugh, Coconut Grove (1975-77); St. Joseph in Stuart, now part of the Diocese of Palm Beach (1977-78); St. Bartholomew in Miramar (1978-91); and San Isidro in Pompano Beach (1991-92). From 1992 to 2010 he served as chaplain at Broward General Hospital. He also served as spiritual director of the Broward Curia of the Legion of Mary from 1978 to 1985, and as assistant director of the English Charismatic Renewal from 2004 until his retirement in July 2010.

 

Father Henrick Jose

Father Henrick Jose

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Father Henrick Jose

Father Jose was born July 20, 1945 in India, where he attended seminary and was ordained Dec. 22, 1971 for the Archdiocese of Madras Mylapore. He served there until June 2002, when he came to Miami and worked at St. Richard (now Holy Rosary-St. Richard) in Palmetto Bay (2002-03). He returned to St. Richard in 2004 and continued in residence there while serving as chaplain at Baptist Hospital in Miami (2005-13). He then served as parochial vicar at St. Coleman, Pompano Beach (2013-15); chaplain of campus ministry at St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens (2015-16); and parochial vicar at St. Louis in Pinecrest from 2016 until his retirement in June 2019.

 

Father Bernard Kirlin

Father Bernard Kirlin

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Father Bernard Kirlin

Born May 1, 1945 in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, Father Kirlin earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the Pontifical College Josephinum in Worthington, Ohio, and a master’s degree in theology from St. Vincent de Paul Seminary in Boynton Beach. He was ordained May 22, 1971 for the Archdiocese of Miami and served as parochial vicar at St. Mary Cathedral, Miami (1971-72) and Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission in Immokalee, now part of the Venice Diocese (1972-75). He served as administrator of San Isidro Mission in Pompano Beach from 1975 until 1977, when he was sent for higher studies at the Gregorian University in Rome (1977-83). Upon his return, he taught at St. John Vianney Seminary in Miami (1983-84) and served as rector there from 1984 to 1987, when he was named administrator of St. Peter in Big Pine Key. In 1988, he was named administrator and then pastor of Holy Family in North Miami. He spent a sabbatical year (1997-98) in Rome, then became parochial vicar at St. Richard (now Holy Rosary-St. Richard) in Palmetto Bay (1998-99); pastor of St. Augustine in Coral Gables (1999-2010); and finally pastor of St. Mary Magdalen in Sunny Isles Beach from 2010 until his retirement in 2019.

 

Father Rolando Medina

Father Rolando Medina

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Father Rolando Medina

Born Aug. 28, 1940 in Cuba, Father Medina was ordained Dec. 30, 1971 for the Diocese of Cienfuegos. He arrived in South Florida in May 1987 and began working at Our Lady of Divine Providence in Miami. From 1988 to 1993, he served as parochial vicar at St. John the Apostle in Hialeah. He was incardinated, becoming a priest of the Archdiocese of Miami, in 1992. He then served as parochial vicar at St. Raymond, Miami (1993-96) and helped at St. Thomas the Apostle in Miami (1996-97) until being named parochial vicar at Santa Barbara in Hialeah (1997-98). He served a couple of months at Our Lady of Charity Shrine in Miami, then returned to Santa Barbara as parochial vicar (1999-2004). His last assignment was parochial vicar at St. Cecilia in Hialeah, from 2004 until his retirement in 2009.

 

Father Michael Quilligan

Father Michael Quilligan

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Father Michael Quilligan

Born May 26, 1945 in Limerick, Ireland, Father Quilligan was ordained June 12, 1971 in the Cathedral at Thurles for the Archdiocese of Miami. He arrived in South Florida that summer and was named parochial vicar at Immaculate Conception in Hialeah (1971-74). He also served as parochial vicar at St. Rose of Lima, Miami Shores (1974-79) and St. Gregory in Plantation (1979-84). From 1984 until his retirement in June 2019, he served as pastor of Annunciation in West Hollywood.

 

SILVER JUBILARIANS – 25 YEARS

Father Rafael Capó

Father Rafael Capó

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Father Rafael Capó

Born April 28, 1968 in Puerto Rico, Father Capó was ordained Oct. 12, 1996 for the Piarist Fathers. He has degrees in educational leadership and biology and worked as a high school president, campus minister, teacher and vocations director. While studying theology in Mexico and Rome (1994-1996) he ministered to street children and immigrant youths. He also has a licentiate in systematic theology and a doctorate in practical theology. From Sept. 30, 2011 to July 1, 2020, he served as director of the U.S. bishops’ Southeast Regional Office for Hispanic Ministry and its Southeast Pastoral Institute (SEPI) in Miami. During that time, he participated in all major organizations of Hispanic ministry and helped coordinate that ministry throughout the southeastern U.S. He serves as advisor to the board of directors of the National Catholic Network de Pastoral Juvenil Hispana (La Red) and was appointed a Pontifical Missionary of Mercy by Pope Francis. He was incardinated in the Archdiocese of Miami on Jan. 13, 2017 and began serving as vice president for mission and dean of theology at St. Thomas University, Miami Gardens, on March 25, 2020.

 

Father Yader Centeno

Father Yader Centeno

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Father Yader Centeno

Born Oct. 4, 1965 in Nicaragua, Father Centeno was ordained for the Piarist Fathers on Dec. 20, 1996. He came to South Florida in February 2007 and began working as parochial vicar at St. Timothy in Miami until 2010. He served as parochial vicar at St. Rose of Lima in Miami Shores (2011-13) and Corpus Christi in Miami (2013-14) until being named to his current position as administrator of St. John Bosco Parish in Miami. He was incardinated in the Archdiocese of Miami July 1, 2013.

 
Father Victor Cortes

Father Victor Cortes

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Father Victor Cortes

Father Cortes was born April 19, 1965 in Mexico City, Mexico. He obtained a degree in mechanical engineering from the Universidad Panamericana in Guadalajara, Mexico, before entering the seminary in Mexico City upon graduation in 1988. He completed his seminary studies in Rome and was ordained Sept. 15, 1996 for the Prelature of the Holy Cross (Opus Dei). He has served as chaplain for Opus Dei communities in Monterrey, Mexico (1997-2001), Chihuahua, Mexico (2001-02), Dallas, Texas (2002-04) and currently Miami.

 
Bishop Enrique Delgado

Bishop Enrique Delgado

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Bishop Enrique Delgado

Born Dec. 26, 1955, in Lima, Peru, Bishop Delgado studied industrial engineering and obtained a master’s in economics with specialization in accounting and finance. He worked in private industry, including as sub-director of COFIDE, Peru’s corporation for development, until entering St. John Vianney Seminary in Miami in 1991. Upon completing his studies at St. Vincent de Paul Seminary in Boynton Beach, he was ordained for the Archdiocese of Miami in his native Lima on June 29, 1996. He worked as parochial vicar at St. Agnes, Key Biscayne (1996-99) and Nativity, Hollywood (1999-2003); as administrator and later pastor of St. Justin Martyr, Key Largo (2003-10); and has been pastor of St. Katharine Drexel, Weston, since August 2010. On Oct. 12, 2017, Pope Francis named him Titular Bishop of Aquae Novae in Proconsulari and auxiliary bishop of Miami. He was ordained a bishop on Dec. 7, 2017.

 
Msgr. Roberto Garza

Msgr. Roberto Garza

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Msgr. Roberto Garza

Born Oct. 2, 1967 in Texas, Msgr. Garza grew up in Clewiston, Florida, and was ordained May 11, 1996 for the Archdiocese of Miami. He served as parochial vicar at St. Mary Star of the Sea in Key West (1996-98), then was sent for higher studies at the Gregorian University in Rome (1998-2000). He served as parochial vicar at Corpus Christi, Miami (2000-03), and then as parochial vicar, administrator and finally pastor of San Isidro Mission in Pompano Beach (2003-09). He was named archdiocesan director of vocations (2009-10), then rector of St. John Vianney Seminary (2010-17). He is currently pastor of St. Joachim Parish in Miami (appointed in 2018) while also serving as director of the archdiocesan radio station, Radio Paz (appointed in 2017).

 
Father Fernando Hería

Father Fernando Hería

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Father Fernando Hería

Born Oct. 13, 1950 in Cuba, Father Hería came to Miami at age 11. After high school, he enlisted in the Army and served in the Judge Advocate’s Office before earning degrees in history and political science from Florida International University. He studied law at Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Michigan and practiced briefly as a prosecutor there. Returning to Miami, he opened his own criminal defense practice until a fateful trip to Medjugorje reminded him of the call to priesthood he first felt at 16. He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Miami on May 11, 1996. He served as parochial vicar at St. Thomas the Apostle in Miami (1996-98) then was sent for higher studies in canon law at the Gregorian University in Rome (1998-2000). He has served as parochial vicar at Little Flower, Coral Gables (2001-02), administrator of St. Justin Martyr, Key Largo (2002-03), and pastor of St. Brendan in Miami (2003-17) as well as supervising principal of St. Brendan High School (2003-09). He also serves as judge in the Metropolitan Tribunal and since 2016 has served as rector of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Charity in Miami.

 
Father Jeffrey McCormick

Father Jeff McCormick

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Father Jeff McCormick

Father McCormick was born in Miami and graduated from Cooper City High School in Broward. Born with cerebral palsy, he was involved with the Schott Center for the Deaf and Disabled as well as young adult ministry while working as a quality control specialist for Sony Professional Products. Because he relies on crutches to walk, he thought he would not be accepted in the seminary. He was wrong. On May 11, 1996, he became the first person with disabilities to be ordained for the Archdiocese of Miami. He served as parochial vicar at St. Louis in Pinecrest (1996-99) and St. Andrew in Coral Springs (1999-2002) before being named administrator and then pastor of St. Maximilian Kolbe in Pembroke Pines, where he has served since 2002. He is also spiritual director of Couples for Christ.

 

Father John Peloso

Father John Peloso

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Father John Peloso

Father Peloso was born in the Bronx, New York, Nov. 11, 1955 but graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale. He worked as a commercial and deep-sea diver, played in a rock band, painted cars, dabbled in farming and was undefeated as a professional kick boxer before entering the seminary. He was ordained May 11, 1996 for the Archdiocese of Miami. He served as parochial vicar at St. Andrew, Coral Springs (1996-99) and St. Louis, Pinecrest (1999-2002), until being named administrator and then pastor of San Pedro in Plantation Key in 2003. In 2011, he was named to his current position as pastor of St. Edward in Pembroke Pines.

Comments from readers

Jose M Lorenzo - 03/24/2021 06:50 PM
CONGRATULATIONS to all and more particularly for archbishop Favarola. I remember very much his Grace. It's a very hard job to be a priest not because the wove of celibate and because you must try very hard to imitate Christ in this world but also because you must work 24 hours none stop no days off and/or vacations or very little of them, be always there for us in the hard times and much more. I was a Chef for 50 years and I pray every day for a better life for myself so I took the decision at 50 years old to go back to college and become a culinary art teacher instructor at least I have the choice to change my career and spend some more quality time with my family by becoming a vocational teacher. Fathers, you do not have this luxury and option. I can see in my parish my Pasteur father Sullivan and my confessor father Daniel are giving holy masses around the clock from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. beside having to assist people in need as well as people in bed with sickness and giving people their last sacraments. I know if you do thing with the love of God he would help you to find the time to do it but my point is that being a Chef is truly a piece of cake compared to priesthood. What astonish me more is the obedience y the hierarchy that priests observe and never complain about it. At least in a kitchen chain of command you can work hard to go up the ladle and become an executive chef it was my case since I was 21. The two carriers are not comparable since one is purely vocational and the other divine. I just want to convey my admirative respect to all priesthood from a lay that really knows what is hard work. I could not pass the opportunity to mention father Sullivan, father Daniel and all the other fathers in my parish beside being hard working men their save my soul. Maybe is their divine mission but their did it with the love of God. CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN. I will pray that God would reward you in our next eternal life this one is just a test for all of us.

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