On Saturday June 18, 2016, Brother Joseph A. Murray O.S.A. was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Louis Anthony DiSimone, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Philadelphia, PA and an Augustinian affiliate. The Mass was celebrated at 10 A.M. at Saint Thomas of Villanova Church on the campus of Villanova University. At the conclusion of the Mass, Father Michael Di Gregorio, O.S.A., Prior Provincial of the Province offered his thanks to Father Joseph for answering the call that the Lord extended to him to become a priest for his people and for the church. He said Augustine knew that priesthood is not a call to honor, it is not an award, but rather it is a call to service, a responsibility. He said Augustine even called it a burden. Father Michael expressed that with Jesus the burden is light and asked Father Joe to remember that, for an Augustinian, priesthood is always manifested in the context of community. In fact, many friars from all communities of the Province, including Rome, Peru and Japan, were there to concelebrate the Mass, which was held the day after the weeklong Province Mid-Chapter concluded.
Father Joe extended a blessing to all at the conclusion of the Mass and many family, friends and friars received a personal blessing from him after the Mass.
Father Joe's Mass of Thanksgiving (his first celebration of a Mass), will be celebrated at 3 P.M. today, June 19, at Our Lady Of Good Counsel Church, Staten Island, NY.
