Priests Mark Jubilees with Bishop Loverde

Herald Staff Report
(From the issue of 5/15/03)

Msgr. John T. Cilinski

Msgr. John T. Cilinski celebrates the 55th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood May 22. He was born June 6, 1924, in Alexandria, the son of Peter and Amelia Cilinski.

He attended St. Mary Elementary School in Alexandria and graduated from St. Mary’s Academy in 1941. He attended St. Mary’s College and Seminary in Baltimore, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1948 by Cardinal Patrick O’Boyle, then-Archbishop of Washington.

Msgr. Cilinski’s assignments as associate pastor included St. Mary Parish in Richmond with the Richmond Diocese Missionary Fathers, St. Ann Parish in Arlington and St. Vincent Parish in Newport News. In 1955, he became director of the Richmond Diocese Missionary Fathers.

In 1960, he was appointed pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish, Front Royal. He became pastor of St. John Parish, Waynesboro, in 1964, and a year later he was named pastor of St. Philip Parish, Falls Church. He became pastor of St. Ann Parish in 1981 and was rector of the Cathedral of St. Thomas More from 1989-94.

He was pastor of Our Lady of Angels Parish in Woodbridge from 1994 until his retirement in June 1999. He was also a diocesan consultor and dean of Deanery V prior to his retirement.

Msgr. Cilinski has three brothers and three sisters, two of whom are also in the religious life. His brother, Father Julius Cilinski, is retired and resides in Fairfax, and his sister, Sister M. Camilla, C.S.C., is stationed at St. Mary Convent in Alexandria. His nephew, Father Robert Cilinski, who was chaplain of the Catholic Campus Ministry Center at George Mason University in Fairfax for 14 years, is now pastor of All Saints Parish in Manassas.

Msgr. Cilinski was elevated to the rank of reverend monsignor by Pope John Paul II in January 1990. He currently lives in retirement and celebrates Mass at St. Agnes Parish in Arlington.

Fr. Damian Noel

Third Order Regular of St. Francis of Penance Father Damian Noel celebrates the 50th anniversary of his priesthood on May 16. A U.S. Navy veteran, Father Noel was one of four children of the late Lawrence and Clare Noel. He attended primary school at St. Francis Xavier in Cresson, Pa., and St. Joseph in Portage, Pa. He graduated form Peabody High School in Pittsburgh, Pa., in 1941, and entered Mt. Assisi Friary in Loretto, Pa., in 1946. He made first vows there in 1948 and professed his solemn vows in 1951.

In 1949, Father Noel received a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from St. Francis College in Loretto, Pa., and in 1953 he received a second degree in theological studies from St. Francis Seminary in Loretto. He was ordained to the priesthood at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Altoona, Pa., on May 16, 1953, by Bishop Richard Guilfoyle.

After his ordination, Father Noel joined the faculty of Bishop Neumann High School in Philadelphia, where he taught for a year. He served on the staff of the Mt. Assisi Seminary Library from 1959-62, and then at the new St. Francis Seminary Library until 1969. From 1969-2002, Father Noel was chaplain to the Sacred Heart Sisters in Loretto. He currently resides at Sacred Heart Friary in White Post, where he assists with the spiritual life in the community.

Fr. William F. Ruehl

Father William F. Ruehl, pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish in Front Royal, recently celebrated 45 years since his priestly ordination on May 1, 1958.

Fr. Leo J. Zonneveld

Missionhurst Father Leo J. Zonnevelde, pastor of Precious Blood Parish in Culpeper, marks the 45th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood this year.

Fr. Luis M. Valdivieso

Father Luis M. Valdivieso, who resides in Falls Church, marks the 40th anniversary of his priestly ordination this year.

Fr. Gerard Creedon

Father Gerard Creedon, pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Church in Arlington, will mark next month the 35th anniversary of his June 16, 1968, ordination to the priesthood.

Fr. Francis W. Danella

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales Father Francis W. Danella, who is in residence at Our Lady of Good Counsel parish in Vienna, marks this year his 30th anniversary as a priest.

Fr. George J. Griffin

Father George J. Griffin, pastor of Good Shepherd parish in Alexandria, was ordained in 1973 and will celebrate his 30th anniversary as a priest on May 19.

Fr. David L. Martin

Father David L. Martin, who was ordained on May 28, 1973, marks the 30th anniversary of his ordination this year. He is currently the pastor of St. Isidore the Farmer Parish in Orange.

Fr. John F. O’Connor

Franciscan Father John F. O’Connor, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi parish in Triangle, marks the 30th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood this year.

Fr. John M. O’Neill

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales Father John M. O’Neill, pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Vienna, marks his 30th anniversary as a priest this year.

Fr. Joseph P. Biniek

Father Joseph P. Biniek celebrated the 25th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood on May 13. Father Biniek was born Sept. 28, 1951, in Cloquet, Minn., one of six children of Joseph P. and Margaret Biniek.

He attended St. John Vianney High School in Richmond, St. Mary’s Seminary in Catonsville, Md., and St. Mary’s University in Roland Park, Md.

He was ordained Mary 13, 1978, by then-Arlington Bishop Thomas J. Welsh. His diaconate year was spent at St. Mark Parish in Vienna.

Father Biniek was first assigned as parochial vicar to St. James Parish in Falls Church. He has also served as parochial vicar of St. John the Evangelist in Warrenton from 1979-80, at Holy Family in Dale City from 1980-81, at St. Mark from 1981-82, at St. Timothy in Chantilly from 1982-87, at St. Bernadette in Springfield from 1987-89 and at St. Mark from 1989-91.

He was pastor of Holy Family Parish from 1991-98. He was named administrator of St. Stephen Parish in Middleburg in 1998 and has been pastor there since 1999. During his tenure at St. Stephen, Father Biniek has celebrated weekly Sunday Masses in South Riding and Haymarket, where numerous members of his parish reside.

Fr. David Bonarrigo

May 13 marked the 25th priestly anniversary of Third Order Regular of St. Francis of Penance Father David Bonarrigo, who was born in Harrisburg, Pa., in 1950 to Nicholas and Jean Ann Bonarrigo.

Father Bonarrigo graduated from Indiana Jr./Sr. High School in Indiana, Pa., in 1968, and entered the order at Bonaventure Hall in Loretta, Pa., the same year. He professed his first vows at Sacred Heart Monastery in Winchester in 1970, and his solemn vows at Immaculate Conception Chapel in Loretto, Pa., in 1973. Father Bonarrigo earned his bachelor’s degree from St. Francis College in Loretto in 1973, and was ordained a deacon in 1977. In 1978, he earned his master’s of divinity degree from St. Francis Seminary in Loretto and was ordained a priest by Bishop James Hogan.

Since his ordination, Father Bonarrigo has earned a master of arts degree in Spanish from Catholic University in Washington, and has served on the faculty of numerous schools, including Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria and St. Mary’s Academy in Alexandria. He is currently the pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Herndon, where he has served since 1995.

Fr. Christopher J. Dobson

Third Order Regular of St. Francis of Penance Father Christopher J. Dobson will mark the 25th anniversary of his priestly ordination on Nov. 25.

Father Dobson attended St. Athanasius School in Philadelphia as a child and graduated from Cardinal Dougherty High School in Philadelphia in 1969. He received a bachelor’s degree in music education from Temple University in Philadelphia in 1973, and entered St. Bonaventure Friary in Loretto, Pa., in August of that year. He professed his first vows there in 1975 and his solemn vows in 1978, and was ordained to the diaconate in June of 1978 and to the priesthood in November.

In 1979, Father Dobson earned his master’s of divinity degree from St. Francis Seminary in Loretto, and then served as a campus minister/admissions staff member at St. Francis College until 1986, when he became director of postulants for his order. He was secretary of the province from 1992-96, and took a sabbatical from 1992-93, during which time he earned a certificate in spiritual direction from Washington Theological Union in Silver Spring, Md. Father Dobson served his order as director of novices from 1993-96. He has served as parochial vicar of St. Joseph Parish in Herndon since 1996.

Fr. Anthony J. Pinizzotto

Oblate of St. Francis de Sales Father Anthony J. Pinizzotto marks the 25th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood on May 20.

Born Dec. 20, 1949 in Harrisburg, Pa., Father Pinizzotto attended St. Ann Parochial School in Steelton, Pa. and graduated from Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg in 1967. He entered the Oblates later that year, and made his first profession of vows in 1968. He made his perpetual vows in 1971 and received his bachelor’s degree in English from Allentown College of St. Francis de Sales in Center Valley, Pa., in 1974.

He received a master’s of arts degree in theology from De Sales Hall School of Theology in Chillum, Md., in 1978, the same year he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop John B. Minder at the Shrine of the Miraculous Medal in Harrisburg.

Father Pinizzotto went on to earn a master’s of arts degree in forensic psychology from City University of New York’s John Jay College of Criminal Justice in 1981 and a doctorate in psychology from Georgetown University in Washington in 1987.

While working on his degrees, Father Pinizzotto also taught at Father Judge High School in Philadelphia and the Salesianum School in Wilmington, Del.

Since 1991, Father Pinizzotto has worked as a forensic psychopathologist with the Federal Bureau of Investigators at the FBI Training Academy in Quantico. He is also a lecturer in psychology at Georgetown University in Washington.

Father Pinizzotto is the first psychologist to be promoted to the level of senior scientist within the FBI. He plays a key role in coordinating the efforts between scientific communities and law enforcement officers and investigators on the streets. He has lectured throughout the U.S., Canada, Switzerland, Italy and the United Kingdom on topics of law enforcement safety, criminal investigative psychology, deviant social groups and terrorism. He has authored many articles reflecting his research in these fields of study. He currently resides at St. William of York Parish in Stafford.

Copyright ©2003 Arlington Catholic Herald.  All rights reserved.