HERALD Staff Report
(From the issue of 5/13/04)

The following diocesan and religious order priests are celebrating special jubilees this year. They joined Bishop Paul S. Loverde at the annual Jubilee Mass on May 17 at St. Timothy Church in Chantilly.

70 Years

Fr. J. Francis McKinney, T.O.R.

Franciscan Father J. Francis McKinney was born July 21, 1908, in Philadelphia. He graduated from high school at St. Francis Prep School in Loretto, Pa., in 1927. Father McKinney earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy in 1931 from St. Francis College in Loretto, a degree in theology studies from St. Francis Seminary in Loretto in 1935, a degree in English studies from Columbia University in New York in 1937 and a master’s degree in Spanish from Middlebury College in Middleburg, Vt., in 1973. Father McKinney made his first vows at Sacred Heart Novitiate in Loretto in 1928, made his solemn vows at Mt. Assisi Friary in Loretto in 1931 and was ordained a priest by Bishop John McCort at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Altoona, Pa., May 26, 1934.

Father McKinney served on the faculty of St. Francis Prep School from 1931-34 and St. Francis Seminary from 1934-46. After serving as superior at Portiuncula Monastery in Washington, D.C., in 1937 and as pastor of St. Egbert in Morehead City, N.C., from 1939-40 following an illness, Father McKinney returned to St. Francis Prep in 1945 where he was a member of the faculty until 1953. He was master of clerics at Mt. Assisi Monastery from 1953-1956 and on the faculty of St. Francis College in Loretto from 1956-60. He served as a faculty member at St. Francis Prep in Spring Grove, Pa., from 1961-73.

Father McKinley moved from schools to hospitals in 1973 and served as hospital chaplain in Opa Loca and West Palm Beach, Fla. and as chaplain in a nursing home in West Palm Beach until his retirement in 1985.

During his retirement he has resided at Mt. Assisi Monastery, St. Francis Prep and Sacred Heart Friary in White Post, Va., where he is currently in residence.

65 Years

Fr. John F. Morel, C.I.C.M.

Missionhurst Father John Morel was born Nov. 18, 1913, in Elsene, Belgium. He was ordained Aug. 6, 1939. He prepared to work in China, but German occupation during World War II made it impossible for him to leave Belgium. After several years of parish work, he was assigned to ministry in the U.S. in 1946. For the next 34 years he ministered among African-American people in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and Detroit. In Detroit he was Vicar of the Inner City Vicariate, spiritual director to a Cursillo group and a police chaplain. In 1980 he became rector of Missionhurst in Arlington and in 1984 he became superior of the C.I.C.M. house for senior confreres in Annandale. From 1989 until 2003 he was pastor of Our Lady of the Blue Ridge in Madison. He volunteers each week at So Others Might Eat (S.O.M.E.) in Washington. Father Morel resides at Dominion House in Arlington.

60 Years

Fr. Charles D. Denys, C.I.C.M.

Missionhurst Father Charles D. Denys was born July 25, 1920, in Roeselare, Belgium. He was ordained in 1944 and ministered in China in 1947. Because of the deterioration of the government, he stayed in Peking only one year. He was then assigned to the United. States. For four years he was parochial vicar at Precious Blood Parish in Culpeper. He served in parishes in Philadelphia for the next 20 years. In 1973 he became pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Detroit, Mich., where he served for 21 years. During this time he was coeditor and editor of the Gazette van Detroit, a Belgian-American weekly newspaper, which has served the Belgian community for more than 90 years. He has been active in the Missionhurst Provincial Council and currently serves as the U.S. congregation’s archivist and is a noted historian. He remains involved in the Gazette van Detroit and continues to be invited to Detroit for special occasions and celebrations. He resides at Dominion House in Arlington.

Fr. Marianus Lieb, T.O.R.

Franciscan Father Marianus Lieb was born on May 12, 1918, in Colver, Pa. He graduated from Penn Cambria High School in Cresson, Pa., in 1936. He earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Catholic University in Washington in 1941 and studied theology at Catholic University and St. Francis Seminary in Loretto, Pa.

He entered Mt. Assisi Monastery in Loretto, Pa., in 1936, made his first vows in 1937, his solemn vows in 1940 and was ordained a priest by Bishop Richard Guilfoyle at the Cathedral/School of the Blessed Sacrament in Altoona on May 6, 1944.

From 1945-52 he served on the faculty of St. Francis Prep School in Loretto, St. John Vianney Seminary in Ohio and St. Francis Prep School in Spring Grove, Pa. Father Lieb worked at missions in India from 1952-61. He returned to Pennsylvania and was on the faculty at Bishop Carroll High School in Ebensburg, Pa., and then Bishop Egan High School in Fairless Hills, Pa.

During the mid and late ’60s Father Lieb was assistant director of Franciscan T.O.R. Missions and Post Novitiate Formation. In the ’70s he served as pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Ehrenfeld, Pa., and chaplain of Mercy Hospital and John Kane Hospital, both in Pittsburgh.

He moved to Virginia in 1980 and lived at the Ritiro Community in Boston, Va., until 1982 when he moved to Toronto to staff the St. Francis Seminary. In the mid to late ’80s he served as assistant pastor of Sacred Heart Church, Altoona, Pa.; pastor of St. Agnes Church, Pittsburgh; and assistant pastor of Assumption Church, Keyser, W.Va.

Father Lieb returned to Mt. Assisi Monastery in 1989 and was made Vicar Superior there in 1990. He now resides at Sacred Heart Friary in White Post.

55 Years

Fr. Joseph Dewaele, C.I.C.M.

Missionhurst Father Joseph Dewaele was born March 19, 1924, in Waregem, Belgium. He was ordained in 1949. His first priestly assignment was in Congo, where he served as director, professor and superintendent of diocesan schools at the nearby college. He returned to Brussels, where he was a professor at the CICM study houses. In 1967 Father Dewaele came to the U.S. where, after making Mission Appeals, he was transferred to Archbishop Wood High School in Philadelphia. He spent 10 years there and in 1979 became pastor of Mary, Star of the Sea Parish in Oxnard, Calif. In 1986 he was made parochial vicar of Our Lady of Victory Parish, West Haven and St. Rita Parish, Hamden, both in the Archdiocese of Hartford, Conn. He remains active on Missionhurst’s finance and investment and retirement fund committees. He currently resides in Arlington.

Fr. Jerome L. Meersman, C.I.C.M.

Missionhurst Father Jerome L. Meersman was born March 8, 1924, in Deerlijk, Belgium. He was ordained in 1949. He came to the U.S. in 1950 and was assigned an assistant pastor in the Harrisburg Diocese. His next assignments were at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish and St. Patrick Parish in the Archdiocese of Detroit, Mich., then at St. Malachy Parish in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. In 1969 Father Meersman was on staff at Archbishop Wood High School in Warminster, Pa. In 1970 he became a chaplain at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, where he spent the next 25 years ministering to the sick. In 1995 Father Meersman retired to Missionhurst in Arlington.

50 Years

Msgr. R. Roy Cosby

Msgr. R. Roy Cosby was born May 16, 1924, in Henrico County, Va. He graduated from John Marshall High School, East End, Richmond, in 1941. He earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Virginia Tech in 1944. Msgr. Cosby attended St. Charles College, Catonsville, Md., and earned bachelor’s degrees in philosophy and theology from St. Mary’s Seminary, Baltimore, in 1954. He was ordained by Bishop Peter Ireton May 8, 1954.

He also holds a master’s degree in science teaching from the University of Virginia. He worked at the U.S. Patent Office from 1945-46, then taught for a year at St. Francis College in Loretto, Pa.

Msgr. Cosby has served as an associate of the Diocesan Mission Band in 1954, as associate pastor at Holy Cross Parish, Lynchburg, from 1956-60 and Blessed Sacrament Parish, Norfolk, from 1960-62. He taught at St. John Vianney Seminary, Richmond, from 1962-67. While teaching at the seminary, Msgr. Cosby held a number of parish assignments, including St. Bridget in Richmond, Holy Comforter in Charlottesville, Christ the King in Norfolk and St. Patrick in Richmond.

He was appointed pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Columbia, in 1967 and transferred to St. Francis in Staunton the following year. In 1970, Msgr. Cosby became the founding pastor of Holy Family Parish in Dale City, where he served for eight years. He became pastor of St. Timothy Parish in Chantilly in 1978 and founding pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Fredericksburg in 1983. In 1994, former Arlington Bishop John R. Keating named him pastor of St. James Parish.

He has served as chairman of the diocesan research and development committee, dean of Deanery V and Deanery I, board member of Catholic Charities, director of Christian Life Communities and director of the diocesan Apostleship of Prayer. He is chairman of the diocesan ecumenical committee and a member of the diocesan College of Consultors, as well as vice chancellor of the diocese (1998-2000). Msgr. Cosby is an ex officio member of the Presbyteral Council.

Msgr. Cosby was vicar general of the diocese from March 1994 until the death of Bishop Keating in March 1998. Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde re-named him vicar general in 1999. He received the honorary title of "reverend monsignor" in October 1994 — the 11th diocesan priest to receive the papal honor.

Msgr. Cosby was pastor of St. James Parish in Falls Church at the time of his retirment in June 1999. He is currently in residence at Holy Spirit Parish in Annandale.

Msgr. Frank J. Hendrick

Msgr. Frank J. Hendrick was born Nov. 2, 1926, in Richmond to Arthur and Beulah Hendrick. He graduated in 1943 from Benedictine High School in Richmond. Msgr. Hendrick was a corpsman in the U.S. Navy and Marines from 1945-46 prior to graduating from the University of Richmond in 1948. Msgr. Hendrick attended Mount St. Mary Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md., and was ordained a priest by Bishop Peter Ireton May 8, 1954.

His first assignment was at St. James in Falls Church where he was parochial vicar.

He earned a master’s degree in education from Catholic University in 1960 and in 1962 he served as principal of Norfolk Catholic Schools. In 1966 he became founding pastor of St. Jerome Parish in Newport News.

Msgr. Hendrick was a chaplain in the U.S. Army from 1969-72. He was awarded a Bronze Star with Combat Valor, Air Medal and Army Commendation Medal and two battle stars on his Vietnam theatre ribbon.

Msgr. Hendrick came to Northern Virginia after his chaplaincy, serving as pastor of St. Ann Parish in Arlington in 1972, and director of Catholic Charities from 1974-81. He was the first executive director of Catholic Charities under Bishop Thomas J. Welsh when the Diocese of Arlington was established.

In 1976 he became pastor of St. Agnes Parish in Arlington where he served for five years before becoming pastor of St. Mary Parish in Alexandria. Msgr. Hendrick retired from Holy Spirit Parish in Annandale in 1995. He now resides in Florida.

Father John J. Hughes

Father Hughes was born to John J. and Clara Hope Hughes on June 25, 1927, in Providence, R. I. Attending Catholic school through ninth grade, and graduated from a public high school.

After high school, when he joined the U.S. Navy and served as a shop machinist from 1945-46. Part of his time was served in the Philippines.

He began at St. Jerome’s College in Canada, a preparatory seminary. After two years at the Canadian college, Father Hughes was sent to St. Mary Seminary in Baltimore by Bishop Ireton.

On May 8, 1954, Father Hughes was ordained at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Richmond.

His first assignment was at St. Thomas More Parish in Arlington as parochial vicar until 1960; then parochial vicar at the Richmond parishes of St. Patrick until 1962 and at Our Lady of Lourdes from 1962-67, where he was promoted to pastor and served until 1973. During this time, he helped build a community center, create a "clinic on wheels" and provide clothing, food, housing and legal services to residents of Francistown — a neighboring poor community. He then moved back to Northern Virginia and served at St. Luke Parish in McLean from 1973-86 and then St. Bernadette Parish.

He was coordinator of two diocesan high schools, St. Patrick from 1960-63 and Cathedral for 1963, both in Richmond. He also served Richmond as a member of the Personnel Board for four-and-a-half years, of the Due Process Board for five years, and commentator on the Gospel for a 15-minute Sunday radio program for eight-and-a-half years, and member of the Liturgy Commission for nine years. He was director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith from 1968-74 and then continued in the same position for the Arlington Diocese from 1974-91.

As a member of the diocesan Liturgy Commission, he and other clergy visited the various deaneries and demonstrated to the priests the new Mass changes in the mid-1960s brought about by Vatican II. The church was constructed during his time at St. Luke Parish.

During his time at St. Bernadette, the parish membership increased more than two times its original size, from 6,000 to more than 13,000. He was pastor of St. Bernadette Parish at the time of his retirement in 2003.

Fr. Malachy Marrion, O.C.S.O.

Trappist Father Malachy Marrion was born Joseph Edward Marion in Winthrop Mass., in 1926. After high school he enlisted in the U.S. Army, fought in World War II. After returning to the U.S., he studied at Boston College and then entered the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (Trappists) in 1948, at Our Lady of the Valley, R.I. He was transferred to Holy Cross Abbey in Berryville, where he made his solemn profession of vows in July 1954, and was ordained to the priesthood on Dec. 21, 1954. He later studied at Catholic University and received his doctorate in sacred theology in 1974. In 1995 he earned a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the Massachusetts College of Art. Father Malachy currently resides in Berryville.

Fr. Seamus (James) P. O’Kielty

Father Seamus (James) P. O’Kielty was born in County Mayo, Ireland, the eighth child of 10. He studied in seminaries in England, Belgium, Germany and Scotland and was ordained a priest in 1954. He spent the next 11 years as a bush missionary in Tanganyika/Burundi. In 1965 he came to the U.S. and taught high school in the Paterson, N.J., Diocese. In 1966 he served in the missions in Bolivia where he became temporary chaplain to the Bolivian army during the Che Guevara emergency. While there, he created a catechetical program to evangelize to the Aymara Indians by training more than 100 catechists despite government opposition. Father O’Kielty later attended Farleigh Dickinson University in N.J. where he earned a master’s degree in education. He earned a master’s in linguistics at New York University.

In 1974 he returned to Burundi and became a parish pastor, replacing Hutu priests who had been massacred. In 1979 he was inducted into the Navy as a chaplain. He was deployed to Libya, Lebanon, Turkey, Morocco and near Cuba. He retired in 1995. Since then he was adjunct professor at Farleigh Dickenson University’s School of Education, spent three months at the Knock Shrine in Ireland and returned to the Paterson diocese where he assisted at local parishes. He currently resides at Christendom College in Front Royal.

45 Years

Those celebrating 45 years in the priesthood include Fathers Frank J. Ready; Mark Delery, O.C.S.O.; Earl J. Jennings, T.O.R.; Leonard J. Tuozzolo, C.S.Sp.; Flavian Burns, O.C.S.C.; Andrew Gries, O.C.S.O.; William F. Schmidt, S.A.; and William L. Wyndaele, C.I.C.M.

40 Years

Those marking 40 years include Fathers Martin McGuill; Tarsicio Buitrago; and Theodore A. Midile, T.O.R.

35 Years

Fathers Stanley Slivonik; Marion R. Deck, T.O.R.; and Francis J. Rinaldi, O.S.F.S. will all mark 35 years.

30 Years

Fathers Horace H. Grinnell; Patrick Holroyd; Very Rev. William G. Quigley, C.I.C.M.; and Father Gerald Weymes will all mark 30 years in the priesthood.

25 Years

Fr. Robert C. Cilinski

Father Robert C. Cilinski was born June 25, 1953, in Alexandria to Edward and Catherine Cilinski. One of six children, he attended St. Louis School in Alexandria, St. John Vianney High School in Richmond and graduated from St. Meinrad College in St. Meinrad, Ind., in 1975 with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy.

He attended Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md., and was ordained by former Arlington Bishop Thomas J. Welsh May 12, 1979. He earned a master’s degree in divinity from Mount St. Mary’s in 1982.

He was parochial vicar at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington from 1979-82, and Holy Family Parish in Dale City from 1982-86. He lived in residence at St. Leo the Great Parish in Fairfax from June to October 1986, before moving to George Mason University (GMU) in Fairfax as chaplain from 1986-2000.

As well as being chaplain at GMU for 14 years, Father Cilinski has been chaplain of the Lions Club of South Arlington, the Cathedral Council Knights of Columbus and GMU Council Knights of Columbus.

He also served as a notary in the diocesan tribunal, 1979-88; a defender of the bond for the tribunal since 1988; and vice president of the diocesan priests’ council, 1988-?.

Father Cilinski has been pastor at All Saints Parish in Manassas since June 2000.

Fr. Mark S. Mealey, O.S.F.S.

Oblate Father Mark S. Mealey was born to Gerald and Alice Mealy April 6, 1950 in Philadelphia. He graduated from Father Judge High School in Philadelphia. He earned a bachelor’s degree in social studies from Allentown College of St. Francis de Sales in Center Valley, Pa., in 1973; a master’s in theology from De Sales School of Theology in Washington, D.C.; in 1978, a master’s in history from West Chester State University in West Chester, Pa.; in 1984, a doctorate in Canon law from University of Ottawa in Ottawa, Ontario, in 1989; and a Juris Doctorate in Canon Law from St. Paul University in Ottawa, Ontario in 1989.

Father Mealey made his first profession of vows in 1969, his perpetual profession in 1972, was ordained a deacon in 1978 and ordained a priest by Bishop Edward Hughes, former-Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia at the Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Philadelphia, May 19, 1979.

Father Mealey served at St. John Neumann Parish in Reston from 1979-85 before pursuing his law degrees. After he received the degrees, he returned to Philadelphia where he was a judge for the Archdiocesan Tribunal for a year before coming to Arlington in 1990. Since then he has been the Judicial Vicar for the Diocese of Arlington. He has also served recently as Vicar for Religious, Moderator of the Curia and Episcopal Vicar for Pastoral Services. Since 1994 he has been the Councilor General of the Oblates, and from 1995 to the present he has also been assistant Superior General and Procurator General.