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Jubilarians

Catholic Herald Staff Report

Fr. Denis M. Donahue

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Fr. William N. Dougherty

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Fr. Francisco Méndez de Dios

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Fr. Lawrence A. Kutz

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Fr. Philip S. Majka

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Fr. Cornelius O’Brien

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Fr. Francis J. Peffley

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Fr. Jerry J. Pokorsky

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Fr. Marcus A. Pollard

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Fr. Lee R. Roos

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Fr. Thomas P. Tunney

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60 YEARS

Father Cornelius O’Brien, now retired, was born Jan.
16, 1932, in Ireland. He attended St. Patrick Seminary in
Carlow, Ireland, and was ordained by Bishop Thomas Keogh June
5, 1955.

He was a priest in the Diocese of Alexandria, La., until he
was invited by Bishop Thomas J. Welsh in 1975 to become part
of the newly established Arlington Diocese.

He was assigned as parochial vicar at the Cathedral of St.
Thomas More (1975-79) and St. Agnes Church (1979-80) both in
Arlington. He was pastor of St. Lawrence Church in Alexandria
(1980-83) and St. Timothy Church in Chantilly (1983-99). In
1999, he became pastor of St. James Church in Falls Church,
and retired from active ministry in 2006.

He completed coursework for a doctorate in philosophy at
Catholic University in Washington. He was director of the
Notre Dame Institute, now the Notre Dame Graduate School of
Christendom College, in Alexandria (1976-79). He served as
chaplain at Christendom College in Front Royal for 25 years.

He taught metaphysics and history of philosophy at the
Association of Seminaries in Washington. A popular speaker,
Father O’Brien presented lecture series on a variety of
topics, including St. Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologiae and
the cardinal virtues. He was co-founder of the Adoremus
Society, which promotes renewal of the liturgy.

He lives in County Cork, Ireland.

55 YEARS

Father Francisco Méndez de Dios, now retired,
was ordained June 24, 1960, in Madrid, Spain.

Born in Galicia, Spain, Aug. 9, 1935, he moved to the United
States in 1979 and was incardinated into the Arlington
Diocese April 4, 1986. From 1979 to 1983, he served as
parochial vicar of Blessed Sacrament Church in Alexandria. He
also served as parochial vicar at St. Bernadette Church in
Springfield (1983-88), St. Rita Church in Alexandria
(1988-90) and St. Charles Borromeo Church in Arlington (1995
to 2004).

He worked for the tribunal (1990-95) while in residence at
St. Rita Church and then served as parochial vicar of All
Saints Church in Manassas (2004-10).

Father Méndez de Dios is now in residence at St. Rose
of Lima Priests’ Retirement Villa in Annandale.

Spiritan Father Thomas P. Tunney, now retired, was
born Dec. 12, 1934, in Ambridge, Pa.

With an early vocation to the priesthood, he enrolled in the
Spiritan junior seminary in Cornwells Heights, Pa., before
attending the Spiritan novitiate in Ridgefield and Spiritan
seminary in Norwalk, both in Connecticut. He was ordained a
member of the Congregation of the Holy Ghost (now
Congregation of the Holy Spirit) Sept. 21, 1960, by Spiritan
Bishop Richard Ackerman in Norwalk.

Following ordination, Father Tunney spent 35 years as a
missionary in Africa. Assigned to Tanzania, he evangelized to
communities who had no previous knowledge of Christianity,
and helped start clinics, schools and a hospital. When a new
diocese was established in the region, Father Tunney was
asked to create a junior seminary, and he later led local
recruitment and formation efforts.

During his time in Tanzania, Father Tunney learned Swahili
and hunted on the plains to help feed school children. His
final service for the church in Africa was as seminary rector
in Nairobi, Kenya.

Father Tunney returned to the United States in 1996 and
served as director of the Spiritan Foundation in Wheaton,
Md., (1996-99) and as a member of the provincial council of
the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (1997-2000). In 1999, he
was appointed pastor of St. Mark the Evangelist Church in the
Harlem section of New York City, where he served for 10
years.

Father Tunney was named parochial vicar of Our Lady, Queen of
Peace in 2009 and lives there in retirement.

50 YEARS

Oblate of St. Francis de Sales Father William N.
Dougherty
, in residence at St. John Neumann Church in
Reston, was born Dec. 23, 1936, in Philadelphia.

Father Dougherty graduated from Northeast Catholic High
School in Philadelphia and entered the Oblate novitiate in
Childs, Md., in 1954. After making his initial vows, he
studied biology and chemistry at Niagara University in New
York.

In 1959, he went to Switzerland, where he studied for six
years and earned degrees in philosophy and theology. He was
ordained April 3, 1965, by Bishop Ludovico Haller, abbot of
the St. Bernard monastery in Fribourg, Switzerland.

Following ordination, Father Dougherty returned to the United
States and taught at Northeast Catholic for about 10 years.
While teaching, he earned his master’s degree in French from
Villanova University in Pennsylvania. In 1972, he was sent to
Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria, where he designed
and started a schoolwide individualized education program. He
left Ireton in 1983 to help found Paul VI Catholic High
School in Fairfax, where he stayed until 1992. During his
tenure as a teacher, Father Dougherty gave a number of talks
at National Catholic Educational Association conventions.

Father Dougherty retired from teaching in 1992 and was named
parochial vicar of St. John Neumann. In 1998, he was
appointed novice master of the Oblates’ Wilmington,
Delaware-Philadelphia province, and later served as novice
master in Brooklyn, Mich.

Father Dougherty returned to St. John Neumann in 2004 and
served as parochial vicar until his retirement in July 2011.

Father Lawrence A. Kutz, assistant chaplain at the
Reston Study Center in Reston, was ordained a priest of the
Prelature of Opus Dei in Segovia, Spain, Aug. 8, 1965.

He was born Oct. 30, 1939, in Milwaukee, Wis., to Julius and
Doris Kutz.

Father Kutz attended first through fifth grade in a one-room
public school in Franklin, Wis., and sixth through eighth
grades at St. Alphonsus School in Greendale. He graduated
from Greendale High School in 1957 and earned his bachelor’s
in electrical engineering from the University of Wisconsin in
Madison in 1962.

After working for one year in the physics department at the
University of Wisconsin, he entered the Pontifical University
of the Holy Cross in Rome. After ordination, his first
assignment was in Valladolid, Spain.

Father Kutz served as the chaplain at the Leyton Study Center
for men and the Petawa Residence for women in Milwaukee, Wis.
(1967-76). He then relocated to San Francisco as the vicar
for Opus Dei in California, where he served until 1990. He
served as chaplain at Wyoming House for men and Clevemont
Residence for women in Washington (1990-2005).

Father Kutz is assistant chaplain at the Reston Study Center
in Reston.

Father Philip S. Majka, now retired, was ordained May
1, 1965, at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Richmond by Bishop John
J. Russell.

Born on April 22, 1938, in New Britain, Conn., Father Majka
is the son of Stanley A. and Helen K. Kulas Majka. He
attended St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield, Conn., Queen of
Apostles Seminary in Madison, Wis., and SS Cyril and
Methodius Seminary in Orchard Lake, Mich., in 1965.

His served as associate pastor at Blessed Sacrament Church in
Alexandria (1965-67), St. Mark Church in Vienna (1967-70),
Good Shepherd Church in Alexandria (1970-72), St. Michael
Church in Annandale (1972-75) and St. Mary Church in
Alexandria (1975-76).

Father Majka established St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in
Lake Ridge in 1976. In 1984, he was named pastor of St. John
the Evangelist in Warrenton, where he established the parish
school. In 1996, he was named pastor of St. Patrick Church in
Fredericksburg.

In 1999, the Polish American Priest Association honored
Father Majka with a national award at its 10th annual
convention. That same year, he received the Cavaliers Cross
of Merit from the Polish Government in recognition of his
service to Polish-American community.

Starting in 2005, he served as parochial vicar at St. James
Church in Falls Church until his retirement in 2012.

Father Majka now resides at St. Rose of Lima Priests’
Retirement Villa in Annandale and serves as the Catholic
chaplain at Dulles International Airport.

45 YEARS

Fathers Thomas J. Lehning and Stanley J. Krempa were
ordained Dec. 18, 1970; Oblate of St. Francis de Sales Father
Lewis S. Fiorelli, was ordained Sept. 12, 1970.

40 YEARS

Father Robert E. Avella was ordained May 10, 1975; Father
Dominic P. Irace was ordained June 29, 1975; and Fathers Mark
A. Pilon and William B. Schardt were ordained Nov. 29, 1975.

35 YEARS

Father John T. O’Hara was ordained May 10, 1980.

30 YEARS

Father Robert L. Ruskamp was ordained May 11, 1985 ;
Father Jean Vanes Nicolas was ordained July 7, 1985; and
Dominican Father Peter Houng Pham was ordained July 27, 1985

25 YEARS

Father Denis M. Donahue, pastor of St. Philip Church
in Falls Church, was born Nov. 13, 1962, in South Pasadena,
Calif., one of five sons of Francis and Mary Donahue.

He attended Catholic elementary and high school in Ann Arbor,
Mich., and Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti,
graduating in 1984. He also took courses at Christendom
College in Front Royal before entering Mount St. Mary’s
Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md. Father Donahue was ordained by
Arlington Bishop John R. Keating May 19, 1990, at the
Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington.

Before his priestly ordination, he served as an acolyte at
St. Patrick Church in Fredericksburg during the summer of
1988; during his diaconate year he served at St. Timothy
Church in Chantilly.

Father Donahue was parochial vicar of St. Agnes Church in
Arlington (1990-94); St. Louis Church in Alexandria
(1994-96); and St. Anthony of Padua Church in Falls Church
(1996-2000).

In 2000, he was appointed pastor of St. Rita Church in
Alexandria. In 2010, he was appointed pastor of St. Philip
Church.

Father Lee R. Roos was ordained by Arlington Bishop
John R. Keating at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in
Arlington May 19, 1990.

The son of Robert and Rose Marie Roos of Wexford, Pa., he
attended St. Sebastian School and North Allegheny High School
in Pittsburgh, Pa. In 1975, he earned a degree in computer
science from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. He then moved
to Fairfax and worked as a computer systems analyst for 10
years before entering St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in
Philadelphia. Ordained a deacon in 1989, he received
assignments at Holy Spirit Church in Annandale and St.
Philomena Church in Lansdowne, Pa.

Following his ordination to the priesthood, Father Roos was
named parochial vicar at St. Bernadette Church in
Springfield. He was assigned to the diocesan tribunal on a
part-time basis in 1992. In 1993, he started part-time
studies in canon Law at Catholic University in Washington,
and moved to the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington.
He began full-time study in 1995 while in residence at St.
Luke Church in McLean. In 1996, he earned a licentiate in
canon law and was assigned to the tribunal full-time.

He has held office as auditor, defender of the bond and
judge. Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde appointed Father Roos
as an adjutant judicial vicar in 1999.

In 2003, he was named administrator of St. Agnes Church in
Arlington and, in 2005, pastor of St. Agnes Church.

Father Roos has been the pastor of All Saints Church in
Manassas since 2014.

Father Marcus A. Pollard, pastor of St. Anthony Church
in Falls Church, was born Dec. 22, 1962, in Frankfurt, (West)
Germany, to David and Ilse Pollard. He attended Frost Middle
School in Fairfax and graduated from Oakton High School in
Vienna in 1981.

After attending the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton
School of Business (1981-83), he earned his bachelor’s in
philosophy from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood,
Pa., in 1987. He earned a master’s from Mount St. Mary’s
Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md., in 1990.

He was ordained by Arlington Bishop John R. Keating at the
Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington May 19, 1990.

Father Pollard was named parochial vicar of Holy Family
Church in Dale City (1990-94). In the following years, he
served as parochial vicar of St. John the Evangelist Church
in Warrenton (1994-96) and St. Louis Church in Alexandria
(1996-99); founding administrator and pastor of St. Veronica
Church in Chantilly (1999-2007); parochial vicar of St.
Bernadette Church in Springfield (2007-11) and St. John the
Apostle in Leesburg (June-Nov. 2011); administrator of Queen
of Apostles Church in Alexandria (2011-12); and parochial
vicar of St. Mary Church in Alexandria (2012-14).

Father Pollard was named pastor of St. Anthony of Padua
Church in 2014.

Father Francis J. Peffley, parochial vicar of St. John
the Apostle Church in Leesburg, was born March 16, 1963, in
Norristown, Pa.

After attending Penn Charter School in Philadelphia, he
graduated from Christendom College in Front Royal in 1986
with a degree in theology.

Father Peffley earned master’s degrees in divinity and moral
theology from Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md.,
and his diaconate assignment was at Sacred Heart of Jesus
Church in Winchester. He was ordained May 19, 1990, by
Arlington Bishop John R. Keating at the Cathedral of St.
Thomas More in Arlington.

Father Peffley was parochial vicar of St. Andrew the Apostle
Church in Clifton (1990-94), Our Lady of Angels Church in
Woodbridge (1994-98), St. Louis Church in Alexandria
(1998-2000) and St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church
in Fredericksburg (2000-01) before being named administrator
of the newly formed Holy Trinity Church in Gainesville. He
was the founding pastor of Holy Trinity. After 10 years at
Holy Trinity, Father Peffley was appointed parochial vicar of
St. John the Apostle in 2011.

Father Peffley has been the diocesan spiritual director of
the Legion of Mary since his ordination and is author of the
book Inside the Legion of Mary. He wrote a series of articles
for the Catholic Herald giving practical suggestions for
celebrating the three-year preparation for the Great Jubilee
(1997-99).

Father Peffley led youths to World Youth Days in Denver;
Manila, Philippines; and Paris. He also has juggled at events
throughout the diocese.

Father Jerry J. Pokorsky, pastor of St. Michael Church
in Annandale, was born May 6, 1954, in Manitowoc, Wis., to
James and Phyllis Pokorsky. He has two brothers and a sister,
all living in Wisconsin.

He attended St. Mary School and graduated from Roncalli High
School, both in Manitowoc. He attended Mount St. Mary’s
Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md., and was ordained by Arlington
Bishop John R. Keating at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in
Arlington May 19, 1990. He spent his diaconate assignment at
St. Leo the Great Church in Fairfax.

Father Pokorsky was parochial vicar of St. Ann Church in
Arlington (1990-94); St. Andrew the Apostle Church in Clifton
(1994-96); and Holy Spirit Church in Annandale (1996-99). He
was named administrator of St. Peter Mission in Washington,
Va., in 1999. Father Pokorsky was assigned to duty in the
Diocese of Lincoln, Neb. (2003-06). He served as parochial
vicar of St. Lawrence Church in Alexandria (2006-08).

In 2008, Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde appointed him
pastor of St. Michael Church in Annandale.

Father Pokorsky was co-founder of the Adoremus Society, and
was a contributor to the Adoremus Hymnal, which promotes
liturgical renewal. He is also a gospel commentator for the
Catholic Herald.

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