Eight priests reach 40 years of serving God's people

Eight priests of the Albany Diocese are celebrating the 40th anniversary of their ordinations:

* Rev. Kenneth Doyle, a native of Troy, began his ministry as an associate pastor at Our Lady Help of Christians, Albany, while teaching at Cardinal McCloskey High, Albany.

Between 1967 and '81, he was assistant editor and then editor of The Evangelist. Simultaneously, he was chaplain at Kenwood Academy of the Sacred Heart (later renamed Doane Stuart School) in Albany.

In 1978, Father Doyle graduated from Albany Law School and was admitted to the New York State Bar.

In 1981, he was appointed bureau chief in Rome, Italy, for Catholic News Service. He then became, successively, information officer for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), director of government relations for the New York State Catholic Conference and director for media relations for the USCCB.

Since 1992, he has been pastor of St. Catherine of Siena, Albany. Since 2000, he has also been chancellor for public information for the Albany Diocese.

Father Doyle will celebrate his jubilee at a Mass of Thanksgiving, 11:30 a.m., May 21, at St. Catherine's. All parishioners and friends are invited to attend.

* Rev. John Kirwin, a native of Albany, has been an assistant at St. Mary's, Granville; the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Albany (while on the faculty of Vincentian Institute); Christ Sun of Justice, Troy (while campus minister at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute); St. Mary's, Troy (while on the faculty of Catholic Central High); St. Peter's, Saratoga Springs; and St. Helen's, Niskayuna.

He was also been administrator of St. Vincent de Paul, Cobleskill; St. Catherine's, Middleburgh; St. Peter's, Saratoga; and Our Lady of the Assumption, Schenectady.

As pastor, he has ministered at Holy Infancy, Lake Luzerne; St. Vincent, Cobleskill, and St. Anna, Summit; and, since 1995, St. John/St. Ann's, Albany, where he is currently pastor.

Father Kirwin has not announced plans to mark his jubilee.

* Rev. Robert Lefevre, a native of Albany, has been assigned as an assistant at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Gloversville; campus minister at Hudson Valley Community College; and assistant at St. Jude's, Wynantskill.

He was appointed pastor of St. John the Baptist, Schenectady, in 1979 and remained there until 1995, when he became pastor of St. Peter's, Saratoga Springs. He retired in 2005.

He will mark his anniversary May 28 at an 11:30 a.m. Mass at St. Peter's. A reception will follow.

* Rev. J. Barry Lonergan, a native of Ticonderoga, served for most of his priesthood in the military, entering active duty in 1972.

He has been stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington; Taegu, Korea; Nekoma, North Dakota; Nuremberg, Germany; West Point, N.Y.; Camp Howze, Korea; Fort Ord, Cal.; Camp Casey, Korea; Fort Benning, Georgia; Fort Hood, Texas; Fort McPherson, Georgia; and Heidelberg, Germany.

He received many military awards and decorations, including the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal and New York State Conspicuous Service Cross. He retired as a colonel in the U.S. Army.

Returning to the Albany Diocese, Father Lonergan ministered at Corpus Christi, Round Lake, and Sacred Heart, Berlin, before being named pastor of the Catholic Community of Hudson Falls/Kingsbury. He retired in 2004 and is now a minister to retired priests in the Diocese.

He will note his jubilee with a 10:30 a.m. Mass on June 18 at St. Mary/St. Paul's Church, Hudson Falls.

* Rev. David Noone, a native of Gloversville, has been an associate pastor at Immaculate Heart of Mary, Hudson Falls; pastor of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Gloversville; rector of the Office of Student Affairs at the University of Notre Dame; and pastor of St. Francis de Sales, Loudonville, since 1985.

Father Noone, who was ordained in December 1966, has not yet set plans for observing his jubilee.

* Rev. John O'Grady was ordained for the Diocese of Harrisburg, Pa., and later incardinated into the Albany Diocese.

He was founding director of the diocesan Liturgy Office and Office of Continuing Education of Clergy. He also served as associate at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and St. Ann's, both in Albany, and St. Matthew's in Voorheesville.

For many years, Father O'Grady taught in seminaries in New York, including Our Lady of Angels, Albany; St. Joseph's, Dunwoodie; and St. Bernard's, Rochester. He has also taught at Mundelein Seminary, Chicago, and the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome.

He retired in 2004 from the faculty of Barry University in Miami.

Father O'Grady will mark his jubilee with family and friends in Rome.

* Rev. Carl Urban, a native of Schenectady, has ministered as an assistant at Resurrection, Germantown, and St. Casimir's, Albany (while teaching at Vincentian Institute); as chaplain at St. Joseph Provincialate, Castleton; and as an assistant at St. Patrick's, Ravena, and Blessed Sacrament, Albany (while teaching at Cardinal McCloskey High, Albany).

In 1974, Father Urban was appointed pastor of St. Adalbert parish in Schenectady, where he still serves.

He will celebrate his jubilee with a noon Mass on June 11 at his parish. A luncheon will follow at 3:30 p.m.

* Rev. John Varno, a native of Schenectady, has served as an assistant pastor at St. John the Baptist, Walton, and St. Peter's, Troy (while teaching at Catholic Central High). From 1968-1975, he was vice principal and principal of Catholic High.

He was appointed pastor of St. Jude's, Wynantskill, in 1975. In 1998, he was named sacramental minister to Schenectady hospitals, and is now sacramental minister at Our Lady of Grace, Ballston Lake.

He will note his jubilee with a 10:15 a.m. Mass at Our Lady of Grace on May 28.

(5/4/06) [[In-content Ad]]