Priest charts sibling priests in diocesan history

Intrigued by stories he had heard of blood brothers who entered the priesthood in the Albany Diocese, "I started to informally make this list," said Rev. Anthony Childs, assistant pastor at Blessed Sacrament parish in Albany.

His listed was expanded by Rev. John Bradley, the pastor, and Rev. George St. John, a retired priest in residence there.

The list now runs to 22 sets of names. Of the priests, seven are still in active ministry or living in retirement, such as Rev. Arthur Toole, pastor at St. Matthew's parish in Voorheesville; Rev. Donald Kelly, pastor at St. Joseph's in Green Island; and Revs. Donald Doyle and Alfred Lamanna, who are retired.

Family-style

Older Catholics may remember other sets of brothers, such as William and John Sheridan, Joseph and William Boldt, T.K. and James Flanigan, and Andrew and Thomas Lenahan.

"None of these are young names," said Father Childs, who noted that entering the religious life was once somewhat of a family affair because families were much larger than today, often boasting six to eight children.

The expectation was that one or two of them would become a priest of sister, said Father Bradley. He is the oldest of 5; Father Childs, the oldest of 6.

Runs in the family

Catholic children sometimes grew up around family members who had already joined the diocesan priesthood or a religious order. One Albany family, the Gaffigans, boasted two "extraordinary" generations of religious, according to Father Childs: brothers John and Charles, who were Albany priests, and their nephews, also brothers, Charles and William.

Some of the sets of brothers also had siblings who entered religious orders like the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, the Sisters of the Presentation and the Sisters of Mercy.

"The sense of vocation was very strong in those families. It would have been a joy" for parents, Father Childs explained. "Maybe, back then, going to the priesthood was seen as a good, stable career."

Cultural input

Such families were supported by tight, close neighborhoods, where the community "revolved around the parishes," Father Bradley noted, and where houses were advertised in local newspapers as being located within a particular parish's boundaries in order to attract buyers.

Today's Catholic culture isn't so overt, he said; "it's just different."

At Blessed Sacrament School, the vast majority of families enroll only one child. Neighborhood ties have dissolved as the exodus to the suburbs has picked up speed.

Choices

While the old geographical parish lines still exist, they aren't as important. Which makes it even more crucial, Father Childs said, for parents to include the priesthood and the religious life in the possible careers and life choices they offer to their children, even though the priesthood -- with its low pay, long hours and recent stigma -- doesn't appear as an attractive concept to some parents or success-minded students.

"Just talk about it! Mention it as an option to the kids," he urged. "Say it positively, wholesomely and optimistically. Stay in touch with the parish, your priest, and the [Diocesan] Vocations Office. Be in conversation about it, discuss it and promote it."

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