Hidden endorsement for ordained women in the Roman Catholic Clergy

This is not just an ordinary essay, because Father Santora seems to hide salient message in his narrative. Journalism 101, "Do not bury your lead".  Read on.....

Lessons learned from 40 years in the priesthood | Faith Matters

Opinion echo published by Father Alexander Santora published in NewJersey.com (The New Jersey Journal): 

Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the fifth-largest cathedral in North America, in Newark, New Jersey.

The Sisters of Charity educated my mother, Grace, at St. Bridget’s, Jersey City, and impacted her life.

Those same sisters expelled me from kindergarten at St. Joseph’s, Jersey City, and changed my life.

After sitting out that year, I enrolled in Holy Rosary School, down the hill in Jersey City, and found heaven on earth. The Religious Teachers Filippini and the four Italian-American priests sustained a little Italian village at Sixth, Seventh and Brunswick streets. In fact, that overall area was known as “The Village.”

From second grade, I knew I wanted to be a priest because I wanted to be like the priests there. My interests changed temporarily after St. Peter’s Prep to become a Jesuit priest. But God had different plans and I entered Immaculate Conception Seminary in Mahwah to become a diocesan priest for the Archdiocese of Newark.

At Prep, I learned Ignatian discernment, which has guided me throughout my priesthood. It’s a way of bringing together so many aspects and allowing the Lord to gently nudge us toward a decision. 

I was blessed to be ordained by Archbishop Peter Leo Gerety, one of the liberal lions of the 20th century and a church visionary, 40 years ago next Sunday. He brought real reforms of the Second Vatican Council to our local church and inspired me to dream big and make bold moves.

Gerety once told me that if women priests are of the Spirit, they will be ordained. This movement has only picked up steam and is now seen as a justice issue. In my 24 years reporting for this column, I have met many Catholic women with a call who have become Lutheran and Episcopalian clergy and in other Christian denominations. And many in the church who hold on but may lose hope.

So much has changed over the last 40 years. Liberation theology has influenced the way in which experience shapes church practice and policy. Culture wars have infiltrated the church and polarized all levels of leadership. Pope Francis has introduced a synod process to get people talking and is optimistic that ordinary Catholics can become stakeholders.

Throughout Hudson County, in New Jersey, traditional religions are being transformed by new movements and lay leaders who pound the pavement to bring in new followers. 

Emerging from COVID, religions are coping with new ways of reaching people online and through social media that can reinvigorate church worship and common prayer. We are becoming a truly international mosaic.

Still, clerical sex abuse has challenged Catholicism to its core and the outcome is still uncertain.

With all these changes swirling around, I trusted that God was leading me in all my assignments, which have been wonderful. I was puzzled why a Santora’s first assignment, in 1982, as a deacon, was to St. Teresa’s, Linden -- a Polish parish -- yet it turned out to be a wonderful year. I was ordained a priest later that year on October 30, and remained there until 1983, when I returned to Jersey City.

Ten years at St. Aloysius in Jersey City was the best setting for urban ministry. Having two schools, four other priests and Bishop Jerome Pechillo in residence along with several women religious on staff allowed for lots of ways to bring faith in fresh ways to a truly diverse community. 

Monsignor Francis DeDomenico, our seminary academic dean, became pastor and gave us leadership to make the parish vital.

Seeking a new ministry was not working out as I had planned, and I went to jail -- I mean -- to work at the Hudson County Correctional Center for two years as a counselor and then a supervisor. Working with a new warden, Ralph Green, to make it a true rehabilitation center was exciting but draining. Then I went to Kean University as chaplain for 10 years -- good years. But it was a lot like being a missionary as I had to build up the school’s ministry from the ground up.

Our Lady of Czestochowa

During those 12 years, I resided at Our Lady of Czestochowa, Jersey City, and Father Thomas Iwanowski was pastor for 10 of them. He is a gifted preacher, pastor and innovator and made the parish a mecca for young adults, which helped me prepare for my next almost 18 years at Hoboken’s Our Lady of Grace, which draws a lot of young adults and families.

Before I was appointed to Our Lady of Grace (OLG), I did not know Hoboken well, but thought it would be a great place to minister. Then one day, Monsignor Kenneth Herbster, my predecessor, asked me to consider following him. I came here as pastor in 2005, and it’s been almost half my priesthood.

St. Joseph Church, the second territorial parish nine blocks away, merged with OLG in 2008.

A lot of my time is handling physical plant matters, since all eight buildings go back to the 19th century. But parishioner support and assistance have enabled vibrant pastoral activity.

Hoboken is very transient so, unlike the experience at many parishes, we’ve come to accept seeing people you get to know and love come and go. But we draw a good number of young people with roots from all over the country and it’s great to see them make friends and some even marry from relationships here.

I inherited the ability to connect people from my father, Al, a champion boxer, who had an outgoing personality. I love greeting people as they come into church and getting to know their names as well as welcoming the out-of-state visitors coming to see their children and grandchildren – from every state in the union and even other countries.

The parishioners have been very supportive and enabled us to raise literally millions over the years to totally renovate both churches and all our buildings so the parish can once again be the Mother Church of Hoboken for the 21st century. OLG, founded in 1851, is the first Catholic Church in Hoboken.

Through the years, I’ve learned that if you do what you say, people will back you. And from my mother, I learned to manage finances prudently and get the best bang for the buck.

Building community is the reason we exist as a parish. Getting to know and care for each other, perform service, and help the poor comprise our mission in the spirit of Jesus. We’ve been able to start some special ministries, including to the LGBTQ community. 

And, we have the support of Cardinal Joseph Tobin, who has a real pastoral bent. I hope I will wind down my priesthood under his leadership.

So now I have to discern what the future holds -- whether remaining or taking on something new. I am trying to see how I can use the energy I still have to make my priesthood relevant.

But the last 40 years have taught me one major lesson. My life is in God’s hands, and they have never let me down. In fact, they have lifted me up. 

The Rev. Alexander Santora is the pastor of Our Lady of Grace and St. Joseph, 400 Willow Ave., Hoboken, NJ 07030. Email: padrealex@yahoo.com; Twitter: @padrehoboken.