Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Newark, is set to ordain three men to the priesthood during the Rite of Ordination on Saturday, May 25, at 10 a.m., and three transitional deacons during a Deaconate Ordination on Sunday, May 19, at noon. Both ceremonies will be held in Newark’s Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart.

The public is invited to attend these ordination masses and offer prayers for the newly ordained men as they embark on their service in parishes across Bergen, Essex, Hudson, or Union counties. Attendees of the priestly ordination will also have the opportunity to receive the first blessings from the newly ordained priests and greet them after the ceremony.

Both ordinations will be livestreamed on the Archdiocese’s YouTube and Facebook pages as well as those of the Cathedral Basilica.

This year's ordinandi have followed diverse paths to their priesthood. Despite their varied backgrounds, they all share one commonality — their lives have been enriched by God. They are Deacon Matteo Matarazzo, 31; Deacon Joseph A. Pavone, 35; and Deacon Andrew M. Rubinich, 25.

“Harvest day comes again for us in the Archdiocese of Newark who have responded generously to the Lord’s call to ‘Beg the Lord of the harvest, to send out laborers for His harvest (Luke 10:2),’” said Father Eugenio de la Rama, director of vocations for the Archdiocese of Newark. “May our new priests be encouraged by Pope Francis' words earlier this month: 'You will experience joy being true fathers who do not dominate others but rather bring out in them great and precious possibilities.' Praised be Jesus Christ now and forever.”

The three men who will be ordained as transitional deacons — Mike Bollinger, Giovanni Cuzziol, and Raymond Walsh — are current seminarians who will each spend the next year serving an archdiocesan parish, performing charitable works, proclaiming God’s Word, and assisting in the liturgical and sacramental life of the Church. This will culminate in their ordinations to the priesthood one year from now.

Men interested in exploring life in the priesthood are encouraged to contact the Archdiocese of Newark’s Office of Priestly Vocations. This office fosters a culture of vocation through prayer, recruitment, and accompaniment. To learn more, visit newarkpriest.com.