‘A
great day for the Church’
By Christie L. Chicoine
CS&T Staff Writer
PHILADELPHIA — “It’s a great day for
the Church — the Church today receives three priests,”
said newly ordained Father Martin J. Ivanovich, a native
of Poland whose home parish in the Philadelphia Archdiocese
is St. Josaphat in the Manayunk section of the city.
Together with Father Ivanovich, Father Brian M. Kean of
St. Frances Cabrini Parish in Fairless Hills and Father
Daniel M. Kredensor of Mary, Mother of the Redeemer Parish
in North Wales were ordained for the Archdiocese by Cardinal
Justin Rigali Saturday, May 17 at the Cathedral Basilica
of SS. Peter and Paul.
“Dear ordinands, as you open your hearts today to
the Spirit of holiness — God’s Holy Spirit
— to receive ordination to the priesthood, realize
that you will never be alone,” Cardinal Rigali said.
“The entire Church is with you, and the entire Church
will remain with you in the years to come, to support
you, to encourage you and to be supported and served by
you.”
Father Ivanovich, in his nine years in the Seminary, “always
prayed that I would make it, and I did — with the
grace of God and … prayers.” Added the 27-year-old
ordinandi, “I was very peaceful today.”
The son of Zbigniew Iwanowicz and Bozena Iwanowicz, he
also asked for prayers “that I will not falter”
as he strives to be what the Church asks him to be: a
good, faithful, holy priest.
Father Ivanovich also had a request for those he will
serve in his first assignment, as a parochial vicar at
St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish in West Chester: “Pray
for me. Help me, because I’m a new priest.”
“I could feel the Holy Spirit, the presence of Christ,
descending upon me today,” said Father Kredensor,
27, the son of Eugene and Mary Kredensor.
He said his most cherished moment “was when I was
able to speak the words of Christ at the Eucharistic Prayer.
I actually was shaking throughout the entire Eucharistic
Prayer, but I really felt the presence of Christ. I knew
at that point I was In Persona Christi (in the Person
of Christ). It was awesome.”
Father Kredensor has been assigned as a parochial vicar
to St. Andrew Parish in Newtown. “I cannot wait
to be there, to start ministering with them and to walk
with them in their journey of faith, along with my journey
of faith,” he said.
He said he planned to pray that night “for the whole
Church, for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and for all
my family and friends who have helped me on this journey.”
He also planned to thank God “for the great gift,”
a vocation to the priesthood.Father Kredensor said he
also plans to promote vocations to the priesthood so that
other men might hear God’s call.
“It’s been the journey of eight years,”
said Father Kean, 28, the son of Bruce and Geraldine Kean.
“Jesus has constantly been beside me and leading
me to this point, surrendering to His trust and His providence,”
Father Kean said. “He’s rewarded me many,
many times over — most especially in the gift of
His priesthood.”
Father Kean acknowledged the “holy priests and good
priests” at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary for their
guidance: “It’s been a marvelous journey.
The Seminary has been so good to me over these past eight
years, and has really brought me to this place.”
The highlight of the ordination for Father Kean was the
laying on of hands by Cardinal Rigali and the other priests.
The night before his ordination, Father Kean said, he
prayed that he may be “a good, holy priest of Jesus,
that I may always follow after His will.”
On his ordination day, he was planning to offer his night
prayers in “immense thanksgiving for what He has
given to me.”
Father Kean’s first assignment will be as a parochial
vicar of St. Joseph Parish in Downingtown. “I can’t
wait,” he said. “I’m thrilled.”
CS&T Staff Writer Christie L. Chicoine may be
reached at (215) 587-2468 or cchicoin@adphila.org.