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Eight priests of the archdiocese are celebrating their 50th anniversary of priesthood this year. They are Msgrs. Thomas J. Bergin, Hugh F. McManus, John E. Plo, John F.X. Smith, John B. Sullivan and William J. Toohy; and Fathers Richard J. Dillon, Thomas B. Fenlon.
Seven of the jubilarians were ordained by Archbishop John Maguire in St. Patrick’s Cathedral on May 27, 1961, after studying for the priesthood at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie. Father Plo, a native of Spain, was ordained in India, after studying for the priesthood there, and was later incardinated.
Msgr. Thomas J. Bergin is administrator of St. Charles parish on Staten Island. He had served as pastor there from 2004 to 2010. He previously served as a parochial vicar at St. Charles, 1961-1965, and as administrator of St. Raymond’s parish in the Bronx, 2002-2004. He was pastor of St. Mary’s parish in Poughkeepsie, 1982-1983. Much of Msgr. Bergin’s ministry has been in education. In 1992 Cardinal O’Connor appointed him vicar for education for the archdiocese. In 1993 he was also named chancellor of the archdiocese, a position he held concurrently with vicar for education for a year before returning full time to the education post. In 1995 he was named president of Cathedral Girls High School in Manhattan. He held that position while continuing as vicar for education until 2002. In 2009 he was named chairman of the board of trustees of Msgr. Farrell High School on Staten Island. He had served at Msgr. Farrell as principal, 1983-1992. He also was at Farrell from 1965 to 1973, serving as a teacher, guidance counselor and chairman of the athletic department. From 1973 to 1982 he was principal at Moore Catholic High School, also on Staten Island. He was an archdiocesan consultor from 1993 to 2010. He was named a monsignor in 1990.
Father Richard J. Dillon was a professor of theology at Fordham University for 30 years where he taught the New Testament. He also taught Scripture at St. Joseph Seminary, 1967-1984. In 2000 he was named editor in chief of the Catholic Biblical Quarterly after serving as an associate editor and a contributing editor. In 2008 he was invited to teach in alternate semesters at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. He also served as a visiting professor at the institute, 2004-2005.
Father Thomas B. Fenlon is administrator of St. Augustine’s parish in the Bronx. He had served as pastor of St. Augustine’s from 2002 to 2010. He was parochial vicar of St. Lucy’s, also in the Bronx, 2000-2002. From 1988 to 2000 he was pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes in Manhattan. He also served as coordinator of Hispanic Ministry in the Newburgh-Beacon area from 1978 to 1988. He was parochial vicar of St. Mary’s, Newburgh, 1972-1978; St. Charles, Staten Island, 1968-1972; Annunciation, Manhattan, 1964-1968; and St. John the Evangelist, Beacon, 1961-1964.
Msgr. Hugh F. McManus is administrator of Our Lady of Fatima in Scarsdale. He was pastor there from 1994 to 2010, administrator, 1993-1994, and a parochial vicar, 1980-1984. He was pastor of Sacred Heart, Dobbs Ferry, 1984-1989, after serving there briefly as administrator. He served as archdiocesan vicar for education from 1989 to 1992. He was on the faculty of Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception in Douglaston, 1968-1980, and taught English at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, 1964-1966. He was a parochial vicar at Our Lady Star of the Sea on Staten Island from 1966 to 1968. He was named a monsignor in 1990.
Msgr. John E. Plo was pastor of St. Joseph parish in Yonkers from 1998 until his retirement in 2001. He was pastor of St. Martin of Tours in the Bronx, 1977-1989, and was active in efforts to improve housing conditions in the South Bronx. He came to the United States in 1972 and was assigned to Incarnation parish in Manhattan. Two years later he was appointed parochial vicar of Ascension in Manhattan where he served from 1974 to 1977. He was incardinated into the archdiocese in 1976 and named a monsignor in 1986.
Msgr. John F.X. Smith is administrator of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Tuxedo, and was pastor there from 1998 until 2010. He served earlier as parish administrator, 1996-1998. He was pastor of St. Thomas of Canterbury in Cornwall-on-Hudson, 1994-1996. He was pastor of Holy Name of Jesus in Kingston while serving on the faculty of John A. Coleman High School in Hurley, 1982-1994. He was parochial vicar of St. Peter’s, Manhattan, 1961-1982, and at Sacred Heart in Suffern briefly following his ordination. He was named a monsignor in 2006.
Msgr. John B. Sullivan had served as administrator at St. Columba’s parish in Manhattan from 2008 until his retirement in 2010. He also served as administrator at St. Joseph’s in Manhattan, 2007-2008. He was pastor of St. Mary’s in the Bronx, 1987-2007, and pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes, Manhattan, 1981-1987. He was administrator of Ascension in Manhattan, 1977-1981, and parochial vicar at St. John the Evangelist in Beacon, 1970-1977, and Visitation in the Bronx, 1961-1970. He was named a monsignor in 2006. He currently resides at the John Cardinal O’Connor Residence.
Msgr. William J. Toohy is in residence at Blessed Sacrament parish in Manhattan where he has been senior priest since 2005. He served the parish as parochial vicar, 2001-2005 and 1961-1969. He also served for 32 years at archdiocesan Catholic Charities, beginning in 1969 as director of social research. He was associate executive director from 1987 to 2001. An attorney, he also served as director of the Archdiocesan Office of Legal Affairs. In 2004 he was appointed vicar for clergy for the archdiocese. He served for six months as acting president and chief executive officer of Covenant House in 1990. He is a graduate of Harvard Law School. He was named a monsignor in 1986.
