Seven Priests Marking 25th Anniversaries

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Seven priests are marking the 25th anniversary of their ordination this year.

Cardinal Dolan celebrated a Mass of thanksgiving with the jubilarians at St. Patrick’s Cathedral May 15.

Cardinal John O’Connor ordained six of the jubilarians. Father Benjamin Palacios was ordained in his native Ecuador and was later incardinated into the archdiocese.

Father John DeLora has served as chaplain of Staten Island University Hospital since 2001 and is in residence at St. Christopher-St. Margaret Mary, Staten Island. He was parochial vicar of Holy Name of Jesus, New Rochelle, 1994-2001, and St. Raymond, the Bronx, 1994.

Father Rees Doughty has been pastor of St. Thomas of Canterbury-St. Joseph parish, Cornwall-on-Hudson, since 2015. He served St. Ann, Nyack, as administrator, 2014-2015, and pastor, 2008-2014. He was pastor of St. Lawrence O’Toole, Brewster, 2004-2008, and parochial vicar of St. Barnabas, the Bronx, 1997-2004, and Notre Dame, Manhattan, 1994-1997.

Father segundo Benjamin Palacios has been chaplain of Montefiore Medical Center and parochial vicar of St. Gabriel parish, both in New Rochelle, since 2014. He was parochial vicar of St. Denis, Yonkers, 2014; St. Anthony of Padua, the Bronx, 2008-2014; and St. Anastasia, Harriman, 2005-2008. Ordained in Ecuador, he was incardinated into the archdiocese in 2015.

Father George Stewart has served as pastor of St. Augustine-Our Lady of Victory parish, the Bronx, since 2014. He served at St. Brendan’s, the Bronx, as pastor, 2004-2005, and administrator, 2004. He was parochial vicar of St. Raymond, the Bronx, 1998-2004; St. Margaret of Antioch, Pearl River, 1995-1998; and Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Elmsford, 1994.

Father Mark Vaillancourt has been president/principal of John F. Kennedy Catholic High School, Somers, since 2008. He was on the faculty of St. Joseph by-the-Sea, Staten Island, 2004-2008, and served as parochial vicar of St. Patrick’s, Staten Island, 2001-2004, and St. Charles, Staten Island, 1994-1998. He served at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, with duties at Cathedral Prep and the vocations office, 1998-2001.

Father Louis Van Thanh retired in 2017 after serving as parochial vicar of Holy Innocents parish, Manhattan, for six years. He was parochial vicar of St. Patrick, Newburgh, 1996-2011, and St. Christopher, Staten Island, 1994-1996.

Father Ignatius Vu has been administrator of St. George-St. Francis, Jeffersonville, since 2016, and served there as pastor, 2004-2016. He was parochial vicar of St. Paul’s, Staten Island, 2001-2004, and Our Lady of Sorrows, White Plains, 1994-2001.