SAN ANTONIO, Texas--Father Michael J. O'Rourke, OP, a former parishioner at Holy Cross Church, Atlanta, was ordained a Dominican priest on June 15 by Archbishop Patrick F. Flores in St. Ann Church.

He was presented for ordination by Very Rev. Alberto Rodriguez, OP, prior provincial of the Southern Dominican Province of St. Martin de Porres and a former pastor at Holy Cross.

He celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving at Holy Cross on June 30 and will celebrate another July 7 at 8 a.m. at St. Mary's on the Hill, Augusta.

A civil engineering graduate of Georgia Institute of Technology, Father O'Rourke was born in Augusta May 30, 1959, son of Josephine and Edward O'Rourke.

After first working with Southern Bell in Orlando, Fla., Father O'Rourke moved to Atlanta and became active in the music ministry with the Dominican Friars at Holy Cross.

In July 1990 he joined the Dominican novitiate at Casa Juan Macias in San Antonio and was professed as a friar Aug. 8, 1991. He studied theology at Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, Mo., and received a master of divinity degree from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, Calif.

He was ordained a deacon by Archbishop Justin Rigali on May 13, 1995, in St. Louis.

He completed his diaconate internship at St. Ann Parish in San Antonio and with the Dominican Friars' Community in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.

Father O'Rourke is assigned to St. Anthony of Padua Priory in New Orleans and will serve as parochial vicar at St. Anthony Parish with special care for the Hispanic community.