Print Issue: July 4, 2002

Three Priests Celebrate Jubilee Year

By Erika Anderson

ATLANTA - A quiet Mass celebrated June 5 by Archbishop John F. Donoghue honored three priests who have collectively ministered to Catholics for 75 years.

The silver jubilarians were Father Francis David McGuinness, parochial vicar at All Saints Church in Dunwoody; Father John Walsh, pastor of Holy Trinity Church in Peachtree City; and Father Carl Zdancewicz, OFM Conv., pastor of St. John Vianney Church in Lithia Springs.

Silver jubilarians (l-r) Father John Walsh, pastor of Holy Trinity Church, Peachtree City, Father Carl Zdancewicz, OFM Conv., pastor of St. John Vianney Church, Lithia Springs, and Father F. David McGuinness, parochial vicar at All Saints Church, Dunwoody, listen as the gospel is read during the Jubilee Celebration of the Eucharist at the Cathedral of Christ the King, Atlanta, June 5. (Photos by Michael Alexander)

The Mass was attended mostly by concelebrating priests, but a few lay Catholics, such as Joan Brown, a parishioner of St. John Vianney, came to support their priests.

"They just need all the support and prayers they can get," she said.

In his homily, the archbishop used several quotes from St. Paul about a priest's calling to a holy life.

"We hear these words and we know that in those most perfect moments of our ministry, especially when we hear the sins of the Faithful in Confession, and when we bring to them the eternal life which is the Body and Blood of Christ - we know that at these moments, God's strength, and the sacrifices we make, are truly joined in moments of miracle, moments when the design of God for the salvation of his people is blindingly clear, and we are but earthen vases from whom He pours out grace and salvation upon the face of the earth," he said. "Such is the power of the Sacraments we have been called to administer."

He said that the grace of priesthood does not mean that it is a life without trial and doubt, and he encouraged the congregation to pray for the priests.

Archbishop John F. Donoghue, center, stands before the altar during "The Lamb of God" as jubilarians Father Carl Zdancewicz, OFM Conv., left, pastor of St. John Vianney Church, Lithia Springs, and Father F. David McGuinness, right, parochial vicar at All Saints Church, Dunwoody, stand immediately behind the archbishop with fellow jubilarian Father John Walsh, pastor of Holy Trinity Church, Peachtree City, and their brother priests.

"And we do pray, in union with our people, that God will give us the strength to endure whatever He calls us to face - the strength to keep ourselves from the ways of sin, especially those sins which bring harm to His Church, His bride, who longs only to be ready when He shall return to the face of the earth - and the strength to walk faithfully with our Lord, down the road to crucifixion and death, since we know that also with Him, we shall one day rise from the tomb, and walk into the halls of Heaven."

Father Zdancewicz said that the Mass was affirming.

"Having my brother priests there to celebrate the calling that Christ has given to all of us reminded me of my own commitment," he said.

The jubilarians are:

Father David McGuinness

Father McGuinness, a native of Ireland, was ordained June 5, 1977 at the Cathedral in Waterford, Ireland. He spent his first 10 years as a priest at St. Paul's Church in Waterford City. From 1987-95, Father McGuinness was a priest at the parish in Kilmac-thomas, County Waterford, Ireland. The next eight years of his priesthood were spent at the parish in Clogheen, County Tipperary, while he was also teaching economics at the National University of Ireland. He became a parochial vicar at All Saints Church in Dunwoody in November 2001.

Father John Walsh

Father Walsh, also a native of Ireland, was ordained June 12, 1977 in Claremorris, Ireland. His first assignment from 1977-79 was as a parochial vicar at Corpus Christi Church in Stone Mountain. For the next three years, he served as a parochial vicar at St. John the Evangelist Church in Hapeville. From 1983-86, he was a parochial vicar at St. Jude the Apostle Church in Atlanta, where he served part time as an administrator in the pastor's absence. He also served as a parochial vicar and part- time administrator at St. Thomas More Church, Decatur. He served just a little over a month in 1987 as a parochial vicar at the Cathedral of Christ the King, Atlanta, before his first pastorship at St. Pius X Church in Conyers. He remained at St. Pius until 1996, then moved to Peachtree City to serve his current assignment as pastor of Holy Trinity Church.

Father Carl Zdancewicz, OFM Conv.

Father Zdancewicz was ordained May 7, 1977 in Albany, N.Y. He made his profession of vows for the Conventual Franciscans on Aug. 15, 1973. His first assignment as a priest was as a parochial vicar at St. Adalbert Church in Elmhurst, N.Y. He served as a guidance counselor at St. Francis High School in Althol Springs, N.Y. He served as a parochial vicar at St. Francis Parish in Althol Springs until 1985, when he became a co-pastor at St. Paul Church in Kensington, Conn. He served there until 1995, when he was assigned as pastor of St. John Vianney Church in Lithia Springs.