Pope Francis elevates 4 Delco priests to monsignor
PHILADELPHIA » The Archdiocese of Philadelphia announced that nine diocesan priests have been named monsignors by Pope Francis with the title Chaplain of His Holiness. Archbishop Charles Chaput received word of the papal honors Nov. 2 from Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.
The honors will be conferred during a vespers service with the new monsignors, other priests, bishops and guests on Sunday, Dec. 3 at 4 p.m. in the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul, 18th Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
All of the priests studied at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary and were ordained to the priesthood by the late John Cardinal Krol. In addition, each has served in priestly ministry for more than 40 years.
Among the priests are four from Delaware County and one from neighboring Westtown Township in Chester County:
The Rev. Joseph M. Corley, Pastor of Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Darby
The Rev. William C. Kaufman, Pastor of Saint Pius X Parish, Broomall
The Rev. Henry J. McKee, Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Havertown
The Rev. Robert C. Vogan, Pastor of Saint Joseph Parish, Aston
The Rev. Thomas J. Dunleavy, Senior Priest at Saints Simon and Jude Parish, West Chester
The recognition is being bestowed upon these men for their many years of distinguished priestly service and as a sign of their communion with the Holy Father and his Apostolic Ministry.
Diocesan priests receive the honorary title in recognition for their many years of distinguished priestly service and as a sign of their communion with the pope and his apostolic ministry.
Under new rules set by Pope Francis in 2014, fewer diocesan priests are named monsignor than in previous years, and only those 65 years or older may be named.
All the newly honored priests are well respected by their fellow priests of the archdiocese.
Father Vogan enjoys the longest tenure of those joining the ranks of monsignor, with 47 years of service as a priest. All of his primary assignments have been in parish ministry, both in Philadelphia and Delaware County. He has led St. Joseph Parish in Aston for the past 21 years. He currently also serves on the Council of Priests, College of Consultors and the priests’ compensation and retirement plan committees. As a sign of the esteem of his fellow priests, Father Vogan was elected by them as the dean for Deanery 2 (Western Delaware County) for five years, and he was a priest mentor in the Pastoral Leadership Institute of the archdiocese.
Father McKee’s ministry mostly was served in inner-city ministry including parishes in West Philadelphia (St. Gabriel, the former Our Lady of the Holy Souls and the former Our Lady of Victory) and Kensington (Visitation B.V.M.) before he became pastor of Sacred Heart, Havertown, in 2000. He also served for three years as a mentor in the Pastoral Leadership Institute.
Likewise, Father Kaufman, 43 years a priest, served in several Philadelphia parishes including as pastor of St. Richard in South Philadelphia before his current assignment at St. Pius X in 2012. He too has been elected a dean (Deanery 8, South Philadelphia) and has been relied upon as a mentor to seminarians and young priests, and a confidant to older priests. Father Kaufman is well known for ministry to the elderly and the poor in his parish assignments.
Father Dunleavy served as parochial vicar in mostly suburban parishes before he was named pastor of St. Anselm in Philadelphia for 13 years. He has served as senior priest at two parishes where his care for people was highly valued, as was his mentorship of young priests.
Care for young people and the faithful of urban parishes has marked the ministry of Father Joe Corley. From working in the Office for Youth and Young Adults in the 1980s to stints teaching at Cardinal O’Hara and Hallahan high schools through the ‘90s, Father Corley served since 1998 as pastor of B.V.M. Parish in Darby. He also currently serves on the College of Consultors and Council of Priests, is dean of the Easter Delaware County Deanery and is rector of Villa St. Joseph, the retirement community in Darby for elderly and infirm priests.
Three other priests receiving the papal honors all were ordained together in 1977, now in their 40th year of ministry.