Diversity, continuity at Bergenfield church credited for fostering more young priests

Over the last few years, St. John the Evangelist Parish in Bergenfield has seen a surge in men from its faith community seeking to become ordained. Two seminarians, Victor Muwonge and Father Matthew Gonzalez are parish members. An additional two, Father Ashton Wong and Father Lynx Soliman served their transitional diaconate there. Currently, it is uncommon for a parish to be involved in forming two priests in such a brief time – let alone four. So, what makes St. John’s unique, and why the rise in priestly formation?

St. John’s is a diverse parish. While Bergenfield is more than 55% white according to 2020 Census Bureau numbers, St. John’s has predominant groups of white, Hispanic, and Asian parishioners. In total, more than 55 countries are represented among the 3,500 parishioners, according to Msgr. Richard Arnhols, the pastor of St. John’s.

“That [diversity] seems to provide a very welcoming environment for people. There’s a sense that everybody belongs to a certain extent,” he said.

Father Matthew after the first Mass. *(COURTESY ST. JOHN)*

The continuity of clergy also factors into the uniqueness of St. John’s and could be directly linked to increased priestly formation, Msgr. Arnhols said. “Studies have been done that [show that] parishes where priests didn’t change as much tended to foster vocations more than places where there was always a change of personnel,” Msgr. Arnhols said. This is the case at St. John’s, where Msgr. Arnhols has been assigned for 24 years. One of its parochial vicars, Father Raymond Filipski, has been there since the late 70s.

However, St. John’s success with fostering vocations cannot simply be boiled down to the longevity of priests in one place. “We have that stability among the two of us,” Msgr. Arnhols said of himself and Father Filipski. “And yet at the same time, we’ve had, not exclusively but predominantly, newly ordained priests coming in. And so, we have the combination of continuity plus newness.”

From the pews, that difference in perspective and visibility matters: “People have a witness of the types of things that priests can do as well as the witness of various types of personalities that priests have,” Msgr. Arnhols said.

At this point, it’s fair to say that St. John the Evangelist Parish is blessed – even privileged – to have the five priests and diverse parishioner engagement.

But Msgr. Arnhols will be the first to point out that the chief reason for increased priestly vocations isn’t the number of clergy or resources at St. John’s – it’s the parish community. That’s what makes St. John’s special. And the seminarians who have spent one year and up to 20 years at St. John’s echo this.

Father Gonzalez, who grew up a member of St. John’s and is now a parochial vicar at St. Bartholomew Church in Scotch Plains, mentions two factors in his formation: the ministries and Sacraments offered to the youth.

Father Ashton Wong delivers the homily at his first Mass. (COURTESY ST. JOHN)

“My encounter with Christ happened through the parish’s charismatic youth ministry, Jovenes de Jesus. By serving Christ through service to my peers, I came to realize that whatever I did in my life, I wanted to do it out of love for God and my neighbor. Growing up at St. John’s, I also remember the availability of the Sacraments, especially the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Confessions are offered daily, and this was a great source of consolation and growth in my relationship with Jesus.”

Father Wong, the newest parochial vicar at St. John’s, remembers feeling trepidation before beginning his one-year transitional diaconate at the parish – but that quickly changed: “The entire parish community, from the top down, has been very supportive, encouraging, and welcoming. They helped to dispel my fears and anxieties, providing solid feedback and advice.”

And Msgr. Arnhols is as much a reason for St. John’s vocational success as any other.

“I never felt like ‘one more piece in the machinery,” Father Wong said. “He was very attentive to things in the parish that would help me grow into the priesthood, even if it meant taking more time from his already busy schedule.”

Father Gonzalez recalls sharing with Msgr. Arnhols that he might be “too young to say yes” to the priesthood.

Father Matthew Gonzalez concelebrates his first Mass with Father Lynx Soliman (R) and Msgr. Richard Arnhols (L). (COURTESY ST. JOHN)

“I told him, ‘I have doubts whether I will be able to minister well to God’s people.’ He responded by sharing the calling of Jeremiah from Scripture (Jeremiah 1:4-10). In a word, he shared that, just as God gave Jeremiah what he needed to be a prophet, God would give me all that I need to be His priest. That filled me with great confidence,” Father Gonzalez said.

No one person’s journey to vocational life is alike, but the support of a parish community and its priests can act as a consistent guiding presence. Indeed, “presence” might be the word for what is unique about John the Evangelist Parish.

Featured Photo: Father Matthew Gonzalez with clergy and seminarians after first Mass.
(COURTESY ST. JOHN)