Newly-ordained priests begin their parish assignments

Five new priests ordained in the Archdiocese of Newark in May will begin their parish assignments on Saturday, June 17.

Father Patrick Winbush, O.S.B. was ordained by Cardinal Wilton Gregory at St. Mary’s Church in Newark on May 20. A week later, Fathers Robert Burkot, Bernardo Garcia, Andrew Lee, and Frenel Phanord were ordained by Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R. at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark.

Read below for more about their assignments.

Father Robert Burkot: St. Paul of the Cross – Jersey City

Father Burkot will join Father George Joseph, pastor, in serving an increasingly Hispanic parish community in Jersey City. For almost two years, St. Paul of the Cross has been a one-priest parish, so Father Joseph is looking forward to welcoming Father Burkot to the staff.

“We are happy to have him,” Father Joseph said. “He will be serving a community that is becoming more and more Spanish-speaking, so he will have to learn Spanish, but hopefully he can also engage the English-speaking community as well and enhance our ministry. I am looking forward to seeing him every day around the parish, working with him, and mentoring him.”

Father Robert Burkot (center) celebrates his First Mass at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Ridgewood on May 28.

Father Bernardo Garcia: Sts. Bernard of Clairvaux and Stanislaus Kostka – Plainfield

Father Garcia will join Father Marcin Fuks, administrator of the parish, in serving a diverse community, including Polish, Spanish, and English-speaking parishioners.

In a June 4 bulletin, Father Fuks said that Father Garcia’s arrival “will be a great blessing to all of us” and he asked the faithful to keep Father Garcia in their prayers.

Father Bernardo Garcia is ordained by Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R. on May 27 at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark.

Father Andrew Lee: Our Lady of Sorrows – South Orange

Father Lee rejoins the parish after serving his transitional diaconate at Our Lady of Sorrows and will be serving alongside Father Brian Needles, pastor; Father Richard Pfannenstiel, priest-in-residence; and Father Gino de la Rama, priest in residence. Father Needles was ecstatic to welcome Father Lee back to the parish.

“Father Andrew Lee’s assignment to our parish was God’s answer to many prayers!” Father Needles said. “For several months our parishioners had been praying that Father Andrew would be assigned to us. That’s because as a transitional deacon, he had served our parish over the past year and in that short time he had become a beloved member of our parish family. We were continually inspired by Andrew’s goodness and kindness and by his humility and holiness. We are certain that he will bring much life, love, and faith to our parish. Thank you, God, for answering our prayers! And thank you, Cardinal Tobin, for assigning Father Andrew to us!”

Father Andrew Lee (center) celebrates his First Mass at Maddona Church in Fort Lee on May 28.

Father Frenel Phanord: St. Mary – Plainfield

Father Phanord joins a parish that he is very familiar with having known the pastor, Father Manoel Oliveira, for almost two decades and spending several summer and Christmas vacations at the parish. He will be serving with Father Oliveira and Father Francesco Carrasco, parochial vicar.

“I have known Frenel for almost 20 years and I am happy to have him here,” Father Oliveira said. “For me, he is a brother. He knows how we work and the needs of our parish. Our parish is heavily Hispanic, and his Spanish is not-too-good yet, but if he loves the people, it will come.

So we’re very grateful, because with the amount of people we have here, we need a priest, and he is a young priest, so it is beautiful. The community here is excited to have a new priest whom they know. It’s a gift. When he was talking to me, he said ‘Father Manoel, this is so nice. I know you. I know the parish.’ It was a surprise, but we are all very happy.”

Father Frenel Phanord (left) celebrates his First Mass at St. Peter Church in Belleville on May 28.

Father Patrick Winbush, O.S.B: St. Mary – Newark

Father Winbush will be serving as a priest in the same community that he has known for more than two decades when he was a lay religious monk at Newark Abbey. He joins the St. Mary’s staff as associate rector and will serve alongside Father Philip Waters, O.S.B., pastor; and Fathers Linus Edogwo and Augustine Boachie.

“I look forward to ministering to this community which I have known for the last 23 years,” Father Winbush said. “My role in St. Mary’s is to work with the rector to spread the Gospel and evangelize to our sisters and brothers.”