The two brothers who became Fathers
When Father Michael Bollinger was ordained in Newark’s Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart on May 24, he exchanged laughs and hugs with the young priest who helped him into his vestments. Afterward, the newly ordained Father Michael looked out toward his family and playfully pointed to his fellow priest.
That other priest was Father Robert Bollinger, Father Michael’s little brother, who had entered ministry exactly one week before him.
The Bollinger brothers grew up in Sellersville, Pennsylvania. They were close, sharing a love for every kind of sport. They also shared a friendly sibling rivalry. “I was two years older, so I was automatically stronger, faster, and more experienced than Rob,” Father Michael said matter-of-factly.
Father Rob confirmed that his older brother usually crossed the finish line first when they were kids, “but then I got ordained one week earlier than he did.”
Brothers will always be brothers.
Two brothers, two calls
Father Michael Bollinger was a college freshman at Virginia Tech when he sensed he might be called to the priesthood, something that he said came as a “complete surprise.”
“I was an ambitious young 19-year-old and had my whole life planned out,” he told Jersey Catholic. “I wanted to do engineering and had a long-time girlfriend. I really liked what I was studying and everything.”
“It’s hard to explain, but internally, I truly heard God talking to me,” he said. He spoke to a priest at Virginia Tech who “helped me take seriously what he thought was a vocation.”
Michael Bollinger eventually decided to go to the seminary to discern his calling.
His brother Rob was in high school at this time and had already begun to take his faith more seriously. “It became something very real for me,” he told Jersey Catholic, “and I started asking myself bigger questions like what I wanted to do with my life. The idea of being a father and husband was awesome. But the idea of being a priest was placed in my heart.”
“I knew it wasn’t an idea coming from my head because I was a little afraid of it at first,” Father Rob explained. Knowing that the path would be a “radical, radical choice,” he began reading the Bible, making weekly visits to a chapel for prayer and adoration, and “asking God what his plan was for my life.”
Remarkably, the brothers stated that they received their priestly calls separately from each other. “That’s the special thing, at least for me,” Father Rob said. “I didn’t want to imitate my older brother; I wanted to imitate the Lord.”
A stunning announcement
When Michael Bollinger told his family he would be entering the seminary, “it was a huge shock – as much to me as it was to them.”
His brother confirmed that everyone was taken aback.
“We were all stunned because he kind of left everything behind,” Father Rob recalled. “I was like, ‘Oh wow, that’s very surprising because I’m also seriously considering the priesthood.”
Rob found it helpful during that period to speak to his older brother about what was in his own heart and “bounce ideas off of him.”
Two years later, Rob joined his brother Michael at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia. As with any vocational path, they experienced ups and downs. “I definitely romanticized some ideas,” Father Rob said. “Michael was very supportive during the large adventure that unfolded throughout my time in the seminary.”
Same vocation, but different paths
Though God had called them both to the priesthood, their paths would diverge in practical ways. With Michael’s help, Rob realized he especially loved ministering to the poor and homeless.
Meanwhile, Michael discovered the Neocatechumenal Way. The encounter “helped me tremendously,” he said. “In many ways, it saved my vocation.” It also led him to the Archdiocese of Newark and the city’s Redemptoris Mater Seminary.
Though they were now in different states, the brothers remained in close contact. “We always had plenty to talk about,” Father Michael said. “Rob stayed in Philly, so we had these different experiences that we could share.”
After years of preparation, Father Robert Bollinger was ordained as a priest for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia on May 17. He will be serving at Maternity B.V.M. Catholic Church in Philadelphia. A week after his ordination, he concelebrated the first Mass of his brother, Father Michael Bollinger, who will serve as a parochial vicar at St. John the Evangelist Church in Bergenfield, NJ.
Fathers and brothers forever
Asked what advice they would give to a young person who feels called to the priesthood or religious life, both men said communication was key. “One of the most helpful things for me was just to say it out loud,” Father Rob said, “like I did to my brother. There were also other role models in the faith that I spoke to. Just getting it out of my head gave me a whole different perspective.”
Father Michael concurred. “Seek the counsel of people who already have that vocation,” he suggested. “They’ve already gone through everything you’re going through, so they’re in a position to help you discern if this is something coming from God.”
The brothers also agreed that sharing the same vocation and purpose will be a blessing as they experience the ups and downs ahead. They also know they can count on the love of their parents, Dave and Karen Bollinger, who have supported their sons throughout their surprising journeys.
For his part, Father Rob said that he would never let his big brother forget that he was the first one to be ordained. “For the rest of my life, I’ll have one more week of experience than Michael,” he joked.
Told this, Father Michael laughed. He countered that his longer time as a seminarian is what really matters. “What Rob doesn’t know is that vocations are like fine wine – the older the better; the more time, the better the quality.”
These fathers will indeed always be brothers.
Click here to learn more about all the priestly ordinandi of the Archdiocese of Newark — Father Michael Bollinger, Father Giovanni Cuzziol, and Father Raymond Francis Walsh.
Featured image: Father Robert Bollinger (left) poses with his older brother, Father Michael Bollinger (right), after the latter’s ordination. (Photos by Julio Eduardo Herrera/Archdiocese of Newark)
