FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 9, 2020

Bishop Michael F. Burbidge, Catholic Diocese of Arlington, Ordains Five Men to the Priesthood This Year 

Calls on New Priests to “Give to the World What It Needs Now More Than Ever: The Love and Mercy of God…”    

ARLINGTON, Va. - On Saturday, June 6, Bishop Michael F. Burbidge, Catholic Diocese of Arlington, ordained five men to the priesthood. The new priests are Fathers Guillermo José González Cordova, Peter Michael McShurley, Joseph Francis Moschetto, Charles Christopher Pavlick and James Francis Waalkes. The ordinations took place at 11 a.m. at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington, Va., and were available to the general public via livestream on the Diocese of Arlington's Facebook page and YouTube channel.

“The uniqueness of the year in which you are ordained as we deal with a pandemic and sadly witness tension, injustice and division within our nation, is a powerful reminder that we will only be healed, renewed and united in and through the power of God, who in so many ways the world has rejected. This is the world to which you will be sent as newly ordained priests,” Bishop Burbidge told the men. “Give to the world what it needs more than ever: the love and mercy of God in Word, Sacrament, generous service and your holiness and integrity of life as you remain faithful to your commitment to celibacy and promises of respect and obedience. And as we have learned throughout these past months, be newly ordained priests who use the technology and resources that allow you to remain connected pastorally and spiritually in creative ways to God's people, especially those distancing themselves from the Lord and his Church. This is the new evangelization you and all bishops and priests are called to embrace in a special way.”

Due to social distancing measures, in-person participation at the ordination ceremony was limited from the Cathedral's standard capacity of 1,200 to 300 persons, which included those being ordained and their families.

Bishop Burbidge has assigned each new priest to the following parishes upon ordination:

• Reverend Guillermo González to Parochial Vicar at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Alexandria.
• Reverend Peter M. McShurley to Parochial Vicar at Saint Agnes Parish in Arlington.
• Reverend Joseph F. Moschetto to Parochial Vicar at Saint Luke Parish in McLean.
• Reverend Charles C. Pavlick to Parochial Vicar at Saint Timothy Parish in Chantilly.
• Reverend James F. Waalkes to Parochial Vicar at Saint Anthony of Padua Parish in Falls Church.
  
  

Visit here for information on each of the priests, courtesy of the Arlington Catholic Herald.  

Interested media should contact Amber Roseboom, Director of Media Relations, Catholic Diocese of Arlington, at 571-215-8731 or Amber.Roseboom@arlingtondiocese.org

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The Catholic Diocese of Arlington was established on August 13, 1974, and is home to 70 parishes and more than 460,000 Catholics. There are currently 276 priests serving in the Diocese and 49 seminarians discerning a priestly vocation. The Diocese has 37 parish (K-8) schools, four diocesan high schools, four independent Catholic schools and five free-standing (not connected with a parish school) pre-schools, serving more than 17,000 students.

Geographically, the Diocese includes the seven cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Fredericksburg, Manassas, Manassas Park, and Winchester and the 21 counties of Arlington, Clarke, Culpeper, Fairfax, Fauquier, Frederick, King George, Lancaster, Loudoun, Madison, Northumberland, Orange, Page, Prince William, Rappahannock, Richmond, Shenandoah, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Warren and Westmoreland.