It?s been just over a year since eight men were ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Daniel Thomas, apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Cleveland. Bishop Thomas, who heads the Diocese of Toledo, also guided the Cleveland Diocese from the time Bishop Richard Lennon retired in December 2016 until Bishop Nelson Perez was installed last September. During that time, he celebrated the ordination the Mass for this group of priests who are serving at parishes in the diocese.
Father Soohyan (Peter) Bang, Father Jacob Bearer, Father James Cosgrove, Father Eric Garris, Father Matthew Jordan, Father Robert McWilliams, Father Peter Morris and Father Anthony Simone were ordained on May 19, 2017 in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in downtown Cleveland.
Bishop Perez invited the eight classmates to a private lunch at his residence on May 29 so he could get better acquainted with them and to celebrate the first anniversary of their ordination. They told him their class gathered last weekend for dinner, conversation and to catch up on their first year of priestly ministry.
?Yesterday was 30 years for me (since ordination),? said Father Dan Schlegel, secretary and vicar for clergy and religious, who also attended the lunch.
?May 20 was 29 years for me,? said Bishop Perez, referring to his ordination. ?It sure goes fast, doesn?t it??
The bishop has arranged lunches with small groups of priests in order to get better acquainted. They gather for informal conversation before heading to the rectory chapel for midday prayer and then to the dining room for lunch.
