All College
|
June 26, 2017
Share:
The Most Rev. Paul J. Bradley, Bishop of Kalamazoo, Michigan, ordains Rev. Jeffrey Hanley (’13), and Rev. Maximilian Nightingale (’13)
The Most Rev. Paul J. Bradley, Bishop of Kalamazoo, Michigan, ordains Rev. Jeffrey Hanley (’13), and Rev. Maximilian Nightingale (’13)

By God’s grace, Thomas Aquinas College can now claim three more alumni priests! On Saturday, June 24 — the Feast of the Birth of John the Baptist — Rev. Miguel (Gaspar ’08) Batres, O.Praem., Rev. Jeffrey Hanley (’13), and Rev. Maximilian Nightingale (’13) were all ordained to the sacred priesthood of Jesus Christ.

Ordination of Rev. Miguel (Gaspar ’08) Batres, O.Praem.
Ordination of Rev. Miguel (Gaspar ’08) Batres, O.Praem.

The Most Rev. Timothy Freyer, Auxiliary Bishop of Orange, California, ordained Fr. Miguel, a Norbertine monk at St. Michael’s Abbey, at Mission San Juan Capistrano. Meanwhile, some 2,000 miles away, the Most Rev. Paul J. Bradley, Bishop of Kalamazoo, Michigan, ordained Fr. Hanley and Fr. Nightingale at St. Augustine Cathedral. Kalamazoo natives and Class of 2013 classmates, Fr. Hanley and Fr. Nightingale both entered the seminary shortly after their graduation and have studied at the Pontifical North American College in Rome.

“John the Baptist had a calling that was indeed profound and important,” said Bishop Bradley is his ordination homily (PDF). “But He only prepared the way for Jesus. As an ordained priest, you will be one who is entrusted with that great mission of being Christ for others — an alter Christus —to allow those to whom you are sent to know Jesus’ Love and Mercy, wherever that mission sends you, and no matter what the circumstances are.” Photos from the ordination are available via the Diocese’ Facebook page, and video of the Mass can be seen in the player at the bottom of this post.

With these three latest ordinations, the Collegenow has 71 priests among its alumni. Thanks be to God!