Three men ordained to the priesthood at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral

GREENSBURG – JUNE 1 – It has been nearly a decade since the Diocese of Greensburg has ordained more than one priest at a time. Today, The Most Reverend Larry J. Kulick, JCL, Bishop of Greensburg,  ordained three men to the presbyterate. Deacons Craig Alexander, David Slusarick and John Torres were ordained to the priesthood during an ordination Mass at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in Greensburg.

It was first time since 2015 that three men have been ordained together in the Diocese.

“I believe it that it’s not only a beautiful sign of God’s blessings to us but also an answer to our prayers,” Bishop Kulick said. “The people of the Diocese have been praying with the intention for vocations. It will be a wonderful day of celebration as we will receive three new priests into our Diocese.”

Bishop Kulick said he was blessed to know each of the priests during their formation through seminary.

“They approach the altar not to be the  Savior, but to guide people through the mystery of the Church and onto salvation,” Bishop Kulick said. “They approach the altar as the sacrificial Christ who climbed the altar of Calvary. They go to the altar to serve.”

Father Alexander,  who grew up in the Harrisburg area, served in the United States Marine Corps for 13 years. After his honorable discharge, he worked for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for 25 years.

Father  Alexander began his vocational discernment during the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), when he was preparing for initiation into the Catholic Church.

“My classmates in the RCIA program would always tease me that I would be a good priest,” Deacon Alexander recalled.

The conversations led to a meeting with his parish priest, who encouraged him to consider the priesthood as a vocation. Father  Alexander said he felt unworthy.
 
“I never heard anybody laugh so hard in my life,” he said of his priest’s reaction.
 “He told me none of us are worthy enough to be a priest except Jesus.”

They talked for several more hours which led to Father Alexander’s discernment to attend seminary.

“Father Alexander has been a remarkable example of someone who later in life  was completely open to formation and allowed it to fill him and enrich him, and I am so proud of him,” Bishop Kulick said. “I know he is looking forward to sharing the gift of the priesthood with the people he will be entrusted to serve.”

Uniontown native Father David Slusarick is the only child of Amy and the late David B. Slusarick. For several years, he felt a “persistent tug on my heart” to serve God through the priesthood. He volunteered at a local hospice, which helped him in his discernment because it strengthened his desire to be with God’s people in difficult moments and bring them the sacraments.

“In sitting there with them, I thought how wonderful it would be to be able to be able to hear their final confession or to anoint them with holy oils or give them their final communion before they journey back to our Lord,” he said, adding that he believes this was the Lord calling him to the priesthood.

Bishop Kulick said Father  Slusarick brings energy and excitement to the priesthood and is truly a reflection of the people of Fayette County.

Father Slusarick graduated from Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary in  Wynnewood. His home parish is St. Therese, Little Flower of Jesus Parish in Uniontown.

Father  Torres is a native of Amparo, Sao Paulo, Brazil. His parents, Antonio and Lucia,  traveled from Brazil to attend their son’s ordination while others were able to watch the livestream of the Mass.

Father  Torres came to the United States, at the suggestion of a Bishop in Brazil to continue his seminary education at Saint Vincent Seminary. Unable to speak or read English, he had nine months to learn and speak the language in order to attend his classes and learn.

“Since the beginning, the people were very nice, understanding and patient,” Father Torres said.

Bishop Kulick said Father Torres is a classic model of an immigrant who came to the United States with great determination and tremendous sacrifices and embraced the opportunities our nation offers.

“It is amazing that he was able to do his graduate studies here and actually taught himself how to speak English,” Bishop Kulick said. “In his prayer and discernment, he asked the Lord to guide him as to where he should serve, and Father  Torres said the Lord guided him to Greensburg, where the people are faithful and generous and where priests are needed.”

As a deacon, Father Torres was actively involved in serving the Catholic Communities of Connellsville and Dunbar. Father  Torres’ home parish is St. Rita of Cascia Parish, Connellsville.

“It is a very dynamic place; all of the parishes always have things going on,” Father Torres said of the faith community that has embraced him for the past three years. “Coming to Connellsville gave me a place to belong. They treat me like family.

After the three are ordained, each will offer a Mass of Thanksgiving in their home parishes. Bishop Kulick will assign the three to parishes early this summer.