Published: October 26, 2009 01:51 pm      

Daleo receives six year extension

Pope Benedict XVI has declared that the Catholic Church will observe a year for priests from June 19, 2009 to June 19, 2010. The purpose of this jubilee year, the Pontiff said in a March 16 speech, is simple, yet challenging: “To encourage priests in striving for spiritual perfection on which, above all, the effectiveness of their ministry depends.”

Today, when the Church is facing a priestly shortage and priests must take on additional duties beyond ministering to their flocks, all Catholics must hold up their priests and those who are discerning the call to the priesthood in prayer, and support the vital work they do. After all, as Pope Benedict pointed out, without the ministerial priesthood, “there would be neither the Eucharist, nor even the mission, nor the Church herself.”

While praying for our priests, including bishops and the Pope himself, the lay faithful should remember that they are also called to participate with ordained leaders in joining themselves in the sacrifice of Christ, embarking on the quest for spiritual perfection.

The lay faithful of St. Mary Catholic Church, Orange, Texas, thankfully join in praying for and with their pastor, Father Joseph Daleo, whose tenure at St. Mary was extended for another six years.

Appointed by Bishop Curtis Guillory as Vicar of the Eastern Vicariate, the Very Reverend Joseph Daleo was ordained as priest on May 30, 1971. After finishing four years at Lamar University, he completed seven years of study at St. Mary Seminary in Houston and Notre Dame in New Orleans, earning a Master of Theology Degree, and a BA in Philosophy from St. Thomas University in Houston.

Daleo’s first four years of ministry were spent as teacher and counselor at Msgr. Kelly High School in Beaumont. The next three years he returned to Lamar University as campus minister. He then served in various parishes until February 1, 1996, when he was assigned to St. Mary Catholic Church in Orange.

His contributions to the parish community have been many, including the addition of the Ed T. Malloy Library/Technology Center at St. Mary School, the renovation of the magnificent stained glass windows in our church, construction of the serene and beautiful prayer garden with a statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus surrounded by the Stations of the Cross.

Another Parish site that many travel to see is the Memorial to the Unborn, an awe-inspiring sculpture which resonates respect for life. This work was executed by the internationally known artist, Timothy Schmaltz of Canada.

When asked to reflect about our Parish’s difficulties over the past year in recovering from the devastating damages of Hurricane Ike, Daleo summed it up by saying “in good times and bad, the center of our faith community is the heart and love of Jesus, who will always sustain us”.

This jubilee year for priests is certainly one that St. Mary Catholic Church parishioners will celebrate in thanksgiving and in love for our Pastor and for priests throughout the world.