Although this year marks the 25th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood, Father Albert Ricciardelli doesn’t feel that he deserves any special accolades for a quarter-century of service to the Church. Instead, he thinks that all of the praise should be given to God.

The humble priest, who serves as chaplain of Morris Hall and St. Lawrence Rehabilitation Center, Lawrenceville, considers himself to be merely an instrument of the Lord, bringing his word and blessing to the people of the Diocese of Trenton.

“I am not the center point of the Mass,” he said. “I let Christ come through me so I can be Christ to the people who gather in his name. I am nothing without him.”

The youngest child of Albert and Rose Ricciardelli, Father Ricciardelli was born in 1951. He was raised in a very active Catholic family and as a child was an altar server at his family’s parish, St. Francis of Assisium, Trenton. He said that he began thinking about the priesthood at a very early age and continued to feel a calling from God through high school, but decided against entering the seminary immediately after graduation.

Instead, he attended Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey), Ewing, in hopes of becoming a teacher. After college he worked for several years for the Mercer County Probations Department and considered pursuing a degree in criminal justice to advance in that field. Yet even while working in the secular world, Father Ricciardelli said that he remained active in his faith as a parishioner of St. Gregory the Great Parish, Hamilton Square, and would often spend his lunch hour praying at the nearest church.

“Then I fell off my horse and I saw the light, just like St. Paul,” he said. “And so I decided to enter the seminary.”

After attending Immaculate Conception Seminary, Darlington, he was ordained by Bishop John C. Reiss on Nov. 10, 1984. Over the course of the next decade, he served in several parishes, including St. Ann, Keansburg; St. Theresa, Tuckerton; St. Justin, Toms River; St. Raphael, Trenton; and Our Lady of Good Counsel, Moorestown. On March 3, 1995, he was named pastor of Holy Trinity Parish, Long Branch.

In 1998, Father Ricciardelli became parochial vicar of Holy Angels Parish, Trenton. After four years there he was named administrator of Blessed Sacrament Parish, Trenton.

In 2005 he returned to St. Justin Parish, Toms River, for one year before being named pastor of Holy Assumption Parish, Roebling. He remained there until arriving as chaplain of Morris Hall on June 27, 2008.

Through it all, Father Ricciardelli said that the thing that has given him the most inspiration is being able to celebrate Mass, which he refers to as his “source of energy.” But he added that his most important task is not only to bring Christ to people through the Mass but to help them take that faith out into the world when they leave the pews.

“I try to bring the theology of our faith closer to the people so that they can grasp their faith more fully, more deeply, and live it out,” he said.

While giving a homily, he attempts to inspire the congregation to shout “Amen!” or “Alleluia!” in response. Residents of Morris Hall have caught on to this phenomenon and now will often shout an “Alleluia!” when they pass him in the hallways.

“That’s when I know I’ve got the people, and basically I thank God, because I am doing his work,” Father Ricciardelli said.

“We are all responsible for our own actions, and with this collar around my neck, that is part of my action,” he added. “To get people in touch with God, to allow the Spirit to move them and to make the faith come alive.”