Folks from around the diocese made their way to St. Robert Bellarmine Church, Freehold, April 23 to see Bishop John M. Smith formally confer papal honors on a priest they had come to know and love so well – Msgr. Sam A. Sirianni.

Msgr. Sirianni, who has been pastor of St. Robert Bellarmine Parish since December, 2008, and director of the diocesan Office of Worship for 18 years, was one of two priests named in December by Pope Benedict XVI as a Chaplain of His Holiness with the title of “monsignor.” Also named with Msgr. Sirianni was Msgr. James Brady, pastor of St. Dominic Parish, Brick.

The throng of people Msgr. Sirianni welcomed and extended his appreciation to began with his family, relatives and invited friends who were seated in the several pews that were reserved especially for them. Msgr. Sirianni fondly remembered his father, Anthony “Tut,” who died in 2007, his mother, Marie, and three brothers, Joseph, Michael and Father Anthony Sirianni, who is pastor of St. Helena Parish, Edison.

There were parishioners from the parishes where Msgr. Sirianni had served as both parochial vicar and as pastor, colleagues from diocesan administration, liturgists and musicians from parishes around the diocese and even former classmates when he was a student at Juniata College.

Homilist for the prayer service was Msgr. Sirianni’s good friend, Msgr. Ralph Stansley, pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, West Trenton, and director of the diocesan Office of the Diaconate.

Mixing his homily with humor, warm sentiments and referring to the Scripture readings proclaimed that evening, Msgr. Stansley reflected on getting to know Msgr. Sirianni during the time they served together in Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, Mercerville, in the early 1990s. Msgr. Stansley was pastor and Msgr. Sirianni was parochial vicar.

“I found Sam to be supportive and helpful,” said Msgr. Stansley.

“His sense of humor and willingness to go beyond himself certainly were all things that makes him who he is.

“In his dual role as pastor and associate pastor, plus the many years he has been in the Worship Office, makes him more than deserving of this honor that was bestowed upon him. His concern for good liturgy was always there and I really think as a diocese we have benefited from his being director of the Office of Worship.”

Bishop Smith opened his remarks by saying how indeed it was a “happy day for all of us, especially for the family of Sam Sirianni.”

Then referring to how Mrs. Sirianni affectionately refers to her eldest son as “My Sammy,” Bishop Smith went on to say how “all of us here in our own way have the same sentiment in our hearts about Sam Sirianni.”

“He has given himself to us – his brother priests, deacons, religious, seminarians and the wonderful lay people,” said Bishop Smith, and “each of us in our own way feel that he is our Sam.”

Newly invested Monsignor
A few days after the investiture ceremony, Msgr. Sirianni took the opportunity to reflect on his 25 years of priesthood, which he observed last November, his ministry as a parish priest – both as a parochial vicar and as pastor – and the many years he has served in the Office of Worship.

What has given Msgr. Sirianni the most joy of being a priest is knowing that he can be “an instrument of God’s presence in people’s lives.”

“It’s also in realizing how God’s presence works in my own life that gives me joy,” he said.

Msgr. Sirianni said he is “grateful” for the opportunity to serve as a parish priest because, “I think it’s in the parish where the Church really is grounded.”

“It’s where people experience the Church on a most intimate level with liturgy, the cycles of their lives, a sense of community, and it’s where the Gospel comes alive.”

Following his Nov. 10, 1984 ordination to the priesthood in Holy Trinity Church, Long Branch, by then Auxiliary Bishop Edward U.

Kmiec, Msgr. Sirianni’s first parish assignment was Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, Moorestown.

He then moved to Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, Mercerville, where he served intermittent terms as both associate pastor and as temporary administrator. He was also administrator of St. Catherine Parish, East Keansburg.

As pastor, he has served in six parishes: Holy Angels, Hamilton (now St. Raphael-Holy Angels); St. George, Titusville; Holy Trinity, Our Lady Star of the Sea and St. John the Baptist, all in Long Branch; and since December 2008, as pastor of St. Robert Bellarmine.

Love of Liturgy
In 1992, while he was parochial vicar of Our Lady of Sorrows, Msgr. Sirianni was appointed director of the diocesan Office of Liturgy, which is now called the Office of Worship.

In that position, Msgr. Sirianni has enjoyed the chance of working with a variety of priests, deacons, religious, lay ministers and musicians, and “seeing how they all come together around the bishop to make our diocesan Church.”

“That’s been very important to me,” he said.

“I’ve always said that my role as director of the Office of Worship has been an outlet for some of my creative traits. I’ve been able to facilitate, I think, some wonderful liturgical events that have been opportunities of praying on a larger scale.”

Liturgies that are most meaningful to Msgr. Sirianni include the Chrism Mass, which is celebrated in the diocese each year on the Monday of Holy Week.

“The Chrism Mass has evolved into one of the high points of my liturgical year,” he said. “It’s a big liturgy to begin a big week.”

The Jubilee Year 2000 and the many liturgical celebrations that he coordinated also stand out in his mind. Most memorable was the Mass that Bishop Smith celebrated for the Feast of Pentecost in the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton.

Last, but certainly not least, another liturgy that is very near and dear to Msgr. Sirianni’s heart was celebrated by Bishop John C. Reiss at 8 a.m. on June 18, 1995 in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral. On that day, the diocese welcomed Mother Teresa of Calcutta to the cathedral.

Having just observed his 25th anniversary of priesthood in November and now celebrating his investiture as a monsignor, Msgr. Sirianni said the two occasions have given him “pause to reflect on my life as a priest, to be grateful for the gift of my vocation and how I have lived out my vocation.”

They were also welcomed occasions by the Sirianni family during a time when they had experienced the loss of several family members and relatives in recent months.

“Both were moments when I was able to really reaffirm my own relationship with my family,” said Msgr. Sirianni, “and together we were strengthened by our faith and were reminded of the faith of those who are now with the Lord.”

Msgr. Sirianni smiled as he recalled the day in December when Bishop Smith notified him that he had been named a monsignor.

Meeting in the bishop’s office, Msgr. Sirianni said that at first the bishop was very formal in his demeanor, but then the bishop went on to explain that “a friend of mine in Rome had sent me a gift.”

“The bishop mentioned who the friend was – Pope Benedict XVI – and that he had made me a papal chamberlain,” said Msgr. Sirianni.

“I didn’t know how to react,” said Msgr. Sirianni.

“I find it hard to believe that my title is now ‘Monsignor,’” he said. “There have been times that I’ve walked in to St. Robert Bellarmine and people said, ‘Good morning, Monsignor,’ and I turned around to see who else came in.”

“I was very humbled,” he said, “and I am still humbled by that honor.”