'A Happy Priest'
Father Papalia's 50 years of happy priesthood
August 10, 2024 at 6:51 a.m.
Father Pasquale Papalia, retired priest of the Diocese, clearly recalls being told as a young man what it takes to be a successful priest. “You need a backbone and you need a funny bone,” he said with a smile. But ultimately, his goal as a priest is to do the will of God.
Now, at the 50th anniversary of his ordination, Father Papalia is able to celebrate his life as a priest in which he aspired to that ultimate goal, while staying strong and maintaining a sense of humor.
Sources of Inspiration
Father Papalia was ordained May 25, 1974, for the Archdiocese of Newark by Bishop John Dougherty. Although he attended public school while growing up, Father Papalia’s faith was influenced by his hometown in Fairview that had a “Catholic ethos,” with many Polish, Irish, Italian and German neighborhoods. His family’s example also had an impact, as well as the priests in his parish “when I was a young person.
PHOTO GALLERY: Father Papalia marks 50 years as a priest
“I was attracted by their happiness, the devotion to the things which they did; but also, how human and funny they were,” he said. “They inspired me as a kid; you don’t realize it until you get much older.”
Before entering the seminary, he studied at Seton Hall University, South Orange, then continued his vocation journey at the university’s Immaculate Conception Seminary, which in those days was in the Ramapo Mountains in Mahwah.
He transferred to the Trenton Diocese in 2003 to be closer to his parents, who had moved to the area. Before leaving the Archdiocese of Newark, he also served as a priest in the Ruthenian Catholic Church.
Although he retired from St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Whiting, in 2022, his tenure in the Diocese of Trenton also included serving in St. James Parish, Red Bank; St. Benedict Parish, Holmdel; St. Mary Parish, Middletown; and Holy Name Parish, Delran (now part of Resurrection Parish, Delran).
In retirement, Father Papalia said, “it’s still a great pleasure to help out in nearby churches with Mass and continuing to practice the Holy Office.
“It’s nice to not worry about administration,” he added. “Now I focus on my prayer life, reasonable activity, helping by whatever good I could do, and simply friendship with God in a state of grace.”
Sharing God’s Grace
Father Papalia said that, as a priest, he wanted to bring God into people’s daily lives and help “people to be profoundly affected by the life of Christ by preaching.”
“I tried to have a good sense of liturgical worship and set an example by being approachable,” he said.
He admitted there were challenges to being a priest, including dealing with people in time of great grief.
“It’s one thing to learn it from the book, but it’s another thing looking at it in the face. You must be truly very kind and human and understanding to people in every situation,” he said.
“When people are suffering a lot, they are really stressed; as a priest, it’s our job to point them in the right direction and let God take it from there. What you learn from the people is that they want God.
“The priest has to be a man of intense and regular prayer, devotion to the Holy Eucharist, and especially to the Mother of Our Lord with a love of Scripture and its regular study, who strives to be a conduit of God’s grace in every situation,” he continued.
As for his brother priests, Father Papalia spoke of how important it is for them to get together and share camaraderie and be supportive of one another.
“You must be a means in which God can come through, especially with the people,” he said, then added, “I am always happy as a priest.”
Father Papalia, celebrates a Mass of Thanksgiving for the 50th anniversary of his priestly Ordination in St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, Whiting. At right is Father Evarist Kabagambe, the current parish pastor. Hal Brown photo
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Father Pasquale Papalia, retired priest of the Diocese, clearly recalls being told as a young man what it takes to be a successful priest. “You need a backbone and you need a funny bone,” he said with a smile. But ultimately, his goal as a priest is to do the will of God.
Now, at the 50th anniversary of his ordination, Father Papalia is able to celebrate his life as a priest in which he aspired to that ultimate goal, while staying strong and maintaining a sense of humor.
Sources of Inspiration
Father Papalia was ordained May 25, 1974, for the Archdiocese of Newark by Bishop John Dougherty. Although he attended public school while growing up, Father Papalia’s faith was influenced by his hometown in Fairview that had a “Catholic ethos,” with many Polish, Irish, Italian and German neighborhoods. His family’s example also had an impact, as well as the priests in his parish “when I was a young person.
PHOTO GALLERY: Father Papalia marks 50 years as a priest
“I was attracted by their happiness, the devotion to the things which they did; but also, how human and funny they were,” he said. “They inspired me as a kid; you don’t realize it until you get much older.”
Before entering the seminary, he studied at Seton Hall University, South Orange, then continued his vocation journey at the university’s Immaculate Conception Seminary, which in those days was in the Ramapo Mountains in Mahwah.
He transferred to the Trenton Diocese in 2003 to be closer to his parents, who had moved to the area. Before leaving the Archdiocese of Newark, he also served as a priest in the Ruthenian Catholic Church.
Although he retired from St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Whiting, in 2022, his tenure in the Diocese of Trenton also included serving in St. James Parish, Red Bank; St. Benedict Parish, Holmdel; St. Mary Parish, Middletown; and Holy Name Parish, Delran (now part of Resurrection Parish, Delran).
In retirement, Father Papalia said, “it’s still a great pleasure to help out in nearby churches with Mass and continuing to practice the Holy Office.
“It’s nice to not worry about administration,” he added. “Now I focus on my prayer life, reasonable activity, helping by whatever good I could do, and simply friendship with God in a state of grace.”
Sharing God’s Grace
Father Papalia said that, as a priest, he wanted to bring God into people’s daily lives and help “people to be profoundly affected by the life of Christ by preaching.”
“I tried to have a good sense of liturgical worship and set an example by being approachable,” he said.
He admitted there were challenges to being a priest, including dealing with people in time of great grief.
“It’s one thing to learn it from the book, but it’s another thing looking at it in the face. You must be truly very kind and human and understanding to people in every situation,” he said.
“When people are suffering a lot, they are really stressed; as a priest, it’s our job to point them in the right direction and let God take it from there. What you learn from the people is that they want God.
“The priest has to be a man of intense and regular prayer, devotion to the Holy Eucharist, and especially to the Mother of Our Lord with a love of Scripture and its regular study, who strives to be a conduit of God’s grace in every situation,” he continued.
As for his brother priests, Father Papalia spoke of how important it is for them to get together and share camaraderie and be supportive of one another.
“You must be a means in which God can come through, especially with the people,” he said, then added, “I am always happy as a priest.”
Father Papalia, celebrates a Mass of Thanksgiving for the 50th anniversary of his priestly Ordination in St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, Whiting. At right is Father Evarist Kabagambe, the current parish pastor. Hal Brown photo
The Church needs quality Catholic journalism now more than ever. Please consider supporting this work by signing up for a SUBSCRIPTION (click HERE) or making a DONATION to The Monitor (click HERE). Thank you for your support.