CAMDEN – The skies over South Jersey shone brighter and bluer the morning of May 16, as Rev. Mr. Nickolas Bruno Naticchione, 26, was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Camden.
In front of hundreds of faithful gathered in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Deacon Naticchione pledged to “discharge unfailingly the Office of the Priesthood,” and to “consecrate [himself] to God for the salvation of all.”
“May God who has begun the good work in you, bring it to fulfillment,” Bishop Joseph Williams responded.
Deacon Naticchione was welcomed into the presbyterate with joyful witnesses that included bishops, priests and deacons of the Diocese of Camden and beyond; seminary formators and seminarians; women and men religious; family and friends; and the faithful.
Among those concelebrating the liturgy – which was in English and Spanish – were Bishop Emeritus Dennis J. Sullivan; Bishop James Massa of the Diocese of Brooklyn, rector of Saint Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers, N.Y., where Father Naticchione studied; Father Jon Thomas, vicar general; and Father Joseph Szolack, diocesan director of vocations.
Father Naticchione, a noted musician, composed his own music for the Responsorial Psalm.
Words of Saint Paul
During the Rite of Ordination, Bishop Williams anointed the hands of the new shepherd with Sacred Chrism, and bestowed upon him the paten and chalice, signs of his duty to bring Christ to all.
In his homily, Bishop Williams noted that the Ordination Mass contained two discourses from Saint Paul, handpicked by Father Naticchione for the readings, where the evangelist addressed presbyters.
“Keep watch over yourself and the flock [from the] savage beasts that will come and try to pervert God’s people,” he urged Father Naticchione, echoing Saint Paul’s words. “Be vigilant.”
To accomplish this, Bishop continued, the priest must remember Saint Paul’s advice to Timothy in the Mass’ second reading, that “God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control.”
Indeed, “our preaching must be bold, and preach the whole truth of the Gospel,” Bishop Williams added.
He also noted the record number of people converting to Catholicism this past year, from the Diocese of Camden – (239, a number not seen in two decades) – and around the world.
These new Catholics, the majority of whom are youth and young adults, “are hungry for the truth,” Bishop Williams said. “They desire more boldness, substance and clarity in the preaching of priests, the traditions, and the deep challenging truths of our faith, spoken in love. They want a liturgy that is more beautiful, more reverent, more transcendent.”
He expressed pleasure in reading a recent feature in the Catholic Star Herald on Father Naticchione, and the gift of music he brings with him to this priestly vocation.
“God is beauty itself, and temporal beauties that we experience in our world, like music, can and should help point us and our lives toward God, our worship of Him, and our unity with Him,” Bishop Williams said, echoing the then-deacon’s words in the article. “With music, we are stepping out of what we do every day and stepping into an eternity in God. If that encounter is not there, we are in trouble.”
“That’s music to my ears,” Bishop added, “because the culture of discipleship depends on the culture of encounter.”
A Zeal for God
After Mass, Father Szolack noted that it’s been a pleasure to walk with Father Naticchione on his priestly journey and welcomed him into the brotherhood of the Diocese of Camden.
He added that he believes Father Naticchione will bring his talents of preaching, music, youthful energy and joy to his priesthood.
Perhaps none of those in the pews was more joyful that Father Naticchione’s mother, Renea. She remembers when her son, at only 4 years old, would hand out bulletins after Mass at his home parish of Saint James Church in Ventnor.
“He was born into the Church and always exposed to its beauty,” she said, adding that her son’s Ordination Day, “is the fulfillment of so much [of his] hard work and discernment.”
She is excited for the Diocese’s faithful to now get to know the man who is “genuine, honest – who says what he means and means what he says. He’s going to be hardworking … he has zeal, energy and God.”
“I can’t wait to see what he can do to serve the people and lead them to heaven,” she said.
The occasion was doubly special, as Renea Naticchione and her husband, Pat, were celebrating 34 years of marriage this day, as well. In his homily, Bishop Williams made note of their anniversary, saying, “What a gift you have given to the local Church. We have such a concrete fruit of your marital love in our brother, Father Nickolas.”
‘A Beautiful Moment’
Father Naticchione’s vocation adds another priest to his family’s ranks, as his uncle, Father James Worth, is pastor of Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Maplewood, Archdiocese of Newark.
During the Ordination Mass, he vested his nephew with his new priestly garments: the stole and chasuble.
“It’s a beautiful moment for our family. I’m grateful to God,” said Father Worth, who is the brother of Renea Naticchione.
Father Worth noted that his nephew, as he grew up, dutifully observed his family serving at Saint James Church as singers and ushers, as well as in cleaning the pews.
“He has seen the example of being very involved in the parish, and that helped tremendously,” Father Worth said. “This connection with the Church was a natural one for him.”
One of Father Naticchione’s seminarian classmates at Saint Joseph’s Seminary, Deacon Joseph Haas, served as deacon for the Ordination Mass.
Noting his friend’s “deep love of the Church, the people of God, and the salvation of souls,” he’s excited for the people of Camden to know “that they are getting a priest who seeks to bring them the truth and the love of Christ.”
Deacon Haas is set to be ordained a priest on May 23 for the Archdiocese of New York.
At the liturgy’s conclusion, the celebration continued in Cathedral Hall, where Father Naticchione imparted his first blessings on the people of God.
Father Naticchione will celebrate his first Mass at 3 p.m. on May 17 at Saint James Church, Ventnor, a worship site of Holy Trinity Parish.
at the bottom and then tap “Add to Home Screen”
