June 10, 2019

Newly ordained Dominican priest celebrates Mass at his home parish

REGIONAL
Story and photos by David Martin

 

WEST SPRINGFIELD – Newly ordained Dominican Father John Mark Solitario returned to his former parish, St Thomas the Apostle in West Springfield, to celebrate Mass on June 9, Pentecost Sunday.

Father Solitario said in his homily that on Pentecost the Apostles received a special inspiration of knowledge to spread the message of Christ to all nations and, even without knowing their customs or cultures, they were able to take the faith to the ends of the earth with their initial preaching.

“In the commandment of love that Jesus gives, he gives us his Holy Spirit to train our hearts to bring us to that level of purification and newness in God,” said Father Solitario. “It is like a living fire, a fire that doesn’t consume us totally, but which purifies us and makes us shine with a certain joy and clarity. We will know in this fire who we are and who God wants us to be.” 

Assisting Father Solitario on the altar was his own father, Gerald Solitario, who is a deacon at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish. Deacon Solitario also recited the Prayer for the Faithful during the Mass.

Deacon Solitario said it is important for parents to offer opportunities to nurture their children to enter a religious vocation, but should also leave room for God to enter their lives and call to them. He said this experience makes him realize how much of a role model fathers are when it comes to sharing their faith with their family.

“When Dad is religious, when he shows through his life how important it is, it really draws the children in and all four of our children are very devout,” said Deacon Solitario.

Deacon Solitario said he is appreciative for the outpouring of prayers from parishioners for Father Solitario’s vocation. He said Father Solitario celebrating Mass at his home parish as a newly ordained priest, especially on Pentecost Sunday, is the “topping on the cake.” 

Also participating during the Mass was Father Solitario’s mother, Margaret Solitario, who is a member of the choir and lector. She said her family has been blessed and received many graces over the past few weeks watching the ordination and first Masses celebrated by her son.

“If people could see what it really does for families, they would definitely encourage their children to go into this type of vocation,” said Margaret.

Father Solitario offered blessings to those attending after the Mass. Margaret said she was the first one to receive a blessing from her son after his ordination at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., on May 25.

Father Solitario said it was wonderful to celebrate at the parish where he attended grade school on the feast of Pentecost to pray for the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the church.

“My classmates and I received a wonderful share of the Lord’s Spirit for our ordination, to go out and administer in his name, baptizing and giving all the sacraments of life to people of God so they can grow up into the mystical body of the church,” said Father Solitario.

Father Solitario will be spending a couple of months during the summer filling in for Masses and saying confessions at the Dominicans’ new parish, St. Patrick’s, in Center City, Philadelphia, to learn about being a parish priest. In the fall he will return to Washington, D.C., to complete his degree in theology from the House of Studies at the basilica.

A video version of this story will be featured on an upcoming edition of “Real to Reel” which airs Saturday evenings at 7 p.m. on WWLP-22 NEWS and in the Berkshires Sunday mornings at 5:30 on Albany’s Fox 23, WXXA.