Alumnus Fr. Philip Briggs ’13 was ordained to the priesthood in Christendom’s home Diocese of Arlington this past Saturday, June 4. Ordained by Bishop Michael Burbidge, Fr. Briggs became Christendom’s one-hundred and third alumni priest and twenty-second serving in the Diocese of Arlington, ready to share the love of Christ with the faithful throughout the diocese.
“This is exactly what is at the heart of your priestly service: to uplift your parishioners’ faith and hope in the Lord, the one alone who sustains us,” said Bishop Burbidge during his homily. “You will do so as you preach his Word, remembering the message of St. Paul: ‘We do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ our Lord.’”
Fr. Briggs was one of eight men ordained to the priesthood in the diocese on Saturday. He now joins twenty-one other alumni priests serving in the diocese, including: Fr. Carroll Oubre, Fr. Tom Vander Woude, Fr. Joseph Kenna, Fr. Bjorn Lundberg, Fr. Noah Morey, Fr. Matthew Zuberbueler, Fr. Steve McGraw, Fr. John Heisler, Fr. Vincent Bork, Fr. Kevin Beres, Fr. Michael Taylor, Fr. Kevin Walsh, Fr. Francis Peffley, Fr. Joseph Farrell, Fr. Nicholas Blank, Fr. Christopher Tipton, Fr. Denis Donahue, Fr. Peter McShurley, Fr. John Paul Heisler, Fr. Joseph Townsend, and Fr. Jonathan Fioramonti.
With his ordination, Christendom now has 103 alumni priests, following the ordinations of Fr. John McFadden, Fr. John (Thomas) Francis, and Fr. Dominic Winter in recent months.
Since its founding in 1977, Christendom has helped foster numerous religious vocations, with 103 men now currently serving as priests, along with 51 sisters, 2 transitional deacons, 1 permanent deacon, 2 consecrated virgins and 11 more men studying in seminary. In addition, there are also currently 533 alumni marriages, with even more on the way this year.