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The year 1963 was filled with dramatic events — the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the only Catholic president of the U.S.; the death of Pope John XXIII and the election of Pope Paul VI; a deadly tsunami, one of the worst on record, which flooded Bangladesh and killed more than 22,000; and, at year’s end, the promulgation of the first documents of the Second Vatican Council, which had just begun the previous October.In the Los Angeles Archdiocese, Cardinal James Francis McIntyre — a participant at Vatican II — was in the 15th year of his 22-year term as archbishop and Auxiliary Bishop Timothy Manning was the Vicar General. The archdiocese, then comprised of Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, had a Catholic population of 1,421,478 in more than 300 parishes.On Wednesday, May 1, Cardinal McIntyre ordained the 1963 class of St. John’s Seminary, in ceremonies at St. Vibiana Cathedral. Another class member was ordained later in Ireland, and still another in Rome. They are among this year’s golden jubilarian priests, as are several ordained in Ireland for the archdiocese and another former religious order priest who was later incardinated. Following are brief summaries of the jubilarians’ years of ministry in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.Msgr. Aidan Carroll, born in County Sligo, Ireland, in 1939, was ordained June 16, 1963 at All Hallows, Dublin. He has spent the greater part of his priestly ministry in education, as teacher, principal, president and superintendent. Parish assignments include St. Augustine, Culver City; St. Gregory, Whittier; and St. Robert Bellarmine, Burbank. In education, he served as teacher and principal at St. Paul High School, Santa Fe Springs, and Pius X High School, Downey; was superintendent of schools for the archdiocese; and for two decades has been president of Bishop Amat High School in La Puente. He was named a monsignor in 1988.Father Francis Colborn was born in Berkeley in 1938 and is the only member of St. John’s class ordained in Rome (Dec. 18, 1963). He served as associate pastor at St. Ignatius, L.A., and St. Philip the Apostle, Pasadena, and as pastor for six years at Holy Name of Jesus, L.A., and eight years at St. Andrew, Pasadena. In 1969 Father Colborn received his STD degree in Rome in 1969 from the Gregorian University and taught moral theology at St. John’s for 10 years. For several years he held the post of chaplain at the Newman Center for the Claremont colleges. Formerly Vicar Forane (dean) for Deanery 10, he retired in 2007 and lives in Santa Barbara.Msgr. Tobias English, born in 1929 in Dungarvin County, Waterford, Ireland, served four years in the U.S. Air Force before entering Our Lady Queen of Angels Seminary in 1955 and is a member of the 1963 St. John’s class. Pope John Paul II named him a prelate of honor (monsignor) in 1984. His parish assignments have included St. Joseph, Hawthorne; St. Paul, L.A.; and Our Lady of Malibu. In 1977 Msgr. English began his ministry at St. Andrew, Pasadena, as an associate, then pastor (1982-99) and, in retirement, as pastor emeritus.Father Roderic Guerrini, a native of Dublin, Ireland, was born in 1931 and ordained a Jesuit July 31, 1963. For 15 years he worked as a Jesuit missionary in Zambia, Africa, where he taught high school and was principal of the Charles Lwanga Teacher Training College. He came to California in 1975 and served as associate at Santa Clara, Oxnard, for five years. In 1981 he was assigned to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Santa Clarita. Incardinated for the archdiocese in 1988, the following year he was named pastor of St. Mark, Venice. Father Guerrini retired in 2002 and resides at Nazareth House.Msgr. William Leser is a native of Cleveland, Ohio, born in 1937, ordained from St. John’s Seminary. His associate pastor assignments include St. Bede the Venerable, La Canada; St. Patrick, North Hollywood; St. Bernard, Bellflower; Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Downey; and St. Barnabas, Long Beach. He was the pastor of St. Martha, Valinda (1984-95), and St. Jude, Westlake Village (1995-2007) when he retired. Named a monsignor in 1992, he is also a Chor-Bishop of the Maronite Eparchy and has served on the Marriage Tribunal for the archdiocese and on the Maronite Tribunal. In retirement he continues to help in several parishes in L.A. and out of state.Msgr. Jeremiah Murphy, a native Angeleno born in 1937, graduated from Transfiguration School and was ordained from St. John’s. Besides pastoral assignments, he taught at St. Paul High School (1967-73); was principal of Bishop Amat High School; and (1977-85) was superintendent of secondary schools. Named a monsignor in 1978, he served as Secretariat Director for the archdiocese (1986-1991) and pastor of St. Brendan, Hancock Park (1988-2000). He was named administrator of St. Victor, West Hollywood, and then appointed pastor in 2003, where he currently serves.Msgr. Timothy O’Connell, born in 1937 in County Cork, Ireland, attended seminaries in Ireland, Holland and London before completing his studies at St. John’s Seminary. His first assignment was at St. John of God, Norwalk, and then served as hospital chaplain, Msgr. O’Connell served at St. Joseph, Burbank, and Daniel Freeman, Inglewood, before he was named the first director of the Office of Family Life in 1971. A monsignor since 1978, he has also served on the Matrimonial Tribunal and as pastor at St. Linus, Norwalk; Sacred Heart, Lancaster; and Visitation, Westchester. Currently the chaplain at the Jeanne Jugan residence in San Pedro, he has chaired the Commission for Catholic Life Issues and continues to advise the Office of Life, Justice and Peace.Father Daniel O’Sullivan was born in County Limerick, Ireland, in 1939 and completed his theological studies at St. John’s Seminary but was ordained May 5, 1963 in Ireland by his cousin, Bishop Henry Murphy. He served at St. Callistus, Garden Grove, and St. Ambrose, Hollywood, and as a chaplain at Daniel Freeman Hospital, Inglewood, before joining the U.S. Army as a chaplain. He was assigned to units in Texas, Vietnam, Japan, Alabama, Kentucky and Korea. After retiring from the military, Father O’Sullivan served at St. Barnabas, Long Beach, and was pastor of Sacred Heart, Ventura (1992-2009). Now retired, he is pastor emeritus.Msgr. Francis Wallace is a native of County West Meath, Ireland, born in 1939 and ordained at All Hallows June 16, 1963. As associate pastor he served at St. Christopher, West Covina, and St. Mary, Fullerton. In 1972 he was appointed associate director of the Tribunal for the archdiocese. At Catholic University of America, Msgr. Wallace earned a bachelor of Canon Law and degree of Licentiate. He was the Vicar for Canonical Services at St. John’s Seminary, headed the matrimonial tribunal for the archdiocese and served as promoter of justice. For eight years (1994-2002) Msgr. Wallace was pastor of St. Bede the Venerable, La Canada, then served part time as vicar for canonical services and faculty member at St. John’s. Named a monsignor in 1984, he retired in 2011.Deceased clergy of 1963Another member of the St. John’s 1963 class was Bishop John Steinbock, a Los Angeles native whose service to the poor resulted in his book, “Ministry of Presence: Vignettes of Skid Row and East L.A.” He was named an auxiliary bishop of Orange in 1984, bishop of Santa Rosa in 1987 and bishop Fresno in 1991. He died of lung cancer in 2010 at age 73.Msgr. John Twomey, born in County Cork, was ordained with Msgrs. Carroll and O’Connell at All Hallows. His parish assignments as an associate pastor included St. Elizabeth, Van Nuys; Incarnation, Glendale; and Holy Trinity, San Pedro. As pastor he served 12 years at Holy Family, Artesia, and 11 years at St. Barnabas, Long Beach. Named a monsignor in 1995, he died in 2003 at age 64.Religious order and extern priestsThe following priests from religious orders or other dioceses with connections to Los Angeles are celebrating golden anniversaries of ordination in 2013:—Redemptorist Father Bill Adams was born in Fairbanks, Alaska, in 1937 and ordained July 2, 1963 at Immaculate Conception Church, Oconomowoc, Wis. He is a pastoral associate at St. Mary of the Assumption, Whittier.—Carmelite Father Thomas Alkire is the associate pastor at St. Raphael Church, Los Angeles. Born in Chicago in 1936, he was ordained Feb. 8, 1963 at White Friars Hall in Washington, D.C.—Jesuit Father Augusto Berrio was born in Colombia in 1932 and was ordained on Dec. 3, 1963 at the Universidad Javeriana in Bogata. He is in residence at Our Lady of Sorrows Church, Santa Barbara.—Precious Blood Father William James Delaney is a senior priest at St. Agnes Church, Los Angeles. He was born in Oakland and ordained June 8, 1963 at St. Charles Seminary in Carthagena, Ohio.—Father Jozef Dragialis was born in Poland in 1933 and ordained June 9, 1963 at the Salesian Seminary in Lad-Kolonia, Poland. He is retired and resides at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Los Nietos.—Missionary of St. Charles Father Luigi (Louis) Gandolfi was born in Italy in 1937 and ordained April 27, 1963 at St. Peter Church in Staten Island, New York. He is an associate pastor at St. Peter Italian Church, Los Angeles. —Franciscan Father John Gini is a resident of St. John of God Retirement Center, Los Angeles. A native of Salt Lake City born in 1937, he was ordained Dec. 21, 1963 at Santa Barbara Mission.—Maryknoll Father Richard Timothy Ouellette was born in 1931 in Connecticut and ordained June 8, 1963 at Maryknoll Seminary in Ossining, Maryknoll, New York. He is chaplain at Maryknoll convent in Monrovia.—Father Antonio Rodriguez was born in 1936 in Aguascalientes, Mexico, and ordained Jan. 6, 1963 at the Cathedral of Nuestra Senora de la Asunción, Aguascalientes. He is associate pastor at St. Lucy Church, Long Beach.—Congregation of St. Joseph Father Sylvan Schiavo is associate pastor at Blessed Junipero Serra Church in Lancaster. Born in Cicenza, Italy, in 1933, he was ordained March 30, 1963 at the Seminary of Viterbo, Italy.{gallery width=100 height=100}gallery/2013/0809/jubsgolden/{/gallery}