Above: Three monsignors, two of whom were pastors of St. Joseph Church during their years in active ministry, celebrate history, the jubilee year and the 25th anniversary of being named prelates of honor by Pope John Paul II.
In 2000 seven Diocese of Raleigh priests were named prelates of honor and thereby became known as monsignors. This year marked the 25th anniversary of that occasion in diocesan history, as well as the Jubilee Holy Year for the Catholic Church.
Raleigh’s St. Joseph Parish, which was shepherded by four of those seven priests, paired the two happenings with a special event, which included dinner, panel discussions and Mass. Former St. Joseph pastors Monsignor Michael Shugrue and Monsignor John Williams were present for the event; Monsignor John Wall, also part of that original seven, was present as well. Along with the congregation, they remembered their brother priests with storytelling, photographs and food.
Monsignor Thomas Hadden, who died in 2012, was one of the seven monsignors named in 2000 and one of those remembered. His legacy, which included his time as pastor of St. Joseph Parish, was reviewed during a panel discussion in the St. Monica Center before Mass and his chalice and paten, a plate-like cover for the chalice, were used during Mass.
The legacy of Monsignor James Keaney, who also became a monsignor in 2000 and who died in 2011, was part of the panel discussion as well. And the Knights of Columbus, whose council at St. Joseph is named for him because he was pastor there, participated in the Mass.
Monsignor Gerald Lewis, who died in 2024, was remembered as well as Monsignor Tim O’Connor, who died in 2013. Those gathered reminisced two of their favorite foods, which were served at the dinner.
“Bojangles was a favorite culinary destination of Monsignor Lewis,” said Alex Bass, a longtime parishioner and organizer of the event. “For dessert, ‘pope cake,’ a [traditional Polish dessert and] favorite of John Paul II was served … the parish, like O’Connor, had a direct experience with [then] Pope John Paul, who blessed the parish’s icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa during a Vatican City private audience in December 1990.”
On display at the event was a photograph of that 1990 pilgrimage, which included Bass, his mother Joyce Sanders Bass and Hazel Sanders, who were all present for the 2025 event.
Other charter members of the parish were present as well, and a prayer by Mikayla Schneider, 18, was shared. Bass said her prayer focused on “young people’s vital contributions to ensuring the universal Church continues to flourish.”
The parish's Wednesday evening young people's choir, led by Christine Brennan and including Schneider, sang "Lord, You Have Come To The Seashore," a favorite song of Pope John Paul II, who was canonized a saint in 2014.
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