June 24, 2010, WORCESTER, MA -- On Saturday, June 26 at 10 am at the Cathedral of St. Paul in Worcester, two men will be ordained to the presbyterate or priesthood by Most Rev. Robert J. McManus, Bishop of Worcester. They are Rev. Mr. Lowe Bretaña Dongor and Rev. Mr. Nicholas Desimone. Rev. Mr. Dongor will be the diocese’s first Filipino priest. Mr. Desimone is a native of Worcester.

            Rev. Mr. Lowe B. Dongor, son of Nelly Bretaña Dongor and the late Ramon Dongor, was born Feb. 17, 1976 in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo Province, the Phillippines. He attended Barotac Nuevo High School, and, in Manila, University of Santo Tomas, Adamson University and Our Lady of the Angels Seminary. He came to Worcester in 2003 to discern a vocation with the Augustinians of the Assumption (Assumptionists) at Assumption College, where he was a student. Later he pursued priesthood for the Diocese of Worcester and studied at Saint Mary Seminary & University, Baltimore.

            During his seminary years, he served at Saint Joseph Parish, Charlton, Holy Angels Parish, Upton, St. Christopher Parish, Worcester, and St. Bernadette Parish, Northborough. In June 2009, he was ordained a transitional deacon by Bishop McManus at St. Paul Cathedral. At his ordination to the priesthood, Father Peter Precourt, A.A., pastor of St. Anne and St. Patrick Parish in Sturbridge will be vesting him in the stole and chasuble.

            Rev. Mr. Dongor’s will celebrate Mass as a newly ordained priest on June 26 at 4 p.m. at St. Christopher Parish, Worcester. The Mass will be in English with Filipino music and traditions. A public reception follows in the church hall. Rev. Mr. Dongor also hopes to offer a Mass of Thanksgiving in the Philippines in July.

            Rev. Mr. Desimone, son of Michael and Angela Desimone, was born April 2, 1982 in Worcester. He attended Holy Name Central Catholic High School, College of the Holy Cross, Mount Saint Mary Seminary, Emmitsburg, Md.; Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, and Pontifical North American College, Vatican City State.

            During his seminary studies, he served at Saint Anthony di Padua Parish, Fitchburg, Saint Joseph Parish, Charlton, St. Peter Parish, Worcester, and Cathedral of St. Paul, Worcester. In October 2009, he was ordained to the transitional diaconate at St. Peter Basilica in Rome by Archbishop Robert J. Carlson of St. Louis, Missouri.

            At his ordination to the priesthood, he will be vested in the chasuble and stole by Msgr. Michael Rose, pastor of St. Mary Parish, Shrewsbury.

            A Mass of Thanksgiving will be celebrated at 2 p.m. on June 27 at Our Lady of Loreto Parish in Worcester. Expected concelebrants are Msgr. Rose, Fr. Charles Armey, pastor, Our Lady of Loreto, Msgr. Louis Piermarini, pastor, St. Roch, and Fr. Robert Bruso, pastor, Saint Anthony di Padua. Assisting will be Deacon Paul Audette of Our Lady of Loreto and Deacon Pasquale Mussulli of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Milford. A public reception follows in the parish hall.

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            According to the Office for Vocations, there are 23 men in seminary studies for the Diocese of Worcester. In 2009, 132 priests were in active ministry in the Diocese of Worcester according to the Official Catholic Directory. In 2007, the USCCB reported nearly 28,000 priests were serving in the United States.

            The Office for Vocations to the Priesthood is funded by the Annual Partners in Charity Appeal.