The Rev. Alex J. Roche, 28, of Montoursville; and the Rev. Jeffrey D. Tudgay, 28, of Hanover Township, will be ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Scranton at 10 a.m. today in St. Peter's Cathedral in Scranton.
The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, bishop of Scranton, will serve as principal celebrant and ordaining prelate for the, conferring the Sacrament of Holy Orders on the two ordinandi. The ordination Mass will be broadcast live by CTV: Catholic Television. Later it can be viewed on the Diocesan website.
Principal concelebrant for the Mass will be Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus John M. Dougherty.
The concelebrants and representing the institutions of study where the ordinandi attended during their preparatory formation for the priesthood include Jesuit Father Brendan Hurley, of the Pontifical North American College in Rome, Italy; and Monsignor Michael Magee, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Wynnewood, in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
Diocesan priests who will serve as vesting clergy for the ordination ceremony include the Rev. Joseph R. Kopacz and the Rev. Andrew Kurovsky, who will vest the newly ordained reverends Roche and Tudgay, respectively. Serving as assistant priest will be the Rev. James A. Rafferty, diocesan director of vocations.
Masters of ceremonies will include Monsignor Dale R. Rupert, the Rev. Brian J.T. Clarke, the Rev. Paul Fontanella and the Rev. Gregory Kelly.
Born March 15, 1984, Roche is the son of David Roche Sr. and Lyne Heffner Van Houtte. He is a member of St. Ann Parish in Loyalsock Township.
The priest-candidate received his early education at St. Ann Elementary School and graduated from Loyalsock Township High School. He earned a bachelor's degree in history from the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va., in 2006.
Shortly thereafter, Roche began his priestly formation by entering St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, where he pursued preparatory studies until 2008, when he was appointed to attend the Pontifical North American College in Rome, Italy.
While a seminarian at the North American College for the past four years, the ordinand completed his studies for the priesthood, obtaining a degree in sacred theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University. He is pursuing a licentiate in sacred theology (ecclesiology) from the Pontifical Lateran University, also in Rome.
Roche will serve as principal celebrant and homilist for a Mass of Thanksgiving at his home parish, Church of St. Ann at 12:30 p.m. Sunday.
Concelebrants will include the Revs. Paul Fontanella, host pastor; Eugene Gunning, Shane Kirby, Andrew Kurovsky, John O'Bell, Thomas Gardner, Glenn McCreary, V.E.; David Santos, Victor Ingalls, Joseph Zwosta, Alfred Vito, Jerry Shantillo, Christopher Washington and John Manno; Monsignors Dale Rupert, David Bohr and David Tressler; Dominican Father Becket Soule and Jesuit Father Brendan Hurley.
