The priesthood anniversary of Father Benny Piovan was celebrated on Thursday, May 29, 2014 at his old parish church, Ascension of Our Lord Catholic Church, Laplace, La. The event marked his 50th Anniversary to the priesthood.
Also celebrated was the 35th Anniversary of the founding of AOL Church, also founded by Father Benny Piovan.
It was also the feast day of the Ascension of Our Lord. The Church was packed for the celebration as well as the reception afterwards.
Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond was the celebrant for the Mass. Father Benny and the Archbishop taught together a few years back at St. John Vianney Prep. School.
Also in attendance was retired Archbishop Alfred C. Hughes and Father Henry McInerney, Pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, Biloxi, Mississippi, as well as a number of priests and deacons from the area.
Father Benny retired in 2006 from the Archdiocese of New Orleans while pastor of AOL
Church. "Father Benny said he was "retiring" in 2006, when he reached 70 years of age, but then we found out that was not the case. He decided to work in the Mission fields of Mexico and located in a familiar venue of the Saltillo Mission in Saltillo, Mexico. He "ONLY" has 7 (large) parish churches as well as 50 rancho churches to take care," the Archbishop stated about his friend. " And he looks great and in good shape. He must have been ordained at age 15."
Father McInerney, a frequent visitor to the Mission also remarked as to Fr. Benny's ability to keep going. "Fr. Benny looks quite youthful for having spent 50 years in the ministry, having spent many years in Louisiana and retired to Saltillo to assist in the mission work there, and now in charge of the mission. He probably takes care of nearly as many parishioners in a month as we have in the entire Diocese of Biloxi, between the Barrios and the mission villages (ranchos) that he visits," Father Henry explained. Fr. Henry has also visited the Mission since Fr. Benny has been in charge for the dedication of the main Mission church at San Miguel.
The parishioners in attendance gave their beloved former pastor, a standing ovation at the end of Mass when the Archbishop thanked him for all he has done.
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| OUR FRIENDS FROM SOUTH OF THE BORDER |
Father Benny brought a busload of his Mexican parishioners with him from Saltillo for the AOL celebration. Father Benny was born in Padua, Italy on February 24, 1936 and is still going strong at age 78 and has no plans to retire again.
Father Benny also has been busy building Churches in Saltillo, sorely needed by the poor people of the Barrios, which grow larger by the day.
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| A COMMON HOUSE IN THE BARRIOS |
The San Miguel church is located in one of the poorest sections of Saltillo. "The barrios are growing day by day, with more people moving in and putting up their cardboard shacks in which to live, with no electricity and no running water. God is sending us more and more poor, not one by one, but by the thousands," Father Benny stated.
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| THE CHILDREN |
"I love Laplace, but this is where I need to be and I thank God every day for giving me the opportunity to serve Him through the poor of Saltillo." Father said.
THANK GOD FOR FATHER BENNY!
Father Benny can be reached at bennyinmex@yahoo.com
or the Mission facebook page at SALTILLO MISSION SAN MIGUEL.
