Oldest priest in Archdiocese of Newark reflects on 104 years of life and 78 years of ministry

PARK RIDGE, N.J. (OSV News) -- At age 104, Msgr. James C. Turro is the oldest priest in the Archdiocese of Newark -- and possibly the United States -- and also holds the distinction of being the oldest living alumnus of Seton Hall University.

He is a beloved presence at Our Lady of Mercy Parish in Park Ridge, where he served as a weekend assistant for more than 50 years and is now in residence.

Parishioners and visitors from across the country visit him at the rectory, and he regularly speaks with students from Our Lady of Mercy Academy after daily Mass. He also remains active in ministry, celebrating Mass and offering pastoral counsel as needed. Over the years, he has presided over approximately 900 baptisms and 400 weddings in Park Ridge alone.

"I thought I'd like being a priest, but I didn't know how much I would enjoy it until I actually put my hands to it," Msgr. Turro said, reflecting on his 104 years of life and 78 years of ministry.

"I never reached a point where I stopped to think, am I doing the right thing? I felt God wanted me to be a priest, so I went ahead with it," he told Jersey Catholic, the news outlet of the Archdiocese of Newark.

When he turned 104 on Jan. 26, he marked his birthday with a week of celebrations surrounded by family, parishioners and well-wishers at Our Lady of Mercy Church in Park Ridge.

The celebrations began Jan. 24, when Msgr. Turro's relatives traveled from across the United States to visit him at the parish rectory for an early birthday gathering. A major snowstorm that weekend prevented a celebration on his actual birthday, Jan. 26, though he received numerous phone calls and cards from friends around the world.

During Mass on Jan. 27, the congregation sang "Happy Birthday," and the parish music director performed several of the monsignor's favorite hymns.

In the days that followed, parish community members stopped by the rectory to extend their greetings, many bringing his favorite dessert -- chocolate cake. The weeklong celebration concluded Feb. 1 with a "Muffins with Monsignor" gathering for parishioners after Mass.

He has touched the lives of numerous people. Does he ever stop and think about that?

"No, strangely," he said. "I just do what's expected of me and let the good wealth result from my activity. But I never stopped to doubt, could I be doing something better than I am right now?"

He added, "The high moment in any day is my celebrating Mass. And you stop to think, what am I doing here? You can't beat this! This is the tops! ... It's not once a month or something -- I go to Mass every day, and say Mass very, very often."

Faith was central to Msgr. Turro's life while growing up in Jersey City, where he attended St. Paul of the Cross Elementary School and St. Peter's Prep. Partly inspired by two aunts, who were Sisters of Charity, he was ordained a priest in 1948 and began his ministry at Holy Trinity Church in Hackensack.

After two years, he enrolled at The Catholic University of America in Washington, earning a licentiate in sacred theology, followed by a licentiate in sacred Scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. He later joined the faculty of Immaculate Conception Seminary.

Msgr. Turro's most significant impact came through his work as a seminary professor, forming generations of priests over 60 years and writing several books. The seminary library at Seton Hall University now bears his name. But throughout his academic career, he remained active in parish ministry, serving as weekend assistant at Our Lady of Mercy Church. There he became known for his concise homilies that rarely exceeded a single page.

Over the years, the monsignor has offered countless Masses and enriched the lives of untold numbers of people in ways large and small. It would be understandable if, in his more than 77 years of ministry, Msgr. Turro had occasionally grown weary of his job or questioned his vocation. Such was never the case, however.

"In every profession there's -- how shall I put it? -- the routine moments, days even," Msgr. Turro said. "That has never put me off. There must be some priests who get up and say, 'Oh, it's another day, another Mass.' ... But I've got to say, it's never been a cross for me where I have to force myself to do these things, thank God."

In looking back on the many changes he has lived through as a priest, Msgr. Turro was asked what advice he'd give to people who are afraid or are losing hope.

"It's hard because some of those people seem determined to be negative, to be doubtful, rather than simply to give themselves over to God," he said. "'Here I am, Lord, do with me what thou wilt.'

"That should be the maxim that we go by. You can't beat that. That's the winning formula: 'Here I am, Lord, do with me what thou wilt.'"