Our newest priest: Father Alexander Pumphrey, MIC!

Aug

2025

By jmcaleer

By Dr. Joe McAleer

There's a new priest for the Congregation of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Father Alexander D. Pumphrey, MIC. Father Alex was ordained to the priesthood during the 9 a.m. Mass on Aug. 16 at the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

The Most. Rev. Edward B. Scharfenberger, DD, Bishop of Albany, New York, was the celebrant and conferred the Sacrament of Holy Orders.

The National Shrine was packed with family and friends attending the Ordination Mass.

Among those in attendance were Fr. Alex's Dad, Rev. Tom Pumphrey (left) and his Mom, Silke (center).

After the Gospel, Bishop Scharfenberger declared, "Relying on the help of our Lord God and of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we choose this, our brother, for the Order of the Priesthood."

"A priest who is not a good deacon will not be a very happy priest. The same goes for bishops. Every one of us must remember that we are called to serve our Master. And we are called to be His disciples. And the mark of discipleship is service."

To serve
In his homily, Bishop Scharfenberger noted how happy Deacon Alex has been to serve as a deacon. “You have nothing to be afraid of. You are not about to lose your diaconate," he reassured him, for the diaconate, which means "service," is the foundation of the priesthood.

"A priest who is not a good deacon will not be a very happy priest. The same goes for bishops," he said. "Every one of us must remember that we are called to serve our Master. And we are called to be His disciples. And the mark of discipleship is service.

"More importantly, it’s a process of constant conversion, of constant transformation, a willingness to be converted, to be changed, day in and day out. To be confronted with things we don’t understand, with people we may not particularly like, with challenges that we feel are way beyond our capacity to bear. And then what do we do? We turn to Jesus, Whose disciples we are. Always say, 'Lord, it is not about me. It is about You. Let me be Your disciple.'

"Who better shows us that example than our Mother Mary, who was with Jesus?" he continued. "Mary was always there. She was always present. And she was ultimately present at the Cross inself."

Whether clergy or laity, the goal for all Christians is the same, Bishop Scharfenberger concluded. "The way to truly find our identity is to empty ourselves and to more and more let God in," he said. "For God to let us know who we really are, and to lead us to where we really must go in order to discover what His mission is for us, so that we can find our fulfillment in the service that we do."

Deacon Alex lies prostrate before the altar, expressing his total submission to God, as the Litany of Supplication is sung, invoking the intercession of the Saints.

By placing his hands on Deacon Alex's head, the bishop invokes the Holy Spirit and confers the Sacrament of Holy Orders.

Father Donald Calloway, MIC, offers his blessing, as did all the Marian priests present.

The newly-ordained Father Alex is vested in priestly garments.

Next, the Bishop anoints the hands of the newly-ordained with sacred chrism and his hands are wrapped in a cloth called a manutergium (from the Latin manu and tergium = hand towel). During the anointing, the bishop prays: “The Lord Jesus Christ, whom the Father anointed with the Holy Spirit, empower, guard and preserve you, that you may sanctify the Christian people and offer sacrifice to God.”

Bishop Scharfenberger presents the chalice and paten to Fr. Alex, saying, "Accept from the holy people of God the gifts to be offered to Him. Know what you are doing, and imitate the mystery you celebrate: model your life on the mystery of the Lord's Cross."

The newly-ordained is welcomed by his brother priests!

For the first time as a priest, Fr. Alex distributes Holy Communion, the bread he will henceforth consecrate into the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ at every Mass.

Outside the National Shrine following Mass, the joy was palpable!

A final tribute
Following the Ordination Mass, all gathered for a festive celebration under the big white tent, where Fr. Alex could greet everyone and offer the special blessing of the newly-ordained.

Father Alex thanked everyone present, and those not present, for the role they played in his vocational journey. Finally, he paid a special tribute to his father. Rev. Tom Pumphrey is the Rector of the Episcopal Church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Marietta, Georgia.

"My Dad is the reason I'm here," Fr. Alex concluded. "If it weren't for his model of what it means to be a good man, a good Christian, a good pastor, I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't be here if not for his support and his prayers and his example.

"So Dad, my greatest prayer is that one day we can celebrate together at the same altar."

First Mass
Father Alex celebrated his first Mass at the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy on Sunday, Aug. 17. Father Stephen Castellano, MIC, delivered the homily.