Meet the Chaplain: Monsignor Joseph P. Gentili - Bucks County Chapter

Monsignor Joseph P. Gentili, 56, is the new chaplain of Legatus’ Bucks County chapter in Pennsylvania. He was ordained 30 years ago as a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and has served the archdiocese in a variety of roles that include being a high school teacher and seminary faculty member. In 2009, Justin Cardinal Rigali, the former archbishop of Philadelphia, appointed him as the second pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Buckingham, PA. Archbishop Charles Chaput appointed Monsignor Gentili to be the chaplain of the new Legatus chapter, which chartered in April. He spoke with Legatus magazine staff writer Brian Fraga.

Monsignor Joseph P. Gentili

Was the Catholic faith an important part of your life growing up?

I am the fourth of six children. Both of my parents were very faith-filled, practicing Catholics. We went to Catholic grade school and we were always involved in the Church. Sunday Mass was always a part of my faith experience growing up.

How did you come to discern that you were called to the priesthood?

From a young age, I would see priests coming to visit the classroom, coming to various activities and picnics, visiting the house for a house blessing, and that touched me from a very young age. When you’re growing up as a young boy in Catholic grade school, seeing the priest, what he did for the community and his stature in the community, it was something that touched me and that I seemed to identify with. I think that was the Holy Spirit working in my life.

Was there anything else you wanted to do?

I was very much a child of the space age and I wanted to be an astronaut or a pilot, but this constant thought of being a parish priest was always there for me. As I got closer to high school, and I needed to discern what I was going to do, the strongest feeling I had was to become a priest and go into the seminary, so that is what I did right after high school.

How did you become acquainted with Legatus?

During my years teaching at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, I came to meet people who were members of Legatus and I would be invited socially to a few of the events. In my last four years at the seminary, one of my roles was to be the administrative secretary for our retired archbishop, Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, who was at that time still a canonical theological consultant to Legatus. Last April, when I received a phone call and was asked if I would become a chaplain for the new chapter, I didn’t have to think twice. I was honored and humbled.

What have been your impressions of Legatus?

I am always impressed with the quality and the faith of the people whom I meet. The other chaplains whom I have met have been highquality priests. I am always surrounded by very interesting people of high caliber, great faith, and who are looking to be holy. That’s what is most impressive to me about the members of Legatus, not so much their stature in society, although that is quite impressive, but I would say as a priest what’s really impressive is their interior motivation to love their faith, to try to come to know their faith better and to grow in holiness.

You became a pastor for the first time eight years ago. What has that experience been like?

It’s been wonderful. It’s a dream for every priest to be a pastor, in a sense to be the captain of his own ship. To be able to guide a flock is an honor and it’s very humbling. When I arrived at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, there wasn’t yet a parish church. The parish formed in 2000 and there were some difficulties being able to find property to build a church, which we built in 2011. It’s been a challenge to get our church, chapel and we’re just now getting ready to dedicate our parish life center. But it’s been very invigorating and an inspiration to my priestly ministry and service.

BRIAN FRAGA is Legatus magazine’s editorial assistant.