With praise and thanksgiving to Almighty God, the Franciscan Friars Conventual announced that Friar Nicholas Carmelo Spano and Friar Nader Nabil Ata will be ordained as priests on Saturday, May 27, at
11 a.m. at the Franciscan Church of the Assumption in Syracuse.
The friars will be ordained to the sacred Order of Presbyter through the laying on of hands and the invocation of the Holy Spirit by Bishop Robert J. Cunningham.
Friar Nader was raised in East Windsor, N.J. He lives at Assumption Church, where he preaches at the Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday daily Masses. Also, he is in charge of funerals, and he is in charge of the ministry to the sick and homebound parishioners of Assumption.
Since Friar Nader is a full member of the Franciscan Friars Conventual, which is a Latin-rite community, and he is associated with the Coptic Catholic rite, at his ordination he will be given faculties — the ability to preside at Latin and Coptic rites of the Catholic Church.
Friar Nick grew up in Mechanicville, south of Saratoga. Several years ago, he produced his Fat Friar Confections to help the food pantry and soup kitchen at Assumption Church. Currently he is the director of the San Damiano Mission at Holy Family Church in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Projects there have included refurbishing the church and restoring the pipe organ. Friar Nick said the upcoming ordination will be very solemn but also very joyous.
