Normally, two brothers becoming fathers within a week or so of each other would not merit a news article. But the Bollinger family’s story is a little different.
You see, while the Bollinger brothers are becoming fathers, it is spiritual fatherhood that they are about to share. The Bollinger brothers are being ordained priests – one for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and one for the Archdiocese of Newark – just one week apart from each other.
Younger brother Fr. Robert Bollinger, 27, became father first, on May 17. He was ordained by Archbishop Nelson J, Pérez at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul in Philadelphia.
And exactly one week later, Deacon Michael Bollinger, 29, will be ordained by Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, New Jersey. Robert will be the one to vest his brother, and will concelebrate his first Mass.
Both brothers grew up in Sellersville, Pennsylvania, the sons of Karen and Dave. They have two sisters – who are not nuns, by the way – and they attended Catholic grade school, Robert told Aleteia. (Michael is on a retreat prior to his ordination.)
The brothers took separate paths to the priesthood, Robert explained. While his older brother was studying at Virginia Tech for his freshman year of college – and having a fairly typical college experience – Robert was diving headfirst into his faith.
This meant “reading the Bible daily, visiting the local adoration chapel at my parish weekly,” he said. Eventually, he heard “a silent voice” in his head nudging him toward the priesthood.
“That kind of thought that I had, that idea was placed in my heart, really scared me,” he said.
Then Michael came back from college and surprised the family with a big announcement: he was going to seminary.
“We were all really shocked,” said Robert. But a few months later, Robert shared some news of his own: he, too, was thinking about entering the seminary.
“My mom was very surprised,” he said. While his mother is an observant Catholic, his father is not. Seeing both of her sons enter the seminary was “a testing of her own faith,” said Robert.
His mother grappled with thoughts of “do I really believe that God has a plan for my sons, and can I trust them to God,” Robert explained.
Despite not being Catholic, his father has been “very, very supportive throughout the whole process,” said Robert.
Robert enrolled at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary after he graduated from high school, joining his brother, who was at the time a few years ahead of him in studies.
But there was another surprise in store for the brothers. Michael would meet people from the Neocatechumenal Way, and he further discerned that he was called to join them.
“He really fell in love with them,” said Robert. Michael then spent several years doing mission work with the Neocatechumenal Way. By the time he transferred to their seminary, Redemptoris Mater Archdiocesan Seminary of Newark in New Jersey, he was at the same point in his studies as his younger brother.
While Robert had known his ordination day for “quite a while,” Michael’s was not announced until late last year, said Robert. As springtime is ordination season for most American dioceses, there was some concern they would be ordained on the same day.
Thankfully, that wasn’t the case – much to their mother’s relief.
“She was worried she’d have to call some cardinal or something,” said Robert with a laugh.
But looking ahead to having a literal brother priest as one of his brother priests, Robert said, “It’s going to be a big blessing.”
“I’ve definitely seen it throughout seminary, even growing up,” he said. “Both of us have this common goal of sharing the gift of Our Lord with others, but as many people as possible.”
“Yeah, the blessing is that I can share in the joys and the specific struggles of priesthood with him.”
