He drifted from the faith, married, ‘lived like a rock star’—and last week, he was ordained a priest

Wow. A beautiful vocation story that would make St. Monica proud:

For years, Louise would go to the St. Anthony Shrine in Boston to pray for her youngest son, who had drifted away from the Catholic teachings of his childhood. Today, an usher at the door of the church hands the 91-year-old woman a program that reads “Mass of Ordination to the Priesthood.”

Inside is the name “Anthony T. Cipolle.”

“My mother was going to St. Anthony Shrine in Boston every Tuesday with my aunt and praying for me, because I was wild,” the Rev. Anthony Cipolle, 52, would say later. “I learned about faith from my mother.”

He has taken an untraditional path to the priesthood through multiple careers, fatherhood, a marriage and an annulment. He spent decades away from the church, and another 10 years studying to prepare for this moment. And now, as his mother is settling into her pew, Anthony is standing in front of the closet in the sacristy, the room where priests prepare for worship.

All around him, priests and deacons and altar servers are pulling robes over their heads. Anthony presses the fabric of his own simple white alb to his face and prays for purity. He puts the robe on over his black-and-white clerical collar.

A trumpet sounds, and the choir begins to sing the opening hymn. A line of men winds its way around the church and up the center aisle. First are the altar servers, seminarians who will someday be priests themselves. Then come the Knights of Columbus, solemn in their feathered hats. Then Anthony walks at the head of more than 30 priests and deacons. Portland Bishop Robert Deeley follows. The singing voices swell at the refrain.

Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the night.

I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart.

Read how it all came about.  Ad multos annos!

Photo: Portland Press-Herald/Gregory Rec