Rev. Msgr. J. Robert Romero, the Rev. Mike Arnaud and the Rev. Tom Finley will come together to celebrate the 45th anniversary of their ordination to the priesthood with a mass at the Nativity of Our Lady Catholic Church on Wednesday at 9 a.m.

Romero, a native of Abbeville and pastor for the Nativity of Our Lady Catholic Church, has been ordained for 45 years, including serving at nine other parishes, and has dedicated his time each and every day to helping the community of New Iberia.

What can we expect Wednesday?

It’s going to be a regular weekly mass. We are downplaying it because it’s not our 50th anniversary. We are going to have a get-together afterward with everyone. We do it as a way to get together to celebrate as well as the parishioners to celebrate with us. Because all three of us were ordained on March 14, 1975, and it’s just by chance that we were all ordained as priests and we each served here. It doesn’t happen often and I am sure that they’ve done before but it doesn’t happen too often. And all three of us have a lot of affection and love for the parishioners at the Nativity because of that.

What have these last 45 years been like for you?

As always with the case, as I look back, the years look faster than when I first ordained, it seems like forever. It came by quicker than I would have thought because I have been very busy and it has been a lot of meeting people and bringing people to God and God to people. It has been a lot of time helping people, where there have been good times, bad times and it has also been a challenge in the sense to assist people to discern their will. Also with their heart and lives and trying to develop one mind and one heart in all of us of Christ, so with Christ, we do the Heavenly Father’s will.

What are your duties for the Nativity of Our Lady Catholic Church?

I’ll give you an example of what it’s like for me: A few days ago I went to the St. Peter’s Church program, which is a meeting with all of the men in town. And then I had a Mass at the nursing home and then I had another Mass at 5:30 and then I visited with the Catechism children at 6:30 and that’s just my public things. That’s not dealing with all of the other things that may come, like telephone calls or others. Or hearing confessions from people who drop by and also doing administrative things.

What’s your impression of New Iberia and the community?

Earlier I was an associate pastor at St. Edward here and it was my second parish and I had a little familiarity with New Iberia but basically I find the people very religious and they are a homey-feeling people and we are family-oriented and there is a lot of Christ in people’s hearts and lives.

What’s your journey been like these last 45 years?

This is my 10th parish since I have been ordained, and It’s been a blessing to see God work in the hearts and lives of people and my ability to walk with people to God.