By Emily Drooby
Father Adnel Burgos was a young man, only 57-years-old, when he passed away from heart failure, possibly related to coronavirus complications.
Born in Puerto Rico in 1962, the priest was ordained in 1989 and served at seven churches in the Brooklyn Diocese.
Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio remembered him as an inspirational priest, saying “I was taken by a comment from a young priest, Fr. Joseph Dutan, who told me that he credited Fr. Burgos for being his inspiration to the priesthood. We ask the Lord to give Fr. Burgos the reward of his goodness.”
Father Joseph Dutan met Father Burgos when he was a student at St. Teresa in Woodside.
He says Father Burgos was gifted at reaching young people – he mentored some 156 altar servers at St. Teresa.
“That also tore my heart a little bit, this was the man who inspired me to the priesthood, the man who showed me that following God is cool. Helping us find Jesus in the culture that were in with the music, especially the rap, with the graffiti,” said Dutan.
The priest was a talented artist, something Ana Sencion remembers well. She was part of Our Lady of the Cenacle’s youth group in Richmond Hill when Father Burgos was assigned there.
“He had a very huge desire for people to revere the body of Christ, the temple the body,” said Sencion.
Father Burgos also ministered at Borough Park’s St. Catharine of Alexandria – where he met Jonathan Herskovic and his family. They grew a connection so strong – the priest was Jonathan’s Confirmation Godfather.
“He showed a lot of passion and with that passion, came love and he was always real,” said Herskovic.