Gulf Pine Catholic

Volume 41, Issue 18 www.gulfpinecatholic.com April 26, 2024 G ulf P ine C atholic Official Newspaper of the Diocese of Biloxi Biloxi’s native Father Tony Arguelles to celebrate 50 years of priestly ministry BY TERRY DICKSON Father Tony Arguelles was travel- ing along Division Street in Biloxi one day last September when he was startled to see a bulldozer demolish- ing the old St. Louis Church, which closed after Hurricane Katrina. Immediately, it brought back a flood of memories -- no pun intended -- for the Biloxi native, who was born and raised on Point Cadet and whose family attended St. Louis, where he was ordained to the transitional diaconate and celebrated his first Mass, as well as the funeral Masses for his mother and father. Gone but not forgotten, St. Louis Church was where it all began for Father Tony, who is celebrating 50 years of priestly ministry. Though most people know him as Father Tony, his full name is Ivon Anthony Arguelles, Jr. His family referred to him as Anthony; it wasn’t until he entered seminary that he became Tony. “Any time your name is more than three syllables, it’s always short- ened. So, Anthony became Tony,” he said. “I kind of fought it for a year and then I just accepted it. It’s so much easier to say Father Tony than it is Father Arguelles, especially with kids.” Father Tony, who was born on January 18, 1949, is the oldest of five children born to Ivon and Louella Arguelles. His parents instilled in their children the importance of helping others. “My mother went to the Catholic mission in Saltillo, Mexico, 12 times, my dad went nine times, and I went six times over the years,” said Father Tony. The Arguelles family lived right down the street from St. Louis Church, which was an off shoot of St. Michael Church, where Father Tony received the Sacraments of Initiation. “I was an altar boy for the pastor, Msgr. Kevin Bambrick,” said Father Tony. “He was my mentor and the one who inspired me to priesthood. He would come to my family home to have lunch on Sunday quite often, and he was very close to my parents who were very active at St. Louis, so it was not unusual for me to think about becoming a priest. The average kid would never think about it because they never see their priest in their home. My grandmother was also his housekeeper, so we had a lot of connections to St. Louis and Msgr. Bambrick. “The other big influence was my parents. None of them suggested I go to the seminary; it was me who felt comfortable enough to respond to the call of priesthood. Msgr. Bambrick, my parents, and the rest of my family were all supportive of me.” Father Tony attended kindergar- ten at Holy Angels in Biloxi and St. Michael School., where he left after the sixth grade. “St. Michael went up to the eighth grade, but I left after sixth grade to attend Notre Dame High School for seventh grade,” said Father Tony. “I skipped the eighth grade. For some reason, the Brothers of the Holy Cross thought I should go direct- ly to the ninth grade. There were five of us who got that letter; I was eighth in our class. How in the world they chose me to skip a grade, I have no idea. I’m not sure that I would do it again today because it did affect me psychologically.” Father Tony graduated from high school in May of 1966. SEE 50 YEARS OF PRIESTHOOD, PAGE 12 Father Tony Arguelles, center, recites part of the Eucharistic Prayer during a December 2022 Mass at Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos Church in Biloxi. Bishop Louis F. Kihneman III is pictured at left and Father Daniel Martinez Patino is pictured at right. Father Arguelles will celebrate a Mass commemorating the 50th Anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood Monday, May 20, at 6 p.m. at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Cathedral. A reception will follow in the Sacred Heart Center, located behind the cathedral. Photo/Juliana Skelton Father Tony Arguelles will celebrate a Mass commemorating the 50th Anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood Monday, May 20, at 6 p.m. at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Cathedral. A reception will follow in the Sacred Heart Center, located behind the cathedral.