Lord

The heart of the Christian community is our Triune Lord: Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Geography, history, and numbers are not the heart, but probably I will type mostly on these topics. As the internet already provides many encouraging spiritual guides and discouraging contentious forums, I intend to offer neither.
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To find a parish, enter a keyword in the search box at the top left, or look through the labels and links down the right-hand column. The posts themselves follow the Blogger format of newest items on top.
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Wednesday, June 24, 2020

Change of rector at St. Agnes Cathedral

Please see the link HERE, for a change of rector effective 8.26. 2020.
Msgr. William Koenig, rector for the past eleven years, will become the Vicar for Priest Personnel. He is such a caring listener that I would say this is a wise selection.
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Fr. Michael Duffy will become the new rector of the cathedral.

Appointments effective August 26, 2020

As published in the Long Island Catholic newsletter:
Remarkable are the number of pastors named to take care of adjacent two or three parishes. Demographics are the reason, namely the growth rate of non-Catholic neighbors. Congratulations and thanks to all the helpers listed below.
Official clergy appointments announced

The following official appointments and announcements have been made by his Excellency, the Most Reverend John O. Barres, Bishop of Rockville Centre, New York. All are effective August 26, 2020 unless otherwise noted.


Shared Pastorates:
Rev. Brian Barr is appointed Pastor of the Church of Saint Ignatius Martyr, Long Beach, while remaining Pastor of the Church of Saint Mary of the Isle, Long Beach, and the Church of Our Lady of Miraculous Medal, Point Lookout. Effective June 24, 2020.

Rev. Rony Fabien is appointed Pastor of the Church of Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, Roosevel,t while remaining Pastor of the Church of Saint Martha, Uniondale.

Rev. Stephen J. Pietrowski is appointed Pastor of the Church of Saint Philip Neri, Northport, while remaining Pastor of the Church of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Centerport.

Msgr. Francis J. Schneider is appointed Pastor of the Church of Saint Mark, Shoreham, while remaining Pastor of the Church of Saint John the Baptist, Wading River.


Pastor Assignments:
Rev. Joseph Baidoo, from Pastor of the Church of Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, Roosevelt, to Pastor of the Church of Saint Boniface, Elmont.

Rev. Robert Joerger, C.P. is appointed Pastor of the Church of Saint Therese of Lisieux, Montauk.

Rev. Janusz Mocarski, from Administrator of the Church of Saint Therese of Lisieux, Montauk, to Pastor of the Church of Saint Joseph the Worker, East Patchogue. Effective September 2, 2020.

Msgr. Robert O. Morrissey is appointed Pastor of the Church of Saint Gertrude, Bayville, while remaining Judicial Vicar of the Diocese of Rockville Centre.

Rev. Lawrence N. Onyegu, from Administrator of the Church of Blessed Sacrament, Valley Stream, to Pastor of the Church of Blessed Sacrament, Valley Stream.

Rev. David Regan, from Pastor of the Church of Saint Gertrude, Bayville to Pastor of the Church of Holy Name of Mary, Valley Stream.  Effective July 1, 2020.

Rev. Lennard S. Sabio, from Administrator of the Church of Saint Mark, Shoreham, to Pastor of the Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, Rocky Point.

Rev. Edward M. Sheridan, from Vicar for Clergy Personnel, Diocese of Rockville Centre, to Pastor of the Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, East Northport.

Rev. James T. Stachacz, from Pastor of the Church of Saint Ignatius Loyola, Hicksville, to Pastor of the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, Malverne.


Administrator:
Rev. Piotr Narkiewicz, from Associate Pastor of the Church of Saint Isidore, Riverhead, to Administrator of the Church of Saint Agnes, Greenport.


Newly Ordained: 
Rev. Rafal Borowiejski
 is appointed Associate Pastor of the Church of Our Lady of Victory, Floral Park.  Effective July 1, 2020.

Rev. John Crozier is appointed Associate Pastor of the shared Parishes of Saint Mary, East Islip and Saint Peter the Apostle, Islip Terrace. Effective July 1, 2020.

Non-parochial Ministry:
Rev. Michael J. Plona, from Associate Pastor of the Church of Saint John the Evangelist, Center Moriches, to Chaplain at Saint Anthony High School, Melville, with residence at Church of Christ the King, Commack.

Retired Priests:
Msgr. Donald McE. Beckmann. Effective June 24, 2020
Rev. William F. Brisotti  
Msgr. Peter C. Dooley
Msgr. William J. Gomes
Rev. Richard P. Hoerning
Msgr. Joseph A. Mirro

Saturday, June 20, 2020

St. Peter of Alcantara school is closing

The diocese announced that the parish school at St. Peter of Alcantara, Port Washington, is closing. Please read the official announcement HERE.
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More than thirty notes of appreciation (over the years) and grief (at this 2020 decision) are posted on the school's Facebook page. One commentator gave four causes:  Hit by the perfect storm: Covid-19, high real estate taxes, changing demographics, and limited school and parish finances. .
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Although I am not a resident of Port Washington, I think that comment is accurate. If it is true that more than 700 students take religious education (as the parish reported to the Official Catholic Directory), at least we know that the demographic change is not overwhelming. The collection basket revenue of June 14, 2020, $16,427, could be larger, but again it is not devastating. The number might be above the median weekly collection for DRVC parishes. For comparison, check numbers from Naples, Florida, or any New York City parish in your ancestry.
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Sunday, June 14, 2020

Corpus Christi, 2020

The feast of the Body and Blood of Christ today had a special meaning in the diocese of Rockville Centre, as public Masses were offered in most parishes, under guidelines from the bishop. We listened to and prayed with the live 11 a.m. broadcast from the cathedral, Bishop John O. Barres officiating, with Father Lachlan Cameron as homilist, first topic the Year of Grace, and second topic the Eucharist. A robed and masked choir sang in the loft, with appropriate distance between singers. They sang the sequence, but I could not determine whether it was Thomas Aquinas's Lauda Sion Salvatorem or a translation. At communion of the clergy, the choir sang Adoro Te devote, another hymn by Aquinas. Adoration and Benediction followed Mass, as also the case at the Corpus Christi celebration at St. Peter's. Catholic Faith Network carried that Mass + Benediction for more than two hours after 9 p.m.

Wednesday, June 10, 2020

Details disappear 6.9.2020

I can understand corrections, but this one is interesting. About June 9, 2020, the diocesan office of communications issued a press release giving twenty or so details about reopening the churches, details such as "The celebrant will not wear a mask," "Two of every three pews may be closed off," "There will be no offertory procession," "Families that travel in the same car may sit  together," "There will be no Holy Communion," and Homilists must use exemplary grammar.  Shortly thereafter, this press release disappeared and was replaced with a general puff piece including "Directives will be sent to the parishes." The individual parishes meet varied situations (architecture, age of congregation, etc.) and it appears that parishioners will be unable to check off how closely the individual pastors are following the specifics of the directives. Fair enough, to avoid arguments. The press release without directives, now with a June 6 date, is HERE.