In 2012, I completed my tour of Catholic churches in Nassau County. The remarks in some posts have probably become stale, so I must review many posts, beginning with 2011.
----
In December, 2012, the Long Island Catholic changed its format, approach, and frequency of publication. Instead of fifty issues annually, there will be ten. Inspirational and devotional narratives will replace much news of the parishes. Over the decades, the editors have sometimes complained of the coverage Newsday gives the Diocese of Rockville Centre, but Newsday's occasional articles will become a more important source of news. I do follow the diocesan websites, drvc.org and licatholic.org but the topics are quite limited to hortatory instructions on politics. Biographical obits of religious Sisters are missing.
----
The effect of hurricane Sandy is a news item that has affected parishes in various degrees. Whether the damage to homes will encourage demographic shifts and change parish income may be learned as time passes. I have not elaborated on the role of population changes in Nassau County parishes (e.g., the increase of non-Catholic Iranians in Great Neck) because this news is obvious to passers-by and the diocesan accountants. My observations would be debatable and superfluous.
----
There are about seventy Catholic parishes in Nassau County. Two are Eastern Rite. It seems that two parishes, St. Vincent de Paul (Elmont) and St. Rocco (Glen Cove) have no resident priest. Parish elementary schools number about twenty-five.
