Late notice

There is a December 2nd, 2013, deadline for responses to the Diocese of Rockville Centre to the survey described as Consultation of Clergy and Faithful on the Pastoral Challenges on the Family in the light of Evangelization.
Please see the link here to the Rockville Centre rules for the collection of answers to this survey.
----
Apparently, this was posted to the website of the Long Island Catholic about November 20th, 2013, but I did not notice it.

Catholic elementary schools in Nassau County

About twenty-eight Catholic elementary schools teach approximately 10,360 students in Nassau County, according to the 2013 Official Catholic Directory. Most of these schools are parish-based.  Five are regional, that is, nearby parishes support a school together or are listed as sending their students to that school.  Each of the three "private" schools is unique.  The De La Salle School, Freeport, teaches only boys and only grades 5-8.  Holy Child Academy is an independent school with higher tuition.  The St. Martin de Porres school in Uniondale is somehow linked with neighboring parishes but controlled by the Marianist Province of Meribah.
---
As reported to the Directory, these elementary schools have the largest enrollment in Nassau County:  St. Agnes Cathedral, with 827 students; St. William the Abbot, 585; St. Aidan, 540; St. Anne, 540.  The approximate median enrollments are: Maria Regina, 400; Holy Family, 365; St. Joseph, 356. One parish school and one regional school reported enrollments under 230 when the OCD figures were collected.

CCD in Nassau County parishes

CCD is a tag often given to Religious Education programs in U. S. parishes.  Shortly after the Council of Trent ended in 1563, various Catholic priests, bishops and laity attempted to improve the education of youngsters in their faith.  In Italy, the movement coalesced under the name Confraternity of Christian Doctrine.  In the 1940's in New York City, we knew it as Released Time, when public school students would travel to the Catholic school for an hour of religious instruction.  In other places, it went under the colloquialism CCD, sometimes called Religious Ed nowadays. On Long Island, the Religious Ed or CCD program is generally for youngsters attending public school.
---
From the 2013 Official Catholic Directory, I calculate the number of CCD students in Nassau County as approximately 45,600 in about 68 parishes.  The largest enrollments claimed are at St. Rose of Lima (2,600), St. Frances de Chantal (2,228), and Maria Regina (2,010).  The median enrollments are around St. Thomas the Apostle (525), Holy Family (500), and Our Lady of Hope (493).  Seven parishes report fewer than 130 students.  In Nassau County, the 28 Catholic elementary schools enroll about 10,400 students.
---
Hundreds of volunteer teachers staff the program, and many of these have given long years to this service. The totality of parishes providing in-service education of these teachers is hefty, but I have been unable to find on the diocesan Faith Formation website no more than a few courses.  Once upon a time, a complete list was regularly printed in the now-defunct weekly Long Island Catholic.
---
The numbers given above in this post are somewhat stale, as the 2013 Official Catholic Directory sought input numbers probably more than a year ago. Also, a few parishes are listed for the exact same enrollment year after year, highly unlikely.

Changes to priests' assignments

On July 9, 2013, the Long Island Catholic website published a list of priests' assignments that had gone into effect on June 26.  I have linked the list here.
----

Fifty years ago

I wondered why American Catholic listed Pope John XXIII as the "Blessed for today."  June 3 is his feast, but it also happens to be the fiftieth anniversary of his death.  What a gift he was to the Christian Church!

Nassau County news

Since the Long Island Catholic switched to its new format of ten magazine issues per year, I have tried to categorize the items that might otherwise have appeared in a weekly newspaper.
One example might be the news that two Catholic grammar schools in our county have earned a  reprieve and will not be closed: St. Dominic's elementary school in Oyster Bay, and St. Edward Confessor school four miles south.  The Newsday article of 5.28.2013 reported an enrollment of 237 at St. Dominic and 213 at St. Edward.
---
The article also quoted Sean Dolan as stating that all parish schools receive subsidies from the parishes.  Admirable. I think some other dioceses are backtracking on that requirement of one of the Plenary Councils of Baltimore by closing schools that need subsidies.
----
Parishes have announced changes of priestly assignments, but that list has not yet appeared on the diocesan websites.  The Westbury Times reports the transfers of Msgr. Ralph Sommer to St. Bernard, Levittown, and  Fr. Anthony Stanganelli to St. Brigid 
----
The June, 2013, issue of The Long Island Catholic magazine, page 8, has a headline, "Bishop Murphy appoints 16 new pastors."
Those appointed as pastors of Nassau County parishes include:
Msgr. Robert Batule, to Corpus Christi, Mineola, from Dunwoodie teaching.
Fr. Marian Bicz, to St. Hyacinth, Glen Head, from Our Lady of Ostrabama, Cutchogue.
Father Frank Grieco, to Holy Spirit, New Hyde Park, from St. Anthony of Padua, East Northport.
Fr. Robert Holz, to St. Raphael, East Meadow, from St. Christopher, Baldwin.
Msgr. James McNamara, to Our Lady of Miraculous Medal, Point Lookout, from Holy Cross, Nesconset.
Msgr. James Pareda, to St. Paul the Apostle, Brookville.
Fr. Valentine Rebello, to St. Pius X, Plainview, from St. Barnabas, Bellmore.
Msgr. Ralph Sommer, to St. Bernard, Levittown, from St. Brigid, Westbury.
Fr. Anthony Stanganelli, to St. Brigid, Westbury, from Ss. Philip and James, Saint James.
Fr. Brian Barr, raised from administrator to pastor at Our Lady of the Isle, Long Beach.
Fr. Fr. John McCartney, raised from administrator to pastor at Saint Mary, Roslyn.
----
Fr. Andrew Greeley passed away on May 29, 2013.  For several years in the 1970's (if memory can be trusted), the Long Island Catholic published his weekly column.  A lengthy obit in today's Chicago Tribune is linked here.  Long ago, we heard him speak at Our Lady of the Snows, Floral Park, Queens.  One of his memorable stories was a "Kerryman joke," based on train departure announcements at Heuston Station, Dublin.  Besides narratives, he excelled with his sharp observations about the American church, as mentioned in the Tribune obit.  His website is linked here.
----

Sing to the Lord a new song

Apparently, last Sunday's Entrance Hymn or Introit is from Psalm 98, Sing a new song to the Lord, for He has done marvelous deeds.  In our parish, Dan Schutte's paraphrase or almost perfect translation was sung. 

St. Catherine of Sienna, Franklin Square

The church and rectory of St. Catherine of Sienna are located at 33 New Hyde Park Road, Franklin Square NY 11040, a short block north of Hempstead Turnpike, telephone 516-352-0146. I have linked the parish website here. The parish office is in the former school at 990 Holzheimer Street, seen to the left, behind the church in this photo from 2011.  

-----
Early in the twentieth century, four men of German ancestry asked that a parish be established in Franklin Square, and they offered to collect funds for it.  Each of the four wives was named Katharina.  The parish patron is St. Catherine of Sienna. For the work of the parishioners who helped found the parishes of St. Boniface and St. Catherine of Sienna, I recommend the excellent books by the historian Paul D. van Wie, "The German Settlements of Nineteenth Century Long Island" and "A History of Franklin Square and its Environs," both available at the Franklin Square Library.  In particular, the latter book has nine pages, beginning on page 102, narrating the history of St. Catherine's parish.  The author explains the events depicted in the stained glass windows.  In late 2011, Dr. Van Wie also collaborated in the publication of "Franklin Square" in the Arcadia Publishing Images of America series.  Beginning on page 82, there are photos and a history of the parish school.  Beginning on page 98, there are photos and a history of the church. Of note, the chapel or first church was sold to the American Legion and moved to nearby Pacific Street.  It then was purchased and expanded by the Franklin Square Jewish Center.
----

Along the north side of the church property is Lutz Street, named after the first resident pastor, Conrad Lutz, who served from 1913 to 1953.

This entrance with a ramp is seen from Lutz Street. The door leads to the church (on the left) and to the Sienna Center and its chapel (on the right).

The parish school, above, in January, 2011.  It closed in 2012.

Above, in April, 2013, the former school and the Sienna Center on Holzheimer Street, named after Fr. Anthony Holzheimer, second pastor.

Above, the parish office on Holzheimer Street, with the word "school" removed.  Clicking on a photo will enlarge it.

Three Sunday Masses are offered in this building, which also provides access to the church.  When one is in the church, the door to the right of the Sacred Heart statue leads to the Sienna Center, which has an outdoor ramp on the north side of the building and, on the south side, an elevator to this doorway to Holzeimer Street.  Another three Sunday Masses are offered in the church, which has beautiful stained glass windows depicting the life of St. Catherine of Sienna. Padre Pio is honored outside.

Above is the cornerstone of the church.

I note the lack of year on this banner.  Is it 2012 or 2013?

Easter proclamation

This blog in 2013

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.