Five new pastors in Nassau County

The Long Island Catholic has listed five new pastors of parishes in Nassau County (link HERE). These appointments by Bishop Murphy are effective June 29, 2016.  The parishes with new pastors are Corpus Christi (Mineola), Cure of Ars (Merrick), St. Martha (Uniondale), and St. Gertrude (Bayville). In what seems to be a change of titles, one priest will serve three parishes: pastor of St. Joseph (Hewlett) and Our Lady of Good Counsel (Inwood), and administrator of St. Joachim (Cedarhurst).
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The list continues with the appointment of Associate Pastors at St. James (Seaford), St. Rose (Massapequa), St. Dominic (Oyster Bay), St. Ignatius Loyola (Hicksville), St. Barnabas (Bellmore), Notre Dame (New Hyde Park), Holy Family (Hicksville), and Sacred Heart (North Merrick).

Sacred Heart, North Merrick

Sacred Heart parish is located at 720 Merrick Avenue, Merrick, NY 11566, telephone 516-379-1356. The parish website is linked here. The church and school are on the east side of Merrick Avenue immediately south of Exit 24 of the Southern State Parkway. They are about two miles north of the Merrick railroad station at Sunrise Highway.

The church was probably finished about 2009, and it replaced (if memory is correct) a smaller wooden building.  The parish itself dates from 1952, when Archbishop Molloy split it from Curé of Ars, two miles south.  In 1961, the Sisters of St. Joseph began to staff the parish school.  From a building fund drive mentioned in the bulletin, it seems that the parish continues to pay off a construction debt.

Inside, the church is a square, with the side pews at an angle.  This view of the north wall shows six stations of the cross in stained glass windows with devotional statues and vigil lights between the windows.

 Above is the Ninth Station on the south wall.

Statuary abounds outside and inside the church.  Here, St. Florian, patron of firefighters, is honored to the left of the main entrance.  To the right are St. Michael, patron of police officers, and St. John Vianney.

Above, St. Francis of Assisi.


The address for Sacred Heart School is 730 Merrick Avenue, Merrick NY 11566, telephone 516-378-5797. The school website is linked here.  Sad to relate, the Bishop of Rockville Centre has decreed the closure of Sacred Heart school in June, 2012.  Please see his announcement, linked here.
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Regarding the prayer for peace in the photo below: A similar pole may be found at Immaculate Heart of Mary parish in Kensington, Brooklyn.

Seaford deanery

The diocese of Rockville Centre has seven deaneries in Nassau County.  The Seaford deanery includes the following parishes, listed in order of foundation:
1912 -- St. Barnabas the Apostle, Bellmore
1926 -- Curé of Ars, Merrick
1928 -- St. William the Abbot, Seaford
1952 -- St. Rose of Lima, Massapequa
1952 -- St. Jane Frances De Chantal, Wantagh
1952 -- Sacred Heart, North Merrick
1954 -- Maria Regina, Seaford
1955 -- Our Lady of Lourdes, Massapequa Park 
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The above eight parishes provide five elementary schools: St. William the Abbot, Maria Regina, Sacred Heart, St. Rose of Lima, and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.
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Please note that St. James parish, served by the Seaford post office, is within the diocesan deanery of Hicksville.