April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
REORGANIZATION OF DIOCESE
Bishop to name seven regional episcopal vicars
Effort to get closer to parishes;<br>names will be announced this fall
Bishop to name seven regional episcopal vicars
In his desire to extend and deepen his pastoral presence in all of the parishes of the Diocese of Albany, Bishop Scharfenberger will appoint a regional episcopal vicar this fall to each of seven newly-constituted regions indicated on the accompanying map.
The seven regions are known as vicariates. A list of parishes and their vicariates is at the end of this statement.
The names assigned to the seven vicariates are geographical, historical and/or fictional:
• Beverwyck is the popular and traditional name given to a community of fur traders near Fort Orange (later Albany);
• Tech Valley is used for Schenectady and Southern Saratoga, home to industry and institutions of higher learning devoted to specialized technology;
• Taconic and Adirondack reference two mountain ranges: the Taconic Mountains, which are the portion of the Appalachian Mountains running along the eastern border of New York State; and the Adirondack Mountains, the southern extent of the Laurentian Upland of Canada, best known for their almost 100 peaks;
• Hudson Valley and Mohawk Valley describe the geographic areas near those two great rivers that have been significant in the history of New York and of the nation; and
• Leatherstocking (New York State also calls this area the Leatherstocking Region) is the region in which James Fenimore Cooper set his novels (and "The Last of the Mohicans" was set in Lake George); Cooperstown is named after him.
The regional episcopal vicars will be priests with sound and tested pastoral skills and experience who will have pastoral oversight and administrative authority within their respective regions, similar to that which the vicar general has throughout the Diocese.
Their main competence is to develop and maintain strong ties with each parish in their regions on all levels, promoting the collaboration and sharing of valuable personnel and program resources. The regional episcopal vicars will regularly be in touch with parish leaders throughout their regions, including through personal visitation and the use of social media.
Since they represent the Bishop personally as his vicars, they will help the Bishop maintain a strong bond with the parishes throughout the Diocese. The Bishop will continue his regular personal visitations to all of the parishes throughout the Diocese, as well.
The vicar general will coordinate the work of the regional episcopal vicars, conferring with them and the Bishop regularly. Specific areas of attention will be the support of parish leaders and the pastoral activities essential to parish life: the new evangelization, catechesis, faith formation, sacramental and family life, vocational development, social services and collaborative administration.
The diocesan deans will continue to serve until the appointment of each of the regional episcopal vicars takes effect.
The Bishop has asked the deans to consult within their deaneries and submit to him by the end of August the names of priests who might serve as regional episcopal vicars.
The episcopal vicars might be pastors or even retired (or retiring) priests, who will thereby become ex-officio members of the diocesan Presbyteral Council. The Bishop will also appoint the regional episcopal vicars to the College of Consultors. The terms of office will be five years.
The regions were designated with the assistance of the diocesan Pastoral Planning Office, following consultation with the Presbyteral Council, the deans and the Diocesan Pastoral Council, who are in regular communication with parishes and parish leaders.
As tasked by the Bishop, the Pastoral Planning Office proposed these seven regions to apportion the 126 parishes of the Diocese equitably and in a way consistent with a natural sense of pastoral and regional identity shared among parishes within each region.
Bishop Scharfenberger envisions the main work of the regional episcopal vicars as maintaining strong relationships among the parishes with him and one another. This includes the clear identification and oversight of:
• successes and challenges in all areas of pastoral and administrative activity; • resources and best practices to be shared;
• accurate information about changing needs and demographics;
• parish vitality, as indicated by engagement of all in the new evangelization, active participation at Mass, sacramental and catechetical involvement, social services and community outreach, and other programs and ministries important to parish life, as well as fiscal solvency.
Before their appointments become effective, the newly-designated regional episcopal vicars will receive personalized preparation and information regarding their regions and their ministry. This will include guidance on the gathering, maintenance and sharing of information, the use of communications and practical administrative matters.
Once the regional episcopal vicars assume their offices in the fall, the service of the deans will end. Some of their current tasks, such as the supervision of parish records, will be reassigned.
In some regions, it might even prove helpful to continue local planning and information sharing on a natural cluster or sub-regional basis, along the lines of former deaneries.
It is the hope and prayer of Bishop Scharfenberger that, through these new means of collaboration and pastoral oversight, additional avenues of conversation and resource-sharing will be opened. He expresses his deep gratitude and appreciation to the deans, pastors, parish life directors and other parish leaders who help bring out the best in our parish life and our families, the lifeblood of the Diocese of Albany.
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[[In-content Ad]]SHORT LIST OF VICARIATES
(by name, counties covered, number of parishes and parish leaders in vicariate, which Local Catholic Communities each vicariate covers)
Beverwyck:
Albany County...18 parishes...12 Pastors and 5 PLDs...LCCs 1, 2, 3, 4
Taconic:
Albany (Northern), Rensselaer Counties...21 parishes...15 pastors and 4 PLDs...LCCs 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Hudson Valley:
Columbia, Greene Counties...13 parishes...6 pastors and 2 PLDs...LCCs 10, 11
Leatherstocking:
Delaware, Otsego, Schoharie Counties...13 parishes...9 pastors and 3 PLDs...LCCs 12, 13, 14
Mohawk Valley:
Herkimer, Fulton, Montgomery Counties...20 parishes...8 pastors and 4 PLDs...LCCs 15, 16, 17
Tech Valley:
Schenectady, Saratoga (Southern) Counties...19 parishes...13 pastors and 3 PLDs...LCCs 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
Adirondack:
Warren, Washington, Saratoga (Northern) Counties... 22 parishes...13 pastors and 4 PLDs...LCCs 23, 24, 25, 26
TOTAL PARISHES: 126, with 76 pastors and 25 PLDs
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FULL LIST OF VICARIATES WITH PARISH LEADERS
BEVERWYCK VICARIATE:
LCC1
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception; Rev. William Pape, Rector
St. Francis of Assisi (2 sites in Albany: Delaware Ave & South End); Deacon Raymond Sullivan, PLD
St. Mary's (Albany); Rev. John Provost
Sacred Heart of Jesus (Albany); Rev. John Provost
Blessed Sacrament and Shrine Church (Albany); Rev. John Bradley
St. Joan of Arc (Menands); Rev. Kofi Ntsiful-Amissah
LCC2
St. Vincent de Paul (Albany); Betsy Rowe-Manning, PLD
Parish of Mater Christi (Albany); Rev. Kenneth Doyle
All Saints (Albany); Rev. Thomas Lawless
LCC3
Christ Our Light (Loudonville); Deacon Richard Thiesen, PLD
Our Lady of the Assumption (Latham); Rev. Geoffrey Burke
St. Pius X (Loudonville); Rev. James Walsh
St. Clare's (Colonie); Mrs. Nancy Volks, PLD
St. Ambrose (Latham); Rev. Anthony Barratt
LCC4
St. Matthew's (Voorheesville); Rev. Christopher DeGiovine
St. Lucy/St. Bernadette (Altamont); Sr. Mary Lou Liptak, RSM, PLD
Christ the King (Westmere); Rev. James Fitzmaurice
St. Thomas the Apostle (Delmar); Rev. Thomas Hayes
Total: 18 parishes
TACONIC VICARIATE
LCC5
St. Michael's (Cohoes); Rev. Peter Tkocz
Church of the Holy Trinity (Cohoes); Rev. James Ebert
St. Mary of the Assumption (Waterford); Rev. David Kelley
St. Augustine's (Lansingburgh); Rev. David Kelley
Immaculate Heart of Mary (Green Island/Watervliet); Dr. Kathie Sousa, Interim Leader
LCC6
Christ Sun of Justice (Troy); Rev. Edward Kacerguis
Our Lady of Victory (Troy) and (Our Lady of the Snow mission); Rev. Randall Patterson
St. Anthony of Padua (Troy); Rev. Mario Julian
St. Joseph's (Troy); Rev. James Sidoti
LCC7
St. Michael the Archangel (Troy); Sr. Katherine Arseneau, CSJ, PLD
Sacred Heart (Troy); Rev. John Yanas
St. Jude the Apostle (Wynantskill); Rev. Anthony Ligato
Immaculate Conception (Hoosick Falls); Rev. Thomas Zelker
Transfiguration (2 sites: Troy and Schaghticoke); Deacon Christopher Keough, PLD
LCC 8
Church of St. Mary at Clinton Heights (Rensselaer); Rev. David LeFort
Holy Spirit (East Greenbush); Rev. Joseph O'Brien
Sacred Heart (Castleton on Hudson); Rev. Thomas Krupa
St. John the Evangelist/St. Joseph (Rensselaer); Deacon E. Gregory Mansfield, PLD
LCC9
St. Mary's Church (Nassau); Rev. Thomas Holmes
St. Henry's Church (Averill Park); Rev. Thomas Holmes
Immaculate Conception (New Lebanon) and St. Joseph's mission (Stephentown); Rev. John Close
Total: 21 parishes
HUDSON VALLEY VICARIATE
LCC10
Parish of Holy Trinity (2 sites: Hudson & Germantown) and mission; Rev. Winston Bath
Parish of Our Lady of Hope (Copake Falls); Rev. George Brennan
St. James Church (Chatham); Rev. George Fleming
St. John the Baptist Church (Valatie); Rev. George Fleming
Church of St. Joseph (2 sites: Stottville & Stuyvesant Falls); Rev. George Fleming
LCC 11
St. Theresa of the Child Jesus (Windham) and (Ashland mission); Rev. Jay Atherton
Sacred Heart-Immaculate Conception (2 sites: Haines Falls & Palenville); Rev. Jay Atherton
Sacred Heart (Cairo) and O.L of Knock (E. Durham mission); Rev. Michael Flannery
St. John the Baptist Church (Greenville); Rev. Michael Flannery
St. Patrick's (Athens); Sr. Mary Mazza, CND, PLD
St. Patrick's (Catskill); Sr. Mary Mazza, CND, PLD
St. Patrick's (Ravena); Deacon Alfred Manzella, Interim
St. Mary's Church (Coxsackie); Rev. John Moyna
Total: 13 parishes
LEATHERSTOCKING VICARIATE
LCC 12
St. Mary's Church (Oneonta); Rev. David Mickiewicz
Holy Cross Church (Morris); Ms. Maureen Joy PLD
Sacred Heart Church (Sidney); Rev. Gordon Polenz
LCC 13
St. Joseph's Church (Worcester); Rev. Ronald Green
St. Thomas the Apostle Church (Cherry Valley); Mrs. Karen Walker, PLD
St. Mary's Church (Cooperstown); Rev. John Rosson
Sacred Heart Church (Stamford) and (St. Philip Neri mission); Rev. Michael Cambi
St. Vincent de Paul's Church (Cobleskill); Sr. Connie James, SND, PLD
Our Lady of the Valley (Middleburgh); Rev. Matthew Wetsel
LCC 14
Sacred Heart (Margaretville) and (St. Ann's mission); Rev. Steven Scarmozzino
St. John the Baptist (Walton) and (Church of the Holy Family mission); Rev. Edward Golding
St. Paul The Apostle Church (Hancock); Rev. Christopher Welch
St. Peter's Church (Delhi); Rev. Edward Golding
Total: 13 parishes
MOHAWK VALLEY VICARIATE
LCC 15
St. Stephen's Church (Hagaman); Rev. O. Robert DeMartinis
St. Stanislaus Church (Amsterdam); Rev. O. Robert DeMartinis
Parish of Our Lady of Hope (Fort Plain); Rev. Dennis Murphy
Ss. Joseph/Michael/Mt. Carmel Church (Amsterdam); Rev. Lawrence Decker
St. Mary's Church (Amsterdam); Rev. Lawrence Decker
Sacred Heart Church (Tribes Hill); Deacon Randy Velez, Interim
St. Cecilia's Church (Fonda); Deacon Randy Velez, Interim
LCC 16
St. Joseph's Church (Broadalbin); Rev. Anastacio "Jun" Segura
St. Francis of Assisi Church (Northville); Rev. Anastacio "Jun" Segura
Holy Trinity Parish (Johnstown); Rev. Donald Czelusniak
Church of Holy Spirit (Gloversville); Rev. Donald Czelusniak
LCC 17
St. Francis de Sales (Herkimer); Rev. Mark Cunningham
Blessed Sacrament (Mohawk); Sr. Mary Jo Tallman, CSJ, PLD
St. Joseph's (Dolgeville); Deacon James Bower - Interim
St. John the Baptist (Newport); Rev. Quy Vo
Holy Family (Little Falls); Deacon James Bower - Interim
Ss. Anthony and Joseph (Herkimer); Rev. Quy Vo
Our Lady Queen of Apostles (Frankfort); Rev. Paul Catena
Annunciation Church (Ilion); Rev. Paul Catena
Parish of St. Joseph the Worker (2 sites: Richfield Springs & West Winfield); Rev. Bernard Osei Ampong
Total: 20 parishes
TECH VALLEY VICARIATE
LCC 18
St. Adalbert's (Schenectady); Deacon Joseph Cechnicki, PLC
St. Luke's (Schenectady); Rev. Dominic Isopo
St. Joseph's (Schenectady); Rev. Dominic Isopo
Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Schenectady); Rev. Robert Hohenstein
St. Paul the Apostle (Schenectady); Rev. Peter Pagones
LCC 19
St. Madeleine Sophie (Schenectady); Rev. James Belogi
St. Gabriel the Archangel (Rotterdam); Rev. James Belogi
Our Lady Queen of Peace (Rotterdam) and (St. Margaret of Cortona mission); Rev. Vincent Ciotoli
Our Lady of Fatima (Delanson); Ms. Lynn O'Rourke, PLD
LCC 20
St. Kateri Tekakwitha (2 sites in Schenectady: Rosa Road and Union Street); Rev. Robert Longobucco
St. Anthony's (Schenectady); Rev. Richard Carlino
St. John the Evangelist (Schenectady); Rev. Richard Carlino
LCC 21
Corpus Christi (Round Lake/Ushers); Rev. James Clark
St. Edward the Confessor (Clifton Park);Rev. Patrick Butler
St. Mary's Crescent Church (Waterford); Rev. Joseph Cebula
All Saints on the Hudson (2 sites: Mechanicville and Stillwater) + mission; Rev. Thomas Morrette
LCC 22
Immaculate Conception (Glenville); Rev. Jerome Gingras
Our Lady of Grace (Ballston Lake); Ms. Dorothy Sokol PLD
St. Joseph's (Scotia); Rev. Peter Russo
Total: 19 parishes
ADIRONDACK VICARIATE
LCC23
St. Joseph's (Greenfield Center) and St. Paul's mission (Rock City Falls); Deacon Gary Picher, PLD
St. Clement's (Saratoga Springs) and (St. Therese Chapel mission); Rev. George Blasick, C.Ss.R.
St. Mary's (Ballston Spa) and St. Mary's Mission (Galway); Rev. Thomas Kelly
St. Peter's (Saratoga Springs) Rev. Thomas Chevalier
LCC 24
Church of St. Mary's/St. Paul's (Hudson Falls); Rev. Thomas Babiuch
St. Joseph's (Fort Edward); Rev. Thomas Babiuch
Our Lady of the Annunciation (Queensbury); Rev. Joseph Busch
St. Michael the Archangel (S. Glens Falls); Rev. G. Anthony Childs
St. Mary's (Glens Falls); Rev. Joseph Manerowski
LCC 25
St. Mary's (Granville); Rev. Joseph Arockiasamy
St. Ann's (Fort Ann); Rev. Rendell Torres
Our Lady of Hope (Whitehall) and (Chapel of the Assumption mission); Rev. Rendell Torres
St. Patrick's (Cambridge); Mr. Jeffrey Peck, PLD
Holy Cross (Salem); Mr. Jeffrey Peck, PLD
Notre Dame-Visitation (Schuylerville); Rev. Martin Fisher
St. Joseph's (Greenwich); Rev. Martin Fisher
LCC 26
Parish of St. Isaac Jogues (Chestertown); Rev. John O'Kane
St. James (North Creek); Rev. John O'Kane
Holy Mother and Child Parish (2 sites: Corinth and Lake Luzerne); Rev. Kenneth Swain
Sacred Heart (Lake George); Rev. Thomas Berardi
Blessed Sacrament (Bolton Landing); Deacon Joseph Tyrrell, PLD
St. Cecilia's (Warrensburg); Sr. Linda Hogan, CSJ, PLD
Total: 22 parishes
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