Seven priests named pastors

Seven priests named pastors

Bishop Howard J. Hubbard has announced the appointment of seven pastors, four of whom replace Augustinian priests. The Augustinian order announced last year that it was withdrawing its clergy from parish ministry in several dioceses, including Albany.

***REV. PHILIP CIOPPA has been named pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Hoosick Falls, succeeding an Augustinian. A native of Guilderland, Father Cioppa was ordained in 1983. He has served as an associate pastor at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Albany, and St. Jude's, Wynantskill. In 1986, he was appointed diocesan director of the Spanish Apostolate. In 1990, he was named pastor of Sacred Heart/St. Columba parish in Schenectady.

Father Cioppa is returning to the Albany Diocese after having been executive director of Catholic Social Services on St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, and pastor of St. Joseph's Church in Sunnyside, Washington.

***REV. JEROME GINGRAS has been named pastor of St. Mary's Church in Clinton Heights, succeeding Rev. J. Joseph Delaney, who is retiring. Ordained in 1978 as a Conventual Franciscan, Father Gingras has been a chaplain in Clarence, New York; administrator of a parish in Pennsylvania; associate pastor in a Baltimore parish; campus minister at Villa Maria College in Buffalo; associate director of novices for the Conventual Franciscan Friars in Maryland; coordinator of priests' retreats; and pastor of parishes in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. Since being incardinated into the Albany Diocese, he has been associate pastor of Immaculate Conception, Glenville.

***REV. THOMAS KONOPKA is pastor of St. Joseph's Church in Greenwich, succeeding an Augustinian. A native of Fort Edward, he was ordained in 1990 and named an associate at Blessed Sacrament in Albany and St. Pius X in Loudonville.

***REV. JOHN KOSTEK, a native of Hudson, has been appointed pastor of St. Anne's parish in Waterford. Father Kostek, who was ordained in 1973, has been an assistant at Assumption, Latham; and at St. Adalbert's, St. Luke's and Our Lady of the Assumption, all in Schenectady. Most recently, he has been a temporary administrator at St. John the Baptist, Greenville.

***REV. JOHN RILEY has been named pastor of St. George's, Pittstown, where he was pastor from 1971-84. He replaces an Augustinian priest. A native of Troy who was ordained in 1956, Father Riley has been an assistant at St. Joseph's, Green Island (while on the faculty of Catholic Central High in Troy); Immaculate Conception, Corinth; St. Patrick's, Watervliet; St. Mary's, Gloversville; and St. Catherine of Siena, Albany. He was also administrator of St. John the Baptist, Valatie. Father Riley has also served as pastor of St. Joseph's, Dolgeville.

*** REV. BERNARD TURNER is appointed pastor of St. John the Baptist, Schaghticoke, and Our Lady of Good Counsel, Valley Falls. He will also continue in his current position as pastor of St. Monica's, Johnsonville.

Ordained in 1977, Father Turner is a native of Vermont. He has been associate pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary, Hudson Falls; St. Mary's, Amsterdam; St. Mary's, Granville; St. Patrick's, Ravena; St. Ambrose, Latham; and Annunciation, Ilion. He has also served as administrator of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Gloversville, and Sacred Heart, Castleton. In 1992, he was appointed chaplain of Albany Medical Center and director of AIDS Ministry for the Diocese.

***REV. JOHN YANAS has been named pastor of Our Lady Queen of Apostles in Frankfort. A native of Albany, Father Yanas was ordained in 1984. He has been an associate pastor at St. Anthony's, Schenectady; Sacred Heart, Troy; and St. Luke's, Schenectady. Most recently, he was chaplain at St. Peter's Hospital in Albany.

(07-03-97) [[In-content Ad]]