Letter from the Pastor
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November 16, 2025
Where has the time gone?
The old cliché rings true: where has the time gone? Anniversaries are times to look back over the years and to reflect and then be ever so grateful. How indebted I am to God and to all the countless people God put into my life as a priest. Forty years ago this day, I along with my classmates were ordained by Cardinal O’Connor in St. Patrick’s Cathedral. It snowed that day and we broke a 50+-year-old tradition of having our class picture taken on the steps of the Seminary!
From Kingsbridge to Pearl River, all my priestly assignments were wonderful and happy experiences. The parishes or schools I was a part of, all the families and youth, the priests and pastors I lived and worked with, God has blessed me with 40 grace-filled and wonderful years. I only wish I could do it all again for another 40. Pray for vocations to the priesthood. It is such a beautiful life that no one can truly express its meaning, mystery and joy.
Please keep my classmates and me, indeed all priests in your prayers; we have been given much and much is expected from us, rightfully so.
I hope you can join me this Sunday afternoon, November 16th, in our school gym for a bite to eat and drink starting after the Noonday Mass.
Many priests have a copy of this poem in their prayer books. Fr. Henri Jean Baptiste Lacordaire, OP wrote it. He was a famous French priest and preacher of the 19th century.
It was in the aftermath of the French Revolution (1789-1799) and the Reign of Terror (1793-94) that Fr. Lacordaire was born in 1802. People of faith suffered greatly during the years of the French Revolution. The Church in France went into hibernation for many years. As things loosened, many of the religious orders came back to life. Fr. Lacordaire revived the Dominicans in France. He wrote this poem:Thou Art a Priest ForeverJ.B. Henri Lacordaire, OPTo live in the midst of the world withno desire for its pleasure...To be a member of every familyyet belonging to none...To share all sufferings; to penetrateall secrets; to heal all wounds...To daily go from men to God tooffer Him their petitions...To return from God to mento offer them His hope...To have a heart of fire for charityand a heart of bronze for chastity...To bless and be blest forever.O God, what a life, and it is yours,O Priest of Jesus Christ!Thank you for sharing my joy this day.
To God give the honor and glory.