ew York’s Catholic Bishops say that the passage by the Legislature of a bill to alter radically and forever humanity’s historic understanding of marriage leaves us deeply disappointed and troubled.

Statement of the Bishops of New York State on same-sex “marriage” vote

The passage by the Legislature of a bill to alter radically and forever humanity’s historic understanding of marriage leaves us deeply disappointed and troubled.

We strongly uphold the Catholic Church’s clear teaching that we always treat our homosexual brothers and sisters with respect, dignity and love. But we just as strongly affirm that marriage is the joining of one man and one woman in a lifelong, loving union that is open to children, ordered for the good of those children and the spouses themselves. This definition cannot change, though we realize that our beliefs about the nature of marriage will continue to be ridiculed, and that some will even now attempt to enact government sanctions against churches and religious organizations that preach these timeless truths.

Diocese appoints new principal at
Siena Catholic Academy in Brighton

Anne Willkens Leach, superintendent of schools for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester, has named Vincent Tata to serve as the new principal at Siena Catholic Academy in Brighton. Tata will succeed Tim Leahy, who is retiring after serving as principal for the last 11 years.

Tata, who resides in Rochester, has been the assistant principal at Siena since 2007. He has also held a variety of administrative and teaching positions in Rochester, Penfield and at Monroe 1 and Orleans-Niagara BOCES.

“I am very excited to take on this new challenge,” said Tata. “I believe strongly that all students can learn given a positive learning experience that welcomes exploration and enhances student confidence through active participation.”

Tata received a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and Sports Medicine and a Master of Science in Educational Administration/Supervision from Canisius College in Buffalo.

For more information on Catholic schools in the Diocese of Rochester, visit www.dorschools.org

The 17th Annual Diocesan Catholic Schools Golf Classic will be held on Monday, June 24, 2013, at Greystone Golf Club in Walworth, Wayne County.

Proceeds will be used to provide tuition assistance for exceptional hardship cases for students in any of the 20 schools in our 12-county diocese.

Teams, sponsors and donations of auction items and raffle prizes are being sought to help raise funds. For more information, please call 585-328-3228, ext. 1294, or e-mail .

You may also

• Download a brochure
• Download a flyer
• Register Online Here

Most Rev. Matthew Clark, Bishop of Rochester, will ordain four men to the diaconate. The men will be ordained at a special 10:30 a.m. Mass tomorrow  at Sacred Heart Cathedral on Flower City Park.

The candidates are Eric A. Bessette of Pittsford (Bushnell’s Basin); Donald D. Eggleston of Greece; John C. Hoffman of Honeoye Falls; and Robert E. Lyons of Brighton

A permanent deacon – most often a married man – is ordained for service within the church, according to Deacon David Palma, director of deacon personnel for the diocese.  A deacon’s ministry ranges from Service of the Word (proclaiming the Gospel message, teaching, conducting retreats and counseling), Service of the Altar (assisting at Mass, witnessing marriages, baptizing and presiding at wakes and funerals) to Service of Charity (building up human dignity as ministers of charity and justice).

Candidates for the permanent diaconate must participate in four years of formation at St. Bernard’s School of Theology and Ministry.  Many deacons complete a master’s degree in pastoral studies.

The Diocese of Rochester has more than 100 deacons.

Dept. of Catholic Schools
St. Michael School statement

May 26, 2011– Based on recommendations from the leaders at St. Michael’s Church and the Diocese of Rochester Catholic School Board, Bishop Clark has made the decision to close St. Michael School in Newark at the end of the current academic year. This decision was not made lightly and comes after careful consideration and much prayer.

We were heartened to see the strong community support that St. Michael received in its effort to stay open and viable. Unfortunately, despite all of their efforts, the steady decline in enrollment has continued over the last several years. The parish can no longer continue to incur considerable debt to operate the school.

We believe strongly in the virtues of a Catholic education and will continue to do all we can to support the remaining schools across the Diocese of Rochester.

A landmark study by researchers at John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York, which examined the causes and context of the clergy sexual abuse crisis in the U.S. Catholic Church, was released nationally on May 18, 2011.

Read the News Release from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Read the Study
Read Bishop Clark’s Statement and Diocesan Initiatives
Visit the Diocese’s Creating a Safe Environment website

Victims of abuse should always report to the civil authorities. To report a case of possible sexual abuse and to receive help and guidance from the Diocese of Rochester, victims are encouraged to contact the victims’ assistance coordinator appointed by Bishop Clark:

Barbara Pedeville
Phone ( 585) 328-3228, ext. 1215
Toll-free 1-800-388-7177, ext. 1215
E-mail:

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Bishop Clark to be honored for lifetime achievement at GRCC’S Faith in Action dinner

When: Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Where: Diplomat Party House 5:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.

The GRCC Faith In Action Network will hold its 20th Annual Faith In Action Celebration on June 7, 2011, at the Diplomat Party House, 1956 Lyell Avenue, Rochester.

Bishop Clark will be honored for Lifetime Achievement. The Interfaith Next-Geners will receive a Community Action Award and recognition for their interfaith bridge-building.This year’s Metropolitan Award recipient for faith in action will be posthumously given to Ms. Alberta Moss, who dedicated her life to children and young adults, paving a way for their success and welfare.

Each year, GRCC/FAN is proud to honor members of the community who exemplify a life of faith and service. Individuals from a broad cross-section of churches, mosques, temples and religious organizations in the greater Rochester area will be recognized for their important contributions to our community.

A gathering and raffle auction will begin at 5:30 p.m., with dinner and program to follow at 6:15 p.m.

The cost of this event is $40 for individuals, $60 at a patron level; (includes dinner, program & special auction). Tables of 10 are available for groups celebrating their special honorees. Sliding scale is available upon request.
Proceeds of a special auction will benefit dinner scholarships and other costs of this celebration. Donations will be accepted for the newly created Alberta Moss Children’s Scholarship Fund.

For more information, call 585-254-2570 or visit http://www.grcc.org. E-mail inquiries can be addressed to

ELEVENTH ANNUAL WESTSIDE BENEFIT CONCERT

Save the date and plan to attend the Eleventh Annual Ecumenical Benefit Concert sponsored by the Westside Coalition of Christian Churches on Sunday, May 22 at 7:00 p.m., at Pearce Memorial Church, 4322 Buffalo Road, NorthChili (near Roberts Wesleyan College).

This group of churches initially gathered to support the building of a Habitat for Humanity House, and the music ministries have presented an annual benefit concert each year since 2001, raising over $17,650 for different charitable organizations. Our concert this year features choirs and instrumentalists from Community Christian Church, Elmgrove United MethodistChurch, Holy Ghost Catholic Church,

Lutheran Church of Our Savior, Open Door Baptist Church, Pearce MemorialChurch, St.

Stephen’s Episcopal Church, and Trinity Emmanuel Lutheran Church.

Choirs from each of the churches and the combined vocal, men’s and women’s choirs will present sacred choral selections.

The concert is free and open to the public, and Pearce Memorial Church is handicapped accessible. Free will donations will be accepted with all proceeds going to SWEM (Southwest Ecumenical Ministries), 350 Chili Avenue in Rochester.

Along with the free will offering, a canned food donation will be accepted. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans will match all contributions, donating one dollar for every three dollars collected. You won’t want to miss this very special event! Come, and bring a friend!

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El Mensajero Católico wins press association honors

El Mensajero Católico, which serves the Hispanic community of the Diocese of Rochester with a Spanish-language newspaper and bilingual website,  has won two awards from the New York State Press Association.

The NYPA, a trade organization representing the state’s non-daily community newspapers, presented the awards April 8-9 during its annual convention in Saratoga Springs.

El Mensajero won the following awards:

First Place, News Story (Division 2, 5,001-9,000 circulation): To Annette Jiménez for her story “Programas ayudan a los latinos a vencer las adicciones de substancias” (“Programs help Latinos overcome substance abuse”), which was published in November 2010. “This story was compelling, moving, well-reported and well-written — all reasons for a 1st place (nod),” the judges wrote. “Tackling this subject matter from the eyes of those most impacted makes it a must read. A real gem among so many quality entries.”

Best Newspaper Web Site (all circulation divisions): El Mensajero’s website (http://en.elmensajerorochester.com/) received second place among all competing non-daily newspapers in the state. “The site is beautifully straight forward and simply designed,” the judges wrote. “Visitors know exactly where to go to find what they want and the size of the main picture appropriately captures our attention. The dimming effect on photo slideshows is a nice touch.”

“We are proud to serve the Latino community of our diocese and grateful for this recognition from NYPA and for the support by our growing number of readers,” said Karen Franz, the newspaper’s editor and general manager. El Mensajero Católico is published by the Rochester Catholic Press Association Inc., which also publishes the Catholic Courier.

Established in 2005 to serve the growing Catholic Latino population in the Diocese of Rochester, El Mensajero Católico quickly received recognition as one of North America’s finest Spanish-language Catholic publications. It has received numerous awards for reporting, graphic design and photographic excellence. El Mensajero’s community-based, in-depth coverage continues to emphasize such vital issues as immigration, health care, education, social justice and crime prevention. It also includes personality profiles, stunning photo spreads, and feature stories about cultural and religious celebrations both in the print edition and on its website, which was launched in 2010.

5K Run for Adults and Youth
And 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk
at
St. Lawrence Church
1000 N. Greece Road, Rochester, NY
Saturday, May 5, 2018

Please go to lightboxreg.com to register

For Catholic School participants, please register by filling out this form and sending it back to

Bishop Clark to receive national award

Bishop of Rochester Matthew H. Clark will receive the  Lumen Gentium Award from the national Conference for Pastoral Planning and Council Development during the group’s 38th Annual Conference in Chicago this week. The award will be presented to Bishop Clark at a special awards banquet tomorrow night (12 April).

The Lumen Gentium Award is given in recognition of distinguished pastoral leadership in utilizing planning and broad consultation processes; initiative and creativity in responding to parish or diocesan changing needs, and significant contributions to raising awareness of the principles of the Vatican II document Lumen Gentium, which greatly influenced the role of laity in the Catholic Church.

More than a decade ago, Bishop Clark initiated the nationally recognized Pastoral Planning for a New Millennium, a diocesan-wide planning process involving every parish in the Diocese of Rochester, and hundreds of lay volunteers working with church leadership to meet the challenges of the future. Organized into groups of several parishes,  planners have formed new multi-year strategies to meet changing demographics, a decline in the number of available priests and other pressing issues.

“This award truly is shared with the many, many people who have diligently worked to help us embrace the needs of our parishes in the 21st Century,” Bishop Clark said. “I am very grateful for all the hundreds of dedicated people who have helped our Diocese embrace the future.”

Bernard Grizard, diocesan director of Parish Support Ministries, said Pastoral Planning for a New Millennium is unique nationally “in that it offers to the people in the pews the key role of forming for themselves a plan for the future and then making recommendations to the Bishop. They truly have a voice.”

Bishop Clark has served as bishop of Rochester since 1979. As Bishop, he is spiritual leader for more than 300,000 Catholics in a Diocese that spans 12 counties (Monroe, Wayne, Ontario, Cayuga, Livingston, Steuben, Tioga, Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca, Tompkins and Yates).

This is the second national award Bishop Clark has received in the past six months, In November 2010, he was named Exemplary Bishop of the Year by the  Catholic Campus Ministry Association.

The Conference for Pastoral Planning and Council Development promotes and advocates consultative processes that foster effective planning for the pastoral life of the church. Through member involvement, education, personal development, and professional programming, the organization and its members work together to develop their full potential in their unique ministries.

Stewardship Day 2011 to be held May 14, 2011

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester’s annual Stewardship Day 2011 will be held from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 14, 2011, at St. Pius Tenth Church, 3010 Chili Ave., Chili.

Featured speaker will be Susan M. Erschen, director of Stewardship Education for the Archdiocese of St. Louis and a prolific writer of stewardship manuals and resource materials. Erschen’s keynote talk is entitled, Faithful & Generous: Teaching Stewardship, Practicing Development. Workshops will be offered on a variety of topics, including how to communicate in faith communities to improve stewardship efforts, and ways to teach stewardship principles to young people.

In addition, Bishop of Rochester Matthew H. Clark will begin the gathering with celebration of Mass at 8 a.m. The St. Pius-based Faith on Fire, a contemporary music group, will perform and take part in a special workshop on using music to promote stewardship as a way of life.

Cost is $10 per person and includes a continental breakfast. Registration is required and can be done online at www.stbernards.edu. For more details or to obtain a brochure with a mail-in registration form, visit www.dor.org/sd or e-mail .

Statement on Rev. Vincent Panepinto

March 27, 2011

An allegation of sexual abuse of a minor dating back to the late 1960s has been made against Rev. Vincent Panepinto and deemed credible after an investigation by the Diocese of Rochester.

Rev. Panepinto has been placed on administrative leave and his priestly faculties have been withdrawn. He can no longer exercise public ministry in any capacity.

Rev. Panepinto was ordained a priest on June 3, 1967.  He served at the former St. Philip Neri parish in Rochester and St. Anthony’s in Elmira; St. Michael’s in Rochester; as a chaplain at several state correctional facilities and at Our Lady of Mercy High School; as spiritual director at Becket Hall discernment house; as pastor of the former City East parishes in Rochester (Corpus Christi, Holy Redeemer, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel); and most recently as sacramental minister of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini parish in Rochester.

 HELP FOR VICTIMS: The Diocese of Rochester encourages victims of abuse to always report to the civil authorities. To report a case of possible sexual abuse and to receive help and guidance from the Diocese of Rochester, victims are encouraged to contact Barbara Pedeville, the victims’ assistance coordinator appointed by Bishop Matthew H. Clark: Phone 585-328-3228, ext. 1215 (toll-free 1-800-388- 7177, ext. 1215), or  by e-mail to

Resources:

Diocese of Rochester Creating a Safe Environment website
Bishop Clark’s 2010 column on preventing sexual abuse