7:00 PM, Thursday, January 29,  at Saint Pius Tenth (School), 3000 Chili Avenue, Rochester 7:00 PM, Wednesday February 4, at Church of the Transfiguration (Parish Life Center- Double Room) , 50 West Bloomfield Road, Pittsford, 10:00 AM, Saturday, February 21, at St. Bernard’s School of Theology & Ministry, 120 French Road, Rochester We will provide […]

The Most Reverend Salvatore R. Matano will be installed as the 9th Bishop of Rochester in a special Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral on Friday Jan. 3, 2014, at 2:30 p.m.

Diocese of Rochester seminarian Peter Van Lieshout, who was ordained a transitional deacon in October, will be  assisting Pope Francis at the televised Christmas “Midnight Mass” in St. Peter’s Basilica. Van Lieshout will be chanting the Gospel and serving as one of the deacons. Van Lieshout, a native of Livonia whose home parish is St. Matthew’s, served […]

Seminarian Peter VanLieshout ordained transitional deacon October 3, 2013 – Diocese of Rochester seminarian Peter Van Lieshout was ordained a transitional deacon at the North American College in Rome, Italy, today. Deacon Van Lieshout is scheduled to be ordained a priest of the Diocese of Rochester in June 2014. He was ordained by Cardinal James […]

David Tedesche ordained transitional deacon ROME, 4 October 2012 – On Thursday, 4 October 2012, 33 seminarians of the Pontifical North American College were ordained to the transitional diaconate during a celebration of the Eucharist at St. Peter’s Basilica.  David M. Tedesche of the Diocese of Rochester was among those ordained. His Excellency, The Most Reverend John J. Myers, […]

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; […]

Nine men will be ordained to the diaconate – eight as permanent deacons and one as a transitional deacon – on June 5, 2010, at a 10:30 a.m. Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Rochester. They are Mark Bovenzi, Patrick DiLaura, Peter Dohr, Joseph Erway, Raymond Garbach, Paul Sartori, Lon Smith and Thomas Uschold. Click here for the Catholic Courier […]

Statement on recent news reports concerning Bishop Williamson Rochester, New York, Feb. 2, 2009 — Bishop of Rochester Matthew Clark and the priests, deacons and people of the Diocese of Rochester join with Pope Benedict XVI in affirming our love for and solidarity with the Jewish people throughout the world, and our absolute repudiation of […]

Edison M. Tayag will be ordained as a priest of the Diocese of Rochester on Saturday, June 28, 2008. His ordination Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart Cathedral, 296 Flower City Park, Rochester. All are welcome. Bishop Matthew H. Clark will preside at the Mass, which also will be attended by […]

Celebration of Catholic Church’s commitment to the City — Bishop of Rochester
Matthew Clark, joined by Rochester Mayor Robert Duffy, will hold a news
conference Monday at 10:00 a.m. at an historic and diverse gathering of more
than 150 Catholic city priests, deacons, and lay ministers involved in Catholic
city ministry.
Those attending the gathering for Urban Ministry Day will hear from a
number of people about the needs of the city, as well as nationally known
speakers who will address the challenges and rewards of ministering in an
urban setting.
The news conference, which will begin promptly at 10 a.m., is at Holy
Redeemer/St. Francis Xavier Church, 300 Bay Street, between Teresa and

Third streets. The news conference is in the church sanctuary.
Bishop Clark will discuss the present state of and future of Catholic ministry
in Rochester in light of the gathering, which is aimed at discussing the
challenges and opportunities particular to the City of Rochester, and forming
new strategies and new commitments to Catholic ministry to the poor, infirm,
homeless and others, as well as attending to Catholics’ spiritual needs. Mayor
Duffy also will make remarks.
Both leaders will answer reporters’ questions following the news conference.

Diocese of Rochester in formal partnership of hope,
healing with Archdiocese of New Orleans

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Roman Catholic
Diocese of Rochester today announced a
partnership agreement with the Archdiocese of
New Orleans to assist in long-term recovery
efforts in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and
Rita. While individual parishes across the
country have formed alliances to offer long-term
help beyond financial assistance, this agreement
marks the first such relationship by a diocese as a
whole with the Archdiocese.
Details of the support offered by this agreement
will be worked out in the coming weeks, but
likely will include:
• Parish-to-parish partnerships matched up with the assistance of the Catholic
Charities USA national database.
• Diocese-to-diocese support in the form of volunteers and material support
• Other partnerships between schools (e.g. Newman Community groups on college
campuses), religious groups and involvement by area Roman Catholic deacons.
“This partnership is a long-term commitment and a pledge to help the rebuilding process
and to assist by whatever means we can to assuage the suffering,” Bishop of Rochester
Matthew H. Clark said.
This partnership comes in addition to the more than $500,000 in cash donations that
Diocese of Rochester parishes have already raised for hurricane relief on behalf of
Catholic Charities USA. As well, local Catholic Charities agencies throughout the
Diocese, as well as individual parishes, are actively supporting the various needs of a
number of evacuees who have come to this area.

“We wish to express our
Christian solidarity with
those affected by the
Hurricane and offer not
only our daily prayers
and donations, but
hands-on involvement in
the rebuilding process.”
~ Bishop of Rochester
Matthew Clark

“In announcing this agreement,” Bishop Clark added, “we wish to express our Christian
solidarity with those affected by the Hurricane and offer not only our daily prayers and
donations, but also our hands-on involvement in the rebuilding process. The partnership
is intended to focus our response as a Diocese, aligns our efforts with those already
underway by Catholic Charities and provides a concrete means for our parishes to
participate with direct assistance.
This agreement was prompted by not only the overwhelming devastation wrought by the
hurricanes but the outpouring of desire by individuals and parishes within our diocese to
respond in ways beyond giving money. This agreement goes to the heart of our
understanding of Christian fellowship and community. St. Paul tells us that we are part
of one body of Christ: “If one member suffers, we all suffer together with it.” (1
Corinthians 12:26)
The Archdiocese of New Orleans, which has been deeply affected by this tragedy, has:
• 480,000 Catholics in a general population of 1.4 million people, and includes the
City of New Orleans and 7 other neighboring civil parishes. Together, they have
suffered:
o Approx. 800 deaths
o The loss of over 300,000 homes
o The loss of approx. 250,000 jobs
• The Archdiocese itself has:
o 142 parishes, of which only 70 will be able to hold Eucharistic celebrations
this coming weekend of October 1. Of the remainder, perhaps 60 are
seriously damaged or destroyed.
o 220 diocesan and 195 religious priests, 800 religious sisters and 186
deacons

• The Archdiocese of New Orleans is trying to address the following needs:
o Basic human needs of its staff, parishioners and the general public
o Cash flow to keep operations going, especially as collections suffer through
the disruption
o Damage to churches, schools and other buildings

(The 12-county Diocese of Rochester has approximately 350,000 Catholics and more
than 150 faith communities.)
“Through these efforts over several years, the people of both dioceses expect to gain a
richer understanding of their own faith, new friendships and a larger sense of God’s work
in the world,” Bishop Clark said.