Dear Friends,
I was asked to write a little about myself as a way of introducing myself to those who visit out parish website. I was born on August 14th, 1947 in Mary Immaculate Hospital. I was baptized in St. Catherine's Parish in St. Albans. In 1949 my family moved to Uniondale. Our parish, St. Martha's was established shortly after our arrival. In the early days of the parish we had no parish school so my brother and I attended Uniondale Public Schools until St. Martha's School opened in 1957. After graduating from St. Martha's School in 1961, I went to St. Pius X Preparatory Seminary which was also located in Uniondale. At that time St. Pius was a six year school, four years of high school and two years of college. I finished the six years in 1967 and went on to the College of the Immaculate Conception which is located in Douglaston. I then went onto the major seminary in Huntington. From 1972 until 1973 I served as a deacon in St. Bernard's in Levittown and on May 26th, 1973 I was ordained in St. Agnes Cathedral by Bishop Walter Kellenberg.
My first parish assignment as a priest was Good Shepherd in Holbrook. I served in Good Shepherd from 1973 until 1979. It was at Good Shepherd that I first met Fr. Jack Moore, who years later served in Our Lady of Fatima. From Good Shepherd I moved to St. Joseph's in Babylon and I served there from 1979 until 1990. When I was at St. Joseph's I decided to begin studying at Hartford Seminary in Hartford, CT and completed a Doctor of Ministry. In 1990 I was appointed pastor of St. Mary's in East Islip, where I served until my coming to Our Lady of Fatima. I have been blest in all my assignments. Each one had its own challenges and its own gifts.
I enjoy swimming, short runs, reading, art, music,dinner with my family on Sunday evenings and sharing the gift of faith. I am now ordained 35 years and have always loved being a priest with all of its blessings and all of its challenges. The 35 years have passed by very quickly and I hope that throughout these years I have become a better priest as I try to respond to words of Jesus.
I look forward to my time at Our Lady of Fatima. I have every hope that together we will continue to build upon all the good work that has been happening in Our Lady of Fatima for so many years. I hope that through collaboration and the sharing of wisdom we will be able to respond as a community of faith to the gospel message proclaimed by the Lord Jesus.
Peace,
Fr. Steve
