A reader sent us a message today saying that it was announced that Deacon David Palma will become the pastoral administrator of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini parish (St. Michael, Corpus Christi, Annunciation). The sacramental ministers, according to our reader, will be Fr. Robert Werth of Peace of Christ and Fr. Mickey McGrath of St. Columba.
There is no official confirmation of this information yet, so if you hear anything different, please contact us as soon as possible.
Tags: Pastoral Appointments
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Interesting.
I wonder if David Palma will continue to be the Director of the Permanent Diaconate program as well as PA of St. FXC.
Out of curiosity, does anyone know if either of the priests are fluent in Spanish, or will one of them be leaving soon for an “intesive sabbatical”?
I was wondering the same thing.
Deacon Palma has some fluency in Spanish but it seems unlikely that he could administer a parish and be deacon director at the same time.
Nothing against Deacon Palma but it should have been Deacon Dan Hurley when the clustering was done.
Fr. McGrath + The beauty of St Michael=AWESOME. Might be the first reverent Mass said there in years!
I agree that the Pastor of the new parish should have been Deacon Dan Hurley…he is very fluent in spanish, understands the culture, and would have provided the most healing which will be needed to run the new parish. He is a marvelous leader who has touched many lives during his tenure at Our Lady of the Angels. Why would someone who did a GREAT job, and is excellent at what he does, be
treated in this fashion?
St. FXC parish is extremely fortunate to have Fr. McGrath. They have recieved a genuine gift from the Lord in his appointment. A true priest! Im not aware of his spanish proficiency, but I know he does not struggle with language having gone to seminary in Rome at NAS and the “Greg”.
Looks like we need to be patient rather than be critical.
Actually, only a priest can be a pastor. A lay person or a deacon cannot have either the title or role.
Have any of you ever worked closely at St Mikes or OLPH with Deacon Hurley— if you had been a parishoner there, or ever tried to work with him, you would know why he wasnt appointed the PA. He is a nice man, a good spiritual guide, but his talents do not lie in pastoral leadership of a parish. Wait till you hear the next announcement from the diocese after easter and you will understand more………………..
What might that be?
Fr. McGrath & Fr. Werth together? WOW! Pass that popcorn! That will be an interesting combination to watch! Dcn. Palma is stepping down as director of the diaconate program for this assignment.
It would be an understatement in saying that running a cluster in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Rochester was probably not an easy job.
Once again I ask the same question: Why are lay people and deacons assigned when priests are available?????????????????? Are we praying for vocations to the priesthood or vocations to sacramental ministry??????????????
Fr Werth said during several hiomilies that he does not want to be a pastor anymore anywhere- too much politics and not enough time for service. I suspect this is the case with many of our priests. That is why lay people are appointed.
Anonymous 1:51 – just a nit, but Deacon Palma is not a lay person. A deacon is a member of the clergy.
Isn’t that why he said a deacon OR a lay person?
In regards to Deacon Hurley being (as some are saying) “the logical choice”…how can a person who has caused pain to a community be its saving grace? I agree with the Anonymous 10:18pm, unless you have been a part of the community in some way, you really don’t know. Although, I don’t know how I feel about the possible appointments. SFXC desperately needs Spanish speaking administration and spiritual guides who can relate with them because there has been so much sorrow and pain in that community.
Answer to ann. 4/20 @ 2:18 PM. Your critique of Deacon Hurley isn’t quite accurate. As you will recall OLPH & St. M. were in trouble long before his administration as a result of poor management by the priests who preceeded him and the one who served in the interim just before him. The 1st 2 dug the hole and the 3rd maintained the status quo. Hurley worked very hard to combine 2 parishes into 1 and to meld the parishioners. He served both Anglo & Latino communities in a dedicated manner and made gains in debt reduction. I always felt quite welcome in either church & I attended Mass without regard to its’ being English or Bi-lingual. I am not the only person who Hurley made this impact on, although I may be one of the few to express it openly. I am now with SFXC parish and am happy to be, & am working with my fellow parishoners to make it into the best in Rochester. I understand why Hurley is not with us (although I disagree in principal) & I will certainly work with Deacon Palma in an effort to create a viable parish in SFXC.
Yes, it was confirmed this morning at the end of Mass, that the new Pastoral Administrator will be Deacon David Palma, and the Sacramental Ministers will Fr. Robert Werth Christ and Fr. Mickey McGrath.
They did not say Fr. Tracey is leaving or will he remain?
Thank you for the confirmation.
Anonymous April 24, 2011. Question.
…Fr. Robert Werth Christ…?
Is this a typo or is there something I am missing?
Thank you
I was also at the Mass this morning and heard the same announcement. The post before this is a typo. Fr. Werth is from the Peace of Christ parish and that’s what the post was probably referencing.
Yes it is a typo… sorry…
Anonymous says:
April 24, 2011 at 11:46 AM
Yes, it was confirmed this morning at the end of Mass, that the new Pastoral Administrator will be Deacon David Palma, and the Sacramental Ministers will Fr. Robert Werth Christ and Fr. Mickey McGrath.
They did not say Fr. Tracey is leaving or will he remain?