Diocese Bishop announces new pastoral appointments

Diocese Bishop announces new pastoral appointmentsFather Mitch. Provided photo.

Diocese of Rochester Bishop Salvatore R. Matano has announced pastoral appointments for 2019-20. Reassignments affecting local priests become effective June 25, 2019. 

Father Mitchell Zgaldo, Temporary Parochial Vicar of St. Patrick’s-Owego and Blessed Trinity’s St. Margaret Mary-Apalachin, St. James-Waverly and St. John-Newark Valley will become Pastor of St. Louis-Pittsford, east of Rochester. 

Father Jeffrey R. Galens will become pastor of St. Patrick’s and Blessed Trinity parishes effective Aug. 1. Currently he’s Pastor of St. Patrick’s-Armonk of the Archdiocese of New York since June 2013. From 2001 to 2013 he was Pastor of Good Shepherd Parish-Rhinebeck. He was on the faculty of Cardinal Hayes High School, the Bronx, from 1995-2001. He was Parochial Vicar of St. Mary’s-Washingtonville, 1990-1995. He was ordained in 1990.  

Diocese Bishop announces new pastoral appointments
Father Jeffrey R. Galens. Provided photo.

Father Anthony J. Amato from Parochial Vicar, St. Patrick’s and Blessed Trinity to Parochial Vicar of St. Maximillan Kolbe, Ontario, and of St. Katharine Drexel, Macedon. 

Diocese Bishop announces new pastoral appointments
Father Amato. Provided photo.

Father Symon Peter Ntalyia is now Pastor of St. Katherine Drexel-Macedon, while continuing as Pastor, St. Maximillan Kolbe-Ontario. Father Amato joins him on June 25. Father Simon served St Patrick’s and Blessed Trinity a decade ago. 

Father Daniel White, a lifelong resident of Owego and lifelong member of St. Patrick’s Church where his parents were married, was ordained to the Holy Priesthood Saturday morning, June 1, 2019 by his Excellency the Most Reverend Salvatore R. Matano, Bishop of Rochester, at Sacred Heart Cathedral-Rochester. 

Diocese Bishop announces new pastoral appointments
Father White is pictured with his parents, Larry and Debbie White. Provided photo.

Father Daniel will be assigned as the new Parochial Vicar for St. Patrick’s and Blessed Trinity Parishes.  

Father Daniel graduated from Owego Free Academy and received his Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of Buffalo. He continued his formation with studies at Franciscan University-Steubenville, Ohio, Mount Angel Seminary-St. Benedict, Oregon, and St. John’s Seminary-Boston, Mass.  

Father Daniel is the son of Lawrence White and Debra White of Owego. 

Debbie graduated from Vestal High School and received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from SUNY Oneonta. She retired from the Newark Valley Central School System. 

Larry grew up in West Central Illinois and received his Bachelor’s degree from Illinois College and his Master’s from Miami University Ohio. He retired from Lockheed Martin Systems Integration-Owego. 

They were married in St. Patrick’s Church where their son will become the first hometown parishioner to return as an ordained priest for his first assignment. 

Good news from Bishop Matano with these appointments – Owego native Michael G. Fowler is now Pastor of St. Agnes-Avon, St. Paul of the Cross-Honeoye Falls, and St. Rose-Lima. He was Parochial Vicar for three years after his ordination. 

Diocese Bishop announces new pastoral appointments
Father Mike Fowler. Provided photo.

Father Peter D. Van Lieshout is now Pastor of St. Peter-Clifton Springs where he served the past two years as Parochial Vicar after transfer from St. Patrick’s and Blessed Trinity. 

Diocese Bishop announces new pastoral appointments
Pictured, are Father Van Lieshout and Bishop Matano. Provided photo.

Sources: Catholic Courier of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester and Catholic New York Archdioceses. 

Diocese Bishop announces new pastoral appointments
Reunion photo of former St. Patrick’s and Blessed Trinity priests. Pictured, are Father Bill Morby, Pastor; Father Peter Van Lieshout; now Bishop John Yaw Afoakwah, Catholic Bishop of Obuasi, Ghana; and Father Peter of Ghana. Provided photo.
Diocese Bishop announces new pastoral appointments
Fathers White and Amato are pictured at St. John’s in Newark Valley. Provided photo.

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