(Above) Father Cliff stopped into the Kindergarten classroom to share a story about dogs with the students.
Priests adjust to new assignments
By Eileen Jevis, staff writer
Anyone who has moved to a new city, town or neighborhood remembers the adjustments necessary to feel at home. Whether for a different job, being closer to family, or seeking a new lifestyle, navigating unfamiliar territory takes time. There are both benefits and challenges as we embrace new cultures and traditions — from cheering for regional sports teams to sampling new foods that are an integral part of a local area — open-mindedness and acceptance are key.
Priests have an added layer of adjustment as they join new faith communities as spiritual leaders, counselors, teachers and administrators. We recently reached out to three priests who were reassigned to different parishes over the summer to ask how they’re doing in their new spiritual homes.
Father Cliff Auth was the pastor of St. Augustine and St. Mary of the Assumption parishes in Baldwinsville. In July, he was assigned pastor of Immaculate Conception (IC) Parish in Fayetteville and St. Ann Church in Manlius. He said while there are differences in location, origin, parish size, etc., there is commonality in their synodality as Roman Catholics. “It is these similarities that remind us of the universality of our Church,” he said.
Fr. Cliff said he is very blessed to benefit from the outstanding leadership of Fr. Tom Ryan at Immaculate Conception and Deacon Bob Street, Fr. Michael Carmola and Fr. Brian Lang at St. Ann’s. “Their success in developing outstanding pastoral teams underscores the importance of lay leadership. It is these pastoral teams that empower parishioners to invest in themselves and collaborate in the mission of the Church,” he said.
Immaculate Conception Elementary School is also an important ministry of the diocese. Fr. Cliff said that while these are challenging times for our Catholic schools, their purpose is no less pressing. He said that, like the pastoral team, the dedication of the school administrators, faculty, staff and families leave him both humbled and inspired. “While adjustments to new pastoral assignments can sometimes be a challenge, the parishioners of IC and St. Ann’s have made this transition seamless,” he said. “I am overwhelmed with the warm welcome at both parishes of the Fayetteville-Manlius Catholic Community. I’m grateful to share community with Msgr. Ron Bill and Fr. Philip Hearn. Their kindness, charity and care are an acknowledgement of their deep faith.”
Father James Serowik
Fr. Serowik meets with parishioners, Mr. and Mrs. Walters following Mass.
Father James Serowik was pastor of Blessed Sacrament/St. Vincent de Paul Church in Vestal, and administrator of St. Patrick’s Church, Whitney Point, St. Stephen’s Church in Marathon, and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Mission in Binghamton. In July, Fr. Serowik was appointed pastor of Saints John and Andrew Church in Binghamton while remaining as pastor of Blessed Sacrament and St. Vincent De Paul and vicar forane for the southern region.
Fr. Jim said he also received a warm welcome from the parish communities at St. John and St. Andrew. He is grateful to have Pastor Emeritus Msgr. Michael Meagher living at the rectory, who shares his wealth of knowledge and has been very helpful during the transition. The two Catholic communities, which are geographically close to each other, are in discussions on how they can work together more closely, explained Fr. Serowik. “Both communities are generous and invest well in the lives of the parish. We have hired a youth minister for both parishes and have a faith formation coordinator working for both parishes as well. We are especially proud of our shared outreach ministry at the Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry.”
Fr. Jim and his four-legged “associate,” a black lab named Vianney, regularly visit St. John School. Vianney loves going to his new parish and especially enjoys going to the playground and being with the students. “He gets all excited when my car pulls up to Saints John and Andrew Parish.”
“While this has been a time of transition, it has also been a time of great grace for me,” Fr. Jim said. “I have met so many wonderful people who have welcomed me into their homes and lives. There is a rich tradition of faith in these two parishes and I look forward to us journeying together as we build God’s Kingdom together. I look forward to a bright future for these two parishes and feel blessed to be able to serve as their pastor.”
Father Brendan Foley
Fr. Brendan Foley
Continuing to trust in the Lord, keeping faithful to prayer, being surrounded by brother priests and held up by close friends and family, strengthens Fr. Brendan Foley as he settles into his current assignment. Fr. Brendan served as parochial vicar of Holy Cross Parish in Dewitt and St. Anthony of Padua Church in Syracuse before being assigned as administrator of Our Lady of Pompei/St. Peter’s Church and St. John the Baptist/Holy Trinity Church in Syracuse. He continues to provide ministry to the Spanish community at St. Anthony of Padua.
Fr. Brendan said he is grateful to the parishioners of the Catholic communities in the Northside of Syracuse who have been accommodating and understanding while he maintains the important elements of his first assignment. He counts on the many individuals who have a handle on parish life and what happens from week to week. “They have a deep love for their parishes,” Fr. Brendan said. “Most of these parishioners are used to pastors or administrators who have 10 or 15 years of priesthood under their belt. Having been ordained for just three years, I am still growing and learning.”
Fr. Brendan said that trying to be at multiple places at once and giving everyone the attention and pastoral care they deserve, is something he is still working on. “There is a significant degree of difficulty when you are trying to be a spiritual father to a family you don’t get to see every day,” he said. “It’s hard to feel as present as you would like day in and day out.”
On the positive side, Fr. Brendan said he is more aware of how much the Holy Spirit provides and leads us. “One thing that hasn’t changed is the needs of the faithful and their hunger for the Lord,” he said. “It doesn’t matter where you are assigned, there is always a need for the power of the Resurrection to be present. There is always a need for the Eucharist and other Sacraments. So, I’m happy to trust that even while I’m in unfamiliar territory, the Lord is able to bless and care for me. He will bless me in new and unexpected ways.”
