Administrators Named at Two Parishes

Administrators have been named at two parishes in the archdiocese, and a parochial vicar has been appointed to another parish, the Cardinal’s Office has announced.

The new administrators are Father Romano Almagno, O.F.M., Most Precious Blood parish, Manhattan, and Father Thomas Devery, Our Lady of Pity parish, Staten Island, who was appointed on a temporary basis.

Father Cresus Fernando has been named to serve as parochial vicar of St. Matthew’s parish, Hastings-on-Hudson.

The appointments of Father Devery and Father Fernando became effective Oct. 1; Father Almagno’s became effective Sept. 16.

Father Romano Almagno served for 30 years as professor at the University of Pittsburgh, 1972-2002, and is now professor emeritus. He was administrator of a parish in Pittsburgh, 2002-2004. More recently, he had resided at a friary in Catskill since last year and was superior of the Holy Land Franciscan Monastery in Washington, D.C., 2004-2007. From 1970 to 1982 he also served as a member of the theology section of the International Franciscan-Dominican Research Center, Grottaferrata, in Rome. He was a professor at Immaculate Conception Seminary in Troy, 1965-1970. He was ordained as a Franciscan priest of the Immaculate Conception Province in 1965.

Father Thomas Devery had served as parochial vicar of Our Lady of Pity since Aug. 1. He had served as director of priest personnel for the archdiocese, 2007-2012, before taking a sabbatical for the first part of this year. He was pastor of Holy Child parish, Staten Island, 2000-2007. For a decade, beginning in 1990, he was a member of the Parish Mission Team. He was special assistant to the archbishop for vocations, 1988-1990. He also served as a parochial vicar at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish, Shrub Oak, 1984-1988, and Most Holy Trinity Chapel, West Point, 1977-1984. He was ordained in 1977 after studying for the priesthood at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie.

Father Cresus Fernando had served as parochial vicar of Sacred Heart parish, Suffern, since 2007. He also served at St. Ann’s parish, Nyack, 2000-2007. Born in Sri Lanka, he was ordained for the Diocese of Kurunegala there and incardinated into the archdiocese in 2010.