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Eleven priests of the archdiocese have retired, effective July 1, the Cardinal’s Office has announced. All had previously reached the normal priest retirement age of 75, or they will reach it at some point this year.
Father Robert Arce retired as senior priest administrator at St. Margaret Mary parish, the Bronx, where he was pastor, 1991-2013. He served as parochial vicar at St. Dominic’s, 1988-1991, and St. Augustine’s, 1967-1988, both in the Bronx. He also served at St. Lawrence O’Toole, Brewster, and had a summer assignment at Immaculate Conception, Bangall. He was ordained in 1964.
Msgr. Thomas Bergin retired as senior priest administrator at St. Charles parish, Staten Island, where he was pastor, 2004-2010, and parochial vicar, 1961-1965. He was administrator of St. Raymond’s, the Bronx, 2002-2004, and pastor of St. Mary’s, Poughkeepsie, 1982-1983. In 1992 he was appointed archdiocesan vicar for education. In 1993 he was named chancellor of the archdiocese, a position he held concurrently with vicar for education for a year before returning full time to the education post. In 1995 he was named president of Cathedral High School in Manhattan. He held that position while continuing as vicar for education until 2002. He served as principal of Msgr. Farrell High School, Staten Island, 1983-1992, and also served on the faculty there, 1965-1973. From 1973 to 1982 he was principal at Moore Catholic High School, also on Staten Island. He was ordained in 1961 and named a monsignor in 1990.
Father Joseph Dietz retired as pastor of the Church of the Magdalene, Sleepy Hollow, a post he had held since 2000. He was a parochial vicar at Immaculate Heart of Mary, Scarsdale, 1994-2000, and served part time at Catholic Charities. He served as assistant director of Catholic Charities Department of Family and Children Services, 1991-1994. He served at St. Raymond’s, the Bronx, 1987-1991. He was ordained in 1987.
Father Thomas Fenlon retired as senior priest administrator of St. Augustine/Our Lady of Victory in the Bronx, a position he had held for three years. He earlier had served as senior priest administrator of St. Augustine’s and of Our Lady of Victory. He had served as pastor of St. Augustine’s, 2002-2010. He was parochial vicar of St. Lucy’s, also in the Bronx, 2000-2002. From 1988 to 2000 he was pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes, Manhattan. He also served as coordinator of Hispanic Ministry in the Newburgh-Beacon area, 1978-1988. He was parochial vicar of St. Mary’s, Newburgh; St. Charles, Staten Island; Annunciation, Manhattan; and St. John the Evangelist, Beacon. He was ordained in 1961.
Father John Kraljic retired as a faculty member of Cardinal Spellman High School, the Bronx, where he had served since 1996. He hadbeen on the faculty of Cardinal Hayes High School, also in the Bronx, 1974-1996. He served in the U.S. Navy, 1971-1974. He was parochial vicar at St. Benedict’s, the Bronx; St. Joseph’s, Bronxville; and St. Joseph’s, Croton Falls. He was ordained in 1969.
Msgr. Robert McCabe retired as senior priest administrator of St. Mary’s parish, Haverstraw, where he was administrator since 1999. He served as pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas, Forestburgh, 1987-1998. He was parochial vicar at Holy Family, the Bronx; St. Joseph’s, Yorkville, Manhattan; St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Shrub Oak; and St. Agnes, Manhattan. He was ordained in 1964 and named a monsignor in 1995.
Father John McDonagh retired as parochial vicar of St. Ann’s, Yonkers, where he had served since 2011. He was pastor of SS. Peter and Paul, Mount Vernon, 2004-2010. He twice served as an administrator: Our Lady of Victory, Mount Vernon, 1999-2002, and then briefly at St. Sylvester’s, Staten Island, 2002. He was parochial vicar at the following parishes: St. Margaret of Cortona, the Bronx; St. Thomas of Canterbury, Cornwall-on-Hudson; St. Teresa of Avila, Sleepy Hollow; St. Anthony’s, West Harrison; Blessed Sacrament, New Rochelle; and St. Anthony’s, Nanuet. He was ordained in 1981.
Msgr. Hugh McManus retired as senior priest administrator of Our Lady of Fatima in Scarsdale, a position he had held since 2010. He was pastor there, 1994-2010, and again was administrator, 1993-1994, and parochial vicar, 1980-1984. He was pastor of Sacred Heart, Dobbs Ferry, 1984-1989, after serving there briefly as administrator. He served as archdiocesan vicar for education, 1989-1992. He was on the faculty of Cathedral College, Douglaston, and taught English at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie. He was a parochial vicar at Our Lady Star of the Sea, Staten Island. He was ordained in 1961 and named a monsignor in 1990.
Father James O’Shaughnessy retired as a faculty member of Cardinal Spellman High School, the Bronx, where he had served since 1978. He served as parochial vicar in the Bronx at Our Lady of Refuge and Holy Rosary. He was ordained in 1968.
Msgr. Joseph Penna retired as pastor of St. Aedan’s, Pearl River, a position he had held since 1995. He served as administrator there for one year before that. He served on the faculty of St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, 1975-1994. He was on the staff of the Metropolitan Tribunal. He was parochial vicar at Blessed Sacrament, Manhattan, and St. Stephen’s, Warwick. He was ordained in 1967 and named a monsignor in 1995.
Msgr. Edward Straub retired as senior priest administrator of St. Peter’s, Liberty, and had served as pastor there, 1986-2014. He was named regional vicar of Sullivan County in 1998. He was on the faculty of John Coleman Catholic High School, Hurley, and parochial vicar of St. Colman, East Kingston, 1981-1986. He was parochial vicar at St. Joseph’s, New Windsor; St. John’s, the Bronx; St. Peter’s, Monticello; and St. Aloysius, Livingston Manor. He was ordained in 1965 and named a monsignor in 1999.
