Pastors Appointed to 30 Parishes in the Archdiocese

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Priests have been named to serve as pastors of 30 parishes in the archdiocese, the Cardinal’s Office has announced. The accompanying chart details the new assignments.

Father Christopher Argano had served since 2016 as director of vocations for the archdiocese. He served as parochial vicar of St. Columba’s parish in Hopewell Junction, 2012-2016, and Sacred Heart, Monroe, 2009-2012. He was ordained in 2009.

Father Lorenzo Ato had served since 2013 as pastor of St. Brigid-St. Emeric, Manhattan. He is also director of communications for the archdiocesan Hispanic Ministry Office. He was administrator of St. Emeric, Manhattan, 2005-2013, and also served as assistant director for Hispanic media in the archdiocesan Communications Office. He was pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas, the Bronx, 2002-2005, and served there as parochial vicar, 1998-2002. He was parochial vicar at St. Rose of Lima, Manhattan, 1997-1998, and Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Manhattan, 1990-1997. Ordained in his native Peru in 1988, he was incardinated into the Archdiocese of New York in 1999. 

Father Hartley Bancroft had served as administrator of St. Joseph-Immaculate Conception, Millbrook, since 2020. He was parochial vicar of St. Martin de Porres, Poughkeepsie, 2016-2019, where he also briefly served as administrator. He was ordained in 2016.

Father Abraham Berko had served as administrator of Holy Name of Jesus, Valhalla, since last July. He served as parochial vicar of St. Rita’s, Staten Island, 2017-2020; St. Adalbert, Staten Island, 2013-2016, where he was temporary administrator, 2016-2017; Christ the King, the Bronx, 2007-2013; and Immaculate Conception, Amenia, 2003-2007. He was ordained for the Diocese of Sunyani in his native Ghana in 1998. He was incardinated into the Archdiocese of New York in 2015.   

Father John Bonnici had served since 2008 as pastor of St. Columba, Chester, where he was administrator, 2014-2015. He also was pastor of St. Philip Neri, the Bronx, 2002-2008. He was director of the archdiocesan Family Life/Respect Life Office, 1996-2002, and was assistant director, 1995-1996. He served as parochial vicar of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Elmsford, 1992-1994. He also studied at the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family in Washington, D.C., and served on the faculty of St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, 1994-1995. He was ordained in 1991.

Father Patrick Buckley had served since 2015 as pastor of St. Christopher and St. Sylvia, Red Hook and Tivoli. He was pastor of St. Christopher, Red Hook, 2011-2015, where he was administrator, 2010-2011. He was parochial vicar of St. Teresa’s, Staten Island, 2008-2010, and St. Stephen, Warwick, 2004-2008. He was ordained in 2004.  

Father Jesus Ledezma Castro had served since last July as administrator of Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. Bernard Shrine in Manhattan. He served as parochial vicar of St. Raymond, the Bronx, 2019-2020; Our Lady of Mercy, the Bronx, 2017-2019; and St. Rose of Lima, Manhattan, 2016. He was ordained in 2016.  

Father Michael Cichon had served since 2015 as pastor of St. Peter-Assumption-St. Paul, Staten Island. He was pastor of Assumption-St. Paul, Staten Island, 2007-2015, and was administrator of St. Peter, Staten Island, 2013-2015. He was pastor of St. Joseph and St. Thomas, Staten Island, 2001-2007. He served as parochial vicar of St. Clare’s, Staten Island, 1994-2001; Immaculate Conception, Stony Point, 1994; St. Patrick, Yorktown Heights, 1988-1994; and St. Charles, Staten Island, 1985-1988. He was ordained in 1985. 

Father Thomas Collins has served since 2011 as president of Archbishop Stepinac High School, White Plains. He also served Stepinac as a faculty member, 1995-2001; associate dean of students, 2001-2002; dean of students, 2002-2007; and in the development office, 2007-2011. He was also chaplain for the 105th Air Wing at Stewart Air Base, Newburgh, 1994-2006. He was parochial vicar of St. Columbanus, Cortlandt Manor, 1992-1995. He was ordained in 1992. 

Father Douglas Crawford has served as pastor of Good Shepherd parish in Rhinebeck since 2016, where he had been administrator since August 2015 and also temporary administrator for four months prior. Before that, he was priest secretary to Cardinal Edward Egan and parochial vicar of Our Lady of the Scapular-St. Stephen’s, Manhattan, 2012-2015. He  served as parochial vicar of St. Martin de Porres, Poughkeepsie, 2009-2012, and St. Augustine’s, Ossining, 2007-2009. He was ordained in 2007.

Father Jose Cruz Alvarez had served since 2018 as administrator of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Manhattan, where he was parochial vicar, 2015. He served as parochial vicar of St. Peter and St. Mary of the Assumption, Haverstraw, 2015-2018. He was ordained in 2015.  

Father Joseph Franco had served since 2010 as pastor of Sacred Heart in the Highbridge section of the Bronx. He was administrator of Sacred Heart and St. Francis of Assisi parishes, the Bronx, 2008-2010, and was parochial vicar of Sacred Heart, 2004-2008. He was ordained in 2004.  

Father Louis Jerome had served since 2015 as pastor of St. Charles, Staten Island. He was pastor of Sacred Heart, Staten Island, 2003-2015, where he was administrator, 2001-2003. He was parochial vicar of St. Patrick, Yorktown Heights, 1994-2001; St. Mary’s, Poughkeepsie, 1993-1994; and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Scarsdale, 1988-1993. He was ordained in 1988.

Father Pancrose Kalist had served since 2018 as pastor of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, LaGrangeville. He also served as pastor of Our Lady Queen of Peace, Staten Island, 2008-2014 and 2015-2018, where he was also administrator, 2014-2015 and 2007-2008, and parochial vicar, 1996-2002. He also served as parochial vicar at St. Ann, Staten Island, 2002-2007, and St. Aedan, Pearl River, 2002. A native of India, he was ordained in 1988 for the Diocese of Berhampur and was incardinated into the Archdiocese of New York in 2004. 

Father Joseph McLafferty had served since 2015 as pastor of St. Christopher-St. Margaret Mary, Staten Island, where he was administrator, 2014-2015. He was pastor of St. Christopher, 2008-2014. He was parochial vicar of Our Lady Star of the Sea, Staten Island, 2004-2008, and St. Patrick, Yorktown Heights, 2000-2004. He was ordained in 2000. 

Father Stephen Norton had served since 2010 as pastor of St. Benedict, the Bronx. He was pastor of St. Denis, Hopewell Junction, 2008-2010. He served at John F. Kennedy Catholic High School, Somers, as principal, 2003-2005, and president, 2005-2008. He served as parochial vicar of St. John the Evangelist, Mahopac, 2001-2003. He was ordained in 2001. 

Father Nikolin Pergjini had most recently served in his native Albania. He was pastor of St. Lucy’s, the Bronx, 2009-2020, and Our Lady of Shkodra, Hartsdale, 2004-2009. He was parochial vicar of St. Philip Neri, the Bronx, 2003-2004, and Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the Bronx, 1999-2003. He was ordained in 1999.  

Msgr. Thomas Petrillo had served since 2008 as pastor of SS. John and Paul, Larchmont, where he was administrator, 2014-2015. He served at the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington, D.C., 1999-2008. He was on the faculty at Cathedral High School, Manhattan, 1998-1999, and Cardinal Spellman High School, the Bronx, 1986-1996. He was a summer secretary to Cardinal John O’Connor in 1996. He served as parochial vicar of St. Vito’s, Mamaroneck, 1983-1986. He was ordained in 1983 and named a monsignor in 2005.  

Father Jose Piedrahita had served since 2009 as pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus, Manhattan. He served as parochial vicar of St. Peter, Haverstraw, 2007-2009; Our Saviour, the Bronx, 1996-2007; and St. Joan of Arc, the Bronx, 1996. He was ordained in 1986 in his native Colombia and was incardinated into the Archdiocese of New York in 2009.  

Father Robert Porpora had served since 2012 as pastor of St. Denis, Hopewell Junction. He was pastor of Holy Cross, South Centerville, 2000-2012, where he was administrator, 1999-2000. He served as parochial vicar of Our Lady Star of the Sea, Staten Island, 1995-1999, and St. Ann, Yonkers, 1990-1995. He was ordained in 1990. 

Father Felix Reyes Alba, C.R.L., has served since 2016 as pastor of St. Jude’s, Manhattan. He served as parochial vicar of St. Teresa of Avila, Sleepy Hollow, 2012-2016. A native of the Dominican Republic, he was ordained in 2009 for the Canonigos Regulares de Letran. 

Father Robert Rodriguez had served as administrator of St. Lucy’s, the Bronx, since February 2020. He was parochial vicar of St. Brendan and St. Ann, the Bronx, 2017-2020, and St. Joseph, Spring Valley, 2014-2017. He was ordained in 2014. 

Father Joseph Tierney had served for the past year as administrator of St. Gregory the Great, Harrison, and St. Vito-Most Holy Trinity, Mamaroneck. He earlier was temporary administrator of St. Matthew-Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Hastings-on-Hudson. He was president of Cardinal Hayes High School, the Bronx, 2004-2020. He was director of vocations for the archdiocese, 2001-2004. He served as dean of students, director of pastoral formation and procurator at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, where he joined the faculty in 1996. He was a faculty member of Archbishop Stepinac High School, White Plains, 1992-1996. He served as parochial vicar of St. John the Evangelist, Mahopac, 1986-1992. He was ordained in 1986. 

Father Daniel Tuite had served since last September as administrator of St. Anthony’s in Yonkers. He served as parochial vicar of St. Raymond, the Bronx, 2018-2020; St. Martin de Porres, Poughkeepsie, 2013-2016; and St. Patrick, Yorktown Heights, 2010-2013. He studied for his doctorate in preaching at Aquinas Institute, St. Louis, and was in residence at St. Mary’s, Washingtonville, 2016-2018. He was ordained in 2010. 

Father Mark Vaillancourt has served as president and principal of John F. Kennedy Catholic Preparatory School in Somers since 2008 and 2009, respectively. He was on the faculty of St. Joseph by-the-Sea High School, Staten Island, 2004-2008. He served as parochial vicar at St. Patrick, Staten Island, 2001-2004, and St. Charles, Staten Island, 1994-1998. He was appointed to St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, with duties at Cathedral Prep and the archdiocesan Office of Vocations, 1998-2001. He was ordained in 1994.

Father Timothy Wiggins had served since last July as temporary administrator of Our Lady of Sorrows, White Plains. He also was chaplain of Archbishop Stepinac High School, White Plains, 2015-2021. He was administrator of Our Lady of Mercy, Port Chester, 2013-2015. He served as parochial vicar of St. John the Evangelist, White Plains, 2003-2013, and St. Peter’s, Monticello, 2002-2003. He was ordained in 2002.

Short bios of the newly appointed administrators will appear in CNY’s next issue.