I am grateful for this opportunity to introduce myself as the newest member of St. Mary’s Parish and also to bring my reflections to the bulletin this week.

My journey began not far from here in Ridgewood where I spent my early days in Mt. Carmel Parish. I attended St Joseph Regional HS and then attended Seton Hall and Darlington Seminary in Mahwah. I was ordained in 1975 and assigned to St. Bridget’s Parish as parochial vicar and four years later I became a Pastor. I also served on the Seminary faculty, as Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Vailsburg, Newark, and Administrator of Holy Trinity in Hackensack for ten years. Most recently I was assigned to St. Mary’s Parish in Elizabeth until the Archdiocese suggested that I retire.