Ordained Saturday, June 12, 2010
St. Agnes Cathedral, Rockville Centre, NY

First Mass: Sunday, June 13, 2010
St. Patrick Church, Smithtown, NY

What is it exactly that leads someone to become a priest?  As Deacon John Ryan becomes Fr. John Ryan this weekend, his answer is clear: “The power of Christ’s action throughout my whole life is what brought me to this moment.”

It has been a unique path to be sure.  Fr. John entered the seminary more than 25 years ago, then left with the hopes of eventually becoming a Cistercian monk.  He worked dozens of jobs in several different states and then returned to the seminary where he started.  As a result, on Saturday, June 12th, a slightly older and wiser John Ryan is being ordained to the priesthood who will no doubt be a tremendous blessing to the parishioners he serves.  Fr. John was born in 1962, the second of six children born to Dick and Pat Ryan.  He grew up in West Islip and attended Our Lady of Lourdes Parish.  Fr. John says his parents were “the most loving, caring Mom and Dad a family could ask for.

“We were blessed to grow up in a loving family with a very strong Catholic grounding,” Fr. John said, “Just like every family, there were joyful times and times of sorrow; my brothers and sisters were like every other family.  We are always concerned and caring for one another.  Because of my parents, each of us is who he or she is today. It all comes down to faith, family, and love.”

Fr. John’s father, who passed away in 2005, worked for the Brooklyn Diocese for more than 30 years as a social worker.  He also worked for different Catholic organizations in public relations and fundraising.  He wrote for the Brooklyn Catholic newspaper, The Tablet, as well as The National Catholic Reporter, and Newsday.  “He was always trying to do the right thing for his family and the Church,” Fr. John said.  His mother worked as a housekeeper at Good Samaritan Hospital in West Islip for 30 years.

Today, all of Fr. John’s siblings and their families (all but one are now married) live within 50 miles of each other.  Most attended Fordham University.  Fr. John attended Suffolk Community College and Cathedral College in Douglaston, but before completing his studies at the minor seminary, he withdrew in the hopes of someday entering a Cistercian Monastery.

With that eventual goal in mind, Fr. John spent most of the 1980s traveling and working in many places across the country.  He lived in Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico; San Francisco; Denver, Manhattan, and Queens, working in the service industry as a cook, bus boy, waiter, doorman, and front desk clerk.  He spent five months out on the Aluetian Islands on an Alaskan Salmon boat.  He also worked for Fr. John Catoir for a full season of the Christopher Closeup television show as an associate producer.  Fr. John said, the Denihan family, owners of Manhattan East Hotels, were always there to lend a hand if he ever needed employment as a front desk clerk or doorman.  In the nineties, Fr. John worked at Frank’s Restaurant on 10th Avenue in New York City.  He belonged to two theater groups for a short time - Shakespeare and contemporary.  He even wrote a screenplay, “Mourning Glory,” on particular characters from the Civil War.  Fr. John, his brother, Jim, and Jim’s wife, Melissa, opened two successful coffee shops in Mattituck and Riverhead called Rudy’s Gourmet Coffee Shop.

While these years were not spent in formal religious training, they were spent on a quest to know and serve God more fully.  Fr. John says they were years of “poverty, chastity, obedience for the sake of sanctification and gaining wisdom of God.  My life has been a joyful, freedom-felt experience; whether I was a doorman on 53rd Street and 2nd Avenue or a waiter out in Santa Fe,” he said.

Among the most influential people in his life was his father.  “His role as a father and as someone who cared for the Church made him make decisions that he didn’t want to make, but he was always looking out for his family and defending his faith,” Fr. John said.  “He always felt that I should be studying for the priesthood, but he recognized my joy and zeal for life and growing in union with Christ was important for me.”  Also influential were the writings of Thomas Merton, the Cistercian Monk, and “all hard working priests, especially when the joy and enthusiasm flowed out from them in every action they did,” Fr. John said.

When Fr. John returned to the seminary, he was welcomed by Bishop William Murphy who decided to overlook the fact that he did not complete his B.A. Degree - given his enormous amount of life experience.  Fr. John moved on to complete seminary studies (as well as his pastoral year here at St. Patrick’s).  This weekend his rich and diverse journey to the priesthood comes to an end, and his life in service to God as a priest begins.

“By the love of God and the outpouring of his graces upon me, I have been blessed time and again through my journey to the priesthood. With complete humility, I am still amazed at where I am,” Fr. John said.  “After years of patiently walking with the love of Christ, journeying deeper into a personal union with him, I became more aware of his reaching out to me to serve his Church and the people of God.  I didn’t seek the priesthood, I sought the Kingdom of God and the truth found in Christ.  All I can say is that God has done everything for me to make this day possible.”

From all of us at St. Patrick’s, congratulations Fr. John Ryan!

All are invited to a special Open House in honor of Fran in the Outreach Center on Tuesday, June 15th from 12:30 to 5 PM. Come and wish Fran all the best!

One of the most vibrant and essential ministries at St. Patrick’s is Parish Outreach.  More than 200 volunteers give assistance to those in need in many different ways.  For those struggling financially, dealing with the loss of a loved one, experiencing the pain of divorce or separation, or seeking to address social injustice, Parish Outreach is there to lend a helping hand.  Today, it’s hard to imagine St. Patrick’s without Parish Outreach, but for Outreach Director Fran Blagar it’s not so difficult.

Twenty-seven years ago, Parish Outreach did not exist and it was Fran who was asked by then pastor Fr. John Mott to step up and develop the program in partnership with Catholic Charities.  The results are impressive to say the least.  As she retires as Outreach Director later this month, Fran leaves behind a ministry that has brought help and hope to thousands of people over the years and will no doubt continue to do so.

Fran grew up in Astoria and Jackson Heights as the oldest of three children born to Rocky and Rose LoFaro.  Fran and her husband Richard, who worked as a lieutenant in the New York City Fire Department, raised two children, Tina and Stephen.  She now is the proud grandmother of six.  Fran’s working career was in business, specifically the field of television film distribution.  Most of her college credits were earned while working in the field.  She was working as a program director/traffic manager for a TV distributor and considering a career move to Cablevision when Fr. Mott interrupted her plans.  “There’s a new program I can see you running,” he said.  It was not the easiest of decisions. “I prayed about it for a long time,” Fran said. “I feel the Holy Spirit led me to this job and has carried me through the whole 27 years.  I asked, ‘What do you want me to do, Lord?  Where do you want me to serve you?’”

She chose a new direction, becoming Outreach Director.  Along with her new position came a new set of college courses related to parish mininstry at St. John’s, Fordham and Molloy College.  Looking back, Fran has no regrets.  “It has truly been a privilege.  There are a lot of jobs out there, but I feel that I have done something worthwhile, working for God.”  In the early days, Fran worked on the main level in the rectory with the food pantry and pre-school sharing the lower level.  When an addition to the school allowed the pre-school to move over, Outreach moved downstairs.  “It made it possible for people to ask for help more confidentially,” she noted. And, of course over the years, there have been a million different stories.  “I can’t tell you how many times someone has called needing a refrigerator and the next call was someone wanting to donate a refrigerator,” Fran said.

One thing Fran had to her advantage was her familiarity with the parish through years of volunteer work.  As she began her new job, she immediately pulled several parish programs already in existence under the Outreach umbrella: Holiday Baskets (items for holiday meals for those in need), the Food Pantry, Ministry to the Nursing Home, Friendly Visits (for the homebound), and Adopt-a-Family (gifts for those in need at Christmas time).  Over the years, under her direction, the ministry has blossomed.  Fran initiated and developed wide range of services including Reach for a Star (Christmas gifts for families in need), Home Care, Rainbows (for children and adolescents experiencing loss due to death, separation of divorce), Bereavement Ministry, Ministry to Divorced and Separated, Ministry of Consolation (help for families immediately after the death of a loved one), LifeNet (assistance for women experiencing an unplanned pregnancy), Ministry of Prayer, the Justice and Peace Committee and all office procedures.  The success of Outreach is largely due to Fran’s ability to inspire the work of many volunteers and she is not one to shy away from volunteering her own time.  Over the years her volunteer work has included: Initiation and development of the Wedding Anniversary Celebration, Holiday Boutique, Holiday Baskets, Meals-on-Wheels, and work on the Parish Profile booklet that included pictures of our parish families.  She chaired the Bishop’s Annual Appeal and Dinner, the Rosary Altar Society Theatre, Holiday Boutique, 13 St Patrick’s Day Dances, and numerous parties for the installations or anniversaries of priests and deacons and other social activities. As a St. Patrick School parent she served as a lunch mother, chaired the Magazine Drive four times and worked at the box office for many of the shows produced by Tony Nappi.  She also worked on our parish census and a new parishioner program, and was among the first group of parishioners installed as Eucharistic Ministers.  She also served as a committee member for the Pastoral Council, Liturgy Committee, Rosary Altar Society (as president and treasurer), Catholic Daughters, the Parish Picnic, Bingo and Daily Bread.

In short, Fran is one of those people who has made a difference in our parish and in the lives of other people.  Still, she has nothing but gratitude for her years in parish work.  She specifically cites the enormous amount of support she received when her husband died in 1997.  “I’m very proud of our parish.  We have had wonderful pastors and we have a great school, religious ed program, and youth community.  It makes working here a pleasure,” Fran said.  “It has been more a ministry than a job.”

In order to ensure an accurate record of your contributions to the parish, please place your donation in your church envelope and write the amount in the space provided.  If you lose or forget your envelope, please place your contribution in one of the temporary envelopes found in the pews (or in any envelope) and write your name, address, envelope number and the amount of your contribution on the outside.  If you do not receive envelopes on a monthly basis, call the rectory and we will be glad to order them for you. 

St. Patrick’s also offers parishioners the convenience of contributing through automatic deductions via Faith Direct. Our church number is NY51. .

Signing up for our automated giving program, Faith Direct is simple.  You can sign up online by going to www.faithdirect.net or stop by the rectory for a form to fill out and mail to Faith Direct. You may also call them at 866-507-8757.  When registering for the program, you will be asked for our church number which is:  NY51. Below are some frequently asked questions about Faith Direct.

How does Faith Direct work?  This secure program works directly with your bank, in the same way as other electronic funds transfer systems you may already conduct (such as utility bills or your mortgage payment).  All transactions are done electronically, debiting your bank account or charging your credit card automatically for the amount to which you have agreed in writing.  It is a hassle free, simple solution for today’s busy families.

Can any additional funds be taken from my account other than what I have authorized?  No!  The Faith Direct program is strictly regulated, and only you can designate the amount of money that may be debited on a monthly basis.  The Social Security Administration processes direct deposits of benefit payments for more than 18 million people each month, and not a single one has ever been lost. 

Can I stop, increase or decrease my payment at any time?  Yes, you can contact Faith Direct by calling us toll-free at 1-866-507-8757, or by using our email form.  You can also make changes by accessing your account online. 

How does my church benefit from my participation in Faith Direct?  Your church will see a substantial increase in net revenue, a decrease in administrative costs, and a clearer picture of cash flow for your church’s needs. 

I would feel strange not placing a check or envelope in the offering basket, what should I do?  We realize that the offertory collection is an important part of church services.  For those enrolled with Faith Direct we provide “offertory cards” to drop in the collection basket as a visible sign of your electronic donations.

2010 Catholic Ministries Appeal

The Hands of Christ-supporting the Community Around Us

Did you know...Next to the Federal Government, the Catholic Church is the leader in providing educational, charitable and social services?  Help continue these much needed services on Long Island with a gift to the Catholic Ministries Appeal.  Thanks to the generosity of 346 of our parish families, $74,914.00 has been pledged to the appeal.  One hundred percent of the dollars raised through the Appeal go to the following ministries: Catholic Charities, Pastoral Outreach, Education, Parishes, and Formation.

Catholic Minististries supports many activities and programs in the church, the communitity and the world. These include Education in our various elementary and high schools; Formation for religious instruction and guidance for our children, adult parishioners, those newly entering our faith and our various Seminarians; our Parishes; Catholic Charities; and Pastoral Outreach.
Please consider making a gift to this program that supports our church, our faith, our community and our world.