Parish Staff

Msgr. Brian McNamara became pastor of St. Patrick Church on November 1, 2023. Fr. Brian was born and raised in Hicksville and graduated from St. Ignatius of Loyola Elementary school, as did his mother and grandmother. He is one of five boys. He attended St. Pius X Preparatory High School and Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception in Queens. He then studied at the Pontifical North American College and graduated from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Next, he served as an Associate Pastor at St. Patrick’s Church in Bay Shore (1984-89), Our Lady of Grace Church in West Babylon (1989-1992), taught and was the Chaplain at St. Anthony High School (1992-98), and St. Joseph Church in Garden City (1998 – 2002).

Fr. Brian was Pastor at our neighboring parish, Sts. Philip & James Church in St. James, from 2002 to 2008. He also served as the Vicar for Clergy Personnel, working directly for the Bishop from 2007 to 2012. He then became Pastor at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in West Islip (2012 -2023).

Fr. Brian is in the Air National guard and holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He does his weekend drills at Westhampton Beach with the 106th Rescue Wing one weekend per month. His arrival at our parish took place November 1st, rather than in June when new assignments usually begin, as he was deployed in Kuwait with the Air Force from May 30 to October 21.

Our associate pastor, Fr. Abraham Thannickal is from Kerala, India. He was ordained to the priesthood on November 21st, 2011. In his first seven years as a priest, he wore many hats, often simultaneously. In his first assignment, he served as assistant director of Bethany College of Nursing. He then served as assistant principal for a K-12 school while also serving as a parish priest in two parishes. He then served as principal for Bethany College of Arts and Commerce in Trivandrum, where he had studied for his commerce degree. Also during that time, he was a parish priest for two parishes and the rector of a hostel that housed the college students. Fr. Abraham then became the administrator of a K to 12 school in Kalayapuram, India, while also serving as a parish priest in two parishes. He then spent time preparing to work in the American Church, arriving at St. Patrick’s on October 10, 2018.

St. Patrick’s welcomed Fr. Louis Cona as our associate pastor in 2023. Fr. Cona grew up in Franklin Square where he attended St. Catherine of Siena Parish. He is one of three children, with an older sister and a younger brother. He is a graduate of Georgetown University where he studied political philosophy, medieval studies, and theology. While at Georgetown he was involved with the Knights of Columbus, participated in the university’s pro-life activities, and worked as an intern on Capitol Hill. His intent was to pursue a career in law or politics but during his senior year in college, he “sensed the Lord’s call. He then entered the seminary, studying at both St. Joseph Seminary in Yonkers and the Pontifical North American College in Rome. Interestingly, he served as a Scavi guide during his time in Rome, giving tours of the necropolis beneath St. Peter’s Basilica, where the bones of St. Peter are located. Fr. Cona was ordained to the priesthood on June 18, 2022 and served briefly as associate pastor at St. Therese of Lisieux in Montauk before returning to Rome to complete his studies. He began serving as our associate pastor on June 28, 2023.

Fr. Fred Hill served as chaplain at St. Catherine of Siena Hospital and Nursing Home in Smithtown for more than 30 year. He has also resided here at St. Patrick’s for more than two decades, celebrating Masses, hearing confessions and assisting in other parish work.

Fr. Fred was born in the Bronx, the youngest of six children. He attended St. Mary's Minor Seminary in Garrison, NY and St. Anthony's Friary in Hudson. He received a master's degree in theology from Mary Immaculate Theologate in Garrison, NY and a master of science degree from Rivier College in New Hampshire. He was ordained in 1967.

Fr. Fred spent his first six years as a priest teaching biology and earth science. He also worked as a vocations director and in a parish in Yonkers before becoming chaplain at St. Catherine’s. He retired from the chaplaincy in June of 2014. He continues to reside in our parish, assisting with priestly duties.

Fr. Charles Okoye, a chaplain at Stony Brook Hospital, has resided at St. Patrick’s since September of 2021. In addition to his duties at the hospital, Fr. Charles is also celebrates Mass and helps with other priestly duties at St. Patrick’s.

Fr. Charles is from southeastern Nigeria. Ordained in 1992, Fr. Charles did parish work, taught Greek in the seminary, served as Director of Justice Development and Peace, and worked as a chaplain in Nigeria. He came to the United States 15 years ago, first serving as chaplain at Hackensack Hospital in New Jersey for 14 years before his assignment to Stony Brook Hospital.

Deacon Jerry Reda came to St. Patrick’s in February of 2016. He was ordained to the permanent Diaconate in the Diocese of Rockville Centre in 2003 and was assigned to Sts. Philip & James Parish in St. James where he served for 13 years. Deacon Jerry and his wife Suzanne live in St. James. They have three children: Nicole, Stephanie and Michael. Deacon Jerry received his theological training from the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington, N.Y. As a permanent Deacon he also works full time as a Chief Operating Officer for a large Beverage Distribution Company. His children are products of Catholic education and he has been a board member for various Catholic elementary schools and high schools on Long Island. Deacon Jerry enjoys fishing and watching high school and collegiate softball and baseball, especially when his children are playing.

Deacon Matthew Faughnan was ordained to the permanent diaconate on Wednesday, September 23, 2020. A first-generation Irish-American, he is the youngest of seven, who grew up in Brooklyn and moved to Long Island in 1998. He came to St. Patrick’s in 2016 as an aspirant in the Diaconate Formation Program where he received his theological training.

Deacon Matt has been a Eucharistic minister and a lector at St. Pat’s along with being in charge of scheduling Eucharistic ministers for the weekend Masses since 2017. He and his wife Eileen live in Hauppauge with their two chocolate Labrador Retriever puppies, Autumn and Willow.

Matt works as Administrator of Finance for a mid-sized law firm on Long Island and the tristate area.

Joseph Menge has been our parish business manager since 1995.

Joe is a native of the Bronx. He attended St. Frances De Chantal Elementary and St. Helena High School. He received a B.A. Degree from St. John’s University in Queens, NY and a master’s degree from Middlebury College in Vermont. He also went through the diocese Pastoral Formation Institute.

Most of his career was spent as an educator. He taught Spanish in South Huntington for 34 years. He has also prepared taxes for more than 40 years, a part of his background that eventually led to his position as Business Manager. Joe and his wife Marie have been active parishioners for many years. Joe’s volunteer work has included staining and painting, serving as president of the Youth Council and Parish Council, working with Bingo and the Parish Picnic, and running the Booster Club. Marie coordinated the Parish Picnic, worked as producer, set designer and construction coordinator for St. Patrick shows, ran fashion shows, raised funds for the New Life Center, chaired commemorative journals and volunteered in St. Patrick School. More recently, Marie and Joe have helped raise funds through our annual Car Raffle.

Joe and Marie have three children and one grandchild.

As Youth Administrator, Cindy Marsh overseas a wide range of programs which includes music, youth group, before & after school care, a learning center, summer camp, a program for mothers and their young children, fitness classes and a wide variety of sports.

Cindy was born in Atlanta, GA and grew up in Southern California. She received a B.S. Degree in Human Development from the University of California at Davis as well as a graduate degree in Education, Multiple Subject Clear Credential. She also received an M.S. Degree from Stony Brook University and is certified in Sports Nutrition and Personal Training.

Cindy taught high school English, Home Economics and was a cheerleading coach at Taipei American School. She taught 4th and 5th grade teacher in Winters, CA, 6th grade in Sacramento, CA, and junior high at St. Patrick School.

She is the mother of three children: Christopher, Danielle and Caitlin.

Elaina Kedjierski is Director of Religious Education for Levels 1 through 4. She also runs St. Patrick’s Adult Faith Formation program.

Elaina lived in Brooklyn until the age of six when her family moved to Bethpage. She holds a B.A. Degree in Education from Hofstra University; an M.A. Degree in Liberal Studies from Stony Brook University, and an M.A. Degree in Theology from the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception. She worked as Director of Religious Education at St. Aidan’s in Williston Park; as Religious Coordinator for Special Ed at St. Joseph’s in Ronkonkoma; and as a Special Ed Teacher Assistant in the Sachem School District and at Preschooler’s Place for Learning.

Elaina and her husband Walter have two children: Walter, who is a priest in our diocese, and Christine, the mother of two children, Julianna and Joseph.

St. Patrick’s Director of Religious Formation for Levels 5 – 8 is Peggy Soviero.

Peggy has worked in our parish since 1990. She served as Youth Coordinator for several years before becoming Co-director of Religious Formation. In 2003, she took on her current position at Director of Religious Education for Levels 5 to 8.

Peggy grew up in Floral Park where she attended Our Lady of Victory School. She then attended Floral Park Memorial High School and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton College in Yonkers. She and her husband, Steve, have four children and several grandchildren.

Dianne Williams became Director of Parish Outreach the summer of 2010. She oversees a numerous ministries and volunteers numbering more than 200.

Dianne holds a B.A. degree in Special Education from Dowling College in Oakdale, NY and an M.A. degree in Special Education from Adelphi University in Garden City, NY. She worked for many years as a special education teacher in the William Floyd School District, teaching autistic and learning disabled children. Her first involvement with Outreach came when she was asked to facilitate a Bereavement Workshop not long after the death of her husband, Bob, in a car accident. She later filled in as a secretary, then worked part-time and eventually full-time. She worked in Outreach for nearly 14 years before becoming the director.

Dianne has four children: Scott, Melissa, Jenna and Keith.