BISHOP APPOINTS DIRECTORS

OF SPIRITUALITY, PLANNING OFFICES

            Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio announced on Tuesday (Oct. 25) that Msgr. Neil H. Mahoney, the Vicar for Pastoral Planning, will leave the Pastoral Planning Office he has headed since it was established in July, 2004 to become the director of the SS. Peter and Paul Spirituality Center. The three-year term will begin Dec. 1.

            Named by the Bishop to succeed Msgr. Mahoney as director of the Pastoral Planning Office is Robert Choiniere, the associate director since January. The office will be an agency of the Vicariate for Evangelization and Pastoral Life, whose vicar is Msgr. Francis J. Caggiano.

            Msgr. Mahoney will succeed Msgr. Thomas G. Caserta, who helped launch the spirituality center in February, while holding two other positions---director of the Ministry and Life of Priests Office and spiritual director of the Cathedral Seminary Residence. He will continue in those responsibilities.

            The SS. Peter and Paul Spirituality Center, located at the Immaculate Conception Center in Douglaston, was formerly the St. Paul’s Center, which conducted hundreds of Cursillo and Christian Awakening programs during its 40-year history.

            Msgr. Mahoney will guide an expanded schedule of spirituality programs for groups including youths, young adults, married couples and single Catholics. Also planned are retreats and days or evenings of prayer in several languages, reflecting the ethnic diversity of the Catholic population of Brooklyn and Queens.           

            “We’ll be reviewing the current offerings and looking to develop additional spiritual programs and resources for parishes and the Diocese,” he said. The center is also a component of the Vicariate for Evangelization and Pastoral Life.

            Msgr. Mahoney said he will continue to work with Mr. Choiniere as the change in office leadership evolves over the next month.

Meanwhile, Mr. Choiniere and a team of 30 facilitators is meeting with parish representatives to form pastoral planning councils. They convened some 200 members from 25 parishes last Saturday at the Immaculate Conception Center.

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