By Gary Stern
Journal News
May 21, 2008
http://lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008805210407
The sudden reassignments of dozens of Catholic priests across the Archdiocese of New York is causing great confusion and anxiety for priests and parishes, with some questioning Cardinal Edward Egan's motivation for making the moves.
About 47 priests found out last week, mostly in phone calls from the archdiocese, that they would be reassigned around July 1. Some of the priests are in the middle of their parish terms and had no inkling they would be moved. At least a few found out from the pastors who would replace them.
"No one knew it was coming," said one pastor who was reassigned. "We haven't been given a reason, and many of us are terribly confused about what's taken place. It's kind of unprecedented, really."
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The pastor, like several other priests interviewed, did not want to be identified because he was concerned about retribution.
Word of the reassignments has started to spread in recent days, and some parishioners and others are planning to protest the moves. The reassignments will not become official until the affected priests receive letters from Egan.
Parishioners at St. Gregory Barbarigo Church in Garnerville have started an online petition to protest the removal of their pastor, the Rev. Robert McKeon.
"Without Father's leadership, many residents will look to leave our area and further depress our community," it reads, in part.
Parents at Kennedy Catholic High School in Somers met Sunday to plan how to fight the reassignment of the school president, the Rev. Stephen Norton, a veteran educator, to a parish in Hopewell Junction.
Norton said he appreciated the parents' support, but added that he must look at the chance to be a parish pastor as a good thing.
"This was a major surprise to me," he said. "I'm trained as an educator and have spent my adult life as a teacher. You can look at it and say, 'Why the change?' But I promised on the day I became a priest to be obedient to my bishop - the cardinal. If he needs for me to do something for the archdiocese, I'll do it. I don't think the archdiocese, especially the cardinal, sees this as anything but a positive."
Not everyone sees things that way. A common view expressed by priests, those affected by the moves and others, is that Egan is settling scores before his expected retirement. Egan reached the retirement age of 75 last year, but the pope has not yet accepted his retirement.
"What does it appear to be about?" said one pastor who is being reassigned. "Rewarding the priests he likes and punishing the priests he doesn't. It appears that way."
This pastor said several priests being reassigned in the middle of terms are looking into obtaining the services of canon lawyers to fight their transfers.
Several priests also said the archdiocese's priest personnel board, which consists of six priests elected from different regions, has requested a meeting with Egan to discuss the reassignments.
Joseph Zwilling, spokesman for the archdiocese, said in an e-mail that he did not know how many priests were being reassigned and could not comment on specific assignments.
"However, the normal reason for any assignment is to meet a pastoral need," he wrote. "If any priests have been reassigned in the middle of their term, then I am sure it was to meet a particular pastoral need."
Monsignor Harry Byrne, a retired priest living in the Bronx who often speaks his mind when other priests feel unable, said these reassignments were handled differently from those in the past, when pastors whose terms were ending could usually apply for an open parish.
"There is a certain amount of arrogance and highhandedness involved," Byrne said.
Another priest who is not directly affected but has closely followed the moves said the reassignments would be remembered for a long time.
"I have never seen morale this bad," he said. "I talked to a guy today who is absolutely broken."
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