Diocesan News

Golden Jubilarians – Six Diocesan Priests Marking 50th Year in Priesthood

Msgr. Geraghty
Msgr. Geraghty

Msgr. Martin T. Geraghty, pastor of St. Robert Bellarmine, Bayside, since 2006, will celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving at the Immaculate Conception Center, Douglaston, this fall.

Born in Brooklyn, he attended Cathedral College; St. Mary’s Seminary, Baltimore; and North American College, Rome.

He was ordained Dec. 16, 1964 at St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome, by Bishop Francis F. Reh.

He served as an assistant at St. Elizabeth, Ozone Park, 1965, and St. Joan of Arc, Jackson Heights, 1965-68; and then was assigned to the faculty of Cathedral College, Douglaston, where he taught from 1970 to 1988. He served as chairman of the diocesan Catholic-Jewish Relations Committee, was the first director of the diocesan Language School and served as chaplain to the NYPD Emerald Society.

In 1988, he became pastor of St. Francis de Sales, Belle Harbor, and served there until 2006, when he was named pastor of St. Robert Bellarmine. He was named a monsignor in 1990.

 

Father Haggerty
Father Haggerty

Father Thomas Haggerty, a senior priest who resides at Our Lady of Mount Carmel rectory, Williamsburg, since 2011, will celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Sunday, June 1, at 11 a.m.

Born in Brooklyn, he attended Cathedral College, Brooklyn; Immaculate Conception Seminary, Huntington, L.I., and The Catholic University, both Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.

He was ordained by Bishop Bryan J. McEntegart on May 30, 1964 at St. James Pro-Cathedral, Downtown Brooklyn.

He served as an assistant at Most Holy Trinity, Williamsburg, 1964-76.

He was pastor at St. Joseph’s, Pacific Street, Prospect Heights, 1976-80; St. Michael’s, Sunset Park, 1980-89; St. Sylvester, City Line, 1989-2001, and St. John the Evangelist, Park Slope, 2001-11.

In 1990, he was appointed to the Addictions Committee, formerly the Bishop’s Committee on Alcoholism, and has served as chairman since 2005.

He earned his master’s degree in social work from Fordham University, N.Y., in 1995, and worked as an addictions and mental health counselor at ICD from 1993 until 2013.

 

Msgr. Raymond W. Kutner
Msgr. Raymond W. Kutner

Msgr. Raymond W. Kutner, a senior priest who currently resides in Pompano Beach, Fla., will offer a Mass of thanksgiving privately with his family this summer.

Born in Midwood, Father Kutner attended Cathedral College; St. Vincent Seminary, Latrobe, Pa.; and the Catholic University, Washington, D.C.

He was ordained May 30, 1964 by Bishop Bryan J. McEntegart at St. James Pro-Cathedral, Downtown Brooklyn.

He served as an assistant at St. Michael, Sunset Park, 1964-69; and then was assigned to the diocesan tribunal from 1972 to 1978.

From 1978 to 1980, he was administrator of St. Malachy, East New York, and became pastor in 1980, serving until 1983. He also was pastor at St. Mary Star of the Sea, Carroll Gardens, 1983-91, and Blessed Sacrament, Jackson Heights, 1991-2010.

He was named a prelate of honor in 1997.

He was the chairman of the diocesan Real Estate Board, 1990-2010. He served as chairman of the parish Budget Review Committee and also served on the board of directors for Catholic Charities.

In 2009, Catholic Charities gave him the Ubi Caritas Deus Ibi Award.

 

Msgr. Nicholas W. Sivillo
Msgr. Nicholas W. Sivillo

Msgr. Nicholas W. Sivillo, a senior priest who lives at Bishop Mugavero Residence, Douglaston, since 2013, will celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving June 22, 1 p.m. at Immaculate Conception Center, Douglaston.

Born in Brooklyn, Msgr. Sivillo attended Cathedral College; Immaculate Conception Seminary, Huntington, L.I.; and Catholic University, Washington, D.C.

He was ordained May 30, 1964 by Bishop Bryan J. McEntegart at St. James Pro-Cathedral, Downtown Brooklyn.

He served as an assistant at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Ozone Park, 1964-75; St. Francis of Assisi, Astoria, 1975-82; and then served in the Office of Catholic Education as coordinator for family life. He also served as chaplain to the NYPD Housing Bureau.

In 1988, he became pastor of Our Lady of Hope, Middle Village, where he served until 2009.

From 2009 until 2013, he lived at St. Margaret’s rectory, Middle Village.

Father Michael A. Vendetti, a senior priest of the Brooklyn Diocese who lives in private residence in South Ozone Park, will celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving privately with family.

Born in South Ozone Park, he attended Cathedral College; and Immaculate Conception Seminary, Huntington, L.I. He was ordained May 30, 1964 by Bishop Bryan J. McEntegart at St. James Pro-Cathedral, Downtown Brooklyn.

He served as an assistant at Our Lady of Miracles, Canarsie, 1964-65; Our Lady of Grace, Gravesend, 1965-67; and St. Stanislaus Kostka, Maspeth, 1967-70. He lived in residence at St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr, Ozone Park, 1970-86.

In 1985, he earned his doctorate in psychology from St. John’s University, Jamaica, and went on to work with learning challenged adults and children, while also celebrating Masses for healing at parishes around the diocese.

 

Msgr. Edward V. Wetterer
Msgr. Edward V. Wetterer

Msgr. Edward V. Wetterer, pastor of St. Michael, Flushing, celebrated two Masses of thanksgiving: March 14 at his parish and May 10 at the Immaculate Conception Center, Douglaston.

Born in Midwood, he attended Cathedral College and the University of Innsbruck, Austria, where he was ordained March 14, 1964 by Bishop Paul Rusch.

He served as an assistant at St. Fidelis, College Point, 1964-69, and was named Newman Club chaplain for both Queens College and Pratt Institute, Clinton Hill, in 1969.

In 1972, he was named as a member of the team ministry at St. Andrew the Apostle parish, Bay Ridge, where he served until 1975, when he became an assistant at Our Lady of the Angelus, Rego Park.

In 1985, he was named pastor of St. Laurence, East New York, where he served until 1994. He taught Church history at St. John’s University, Jamaica, for several years before being named director of the diocesan diaconate office from 1993 until 2003.

In 1994, he was named pastor of St. Michael.

One thought on “Golden Jubilarians – Six Diocesan Priests Marking 50th Year in Priesthood

  1. To Msgr. Kutner, blessed Belated congratulations, thank you for serving St. Michael’s with frs. Brown & Coogan, O’Connor, Lee, Rodriguez, Hobin & Nolan, I was 1 of your altar boys, thanks for the trips to Rye Playland you organized for us, you are still appreciated and loved by many whom you had been in the lives of in the ’60’s at St. Michael’s. I pray the Divine Mercy chaplet daily for all, today I’m a Benedictine Oblate Novice & Eucharistic Minister, asked to be a priest 2 years ago, but was told I was too old I still serve God & Holy Mother the Church, and all whom I can these days, God bless you & take care.+ Louis Gmiter StM. 60-68.