Parishioners at Saint Leo Roman Catholic Church in Hilton have a new spiritual leader. The Reverend Joseph Catanise was appointed pastor by The Most Reverend Bishop Matthew Clark, effective June 28. "When I heard the St. Leo's pastorate was open," Catanise said, "I came to Hilton to visit the parish, and to pray if this is where the Lord may want me. I felt called to apply for the parish. The Bishop confirmed my discernment by naming me pastor." Catanise brings a rich mosaic of education and experience to his new assignment. Born and raised in Waterloo, he earned his bachelor of arts and juris doctorate from Syracuse University. He is a member of the New York State Bar and worked both as an attorney and as an elementary school teacher before entering Saint Bernard's Seminary. There he earned his master of divinity and master of arts degree in theology. "I truly love being a Catholic priest," Catanise said. His pastoral duties have been equally variegated. Catanise assisted at two parishes in the Southern Tier before coming to Saint Charles Borromeo in Greece. In the early 1990s he served as chaplain to the Newman Center at SUNY Brockport and then at Rochester General Hospital. After two years as pastor of Saint Mary in Dansville, Catanise joined the campus ministry team at Rochester Institute of Technology. He has spent the last three years assisting at Saint Rita in Webster. Catanise finds Saint Leo's parishioners to be a "warm and loving community willing to serve Christ and one another." And he is excited by the ecumenical spirit in Hilton. "The other Christian pastors are a wonderful group and they have welcomed me warmly," Catanise said. "I am grateful for that." Nevertheless, Catanise sees some challenges ahead. "For various reasons, many parishioners have left Saint Leo and are worshipping at other Catholic churches," he said. "I want to extend an invitation to all who are no longer with us to give us a try again." Catanise has several additional objectives for his pastorate. "The first goal of any priest is the salvation of souls," he said. "My main goal is to help others come to a committed relationship with Jesus Christ, and to live out that life in His Body, the Church." He notes that the parish is involved in many social justice issues and he would like that to continue. He also hopes to encourage parishioners to share their time, talent, and treasures. "It is my prayer that Saint Leo becomes a model stewardship parish," he said. "I have been so welcomed by so many," Catanise said. "This is a great community." Saint Leo Church is located at 167 Lake Avenue in the village of Hilton. Weekday Mass is celebrated at 7:45 a.m.; Saturday (Sunday Vigil): 5 p.m.; Sunday: 8 and 10:30 a.m. For more information, please call the parish office: 392-2710. |
