I told my 91 year old grandmother (who, by the way, still walks to church everyday up on Long Island) about two weeks ago or so that the Archdiocese was assigning me to be the parochial administrator of Visitation Parish in Trooper.  She was so excited and said, “Oh! The Visitation of our Blessed Mother! Do you know the story of our Lady visiting Elizabeth?”  I told her I didn’t (jokingly) and she went into the narrative of the Blessed Mother visiting Elizabeth and then she stopped herself and said, “Wait a second. You know this don’t you?”  I sheepishly said, “Yes grandma, I know it.”  We had a good laugh.

I love my family.  I grew up on Long Island in New York with my loving parents and younger brother, who now is a police officer in NYC, and my older sister who is a teacher.  I went to Catholic school all my life.  Sports was a big part of my life as well.  All sports.  After I graduated from Loyola College in Maryland, I went to school to get my Masters of Social Work up on Long Island.  I decided to move down to Philadelphia with my college roommates and started working as a youth minister at Saint Agnes Parish in West Chester.  It was working there that God called me to be a priest and I entered Saint Charles Seminary.  I was ordained in 2014 and was sent to Our Lady of Grace Parish in Penndel, PA for four years.  I was then assigned parochial vicar of Saint Helena and have been stationed there for the last two years. 

I am very excited to be sent to Visitation B.V.M. Parish.  I have spoken with numerous priests who speak so highly of the parish: about its vibrancy, about its people’s generosity and love for the Church, about the people’s faith.  It is incredibly humbling to be made the parochial administrator of Visitation and I look forward to being welcomed into the family of Visitation B.V.M.  As I said, I love my family.  Thank you for welcoming me into this family and I look forward to walking with you in faith together. 

Fr. Bob