New Provincial Council Announced

New Provincial Council Announced

On April 7, Fr. Steve Shafran, provincial-elect, announced the appointment of four confreres as provincial councilors for the period 2015-2018.


Fr. Tim Zak

Fr. Timothy Zak, SDB, will serve as vice provincial.  He is pastor of Holy Rosary Church in Port Chester, N.Y., and director of the SDB community in Port Chester (which also includes the confreres at Corpus Christi Church), and presumably will continue at least in the latter role.  The archdiocese of New York and the Salesians are in the process of arranging the new configuration of the parishes that will serve the Catholics of Port Chester, part of the archdiocese's huge reorganization of parishes this year.  Fr. Tim will succeed Fr. Steven Dumais, SDB, as vice provincial.

Fr. Dennis Donovan, SDB, was re-appointed as province treasurer, and Fr. Abraham Feliciano, SDB, as a member of the council.  Fr. Abe will continue as the province's delegate for youth ministry.



Fr. Mike Pace (by Fr. Puntino)

Fr. Michael Pace, SDB, pastor of St. Benedict Church in Etobicoke, Ont. (a Toronto suburb), was appointed a councilor.  He will replace Bro. Thomas Dion, SDB, who is stepping down after 12 years on the council. Fr. Mike was province's elected delegate at last year's general chapter, where he maintained a lively blog (of late updated with other events).

One member of the provincial council, Fr. John Serio, still has a year to run on his 3-year term of office.  Fr. John continues as director of Salesian HS in New Rochelle and the province's superintendent of schools.

Bro. Tom will, however, assume the responsibility of delegate for formation for the province, guiding both initial formation (candidacy, novitiate, postnovitiate, practical training, theology, and ongoing formation including annual retreats).  In this he succeeds Fr. John Serio, who held that office in addition to those aforementioned.

Fr. Steve also announced that Fr. John Puntino would continue as the province's delegate for the Salesian Family (liaison with the FMAs, Cooperators, ADMA, and other groups that are part of the SF).

The provincial councilors are nominated by the provincial and appointed by the Rector Major with the consent of his council (the general council in Rome).

The delegates for areas of responsibility are appointed by the provincial and aren't necessarily members of his council.