Dear Friends,
This weekend we welcome to the Cathedral Monsignor Peter Vaccari, President of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA), for our annual Mission Appeal.
Pope Pius XI founded the CNEWA in 1926 as an instrument of love and a sign of hope for those in need scattered throughout the historic but unstable lands of the ancient Eastern churches — the Middle East, Northeast Africa, India, and Eastern Europe.
They pray for and with those who suffer in these lands, and they relieve suffering by rushing emergency relief to places of crisis, responding to human need, and working to develop local leadership in difficult places and situations.
Monsignor Vaccari became the president of CNEWA six years ago. But God had prepared him for such a responsibility by blessing him with varied ministries throughout his life. Ordained a priest of Brooklyn in 1977, he has served as a parish priest, seminary professor, chaplain with the Air Force Reserve, rector of the seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington, Long Island, and as rector of St. Joseph Seminary in Dunwoodie, New York.
Monsignor will preach each of the masses, and we will take up a collection for CNEWA this weekend.
We thank Monsignor for being with us, and for his very important work. Please keep him and CNEWA in your good prayers.
With gratitude and joy for the days ahead!
Fr. Seth