Local Catholics are anticipating this week's installation of Archbishop Timothy Dolan as the new leader of the Archdiocese of New York.This will be the second installation for Maria Castellane, a parishioner at St. Mary Roman Catholic Church in Newburgh.
She was there almost nine years ago when Cardinal Edward Egan, then still an archbishop, was installed.
"It was beautiful," Castellane recalled of the earlier ceremony. "It's very exciting. It's something that doesn't happen too often."
St. Mary's pastor, the Rev. William Scafidi, said the Easter season is "an appropriate time of year to experience the new life of new leadership."
Two services will usher in Dolan, who previously headed the Milwaukee archdiocese: an evening vespers service on Tuesday, followed by a Mass on Wednesday, both at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan.
Bishop Dominick Lagonegro, the vicar for Orange County, said each of the archdiocese's 19 vicariates, or geographical regions, will be represented by a banner carried by four people at the vespers — a Catholic school student, a religious education student, a youth group member and an adult.
They'll be representing parishes from St. Peter's in Liberty to St. Stephen's in Warwick to Sacred Heart in Newburgh.
Because the cathedral seats only about 2,200, each of the archdiocese's 395 parishes was allowed to send only two parishioners to the installation services.
The rest will have to be there in spirit or watch it on TV. Most Catholic schools will be on Easter break, but students and faculty at many schools are incorporating the change into their lessons before or after the vacation.
Sacred Heart of Jesus School in Highland Falls sent Dolan a letter of congratulations and a "spiritual bouquet" of prayer intentions.
Bishop Dunn Memorial School, on the Mount Saint Mary College campus, is sending letters from each class and a box of school memorabilia to Dolan.
Principal Jim DelViscio said they've also invited Dolan to the school's spring musical production, "Singin' in the Rain."
They have no idea if he'll accept, but figured they'd offer him the chance to see 75 Catholic students showing the singing and dancing talents they've developed at school.
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