Island Park pastor named monsignor

The Rockville Centre Diocese Bishop William Murphy recently named Island Park’s Sacred Heart Church pastor, Father John Tutone, a monsignor.

The title of monsignor, which Tutone called a personal honorary title, is bestowed on a priest of prominence in a diocese. Tutone, 67, has been a priest for 41 years and has spent the last 20 with Sacred Heart.

“In this case, it’s a gift to the whole parish,” Tutone said. “The priest can’t do anything if the people don’t do it with him. Here, the parishioners do a whole lot. I said to them that they make me look so much better than I am.”

According to Tutone, the Sacred Heart Church has approximately 1,500 families in the parish.