By: Nicole Falco
The Rev. Gregory Cappuccino, pastor of Blessed Sacrament Church in Valley Stream, figures he-s gotten a similar phone call from Bishop William Murphy at least four times in the past three years. Every time, up until the most recent call, Cappuccino said no. This time he said yes. As of June 30, after more than 15 years in the community, Cappuccino will step down as pastor of Blessed Sacrament and assume his new responsibilities as church leader in Wantagh.
Cappuccino broke the news, often through tears, to his congregation during Palm Sunday services. Even as he spoke, he knew there might be those who would say, If you said no before, why couldn-t you say no again?
Cappuccino is in the third year of his third six-year term as pastor of Blessed Sacrament. Traditionally, pastors of Catholic churches can serve up to two six-year terms before being reassigned. Cappuccino was blessed with a third term, and a fourth would be highly unlikely. I thought I probably ought to say yes at this point, he explained. In November I-m going to be 58 that really narrows down the time when I-ll still have the energy to be the new pastor of a parish.
Before answering the call
Cappuccino grew up in Uniondale, where he attended St. Martha-s School. He remembers a day when one of the priests at St. Martha-s came into his classroom and asked the boys to raise their hands if they thought they might want to become priests some day. Three-quarters of the boys raised their hands, which was common in those days. I was one of the few who didn-t raise his hand, Cappuccino recalled.
In eighth grade he changed his mind. Cappuccino remembers attending a youth retreat in upstate New York and visiting the Capuchin Friars. There he and others listened to a priest talk about some of the things that might go through the mind of a young boy who had received the calling to enter the priesthood. Cappuccino remembers thinking that he had thought of all the things the priest spoke of that day.
He attended St Pius X High School, a high school seminary. At that time, prior to the second Vatican Council, the church had strict policies about what young boys could and couldn-t do once they entered a seminary. I couldn-t go to parties, I couldn-t go to dances, he said. I hated it, and I was going to leave the high school. Even though I wanted to be a priest, I didn-t want to be different.
Cappuccino told his parents how he felt. His mother said he could leave the seminary if he wanted, but while he was there he would have to obey the policies. I spent three years of my life trying to figure out how I was going to tell my grandmother, who was thrilled that I was going to be a priest, that I wanted to leave, he recalled.
His grandmother died during his senior year of high school, but by then Cappuccino had decided he wanted to stay. After high school he attended Cathedral College-Seminary in Douglaston, followed by Immaculate Conception Seminary in Huntington. He was ordained on May 26, 1973.
Cappuccino-s first assignment was as an associate pastor at Sts. Cyril and Methodius Parish in Deer Park. After six years he was transferred to St. Anthony-s in Rocky Point, where he spent seven years. He then took an academic sabbatical for a year, and studied at the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, Calif. After returning to Long Island, Cappuccino spent a year and a half at St. Christopher-s in Baldwin before accepting the pastorate in Valley Stream. He replaced John Dunn, who went on to become auxiliary bishop of Long Island.
A good 15 years
Much has been accomplished during Cappuccino-s 15 years at Blessed Sacrament. He has overseen the building of the church rectory and pastoral center as well as the renovation of both the church and school. Aside from physical growth and renewal, Cappuccino has led the parish through spiritual growth and renewal.
He hired Sister Sheila Ferraz almost 15 years ago as director of music ministries for the church. He felt that an enhanced music program would help enrich the worship life of the church, and it has. Ferraz was recently recognized by both the town and the county for the work she has done at Blessed Sacrament. She instructs and inspires more than 200 music ministry members, including the Cherub Choir and Hand Bell Choir, and she has produced countless cabarets, opera concerts and recitals.
At a time when priests are in short supply, Cappuccino has helped teach the members of his congregation to rely on one another as well as parish priests. Those who wish to become lay leaders attend the Rockville Center Diocese-s Pastoral Formation Center, where they take courses in religious education, youth ministry and spirituality. Lay leaders have helped revitalize the church-s Youth Ministry program. Cappuccino also hired a business manager, so a priest can do what he was ordained to do.
Four men have been ordained permanent deacons in the past 15 years. Deacons, among other duties, share the priest-s responsibilities of preparing young couples for marriage and preparing parents for their child-s baptism. A deacon also serves as chaplain to the Valley Stream Fire Department.
There is a special Sunday service for children, and on May 8 the church will hold its first mass spoken entirely in Spanish.
The fact that I-m leaving doesn-t mean that anything we-ve been doing stops, Cappuccino said. If you stay in one place, everyone is comfortable, but it might not be what will help the parish grow, because each priest who comes to a parish might have special talents.
Saying goodbye
Cappuccino said he won-t know who his replacement will be for another three weeks. Valley Stream is a vibrant, welcoming, loving community, and I know that [the Pastoral Committee and congregation] will continue to make that grow, he said. Just as [the congregation] had to get used to me and they became totally connected to me, so that will happen with the person who comes to replace me.
Together with the church Advisory Council and Pastoral Committee, Cappuccino will welcome his replacement to the parish and make every effort to help that person become acquainted with the church community. He will also spend time getting to know the congregation at St. Frances D. Chantel. In December the pastor of St. Frances became the priest personnel director for the diocese.
Once he knows who his replacement will be, Cappuccino said he will write a letter to all of the couples he was scheduled to marry. He will step down from the presidency of the Valley Stream Religious Council and from the Board of Trustees of Monica Village.
In the two weeks since getting his reassignment, Cappuccino said he has spoken to many parishioners, young and old, who say they are heartbroken about his leaving or who tell him they-ll miss him or that he has had a tremendous impact on their lives. When you hear things like that, then you know that the time you-ve spent here was well spent, he said.
Cappuccino shared a letter he received from Kimberly Gomez, a 13-year-old parishioner. I am one of the altar servers here at Blessed Sacrament, Gomez wrote, and I have known you for a long time ... Father Greg, I am so blessed to have a pastor like you. I thank God for sending you into this world. I love you from the bottom of my heart ... I will always remember you now and forever.
Cappuccino won-t forget Blessed Sacrament, either. Over the years, he said, he has made it a point to return to each parish to which he has been assigned to celebrate their special occasions, and he will offer no less to Blessed Sacrament. Wantagh-s lucky they-re going to get a great pastor, said Joanne Manfrey, a 20-year parishioner who works as a receptionist in the rectory. He-s always there for you. When you think of Father Greg, that-s what you always think of. He-s open to suggestion, and he-s always willing to listen.
Sister Sheila Ferraz, a longtime friend and co-worker, said, I-m very sorry to see Father Greg go. It-s always hard to say goodbye. As sisters and priests, we know in our life that we come and go. The people remain, but we come and go. [Wantagh-s] gain is our loss. He-ll be very much loved there.
