Diocese bids farewell to retiring longtime employees serving at the Chancery

CLIFTON  On June 24, the Chancery staff gathered to honor six longtime employees, who will retire after serving the Church of Paterson faithfully for many years. These employees are Rosemary Donnelly, executive assistant of the Diocesan Clergy Personnel Office; Deborah Duane, associate superintendent of the Dio­cesan Schools Office; Barbara Fierro, executive assistant to Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney; Maria Nunez, administrative assistant in the Diocesan Vocations Office; Richard Sokerka, diocesan director of the Communi­cations Office and editor/general manager of The Beacon; and Joan Valk, diocesan director of Human Resources.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney was main celebrant of a Mass in St. Philip the Apostle Church here, next to the Diocesan Center, to honor these employees. Bishop Emeritus Arthur Serratelli delivered the homily.

“We say thank you for your role and for your response to God’s call to service of the Diocese for all these years,” said Bishop Sweeney. “It’s been such a blessing that we have professional hard-working dedicated leaders in our Diocese. We are people of faith. This is part of the Gospel responding to God’s call and trying to bring others to Jesus.”

In his homily, Bishop Serratelli said, “We thank them for their selfless, dedicated, generous service, for some for two bishops, three bishops, but all for the good of the Diocese of Paterson. Now they are about to begin a well-earned retirement from work but not from life. Their leaving reminds us of a very important truth about all our lives and it is this: Where we are at a particular moment in life, whether we are working hard at our jobs or enjoying a well-earned retirement, we are all still in a race to the finish line and our tasks as followers of Jesus is be faithful to him.” The Beacon interviewed five of the employees:

Rosemary Donnelly, executive secretary of the Clergy Personnel Office

Beginning her diocesan career on May 8, 1988, Rosemary Donnelly first served as school secretary at St. Anthony of Padua School in Butler. She then went on to serve on a diocesan level on Sept. 1, 1995 as the administrative assistant for the Clergy Personnel Office, the Vocations Office, the Vocations Awareness Com­mittee, the Office for Ministry for Priestly Formation and Education and the Ecumenism Office.

When asked what she will miss most, Donnelly said, “The people. It is a typical family — an array of personalities and backgrounds. Yet we can all come together when push comes to shove, which is what the Church is and should be — to come together.”

In serving the Diocese for more than 30 years, she says she has many favorite memories and remembers in general working with so many different priests in different offices and departments. “On more informal occasions, my favorite memories are the office gatherings and celebrations I have shared with my coworkers,” said Donnelly.

Two women she sincerely remembers are Kit Springer, the late Bishop Frank Rodimer’s administrative assistant, and Grace Mazza, Msgr. Herbert Tillyer’s administrative assistant, when he served in the Chancery as Vicar General. “When I began working at the Diocese, the previous secretary to the Clergy Personnel Office had retired on Aug. 31 and I started Sept. 1. Kit and Grace assisted me in learning what was needed in the positions for which I was hired.”

As she leaves in mid-July to begin the new chapter in her life, she said, “I want to thank all who are a part of the Diocese of Paterson, including all those people who work in offices outside of 777 Valley Road at all the parishes, schools, Catholic Charities and other ministries.”

Deborah Duane, associate superintendent of the Schools Office

Deborah Duane began her career in the Paterson Diocese as an art teacher at the former St. Vincent DePaul School in Stirling in 1997. “I was blessed with teaching all four of my children at St. Vincent’s as my role there expanded to include teaching pre-school, social studies, and finally literature. I also became assistant principal. In 2010 and then I became principal at the former St. Virgil Academy in Morris Plains. Iron­ically, this was the school my husband attended,” she said.

In 2015, she came to the Paterson Diocese and considers the wonderful memories to be the graduations and the First Communions. She also will remember all the people she worked with — “the incredible teachers, the principals, the parents but especially my students,” said Duane.

Working for the Church has been a privileged experience, Duane said, “It has been such a blessing for me to work in a faith-filled environment where speaking about our faith is first and foremost in our daily interactions with colleagues and students. To model the love for Jesus for our littlest learners to our graduates has allowed me the opportunity spread the good news about the joy of and in our faith.”

When thinking of a mentor or a role model, she has gained many over the years and she said, “I am particularly thankful to the Lord for the opportunity to answer His call, and to my family who continues to give me the courage to make a difference in the lives of others.”

Barbara Fierro, executive assistant to Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney

Barbara Fierro has served as secretary for three of Paterson’s Bishops — the late Bishop Rodimer for two years starting in September 2002, Bishop Emeritus Serratelli for the entire 16 years of his episcopacy and now, Bishop Sweeney for two years.

“I will miss seeing and chatting with my co-workers at the Chancery. I feel blessed that I was chosen to work at the Diocese as a secretary to the Bishop. I am thankful for so many happy years of friendships — sharing in both good times and bad; happy and sad. We are a family,” she said.

Maria Nunez, administrative assistant in the Vocations Office

Of all the retirees, Maria Nunez has worked with the Diocese the longest, beginning as part-time secretary for the diocesan-sponsored Martin DePorres Village in Paterson. She served there in May 1981 making her service in the Diocese span 40 years. She later served as secretary at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, and then served as parish secretary of St. Anthony of Padua Church in Passaic. In June of 2005, Bishop Serratelli named her to the position of bi-lingual secretary for the Vocations Office.

Serving as secretary for the Vocations Office, Nunez said, “I will miss the excitement of the transitional diaconate and priesthood ordinations every year. There have been many beautiful memories throughout the years, but the extreme joy, and at times the tears, of the men who have been ordained to the priesthood is one I will always treasure. I am more than delighted to have partaken in these beautiful moments.”

About her work serving the Church, Nunez said, “Working for the Church filled a void I had working in the secular world and a desire to serve God more closely. It has been a rewarding experience that has helped me also to deepen my faith and my personal relationship with God.

“Sharing a word of thanks, first and foremost, I want to thank God for his presence in my life. He has allowed me to use the different skills and abilities given to me for the work that has been accomplished and has never failed me with his light, wisdom and strength,” she said. “Words cannot express enough my gratitude also to Bishop Serratelli and Father Hernan Arias for believing in me and in my capabilities to serve God in his Church. To all my fellow employees, thank you for being an amazing team to work with. My best wishes to one and all.”

Joan Valk, director of Human Resources

Joan Valk’s entire career has been in human resources. She began working for the Church of Paterson on June 16, 2008 as the director of Human Resources and Child Protection. She previously served as the human resources director for Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Camden for six years and prior to that served at secular corporations.

“In the beginning working for the Church, I realized you really only knew Catholicism from the church pew. I learned a new vocabulary and all the workings of the Chancery. It has been an opportunity to assist and to educate so many who are not familiar with human resources and procedures. This has been very rewarding. Human resources is the customer service department for employees and leadership. By assisting the staff of the Paterson Diocese, I attempted to be Christ-like in service and compassion.”

Some of the work mentors for Valk have been the CFO of Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Camden, Francis Kardos, and then the Executive Director of Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Camden, Kevin Hickey.

Her last day of serving the Diocese is today, June 30. “I have worked here for 14 years and enjoyed everyone. It has been my pleasure to serve both Bishop Emeritus Serratelli and Bishop Sweeney, assisting the employees, priests and deacons of the Diocese of Paterson. Leadership in the Chancery has always been generous and kind. They will never be forgotten and remain in my prayers.”

Sokerka was unable to attend the event due to a prior family obligation.