Feast Day of St. Francis De Sales
January 24, 2024
Bishop Scharfenberger is pleased to announce the appointment of Father Brian Kelly, Pastor of the parishes of Saint Ambrose in Latham and Most Holy Trinity in Cohoes, as Vicar for Vocations, effective immediately. He succeeds Father Thomas Hoar, S.S.E., who has served as Director of Vocations and Clergy Formation since August 1, 2022. Deacon Paul LeBlanc will continue to serve as Administrative Assistant.
While heading the Vocations Office, Father Brian will continue to serve as Pastor. He will be forming teams that will promote and foster vocations throughout the diocese on all levels: families and parishes, schools, and campuses.
As the mission to pray for, call forth and accompany men and women who seek to follow a call from the Lord to serve as clergy or religious belongs to every member of the Body of Christ, Bishop Scharfenberger has asked us all to pray for Father Brian, his teams, and for all in every stage of formation, that God will continue to bless their work and our diocese by sending us many more laborers for his vineyard.
As Father Tom continues his healing mission at St. Edmund’s Retreat in Enders Island, we thank him for his dedication and work towards the formation of our clergy and religious and all whose lives he has touched, and we offer our prayers for him in his vital pastoral ministry.