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St. Mary’s Parish and School Welcomes New Pastor

St. Mary’s Parish is happy to announce the official arrival of its new pastor, Father Patrick Woods, C.Ss.R. 
Father Woods, a native of Brooklyn, New York and raised in the parish of the Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help joins St. Mary’s after finishing an eight year ministry at St. Martin of Tours in Bethpage, Long Island.
 
“St. Mary’s is one of the oldest Redemptorist parishes in the United States and rich in a history going back to earlier than the Civil War. It is the largest parish that we serve in our Province and I have heard so many wonderful words about the parish through my years as a Redemptorist,” said Father Woods. “I look forward to working with the present Redemptorists at St. Mary’s, the staff, the people in the various ministries and all the parishioners.”
 
After making his first vows as a Redemptorist in 1968, Father Woods attended St. Alphonsus College in Suffield, Connecticut, majoring in philosophy and received his final four years of seminary training at Mount Saint Alphonsus Seminary in Esopus, New York where he received a Master of Divinity and a Master of Religious Education. Father Woods was ordained a priest in June 1975 and then after earning a Master’s Degree in English at Fordham University taught for ten years at the very high school seminary he had attended near Erie, Pennsylvania. During his time teaching, Father Woods also earned a Master of Science in Guidance and Counseling from Gannon University. Father Woods previously served as the Director of Formation at Holy Redeemer College in Washington, D.C. and was elected Provincial Vicar of the Baltimore Province, a position he held for twelve years before serving as Provincial Superior for six years.

Throughout all of his assignments so far, Father Woods has been involved in well over 100 parish missions and retreats to the laity, religious and to priests. He has also worked with Engaged Encounter, a retreat program to prepare couples for marriage, for many years.
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