BRIDGEPORT - Bishop William E. Lori has announced the appointment of new pastors for four parishes in the Diocese of Bridgeport. Father Guido G. Montanaro, pastor of Holy Rosary Parish in Bridgeport, has been named pastor of Holy Family Parish in Fairfield. He will be succeeded by Father Matthew R. Mauriello. Msgr. William J. Scheyd is the new pastor of Saint Aloysius Parish in New Canaan, and Father Louis M. Dytkowski will become pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in Sherman.

“These priests have demonstrated lives dedicated to the pastoral care of the people entrusted to them by our Lord,” says Bishop Lori. “We pray that they will continue to be strong, effective leaders as they take up their new positions.”

Holy Family, Fairfield
Father Guido G. Montanaro, former pastor of Holy Rosary Parish in Bridgeport, is the new pastor of Holy Family Parish in Fairfield, effective September 3. He succeeds Father new pastors William D. Donovan.

A native of Bridgeport, Father Montanaro, 61, attended local schools before entering Fairfield Prep. He completed his seminary training at Saint John Seminary in Brighton, MA, and was ordained at Saint Augustine Cathedral in 1969.

He served as a parochial vicar at Saint Catherine of Siena Parish, Riverside; Saint Charles Borromeo, Saint Ann, and Saint Ambrose Parishes, all in Bridgeport; and Saint Stephen Parish in Trumbull. In 1993, he was appointed pastor of Holy Rosary.

Holy Rosary, Bridgeport
Father Matthew R. Mauriello, former parochial vicar of Saint Mary Parish in Stamford, will succeed Father Montanaro as pastor of Holy Rosary Parish in Bridgeport, effective September 3.

Born and raised in New Jersey, Father Mauriello, 45, attended Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ, before completing his theology training at Holy Apostles Seminary in Cromwell. He was ordained in Ponce, Puerto Rico, in 1988, and served in parishes there and as chaplain of the Catholic University of Ponce.

Father Mauriello served as parochial vicar of Saint Charles Borromeo Parish, Bridgeport; Saint Joseph Parish, Danbury; and Saint Jude Parish, Monroe. He was administrator of the former Our Lady of Montserrat Parish, Stamford, and joined Saint Mary’s in 1999.

Saint Aloysius, New Canaan
Msgr. William J. Scheyd, P.A., V.G., former pastor of Saint Thomas the Apostle Parish in Norwalk, is the new pastor of Saint Aloysius Parish in New Canaan, effective September 3. Msgr. Scheyd succeeds Msgr. J. Peter Cullen, who has been appointed the new Moderator of the Curia of the Diocese of Bridgeport.

A Bridgeport native, Msgr. Scheyd, 62, attended Saint Ann School in Black Rock and Fairfield Prep. He completed his seminary training at Saint John Seminary in Brighton, MA, and was ordained in Saint Augustine Cathedral in 1965.

Msgr. Scheyd served as parochial vicar of Saint Mary, Saint Matthew, and Saint Thomas Parishes, all in Norwalk; and as faculty member and spiritual director of the former Central Catholic High School in Norwalk. Msgr. Scheyd became pastor of Saint Augustine Cathedral in 1982, and pastor of Saint Thomas in 1992. He was appointed vicar general of the diocese in 1987, a position he will continue to hold.

Father Richard D. Murphy, parochial vicar at Saint Thomas, has been appointed temporary administrator.

Holy Trinity, Sherman
Father Louis M. Dytkowski, parochial vicar of Saint James Parish in Stratford, will be the new pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in Sherman, effective October 1. He will succeed Msgr. George D. Birge, who is retiring.

Father Dytkowski, 68, was born and raised in Pennsylvania. He completed his seminary formation at Saints Cyril and Methodius Seminary in Orchard Lake, MI, and was ordained in Saint Augustine Cathedral in 1960.

Father Dytkowski has served as parochial vicar at Saint Catherine of Siena Parish in Riverside; Holy Name of Jesus Parish in Stamford; and Saint Rose of Lima Parish in Newtown. Starting in 1966, he served two decades as a U.S. Army Chaplain. In 1995 he was named administrator of Holy Cross Parish in Fairfield, and in 1999 he joined Saint James.

Retirements announced
Bishop Lori has accepted the retirements of two pastors, Msgr. John B. Hossan of Saint Patrick Parish in Redding Ridge, and Msgr. George D. Birge of Holy Trinity Parish in Sherman. Msgr. Hossan retired on September 1; Msgr. Birge will retire on September 30.

Msgr. Birge has been succeeded by Father Dytkowski. Father Russell A. Augustine, parochial vicar of Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish, Fairfield, will serve as temporary administrator of Saint Patrick’s.

Msgr. John Hossan
A native of Danbury, Msgr. Hossan, 75, attended Saint Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield and Saint John Seminary in Brighton, MA. He was ordained in Saint Joseph Parish in Danbury in 1953. Msgr. Hossan served as parochial vicar of Saint Rose of Lima Parish, Newtown; Saint James Parish, Stratford; and Saint Ambrose Parish, Bridgeport. He was a faculty member of Stamford Catholic (now Trinity Catholic) High School and principal of Immaculate High School in Danbury.

In 1982 he was appointed pastor of Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys Parish in Newtown, and was named pastor of Saint Patrick’s in 1990.

Msgr. George Birge
Born in Stratford, Msgr. Birge, 75, attended Saint Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield and Saint Mary Seminary in Baltimore, MD. He was ordained in Saint Augustine Cathedral in 1953.

Msgr. Birge served as parochial vicar of Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish, Fairfield; Saint Augustine Cathedral; and Saint Clement Parish, Stamford. He was a teacher at the former Notre Dame High School for Boys in Bridgeport; Stamford Catholic (now Trinity Catholic) High School; and the former Christ the King Seminary in Fairfield. He also served in the Diocesan Marriage Tribunal.

Msgr. Birge was pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Georgetown, from 1971-1977 and Saint Rose Parish, Newtown, from 1986-1999, before his assignment to Holy Trinity.

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BRIDGEPORT, Saturday, August 31, 2002, 4:45 p.m. - The Most Reverend William E. Lori, Bishop of Bridgeport, has formally admonished two priests who failed to inform the Diocese of Bridgeport of the location of Lawrence Brett, whose sexual abuse of minors is a matter of widespread public record.

Based on information provided to the Diocese of Bridgeport on August 28 by the Hartford Courant, Father David W. Howell, pastor of Saint Joseph Parish in South Norwalk, and Father Gerald T. Devore, pastor of Saint Maurice Parish in Stamford, have admitted to knowledge of Brett's location on the island of Saint Maarten and to not sharing this information with the Diocese.

Bishop Lori has stated publicly on several occasions the hope of the Diocese that Lawrence Brett be found and brought to justice for his destructive behavior. Bishop Lori had no knowledge of Brett’s whereabouts. Furthermore, Monsignor Laurence R. Bronkiewicz, Chancellor of the Diocese, had no knowledge of Brett’s whereabouts, as has been falsely suggested in today’s Connecticut Post. In fact, Monsignor Bronkiewicz testified truthfully in federal court in August 1997 that neither he nor the Diocese had knowledge of Brett’s whereabouts.

"I am gravely disappointed by this news," says Bishop Lori. "The failure of these priests to report Lawrence Brett's location violates the Diocese's Sexual Misconduct Policy and its mandated reporting of information relating to the protection of children. It also runs the risk of undermining the trust of the faithful in their pastors and in the Church itself."

Utilizing to the fullest extent the provisions of Church law, Bishop Lori has imposed a public penance on each priest. Effective immediately, Father Howell and Father Devore will live in a religious house for an indeterminate period of serious prayer, acts of penance, and guided reflection on their responsibility as a priest and pastor for the well-being of the Church. They will receive additional training on the prevention of sexual misconduct and on the mandated reporting responsibilities of clergy and lay employees of the Diocese of Bridgeport.

Furthermore, all priests, deacons, and lay employees of the Diocese who are required to sign and fulfill the Sexual Misconduct Policy will receive a written reminder of their responsibilities.

"This incident is a strong reminder to everyone in the Church and in society at large that we must remain vigilant when it comes to the protection of our children," Bishop Lori says.

Members of Saint Joseph Parish and Saint Maurice Parish were informed of the news at the Sunday Vigil Masses this afternoon, when a letter from Bishop Lori was read.

While they are away, the pastoral duties of Father Howell and Father Devore will be assumed by the assistant priests at each parish.

Ordained to the priesthood in 1965, Father Howell, 60, has been pastor of Saint Joseph Parish since 1986. Father Devore, 65, ordained in 1962, has been pastor of Saint Maurice Parish since 1985.

"Both priests have expressed remorse for their actions," Bishop Lori says. "With the help of this period of imposed penance, and by their future conduct, they hope to restore their trust in the eyes of the faithful of the Diocese, whom we priests are pledged to serve after the manner of Christ's selfless love for His people."

On learning of the whereabouts of Lawrence Brett from the Hartford Courant on August 28, the Diocese of Bridgeport immediately informed the civil authorities in Connecticut and Maryland. In addition, the Diocese will notify the authorities in New Mexico, California, and Saint Maarten - all publicly documented places where Brett has lived and worked over the years.

Brett is not supported by the Diocese of Bridgeport. He is not authorized to function as a priest. Now that he has been found, the Diocese will study the process of laicization, whereby Brett, who is permanently removed from the priestly ministry, could under Church law be returned to the status of a lay person.

"The assiduous efforts of the Diocese of Bridgeport to confront the sexual abuse of minors swiftly, decisively, fairly, and openly, will continue unabated, despite this disappointing news," Bishop Lori concludes. "I expect every priest, deacon, and lay employee to cooperate with Church authorities and civil authorities in the investigation of sexual abuse. I count on the wholehearted cooperation of my co-workers in fulfilling the policy of the Diocese of Bridgeport so that young people can be protected and perpetrators brought to justice."

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