Oceanside’s St. Anthony’s Church installs new pastor

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As the Rev. James Donovan struggled to describe his calling to become a priest, the newly installed pastor of Oceanside’s St. Anthony’s Church recalled a quote by the prominent Quaker thinker Parker Palmer. “A vocation is something I can’t not do for reasons I don’t understand myself,” he wrote, “and are not clear to others but that are nonetheless compelling.”

The Malverne native and Jesuit-trained priest, who became head of the parish in June, said he was always a man of faith — attending Catholic schools throughout his student life: from Our Lady of Lourdes to Maria Regina High School, in Uniondale, and Le Moyne College, in Syracuse, where he became acquainted with the Jesuit order. But it wasn’t until Donovan, 53, was in his mid-30s that “one thing led to another. It’s not like some angel tapped me on the shoulder and said, ‘Do this,’” he said. “Vocations aren’t an easy thing to nail down or describe.”

Donovan cut a utilitarian figure as he sat in his spartan parish office, with neatly cropped salt-and-pepper hair, a slim physique — he swims to stay in shape — and navy blue all-purpose slacks that matched his unbuttoned collared shirt. His clerical collar was just visible, peeking out of his shirt pocket. He put it on as he prepared to walk the church grounds, remarking with a chuckle, “Well, I don’t wear my collar food shopping.”

Until last year — when he was brought on as an associate pastor at St. Anthony’s — Donovan had spent more than a decade in Jesuit training, which involved years of study as well as teaching in locations such as Poland and China.

But here he is putting down roots, at least for now, as shepherd of the roughly 3,500-family St. Anthony’s community, which serves Catholics in Oceanside and the surrounding neighborhoods. As pastor, Donovan said he has designs to increase discussion and education on spirituality at the church, especially among adult churchgoers.

“I would like to increase a few areas in spirituality and prayer groups,” he said noting that at only a month on the job, the plans are currently early. “Those are areas that seem to have dried up over the years.”

As a member of the Society of Jesus, or the Jesuit order, Donovan says he serves two bosses: one at the provincial level, where he is at the center of the order’s presence on Long Island, as well as at the diocesan level where he serves under the authority Bishop John Barres of the Diocese of Rockville Centre.

“It’s a different approach,” Donovan said, and noted that he sees the arrangement as a benefit, pointing to a post in the church’s monthly bulletin for a presentation and discussion reflecting on Pope Francis that had been held that morning, hosted by a Jesuit priest. It was an example, he said, of the resources the order brings to St. Anthony’s that an average Catholic priest would not have available.

The presentation was an example, he said, of some of the discussions on hot-button contemporary topics such as immigration, racism, healthcare and abortion that have been occurring in the parish. Discussions, Donovan said, he does not shy away from. “People say [they’re] political,” Donovan explained of the topics, “but these not political issues, these are moral issues, and they’re actually quite grounded in the gospels.”

Donovan again pointed to the bulletin at a news brief reporting on a letter sent to the Senate by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops arguing that support for the reversal of the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe V. Wade decision should not be used as a requirement for the nomination of Supreme Court Justice.

“People need to understand where the church stands on these issues,” he said, seemingly animated by the topic. “… The pulpit is one place.”

Forty-year parishioner John Fellin — who said he has seen seven pastors come and go at St. Anthony’s, recounting each of their names — expressed excitement at seeing what Donovan will bring to the community.

“We have a lot of high hopes for him,” he said. “He knows the parish well from being stationed here over the past year.”

“He has a lot of good ideas for the parish,” Fellin added. “There’s a very positive feeling about him coming on as pastor — A very positive and enthusiastic feeling.”