Father John Gathenya
Pastor
Dear Parishioner,
I am glad that as of June 29th, 2021 at 6.00 PM, I found a new HOME: Holy Family Catholic Community comprising of St. Pius V, Cohocton; Sacred Heart of Jesus, Perkinsville; St. Joseph Wayland and St. Mary, Dansville! However, I am here because I did accept this appointment and chose to join this wonderful worshipping, loving and life-giving community. I’m grateful to God for the gifts of the priesthood, the readiness and willingness to love and share my life with you. I thank God everyday for it even when we are not aware how our future will unfold but l have full trust and confidence in God and in each and everyone of you. Together as a community engraved in faith, we shall build and uphold the beauty and glory of our community. Nonetheless we can never achieve this goal without acknowledging as a top agenda the hard work, sacrifices, struggles, joy and sorrow endured by our former pastors who made us be the community we are especially Fr. Stephen Karani who was here for 18 years—he left for us legacies that have remained to be the beacon of our guidance, sustenance, honor and the preservation of our Christian dignity—legacies build on Jesus our shepherd and hope.
I was born 61 years ago (my birthday is 9/12) and raised up in Kenya! My home is originally the farmland of the village of Subukia, Kenya where my dad was a great farmer. I grew up in parishes named Saint Patrick’s and John’s respectively run by St Patrick’s fathers from Kiltegan, Ireland—they nurtured my faith, gave me education, sent me to the seminary and later joined them in ministry as a priest. Does this qualify me to be Irish? I am privileged to be a part of a large family, having six brothers and four sisters. My dad—Ernest Gathenya and my mom Gertrude are both deceased. And our immediate family has 129 members altogether.
I got my philosophy education from St. Augustine’s seminary, Kenya, Religious Education from the University of Nairobi, Theology from St. Thomas Aquinas seminary, Kenya and Pontifical University, Rome and seven years post-graduate studies in the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium. Altogether, I studied philosophy for ten years and taught especially Phenomenology and Existentialism in Seminary College for five years. These two terms should not scare you but they just means an invitation to be real, sober, human and practical. I was ordained on the feast of St. Luke, October 18, 1986 for the diocese of Nakuru, Kenya—making 2021 my 35th anniversary as a priest. And l was incardinated in October 2007 as a diocesan priest for the Diocese of Rochester—it is now my home diocese. And became an American citizen in 2012! Prior to my appointment here, since my arrival in the Diocese of Rochester in 2000, l have served the communities of Our Lady of the Lakes whose headquarter is Penn Yan and Our Lady of the Snow in Yates county for 8 years; Our Lady of the Snow—Weedsport, Cato and Port Byron in Northern Cayuga for 3 years; Holy Family, the Mother Church of Auburn (begun in 1834) for ten years. However, the last two years, three parishes were clustered forming the Catholic Community of St. Ann’s; Sacred Heart; St. Alphonsus and Holy Family.
In every appointment that l have served—teaching or in parishes–Each parish proved to be an amazing experience and a gift of untold blessings. I enjoyed stewardship, hard work and sacrifices made by parishioners to make their churches vibrant and alive. Every Sunday celebration was a unique experience of God’s promise to build a new kingdom. As l begin my journey of spiritual growth and faith development with you here at Holy Family Catholic Community, everyone’s participation will be important to insure a warm and gracious beginning to this phase of our parish journey. Pray for all of us as we move through this transition. We each are called to play a part in making Holy Family Community ever stronger and vibrant. The canon law of the Catholic Church, and this might be the “ONLY” canon that l know off-the-cuff states the job description of a pastor as The cura animorum – the care of souls – this has been my joy and privilege, as well as my responsibility, for the 35 years … this means only one thing—priest and parishioners should find joy, happiness and consolation in their faith.
This event of my appointment to you not only opens a significant new chapter in my own ministry – but it also serves as a watershed moment for our whole parish. We shall not be afraid to enter in the uncharted waters as we sail in the journey of our faith and we shall try to remain faithful to our calling as Catholic Christians. The waters may be rough, the tides may be high, storms may be hitting hard—but the Lord has promised to be with us always and faithfully. I look forward to discover the many blessings and unique wonders of the Church of the Holy family Community. I invite you all to join me in helping to build a community where we hear the voice of the Good Shepherd. Hearing His voice, may we come to know Him and follow Him!
God bless and love you all, Fr. John