Rockville Centre, New York, July 18, 2006 – Bishop William Murphy appointed Father Frank M. Nelson pastor of St. Anne in Brentwood, N.Y., effective June 28, 2006.

Most recently an associate pastor at Good Shepherd parish in Holbrook, N.Y., Father Nelson said he enjoys leading St. Anne, a multilingual parish that is 60 percent Hispanic and four percent Haitian.

“So many fantastic things happen in each of those communities,” he said. “It’s a great parish.”

The son of Sally and Francis Nelson, Father Nelson was born in New York and raised in Islip, N.Y. He attended Islip High School and graduated from SUNY Fredonia with a bachelor’s degree in music education in 1978.

From 1979 to 1982, Father Nelson taught music at Kings Park Junior High School in Kings Park, N.Y. In 1982, he entered the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington, N.Y., where he directed the music program from 1983 to 1988. He was ordained in 1988.

His first assignment was associate pastor at Ss. Cyril and Methodius parish in Deer Park, N.Y., followed by St. Aidan parish in Williston Park, N.Y. and Blessed Sacrament parish in Valley Stream, N.Y.

The first-time pastor said he is learning how to juggle priesthood with administrative work. “You have to be on top of everything,” Father Nelson said. “Sometimes we have to make a mental note to why we became priests.”

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About The Diocese of Rockville Centre
The Diocese of Rockville Centre was formed in 1957 and covers 1,222 square miles in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. The diocese serves approximately 1.4 million Catholics (total population in both counties is approximately 3.3 million). There are 134 parishes in 115 towns. Last year over 20,000 baptisms, 18,000 confirmations, 20,000 first communions and 5,000 marriages took place in the diocese. There are 2,137 students in Catholic kindergarten, 23,825 in primary or elementary school, 12,628 in secondary school and 3,300 in higher institutions. There are 76 Catholic elementary and high schools and one Catholic college in the diocese. Catholic Health Services of Long Island consists of five hospitals, three nursing homes, two home-care agencies, two senior housing complexes, a community-based home for those with special needs and a hospice. Last year, Catholic Charities assisted more than 80,000 individuals who are poor, vulnerable and disadvantaged on Long Island. For more information, visit www.drvc.org

Contact:
Sean P. Dolan
Director of Communications
516-678-5800, ext. 625
sdolan@drvc.org
 

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