Cathedral Chronicle Winter 2017-18 Wishing You a Blessed Holiday Season!
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Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, NY Cathedral Chronicle Winter 2017-18 Wishing you a blessed holiday season! The Cathedral Parish Welcomes Father LeFort HELP US RE-FIND Father David LeFort, the new Administrator of the Cathedral and OUR HISTORY! As part of ensuring that Vicar General of the Diocese by Dale King our image collection is as complete as possible, we are Last July the Cathedral Parish had the pleasure seeking photographs of the of welcoming Father David LeFort as the Cathedral’s confessionals. If new Administrator of the Cathedral and Vicar you have any photographs General of the Diocese. Both appointments of the confessionals that you were made by Bishop Scharfenberger and were would allow the History and effective July 1st. Father LeFort will wear many Heritage Program to scan hats as he serves the parish and diocese. He and save, please contact the is also an adjunct professor at Siena College Cathedral Office at 518-463- and he serves on the Presbyteral Council 4447 or ecathedr@nycap. as “Advisor to the Bishop.” He succeeds rr.com so we can make Father Michael Farano as Administrator of the arrangements. We will be Cathedral. glad to share the scans with you—so you will also have Father LeFort comes to the Cathedral parish an electronic version of your with many years of experience as a pastor. For photos. the ten years prior to coming to the Cathedral, Father served as Pastor at St. Mary’s Church in Clinton Heights. He cites these years as The purpose of the Cathedral wonderful years were he enjoyed the warmth parish newsletter is to help and friendliness of his parishioners. In 2002, Father next worked for Kodak in the carry out the mission of prior to becoming pastor at St. Mary’s Church, Philadelphia area for a year and a half. It was our beloved house of prayer Father became the pastor at both St. Ann’s in during this time period that Father prayed long and worship through a Fort Ann and Our Lady of Hope in Whitehall. and hard to discern his calling to the priesthood. quarterly publication that Each parish had two worship sites for a total When he realized that he did have a calling includes personal glimpses of of four worship sites with a Sunday Mass for he came home to the Albany Diocese and the faith journeys of those him to celebrate. During the five years that he discussed it with Bishop Hubbard. After that he individuals who comprise served these two parishes Father traveled a began his preparation for the priesthood. The total of eighty-two miles round trip each Sunday. first step was to gain a degree in philosophy the parish family. His very first assignment came in 1999 when he from Nazareth College in Rochester. Unlike the scope of the weekly had just finished seminary and Bishop Hubbard bulletin, which sometimes assigned him to Our Lady of the Assumption In 1993, not long after graduating from includes information about Church in Latham where he served three years Nazareth College, Father left for Rome to events that relate to programs as the associate pastor. study at the North American College in Rome. outside the Cathedral, this He studied in Rome for six years, gaining a newsletter focuses on events Father is both professionally and personally Bachelor of Arts degree in Sacred Theology within the Cathedral parish. home grown to the Diocese of Albany. He was and a Licentiate in Moral Theology. In the raised, along with his two sisters and brother, summer before his final year in Rome Father on a farm in Ballston Lake. This is where he was ordained to the priesthood at our Cathedral learned to ride a tractor and the virtue of rising of the Immaculate Conception. early in the morning. In his teenage years Father worked at his family’s home parish of Father LeFort has a positive point of view the Immaculate Conception Church in Glenville and an obvious sense of humor. He likes doing yard work and plowing snow. After creative thinking, including new ways of doing graduating from Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High things and new things to do. He doesn’t like School he gained a degree in Criminal Justice to hear that the way it’s always been done is at SUNY Canton. the only way it can be done. There is also a contemplative side to him that gives serious thought and consideration to the events of the parish and diocese. Father admits that he’s still learning about the life of the Cathedral Parish but we can expect him to quickly become a vital part of the life of the parish. CATHEDRAL CHRONICLE PAGE 2 The Cathedral’s New Parochial Vicar Welcome Father John Tallman as the new Parochial Vicar by Mary Wong In August of this year, the Cathedral Parish welcomed After Father Tallman decided to enter the seminary Father John Tallman as the new Parochial Vicar. at the age of twenty-three, he completed his According to the Church’s Code of Canon Law, a undergraduate degree in philosophy at St. John Parochial Vicar is responsible for assisting the pastor Fisher College in Rochester, NY and then attended with the pastoral care of the parish. Father Tallman St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore, introduced himself to us personally at his first Masses, Maryland. He earned both a bachelor’s degree but we would like to take this opportunity to share in theology and a master’s degree in divinity. He more about him as he continues his ministry here at was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Howard the Cathedral. Hubbard here at the Cathedral on August 6, 1988. Father Tallman Father Tallman was born in Troy, NY and raised After ordination, Father Tallman was assigned to introduced in Watervliet. Growing up, he attended both St. Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Latham, NY Bridget’s and St. Patrick’s grade schools and went as the associate pastor. He remained there until he himself to us on to Catholic Central High School in Troy. It was at was assigned as the priest-chaplain to St. Peter’s personally at St. Patrick’s parish that Father Tallman met Father Hospital in 1993, remaining at the hospital until 2016 William Hayden, who made a lasting impression upon ending a twenty-four year career of ministry to the his first Masses, him and eventually led him to decide to enter into the sick and dying. “Hospital ministry is very powerful but we would seminary. and very rewarding,” said Fr. Tallman. “It is a ministry focused on the patients and their families at the most like to take this As a high school student at Catholic Central, Father vulnerable time in their lives. It is truly a privilege to Tallman also pursued another career opportunity to opportunity be with someone when he or she is coming to the end become a funeral director. “When I was sixteen I of their life. You may not find out just what you did for to share more needed to find a job to earn some money and not be a family until years later when someone will thank you so dependent upon my parents. I had an interest in about him as he for being with them when their loved one died.” the funeral business and inquired at one of the local continues his funeral homes if they needed any help. “I was hired by In 1999, in addition to his hospital responsibilities, Parker Brothers Funeral Home in Watervliet standing Father Tallman was appointed as chaplain to the ministry here at at the door during calling hours, driving and going Albany Fire Department. For the past ten years, the Cathedral. on funerals and washing and maintaining the funeral he has also been appointed to the Troy, Watervliet, cars.” Father Tallman’s parents owned an automotive Cohoes as well as the Albany International Airport Fire garage and body shop in Watervliet, but he had Departments. He tries to get to most of the fires in decided to pursue other interests where he could the city because he coordinates the Red Cross’ efforts interact with people more frequently. to find shelter for people who have been displaced by a fire. He is also chaplain the New York State After graduating from Catholic Central, Father Tallman Professional Firefighters Association and sits on the went on to Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, Board of the New York State Funeral Director’s Tribute where in 1978 he earned an associate’s degree in Foundation. mortuary science. He then joined Parker Brothers Funeral Home as a full-time funeral director. He Father Tallman is very happy to be at the Cathedral, credits his seven years associated with the funeral where he will continue his ministry to his fire home as great training for the priesthood. He learned department families as well as his ministry to the how to console those who lost a loved one and Cathedral parishioners. Our parish is happy to the compassion to deal with people at their most welcome him to the Cathedral of the Immaculate vulnerable. What really sticks out in his mind is that Conception where we can benefit from his many “everyone, rich or poor, was treated the same at talents, compassion, and love to preach the Gospel Parker Brothers.” In his spare time, Father Tallman message. still practices as a funeral director teaching students from Hudson Valley the art of embalming.