June 18, 2018

Father Frank Lawlor to resign as St. Mary pastor; is receiving cancer treatment

REGIONAL
Staff report

Father Frank Lawlor is pictured during his 2014 ordination Mass at St. Michael’s Cathedral in Springfield. (IObserve file photo/Fred LeBlanc)

SPRINGFIELD – Local media reported over the weekend that Father Frank Lawlor will be leaving his position as pastor of St. Mary Parish in Westfield at the end of summer, remaining in residence in the diocese as he undergoes treatment for cancer.

Springfield Diocese spokesman Mark Dupont has confirmed that Father Matthew Alcombright, presently pastor of Mary Mother of Hope Parish in Springfield, will be assuming the pastorate at St. Mary’s in Westfield, which includes supervision of the parish’s elementary and high schools.

Father Alcombright also is director of the diocese’s Ministry With the Deaf and is co-director, along with Father Michael Wood, of the diocesan vocations office.

Father Lawlor has steered the parish through recent turbulence related to St. Mary High School, which was slated to close this month until a one-time grant of $300,000 from the diocese allowed the school to remain open for the 2018-2019 academic year as long as it adheres to a number of stipulations regarding the school board, fundraising and enrollment.

In a letter distributed to parishioners over the weekend, Father Lawlor wrote: “During the past few weeks I have had a number of conversations with diocesan officials and I have asked them to find a new pastor to lead this parish and school into the future. The future of St. Mary’s is very bright and I am confident that we have made some great progress but the reality is that, because of my health issues and the unfortunate fallout from the schools’ problems, a fresh approach is in the best interest of all.”

He stated in the letter that be believes St. Mary’s will be left “in very good hands” and offered some parting reflections.

“In these times, the life of a priest has become very challenging. Every priest that I know works very hard each day to serve God and his people as well as he can,” Father Lawlor wrote. “At the same time, we are men with our own hopes and dreams and fears. I ask you to please keep all of us in your prayers.  

“I am very grateful to everyone in this parish family for your support and friendship,” Father Lawlor continued in the letter.  “I arrived here more than five years ago as a seminarian. This has been a second home to me and I will miss you all.”  

Additional reassignments

In related news regarding priest assignments, Dupont confirmed that Father David Aufiero, pastor of St. Mark Parish in Pittsfield, has been named pastor of Holy Name Parish in Springfield and Father Dariusz Wudarski, pastor of Holy Name of Jesus Parish in Chicopee, has been named pastor of St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish in North Adams. “Their current parishes will be posted and hopefully filled this summer,” Dupont said.