| |
|
Father Robert Longobucco
St. Helen's Church & School Pastor
I grew up in Bayville,
Long Island. My mother was a school teacher and my father owned a bar, proclaiming himself a "social chemist."
Upon high school graduation, I attended the University at Albany and knew by the time I graduated that I had found
a home in the area. That was greatly influenced by some of the first priests I met up here: Fr. Bill Ryan, Fr.
Leo Markert, Fr. Leo O'Brien and Fr. Jack Molyn. I enjoyed campus ministry greatly but was still far from any decision
about my life.
I spent a very influential year in Los Angeles as a member of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. Teaching for a year in
Watts ignited my love for social justice. I returned to Albany and eventually landed a job as a media coordinator
for Assemblyman Joseph Lentol. I noticed the speeches I wrote for the Assemblyman were sounding a little preachy
and decided to enter into the seminary in 1992. I received a Master's of Divinity from the Catholic University
of America and was ordained to the priesthood on July 3, 1998 on an incredibly hot summer night.
My first assignment was as Associate Pastor and Sacramental Minister for Campus Ministry at St. Mary's in Oneonta.
After three great years in one of my favorite places in the world, I came back to the University at Albany as Campus
Minister. For five years, thanks to tremendously dedicated students, we experienced great growth in numbers, in
service hours and friendships. When I was succeeded in last August by Fr. Paul Butler, who continues to do a great
job at UAlbany, there was, surprisingly for this day and age, no job open for me. So I filled in on a temporary
basis at St. Matthew's in Voorheesville and Sacred Heart and Blessed Sacrament in Lake George and Bolton Landing
respectively. |
