Date: Fri 11-Jun-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: JAN

Quick Words:

Father-Robert-Weiss-St-Rose

Full Text:

The Rev Robert Weiss Named As New St Rose Pastor

(with photo)

The Rev Robert E. Weiss, pastor of St Joseph Parish in Shelton since 1990, has

been named the new pastor of St Rose of Lima parish in Newtown, effective July

1.

The announcement was made by the Most Reverend Edward M. Egan, Bishop of the

Diocese of Bridgeport.

Father Weiss will succeed the Rev Msgr George D. Birge, who has been pastor of

St Rose of Lima parish in Newtown since 1986. Msgr Birge recently was

appointed pastor of Holy Trinity parish in Sherman, effective July 1. He

succeeds the Rev David J. Riley, founding pastor of Holy Trinity, who has been

appointed pastor of St Cecilia parish in Stamford.

"I'm looking forward to serving the best I can," Father Weiss said this week.

"If we work together as a community, good things can happen. I am very

collaborative in my ministry. I believe in a strong staff and being of the

best service I can be."

Father Weiss said it would take him a little time to get to know the parish.

"I need to find out the priorities of the Catholic community," he said.

He said he knows he has a big challenge ahead in "trying to figure out how to

minister to a whole community as a parish." There are three Catholic churches

in Shelton.

Father Weiss said he plans to call Msgr Birge to arrange a visit to Newtown

soon.

There are 2,558 families at St Rose parish. The religious education program

for public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade enrolls 1,200

students, and there are 250 parochial students at St Rose School.

Father Weiss, 53, was born in Baltimore, Md., in 1946. After attending St

Bernard Seminary in Rochester, N.Y., he was ordained in 1973 in St Christopher

parish in North Chili, N.Y. Father Weiss served at Corpus Christi parish in

Rochester, N.Y. and St Mary Our Mother parish in Horseheads, N.Y., becoming

parochial vicar of St Andrew parish in Bridgeport in 1976.

Father Weiss obtained his doctor of ministry degree from the Jesuit School of

Theology at Berkeley, Calif. in 1979. While serving as spiritual director at

Stamford Catholic, now Trinity Catholic, High School, he served as a resident

priest at St Leo parish in Stamford, becoming parochial vicar there in 1981.

Father Weiss was incardinated into the Diocese of Bridgeport in 1982. He

served as parochial vicar of St Jude parish in Monroe from 1985-1990, before

becoming pastor of St Joseph parish in Shelton. He is currently regional vicar

for Vicariate IV and pastor-president of the Shelton Catholic Regional School

board. In 1998, Father Weiss was appointed to the Diocesan College of

Consultors for a five-year term.