St Rose Pastor Named Monsignor

By Shannon Hicks

Father Robert E. Weiss has been named a Monsignor by the Most Reverend William E. Lori.

Father Weiss was informed of the decision during a meeting with Bishop Lori on April 14, the news was shared with parishioners of St Rose during Masses last weekend, and has been finding its way around town since.

“This has been a longstanding honor, to give this rank to the priests in this church,” Monsignor Weiss said this week. “It is an honor that comes from the Holy Father at the recommendation of your local bishop. In light of the Pope’s visit to the country, [Bishop Lori] wanted to recognize people who helped the growth the church. So between my work here in Newtown, and even before, in Shelton, the parishes have grown and the ministries are flourishing.”

The title monsignor is one of distinction bestowed by the Pope to certain priests in the Roman Catholic Church as part of a papal honor recognizing the priest’s service to the Church. If the Holy Father decides to accept the recommendation, the Vatican Secretariat of State issues a diploma designating the new title and rank and recognizing the newly-made monsignor’s service to the Church.

“There’s no promotion, there’s no raise in salary,” he continued with a laugh. “It’s really an honor that comes from the Holy Father that comes in recognition for your ministry to the church.”

The St Rose parish has been served many years by other priests who were given this honor as well: Monsignor Collins, Monsignor Conroy, Monsignor Kohut and Monsignor Birge.

Father Weiss, who is known around town by parishioners and non-Catholics alike as Father Bob, has been the pastor at St Rose since July 1999. He was installed at St Rose by the Most Reverend Edward M. Egan, then the bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport, during a Mass on Saturday, July 31, 1999. Prior to that he had been the pastor of St Joseph Parish in Shelton for nine years. He was incardinated into the Diocese of Bridgeport in 1982, and served as parochial vicar of St Jude parish in Monroe from 1985 until 1990 before his appointment to St Joseph.

Father Bob’s is a very familiar face around Newtown. He is active within his church, but also meets and gets to know countless others outside of the parish based on Church Hill Road. In addition to being the spiritual leader to the 3,200 families of St Rose (most of whom he knows on a first name basis), Father Bob seems to show up at many public events and is welcomed into all circles.

Father Bob is already a monsignor in the eyes of his diocese and God, but there will be a formal installation ceremony on June 8 at the William Pitt Center at Sacred Heart University to honor him and the other new monsignors in the diocese. There are 14 monsignors in the current class, four of whom are already monsignors and were given an additional honor, and there are ten new ones, of which Monsignor Weiss, is included. He is in the company of priests who have held positions within the diocese’s Catholic Center as vocation directors, chancellors, personnel directors and Fairfield County Catholic editors.

“I have been a parish priest my whole ministry and felt even more honored,” Father Bob noted in his bulletin for the weekend of April 19–20, recalling his meeting with Bishop Lori.

“The Bishop told me that if he had 86 other parishes like Saint Rose, he could take a vacation! This honor is a reflection of each of you and your commitment to the church and your support of the Diocese,” his note continued.

St Rose was already planning a 35th anniversary Mass and reception for their senior pastor to take place on June 1, so Father Bob has asked that that occasion be used to celebrate both special moments rather than have a second event be planned.

The honor is officially called Chaplain to His Holiness. Along with the new title comes the privilege of wearing a black cassock with fuchsia piping and buttons along with a fuchsia sash.

Father Bob’s name may formally change to Monsignor Weiss, but it will be up to his parishioners and friends to decide what to call him.

“I got some cards from the kids at [St Rose School] and they said it would be funny to call me monsignor now. I’ve been Father Bob for 25 years, I can’t imagine it becoming anything else,” he said with another laugh. “I’m not going to be offended if people don’t call me monsignor, but I also know there will be people who won’t consider calling me anything else.”