Clergy and Cathedral Staff
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The
Very Reverend James Munroe, Dean |
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| On Monday evening, December 29, 1997, the executive committee elected the Reverend James G. Munroe as Dean Christ Church Cathedral. Father Munroe has served in this Diocese since 1984, when he was installed rector of St. John's Church in Northampton. Under his leadership, St. John's became known as "the open door church", serving both the spiritual and social needs of the community. He founded the MANNA feeding program that serves over ten thousand meals per year to those in need in the community. He served on the Ethics Committee of Cooley Dickinson Hospital. Father Munroe was active in and a leader of ecumenical activities in Northampton, serving as President of the Hampshire Interfaith Council. Since coming to Springfield, he has involved himself in a wide range of community efforts, including the urban Pastors’ Council, the Pioneer Valley Project, and at many levels within the Diocese. He chairs the Advisory Board for the Bement Camp and Conference Center. He speaks at local schools as a member of the Vietnam Veterans Education Project. Under his leadership within the Cathedral, many new initiatives have been set afoot, including the renovation and redesign of the Cathedral’s entrances from the Quadrangle and Chestnut Street, as well as a closer relationship with the Quadrangle Association. He has also authored new adult education programs stressing Christian formation and discipleship. Jim Munroe is a gifted and sensitive preacher, as any Sunday morning worshipper will readily attest. |
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The Rev. Canon Michael DeVine,
Hispanic Missioner
Telephone (413) 736-2742 extension 2
E-Mail ap735@earthlink.net
The Rev. Michael DeVine originally hails from Iowa,
and entered the
Peace Corps following college. Serving 3 years in Chile and Paraguay,
Michael returned to the US where he met his wife-to-be, Mariana in
Berkeley, CA. They were married in Duluth, Minnesota, and moved to
Fredericksburg, VA in order for Michael to finish his seminary studies.
Graduating from Virginia Theological Seminary in 1977, he began his
ordained ministry in South Jersey as Hispanic Missioner and director
of
their Migrant Ministry Program.
From 1979 to 1989, he served as Vicar of St. Andrew’s Church in
Camden,
NJ, developing a thriving Hispanic ministry in this urban center. In
that time, Mike and Mariana adopted two children (Christopher and
Marisa) from Peru, while Mariana continued her career in dance
education.
From 1989 to 2003, Mike ministered at St. George’s Church in Central
Falls, RI. Again, a strong Hispanic ministry was formed, as well as
nurturing the existing english-speaking congregation in a city that
was
60% Hispanic. In RI Mike served on many Diocesan boards including the
anti-racism committee, Cursillo, missions, and was elected twice to
represent RI at General Convention. He also served as Dean of the
Blackstone Deanery. For 12 years he chaired the RI State Council of
Churches anti-racism committee.
Fr. Mike (or "Padre") was called to serve at Christ Church
Cathedral in
June of 2003 as Canon (or assistant to the Dean.) His ministry is
divided between serving the growing Hispanic congregation as pastor,
and
assisting in the english-speaking ministry. His interests outside of
the church are gardening and fixing up their old house. Mariana is
taking a brief respite from active church ministry, but is active in
the
Daughters of the King. Their children are now grown and living on their
own.
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Peter
Beardsley, Organist and Choirmaster |
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| A native of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Mr. Beardsley has been Organist/Choirmaster at Christ Church Cathedral since 1976. Choirs under his direction have three times toured Europe and the U.K. Mr. Beardsley holds degrees in organ from Indiana University at Bloomington, where he was a student of Oswald Ragatz. He is a Fellow of the American Guild of Organists, the highest honor bestowed by that national organization of church musicians. He has also studied or coached with Allan Wicks (Canterbury, England), André Marchal (Paris, France), Arthur Poister, and others. He has concertized in the U.S., Central America, England, and Denmark. He is a published composer, and has been active in the AGO, AAM, RSCM, and ACDA. Additionally, his organbuilding experience has enabled him both to guide and to carry out the past two decades' extensive tonal and mechanical renovations to the Cathedral's fine Austin Organ. Mr. Beardsley served in the Peace Corps in El Salvador in the early 1970's, and his Spanish has been useful in fostering the music program of the Cathedral's hispanic congregation. |
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Jan
Wojtowicz, Secretary & Bookkeeper |
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| Jan joined the Cathedral staff in 1986 as part-time bookkeeper. She assumed the full-time responsibilities of Cathedral Secretary in 1994. Though born in New York City, Jan considers herself a Springfield native, having lived here most of her life. She graduated from the old Tech High School and has an A.S. degree from Holyoke Community College. Jan has studied Journalism at the University of Massachusetts and Education at Westfield State. She spends her leisure time walking, growing herbs, arranging flowers (she's a member of the Cathedral Flower Guild), and most recently, spoiling her niece's new twins. |
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Hillary
Godin, Director of Religious Education |
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| Hilary Godin has assumed the post of Coordinator of Children's Ministries as of September, 2005. She brings years of experience as a teacher, fresh energy and creativity, and a keen organizational ability to this incredibly important job. One of the ways the Cathedral reaches out to the community is through a new and innovative approach to Christian formation. The "Saturday School" (Escuela Sabatina) meets for two hours every Saturday, ministering especially to inner city children who have not previously known the Lord. In Springfield, this means that much of the Saturday School's work is done in Spanish, and many of our hispanic teenagers give up their Saturdays to teach. |
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José
Passalacqua |
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| Christ Church Cathedral is very fortunate to have José Passalacqua, a fine guitarist and a teacher at the Community Music School of Springfield, as the pastoral musician for the hispanic congregation. José has been on the Cathedral staff since 1999, and has brought a fresh flavor to the unique music of worship at the Spanish-language services. There is an active hispanic choir, and at the 12:15 Sunday Eucharist one is likely to hear guitars, tambourines, bongoes, finger cymbals, and wood blocks, as well as the piano and the flute ... not to mention enthusiastic clapping in the congregation! |
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The
Rev. Canon Emeritus William Dwyer |
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| Fr. Dwyer first initiated the hispanic ministry in Springfield when he was Rector of St. Peter's Church in Springfield. When he 'retired' from St. Peter's several years ago, Dean Whepley invited him to relocate that congregation to the Cathedal. Fr. Gagnon inherited that ministry, but now that he has moved on to Meriden, CT, Fr. Dwyer once again finds himself in charge of the Spanish-speaking congregation. During the lengthy vacancy in the St. Peter's pulpit, Bill was back as part of the ministry team for several more years. Bill remains very active also in the Pastors' Council, the Pioneer Valley Project, and many other expressions of the Social Gospel. He and his wife Tako are part of the life and fabric of the Cathedral Congregation, and examples to all of us what can happen when one's energy, talent, and commitment are expended in the service of God and humanity. |
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