Most Rev. Robert J. Cunningham, Bishop of Syracuse has appointed Father John W. Canorro as Pastor of the newly merged parish of Christ the Good Shepherd in Oswego, New York effective July 1, 2019.  Father Canorro will leave his position as Pastor of St. Rose of Lima in North Syracuse where he has served as its pastor since July 2017. 

After an extensive local process, Bishop Robert J. Cunningham accepted the consensus based recommendation that St. Paul’s Church will be the home of Christ the Good Shepherd Parish. St. Paul’s Church is located at 50 East Mohawk Street, Oswego.  The decision comes 18 months after the Oswego parishes of St. Joseph, St. Stephen the King, St. Mary and St. Paul announced they would begin a process to form one faith community that worships on one campus. 

Celebration in honor of Bishop Cunningham’s 50th Anniversary of Ordination to the Priesthood & 10th Anniversary as Bishop of Syracuse: With gratitude to Almighty God, the Church of the Diocese of Syracuse joyfully announces a celebration in honor of the 50th Anniversary of Ordination to the Priesthood and 10th Anniversary as Bishop of Syracuse of The Most Reverend Robert J. Cunningham.

Rev. John S. Finnegan April 30, 2019 Rev. John S. Finnegan, 88, of Baldwinsville, died peacefully on Tuesday surrounded by family and friends at Crouse Hospital after a long illness.

The Diocese of Syracuse announced new priest assignments April 11. Retirements: • Reverend Monsignor James T. O’Brien, pastor of Pope John XXIII Church, Liverpool, and Vicar of the Western Region, Western Area: effective June 2, 2019

Rev. Louis F. Aiello, Jr. passed away on April 8, 2019, at the age of 69. "Father Lou" as he was lovingly called, served the people of the diocese as a Roman Catholic priest for nearly 42 years.

Reverend Alfred J. Bebel, 86, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 13, 2019 at UHS Wilson Medical Center. Father Bebel was born in Owego, NY to Helen (Lipka) and William Bebel.  He graduated from Johnson City High School in 1950 and received his B.A. from Niagara University in 1954. 

Most Rev. Thomas J. Costello, retired Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Syracuse, died on Friday, February 15, 2019, at the age of 89 years old. Bishop Costello served the people of the diocese as a Roman Catholic priest for nearly 65 years as well as serving as the auxiliary bishop for over 40 years.

Most Rev. Thomas J. Costello, retired Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Syracuse died today, Friday, February 15, 2019 at the age of 89 years old.  A native of Camden, New York, Bishop Costello served as a priest of the diocese for nearly 65 years and as auxiliary bishop for over 40 years.

During the past weeks, I have received numerous letters from many of you expressing your grief, anger and frustration over the abortion policy passed by our state legislature and signed into law by Governor Cuomo. I share your sorrow and fury.

We pray that the passage of the Child Victims Act brings some measure of healing to all survivors by offering them a path of recourse and reconciliation. The legislation now recognizes that child sexual abuse is an evil not just limited to one institution, but a tragic societal ill that must be addressed in every place where it exists. 

Today, the Child Victims Act has been passed in the New York State legislature.   It is a new day for all victim-survivors of child sexual abuse and will hopefully offer greater healing, recourse and reconciliation.  This law sends a clear signal to society as a whole that child sexual abuse is a pervasive evil that we must address together.

The New York State Catholic Conference welcomed the passage of the New York State DREAM Act Jan. 24, calling it “a strong example of legislation that nurtures real progress, based on respect of human life and the dignity of each person, compassion, service, community and opportunity for everyone.”

NYS Catholic Conference: ‘our beloved state has become a more dangerous one for women and their unborn babies’. The New York State Catholic Conference released the following statement following the Jan. 22 passage and signing of the Reproductive Health Act: “Today, New York State has added a sad chapter to this already solemn date of January 22, the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. With the legislature’s passage, and Governor Cuomo’s signing of the Reproductive Health Act, our beloved state has become a more dangerous one for women and their unborn babies.

Bishop Robert J. Cunningham offered the following statement in response to the Jan. 22 passing of the Reproductive Health Act: Today, New York State has failed women and their unborn babies by passing and signing the Reproductive Health Act. As Catholics, we must continue to preach the Gospel of life.

Words are insufficient to describe the profound sadness we feel at the contemplated passage of New York State’s new proposed abortion policy.  We mourn the unborn infants who will lose their lives, and the many mothers and fathers who will suffer remorse and heartbreak as a result. 

The Diocese of Syracuse will release Dec. 3 a list of clergy credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor in the diocese since 1950. The list will include the names of both living and deceased priests. The list will be available at thecatholicsun.com and syrdio.org Monday morning.

A statement in regards to Father James Smyka, OFM Conv, listed on Buffalo Diocese's List of Accused Priests: Father James Smyka is a Conventual Franciscan Friar. . The Diocese of Syracuse received a request from the Order of Friars Minor Conventual, Our Lady of the Angels Province in October 2014 for Father Smyka to be granted faculties to serve in the diocese. 

Rev. David J. Baehr was born on December 15, 1938 to parents Rosalie Hogan Baehr and George Baehr. He was educated at St. John Parochial School, Oswego Catholic High School and St. Bernard Seminary, being ordained May 16, 1964 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Syracuse, NY.