159 Years of Combined Priestly Service, Diocese of Paterson Press Statement, 2007

159 Years of Combined Priestly Service

Diocese of Paterson Press Statement
2007

Pastors in Clifton, Denville and Wayne will retire in June

CLIFTON - Bishop Serratelli has accepted the retirement of three longtime pastors in the diocese, effective June 13, the feast day of St. Anthony of Padua.

Msgr. Julian Varettoni, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Clifton, since 1966; Msgr. James Murray, pastor of St. Mary Parish, Denville, since 1971; and Msgr. Stanley Schinski, pastor of Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Wayne since 1966, together have combined for 159 years of priestly service to the Paterson Diocese.

Msgr. Varettoni, a native of Passaic who was graduated from Seton Hall Prep, West Orange and Seton Hall University, South Orange, was ordained in 1955 in St. John Cathedral, Paterson. He received his licentiate in Sacred Theology from The Catholic University of America, Washington. He served as associate pastor of St. Anthony Parish, Hawthorne; St. Mary Parish, Dover; and St. George Parish, Paterson, before being named pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Clifton, the parish in which he was baptized and celebrated his first Mass. He has also served as district CYO director and was on the faculty of Morris Catholic High School, Denville, and DePaul Catholic High School, Wayne, and taught psychology at the former nursing school of St. Joseph Hospital, Paterson. Msgr. Varettoni also served as Defender of the Bond for the diocesan Tribunal. He was also elected to serve on the diocesan Priests' Senate. In 1967, he was one of the first pastors in the diocese to organize a parish council. He was named a monsignor by Pope John Paul II in 1984.

Msgr. Murray, 76, a native of Morristown, was graduated from the former Bayley-Ellard High School, Madison, and Seton Hall University, South Orange. Following his ordination in 1956 in St. John Cathedral, Paterson, he served as parochial vicar at St. John Cathedral and worked with the scouts and junior CYO on parish and diocesan levels. He also fostered the annual Mount St. Joseph Home annual fund drive, created the Knights of St. John and was moderator for the former St. John Cathedral High School drama club. In 1966, he was named parochial vicar at St. Brendan Parish, Clifton, and then served as director of his alma mater, Bayley-Ellard, between 1967 and 1971. He then was appointed pastor of St. Mary's. He was named a monsignor in 1989 by Pope John Paul II.

He also served on the diocesan development committee and was chairman of the diocese's Golden Jubilee dinner. In the community, he is a member of the Denville Chamber of Commerce and former president of the Lions Club and served on the Senior Citizens Housing Committee. He has also assisted the police and fire departments, senior citizen groups and local government officials in planning and developing community projects. He was the recipient of the 1985 Mini Bowl award for community service.

Msgr. Schinski, who will turn 79 on April 30, was graduated from the former Holy Rosary School and the former Pope Pius XII High School, both in Passaic, and St. Mary's College, Orchard Lake, Mich. Ordained in 1951 in St. John's Cathedral, Paterson, Msgr. Schinski was a classmate of retired Bishop Rodimer at the former Immaculate Conception Seminary, Darlington. He served at St. Stephen Parish and St. Joseph Parish, both in Passaic, before being named as the second pastor of Annunciation Parish, whose temporary home at that time was DePaul High School, Wayne. Under Msgr. Schinski's direction the present church/parish center was built and dedicated in 1968. He was also active with the bishop's committee on vocations and Cana conferences, taught at DePaul High School, was Dean of the Mid-Passaic Deanery and was a member of the priests' personnel board. He was also instrumental in advancing the devotion to the Divine Mercy of Jesus in his parish and the diocese. He was named a monsignor by Pope John Paul II in 1984.