Bishop Appoints New DeSales Administrator
The Most Reverend Richard J. Malone, Bishop of Buffalo, has appointed Reverend Walter J. Szczesny to the additional responsibility of Canonical Administrator of DeSales Catholic School for a term of three years, effective April 1, 2018.
Father Walt was ordained in 1990 and has served as pastor of All Saints Parish in Lockport since 2015. He is a product of Catholic education himself, graduating from Sacred Heart Elementary School and Notre Dame High School in Batavia, NY.
Father Walt takes on this roll with great enthusiasm. He stated, “ I benefited so much from the structure, academic standards and spiritual life in these schools and that pointed me towards success in higher education” Father Walt has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy from Wadhams Hall Seminary College and a Masters of Divinity Degree from Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora, NY. He also found his education supplemented by work and world experiences teaching in the Deaf / Blind Department at the NY State School for the Blind in Batavia, teaching at Maryvale Catholic Orphanage in Rosemead, CA and serving with the United States Treasury Office in Los Angeles, CA and Ithaca, NY.
Father Walt stated, “I am so honored and humbled to be involved as Canonical Administrator with this outstanding DeSales Tradition. I look forward to meeting DeSales students, parents and Alumni throughout the year.”
According to the school bylaws, the role of the Canonical Administrator at DeSales is to ensure the Catholic identity of the school. Father Walt will serve as an ex-officio member of the DeSales Board of Trustees. In that capacity he will provide support, encouragement, reflection, and collaborative discussion on the ministry of the school.
Rev,Walter J.Szczesny met with students on a recent visit to DeSales Catholic School.