By Alison Rooney
After 12 years as its leader, the Rev. Brian McSweeney will be departing from Cold Spring’s Our Lady of Loretto Catholic Church Aug. 1. An estimated 400 members of the parish gathered together in what was meant to be a surprise party for him. Somehow the word got out, however the occasion was happy and festive nonetheless.
In remarks to the crowd, McSweeney noted that the strengths of the church did not emanate from him but rather from the congregation. In support of this, he detailed how all of the recent church renovations were provided entirely by volunteers from within the parish, requiring no outside hiring.
McSweeney will become the priest of the Church of St. Augustine in Ossining. The new priest of Our Lady of Loretto Parish will be the Rev. Tom Kiely, who comes from the Church of the Holy Spirit in Cortlandt Manor, which he has led for the past 13 years.
