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Reverend Monsignor Alan F. Detscher
Msgr. Detscher was born in Greenwich, CT on May 13, 1945, the son of Elizabeth J. Fuhr and Francis J. Detscher, Sr. He was educated in the Greenwich Public Schools – Byram Elementary School and Greenwich High.
Monsignor attended Georgetown University and Saint John’s Seminary in Brighton, MA earning his BA in Philosophy and a BA in Divinity. He has also attended Woodstock College School of Theology receiving a Master of Sacred Theology in Liturgy. He holds a License in Sacred Liturgy (Summa cum Laude) and a Doctorate in Sacred Liturgy (Summa cum Laude) from the Pontifical Liturgical Institute in Rome.
He was ordained a priest by Bishop Walter W. Curtis on May 15, 1971. He served as a parochial vicar at St. Patrick’s Church in Bridgeport and St. Catherine of Siena Church in Riverside, where he presently is Pastor.
Monsignor has held both Diocesan and National Offices including Secretary to Bishop Curtis, Diocesan Director of Liturgy, Master of Ceremonies, Secretary of the Presbyteral Council, Director of the Diocesan Office for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, Associate Director and Executive Director of the Secretariat for Liturgy of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and member of the Consultant and Editor for Liturgy for the Diocese of St. Maron (Maronite Church).
His membership in Professional Organizations include: Member and former treasurer of the North American Academy of Liturgy (NAAL), Member and Former Chairman of the Consultation on Common Texts (CCT), and Member of the National Council of Churches Commission on Worship.
Monsignor Detscher has written many articles and books on Christian liturgy. He assisted in the preparation of the International Commission on English in the Liturgy editions of: Pastoral Care of the Sick, Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, and Order of Christian Funerals. He authored the majority of new prayers in the American Edition of The Book of Blessings.
Reverend Francis T. Hoffmann
Father Frank was ordained in 1990 having completed his Master of Divinity in Pastoral Studies at Immaculate Conception Seminary, Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ.
A native of Long Island, NY, he attended Fairfield University where he received his BA in Religious Studies in 1977. In the years after finishing college and before entering the seminary, he had a career as a teacher of religion in high schools, both in the area and in Florida.
Prior to serving at St. Catherine’s, he has served at St. Augustine Cathedral, Bridgeport (as a deacon) and St. Leo’s in Stamford, St. Mary’s in Bethel and St. Joseph’s in Shelton.
Deacon Renato Berzolla
Renato was born in Borgotaro (Parma) Italy. He was educated at the Scientific Lyceum of the Salesian Fathers in Parma. Renato attended the Polytechnic Institute of Milan. He received a Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering from Manhattan College and a Master of Science in Electronics Engineering from New York University.
He is the President of Lux Engineering, a Consulting Firm specializing in Airport Visual Aids -Safety Systems and in High Precision Power Supplies for Physics and Research Laboratories.
Renato is the Vice-President of CEI (Italian Electric Commission) – Airports Lighting Group and an Advisor to the CENELEC (Brussels)
Renato is a former Trustee of Augier Company in Carros (France) and of Multi Electric Company in Chicago.
Currently he is a Trustee of Manhattan College in Riverdale, New York.
Renato has been a parishioner of Saint Catherine since 1974. He was ordained a Deacon in 1980 by Bishop Curtis.
Renato is active in several ministries here at Saint Catherine of Siena. He is involved with the Italian community and the monthly liturgy (Mass) held in the Chapel every third Sunday of the month. He and Deacon Robert Henrey meet with and prepare parents for the Baptism of their children. As part of the Siena Commission on Aging, Renato visits “home bound” parishioners in the Riverside neighborhood. He is mentor to our Altar Servers, educating and training our young men and women in the proper service of the Mass.
In January, Renato and his wife host a “reunion” reception inviting back families that have baptized a child in the prior year so that these families have an opportunity to meet and get to know other members of our parish community.
Renato is married to Andrea Frances Mazzari for 44 years. He has 4 children and 10 grandchildren.
Deacon Vincent Heidenreich
Deacon Vincent J. Heidenreich was born in Pittsburgh on June 15, 1943. His father was a General Practitioner and his mother a nurse. He is the eldest of twelve, seven boys and five girls. He was educated in parochial schools, grade, high, and at The Catholic University of America.
Vince spent 35 years in the pharmaceutical industry. One of his earlier promotions to pharmaceutical marketing management prompted the relocation of his family to Greenwich in July, 1978. Since that time, he has been a parishioner at St Catherine of Siena. In 1983 he joined the healthcare division of BBDO on Madison Ave., supervising the development of prescription-drug advertising. His last eleven years in the industry were as advertising head at Bayer Pharmaceutical.
Vince was ordained a Deacon for the Diocese of Bridgeport in 1990 and since then has been assigned to St. Catherine pastoral staff. He reports, "St. Catherine has well-organized liturgies that facilitate our prayerful worship and place us all in Monsignor Detscher's debt. What a wonderful group of people we have. It is a gift to be able to serve them."
For the last 6 years, he also is Director, Religious Education at Notre Dame Parish in Easton, CT. He is very involved in marriage-preparation work for the diocese and for the parish.
Among the joys of his diaconal service, Vince identifies the privilege of presiding at the weddings of his son and daughter, the baptizing of grandchildren and his many grandnieces and grandnephews in Pittsburgh. Among his hobbies, Vince is a computer "geek" and also thoroughly enjoys playing the Hammond Organ . . . popular standards of the 1920s-50s.
Deacon Robert Henrey
Robert Henrey has served in the parish of St. Catherine of Siena since his ordination as deacon in 1984.
After retiring from a career in finance - he was a tax consulting partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers in New York City until 1997 - Robert undertook a program of clinical pastoral education, leading to certification in 2001 by the National Associate of Catholic Chaplains. At present, he is an interfaith chaplain on the staff of Greenwich Hospital.
At St. Catherine's he is active in several ministries, including the parish's baptismal program, and outreach to the French-speaking and Hispanic communities. He is a member of the Siena Commission on Aging, visiting with homebound parishioners in the Old Greenwich area.
Robert currently serves as Treasurer of Hill House, a not-for-profit, state subsidized elderly residence located directly next door to the parish campus.
Robert is married and his wife, Lisette, is an enthusiastic member of the St. Catherine's choir. Their son Edward is a graphic artist and illustrator living in the area. Robert is French born and spends some time each year in his native country. He holds a degree in language and literature from Oxford University.
Marcella ‘Mickie’ Abatemarco
Mickie has a B.A. in Religious Education from St. Francis College, Brooklyn and has done graduate work at the Maryknoll School of Theology with a concentration in Peace and Justice Ministry. Mickie also has completed a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education, as a hospital chaplain.
She is the president of Bridgeport Religious Education Directors (BRED) and sits on the Executive Board of the National Association of Parish Catechetical Directors (NPCD) as the New England Representative. Mickie taught Theology in Catholic High Schools for 20 years prior to coming to St. Catherine's in 1999. She now serves as Director of Faith Formation, responsible for child and adult faith formation and the Social Justice Ministry.
Mickie and her husband Joe have 5 children - Three sons and a daughter in their twenties and a teenage son. Mickie enjoys her ministry and her free time with her husband and family.
Jenna Donovan
Jenna moved to Connecticut from Newburgh, a small town in southwestern Indiana two years ago. She received her B.A. from Franciscan University of Steubenville in Catechetics and Theology with a minor in history.
During her time at Franciscan, she was involved in many catechetical ministries, such as Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Born of the Spirit Retreats, and assisted at Catholic Central High School in Steubenville. She was also a part of the women’s soccer team and intramurals. She has a passion for the missions and participated in several short-term mission trips which took her as far as Lourdes, France and San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Her love for travel also led her to spend a semester abroad in Gaming, Austria.
During her time here at St. Catherine’s, she has helped found the St. Catherine’s Youth Group and youth masses open to all High school students. She has revamped the Confirmation Program, and added many new events for grades 6 thru 8. She is also responsible for social justice projects and oversees all Faith Formation Classes for grades 6 thru 9.
Jenna is active in other ministries throughout the diocese as well. She has helped with the diocesan Fan the Fire Retreat and ministers with the St. Rose Youth Group in Newtown, CT. She is also a national speaker and has given talks at the Steubenville East Pre-Rally, as well as the Source and Summit Retreat in Evansville, IN.
In May of 2010, Jenna married Kevin Donovan III. Among Jenna and Kevin’s many interests are their love for books, music, sports, and the outdoors. Kevin assists Jenna in various activities within the parish, providing music for prayer, praise and worship, retreats, and class. Together they have become a formidable team here at St. Catherine’s.
Mark Kaczmarczyk
Mark is a nationally recognized conductor, singer and educator. As a conductor he has appeared with acclaimed artists including countertenor David Daniels, pianists Jonathan Biss, James Tocco and the late Ruth Laredo at the Aspen Music Festival, Messiah with the Cleveland Orchestra, select Bach Cantatas at the Oregon Bach Festival with conductor Helmuth Rilling, Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival, Michigan Opera Theater, American Symphony Orchestra at Lincoln Center and by invitation for the American Choral Director’s Association Convention in period instrument performances of Handel's Dixit Dominus. In 2007 he was guest music director for the World Youth Leadership Conference hosted by George Washington University in DC, where he worked with over 500 young adults from 35 countries.
Mark brings twenty years experience in church ministry in parishes throughout the United States and serves as a consultant to start up non-profit organizations throughout the country. In Manhattan he is Artistic Director of the vocal ensemble Gotham Scholars.
He has previously served as Assistant Professor of Voice at the University of Oregon and Director of Opera and Musical Theater at Ithaca College. He holds a Master’s Degree in Conducting from The Eastman School of Music, a post graduate fellowship from the University of Michigan, and Doctoral studies from the Cincinnati College Conservatory (CCM) where he was chorus master for their main stage opera productions and conductor of the University Men's and Women's Choruses.
