‘A friend to many'

Father Carl Johnson to leave Sacred Heart congregation, By Tony Houston Monroe — It was the fall of 1991, and Sacred Heart Church in Monroe — and a few other Orange County churches — had just undergone a sex scandal. At this time, and under these conditions, Father Carl Johnson arrived at Sacred Heart as the parochial vicar with the pastor, the late Father William Rooney. “I helped people deal with disappointment,” said Father Johnson in a recent interview. “I presented the facts and provided crisis intervention on a professional level.” Father Johnson became administrator of the church when Father Rooney left, and was appointed pastor of Sacred Heart by Cardinal O’Connor in 1994. Now, after 15 years at the Monroe church, he has been appointed pastor of Saint Augustine’s Church in New City by Edward Cardinal Egan. Thomas Sullivan, a Sacred Heart trustee and member of the Finance Committee, said, “The church has always been in good standing under Father Johnson’s administration.” A recent Archdiocesan Personnel Board came to the same conclusion. After its evaluation, the board declared Sacred Heart “a healthy parish — spiritually and socially.” Father Johnson gives much of the credit to the parishioners. “Sacred Heart was very fortunate to have a man of this caliber for all of these years,” said Sullivan. “Father Johnson is a friend to many,” said Rabbi Adam Kligfeld of Congregation Eitz Chaim. “He is devoted not just to his own flock, but to the entire community. He has opened his doors on several occasions — not just for the service after Sept. 11, 2001.” Kligfeld noted that pastor Bruce Younkin of the Monroe United Methodist Church is also leaving the area. “Our community will be poorer for losing them,” he said. Rabbi Garry Loeb of Monroe Temple Beth-El said, “Monroe’s loss is New City’s gain.” Loeb, who enjoys being in the presence of Father Johnson, feels a sense of loss. “He and Pastor Bruce Younkin will be missed,” said Loeb. Father Johnson was born 54 years ago in Mt. Vernon, N.Y. — the fifth of six children in a German-Irish American Catholic family. His life as a youth revolved around his parish church, and he became involved in social action in support of farm workers and the pro-life movement during his teens. Father Johnson graduated from Iona College with a degree in Religious Studies and completed his studies for the priesthood at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers. He continued his involvement in social matters and worked as an offset printer during his post-secondary school years. Ordained at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral by Terence Cardinal Cooke in 1978, Father Johnson’s first assignment was at Good Shepherd-St. Joseph Church in Rhinebeck. He served next at St. John the Evangelist at Lake Mahopac in Putnam County before being assigned to Sacred Heart in Monroe fifteen years ago. Father Johnson led the parish of Sacred Heart as it grew from 1,400 to 3,500 families, overseeing and caring for the religious education of the students in Sacred Heart Elementary School and — separately — a religious education program for 1500 children. The rapid growth and abundant programs were made possible by the large new parish building and grounds on Still Road — a project early in Father Johnson’s tenure at Sacred Heart. Father Johnson’s activities extend well beyond his duties at Sacred Heart. He has served as Chaplain for the Orange County Police Chiefs’ Association, Our Lady of Lourdes Council of the Knights of Columbus in Washingtonville and First Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians in Monroe. Also, as Rabbi Kligfeld said, he made himself and the facilities of Sacred Heart Church available to the entire community whenever he saw a need. His right-to-life advocacy continues in full force through his involvement with Care Net Pregnancy, the annual Life Chain in Middletown and the march on Washington each January to protest the Roe v. Wade decision allowing abortions. Mary Jo Kanzler, a lifetime parishioner at Sacred Heart described Father Johnson as “excellent, generous and hard-working.” She worked with Father Johnson on fundraising for the church building. “I’m sad to see him go,” said Kanzler. “He will be sorely missed.” Toni Kerins, Director of Youth Ministry for the Archdiocese of Ned York and Director of the Orange County Catholic Youth Organization (CYO), described Father Johnson as “a strong supporter of parish youth programs — beginning when he was a youth in the Teenage Federation of the CYO.” Kerins said, “He did a great job — he came at a difficult time and pulled it together.” Father Joseph Reynolds of St. Anastasia Church in Harriman said he has “worked with Father Johnson on all sorts of things.” Sacred Heart, St. Anastasia and St. Patrick Church in Highland Mills work together on a Spanish ministry. “He has done a good job, and I wish him well,” said Father Reynolds. “The wonder of being a priest is the opportunity to be welcomed into a family at times of sorrow, tragedy and grief, and at other times to lead celebrations of happiness,” said Father Johnson. “I’ll miss the people and this beautiful church — the talented and gifted parishioners and friends. I serve here to bring them to a deeper holiness, my reward is to witness physical and emotional miracles through Christ.” A farewell mass will be held on the weekend of June 16, and Father Johnson’s last weekday mass will probably be on June 22.