Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish at 10 Austin Place, Staten Island, NY 10304 US - Home
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This is the home of Our Lady of Good Counsel on the Internet. Here you will find a wealth of information at your fingertips. Get the latest news and information about the church, school and all the organizations within our community. View our weekly calendar. Take a look at our Mass schedule and Office hours. You can download the bulletin at your leisure. You may contact us with any questions or concerns you may have. You can even register online with the parish.
We hope you enjoy your visit and we encourage you to check back often for updates!
Recent News
Dear Friends,
I pray that you and your families have all had a good start to the New Year. As we begin this year I want to bring you all up to date on a couple things:
1. School Regionalization - Pathways to Excellence
You may remember a letter from me in this space back in November concerning two pastoral planning initiatives of the Archdiocese of New York: one for parishes and one for schools. In that letter, I mentioned that after consulting with the staff of the school and the parish council we had decided to request the approval of the Archdiocese for Our Lady of Good Counsel School to remain a parish-based school, rather than to be part of the regional school plan. The Archdiocese has initiated the school regionalization plan because so many parochial schools in the Archdiocese have experienced falling enrollment. Many have had to depend on substantial financial support from the Archdiocese - support which the Archdiocese would not be able to maintain without risking fiscal insolvency.
OLGC School is currently near to capacity, and financially stable. This is due to the leadership of Mrs. Santangelo, the wonderful faculty, the support of a long line of Augustinian Friars who have worked here, and the community of school parents and parishioners. You know the old saying, “if it ain't broke, don't fix it.” That's why we petitioned the Archdiocese for permission to remain parish-based.
I am happy to report that just before Christmas, we received a letter from Dr. McNiff, the Superintendent of Schools, granting us permission to remain a parish-based school. I know that I can count on your prayers and support to keep OLGC School for wonderful place of learning that it is, and to work together for its continual improvement.
Just before New Year's, I received another letter from the office of Superintendent of Schools informing me that Archbishop Dolan has appointed me as a member of the regional school board for the parishes in Staten Island. Although OLGC School will not be part of the regionalization plan, I look forward to being able to contribute to the cause of Catholic education in this way on Staten Island. I ask for your prayers for this task.
2. The Peace Pole at St. George Ferry Terminal
You will perhaps remember that for about 10 days back in May, OLGC Church was host to the Staten Island Peace Pole. You remember it - a white pole about 7 feet tall that had the phrase, “May peace prevail upon earth,” written in English and 7 other languages. The organization Building Bridges sponsored the pole which spent a week or 10 days in dozens of houses of worship around Staten Island. We had been hoping to install the Peace Pole permanently at the ferry terminal, but before our request can go to the next step, we have to present a petition to the mayor and other officials.
We have petitions to fill out in the vestibules of the church, but you will find it much more convenient, I think, to go to the website:
and fill it out there. It took me only a minute or so.
The importance of world peace, and the importance to pray for world peace are things that we easily forget about. I'm sure that gazing at 2 large fish tanks costing millions of dollars probably is effective for helping to relieve stress, but the peace pole can be a daily reminder to thousands of people to pray for and to work for peace.
Peace,
Fr. Liam
Fr. Liam