A Parish on Jackson Avenue in Seaford
St. William the Abbot sits at 2000 Jackson Avenue in Seaford, a hamlet in the Town of Hempstead on the South Shore of Long Island in Nassau County. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Rockville Centre and serves Catholic families from Seaford and the surrounding communities of Massapequa, Wantagh, Bellmore, and Levittown. Its identity has been shaped over almost a century by three enduring features: a worship schedule that runs every day of the week, a parish school that opens its doors to children from nursery through eighth grade, and a Social Ministry that operates one of the most active food pantries in the area.
St. William the Abbot is a Roman Catholic parish where the celebration of the Mass, the sacraments, and a wide network of parish ministries form the backbone of parish life. The motto shared by the parish school - Guided by Faith and Inspired to Excel - captures the way the parish sees its mission, weaving together prayer, education, and service to neighbors in need.
The Saint Behind the Name
The parish takes its name from William of Vercelli, a twelfth-century Italian religious founder. Born into a noble family in Vercelli, Italy, in 1085, William gave up his inheritance and walked barefoot to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, a pilgrimage that took five years. After he was badly beaten by criminals outside Brindisi, he read the attack as a sign from God and spent the rest of his life proclaiming the Gospel in southern Italy. In 1118 he settled at the base of Monte Partenio in the Irpinia region, and in 1126 his small community of hermits was recognized as the Order of Monte Vergine, the Williamites. He later founded a double monastery at Goleto, between Campania and Basilicata, built largely by women, and several other monasteries under the rule of Roger II of Sicily.
William is called the Wonder Worker for miracles attributed to him, including restoring sight to the blind. The most famous of these is the Miracle of the Wolf, in which he instantaneously tamed a wild wolf that had killed his donkey, and the wolf became his constant companion. He died in Goleto in 1142, was canonized in 1224, and his remains were transferred to Montevergine in 1807. His feast day, June 25, is celebrated at the parish each year.
99 Years on Jackson Avenue
The parish itself is approaching its one hundredth year. Parishioners regularly mark the milestone, and the parish history describes the growth of a community that has become a fixture of Catholic life in Seaford. Across the decades the parish has built and sustained a school, a convent, a Social Ministry office, athletic fields for its CYO program, and the church that anchors the corner of Jackson Avenue.
Daily Mass, Sunday Mass, and Reconciliation
The rhythm of the parish is set by its Mass schedule. Daily Mass is celebrated Monday through Saturday at 8:30 am in the church. The Saturday Vigil Mass is at 5 pm, and four Sunday Masses are offered: 7:30 am, 9 am, 10:30 am, and 12 noon. Several of these liturgies are livestreamed on YouTube - the weekday 8:30 am Masses, the Saturday 5 pm Vigil, and the Sunday 12 noon Mass - so that parishioners who are homebound, traveling, or away at college can still take part.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered Monday through Saturday from 7:15 to 8:20 am, before the daily Mass, and again on Saturday afternoons from 3:45 to 4:50 pm. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is held during the same morning hours each day, and on the First Friday of every month adoration extends from 9 am to 5 pm. A communal Anointing of the Sick follows the 12 noon Mass on the last Sunday of each month, and the rectory can be called at any time to arrange the sacrament for a seriously ill parishioner.
The Priests and Deacons
The pastor is Rev. Joseph H. Fitzgerald. He is assisted by two associate pastors, Rev. Michael Edathil and Rev. Patrick O'Brien. Three deacons serve the parish: Dcn. John Lynch and Dcn. Michael Metzdorff, along with Dcn. Anthony Cedrone, who is retired. The rectory office can be reached at 516-785-1266 during business hours, and an after-hours line, 516-312-7361, is reserved for medical emergencies when a priest is needed at once for someone who is critically ill or injured. The priests can also be reached at priests@stwilliam.org.
Faith Formation for Children
Faith Formation at St. William the Abbot is a graded program that prepares children from first grade through the reception of Confirmation. The program is open only to registered parishioners, and registration is paired with the requirement that every student attend at least 75 percent of weekend and Holy Day Masses during the program year. Mass attendance is recorded through QR codes displayed around the church after each Mass, and families who are away can submit a photo of their child at another parish as proof of attendance. Students who fall below the threshold receive an incomplete for the year and cannot re-enroll.
Children with special needs are accommodated; families are encouraged to contact the Office of Faith Formation to discuss how best to serve their children. The program relies on volunteer catechists, hall monitors, small-table facilitators, and safety representatives, all of whom must complete VIRTUS training through the Diocese of Rockville Centre. Parents who volunteer receive a tuition rebate. The Office of Childhood Faith Formation is directed by Jo-Ann Metzdorff, MDiv, who also serves as director of the OCIA program, and can be reached at 516-783-2528 or faithformation@stwilliam.org.
Becoming Catholic: OCIA for Adults and Teens
Adults and older children who wish to become Catholic join the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, or OCIA (the program formerly known as RCIA). The OCIA process walks inquirers through the stages of inquiry, catechumenate, and election, leading to reception of the Sacraments of Christian Initiation - Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist - at the Easter Vigil. Adults who were already validly baptized in another Christian tradition make a profession of faith and are received into the Church, followed by Confirmation and Eucharist. Inquirers can complete the Adult or Child/Teen Inquirer Information Form and email it to ocia@stwilliam.org to begin.
The Seven Sacraments at the Parish
The parish celebrates all seven sacraments and treats each one as a pastoral relationship, not simply a ceremony.
Baptism. Baptisms are celebrated twice a month on Sunday afternoons, generally with no more than six babies in a single ceremony. Parents take a one-hour Baptismal Preparation Class at the parish, and godparents must be practicing Catholics over the age of sixteen who have received Baptism, Communion, and Confirmation and, if married, were married in the Church. A Statement of Suitability must be completed by each godparent and signed by their own parish no later than two weeks before the ceremony. A baptized Christian of another faith may serve as a Christian Witness alongside a Catholic godparent, but non-Christians cannot serve as godparents or witnesses. A voluntary offering of $100 to $500 is customary but not required.
Reconciliation. Confession is available every morning before Mass and on Saturday afternoons. Children, teens, and adults can find Examinations of Conscience online to help them prepare.
First Communion and Confirmation. Sacramental preparation takes place within the Faith Formation program. Dates for the spring celebrations are announced after Christmas break each year.
Marriage. Engaged couples begin with an intake form, after which a member of the pastoral staff meets with them at the rectory or by Zoom. The parish requires an eight-month preparation period. Within six months of the wedding the couple must obtain an updated Baptismal Certificate, and within sixty days they must secure a New York State marriage license. Pre-Cana preparation is required; the parish offers its own small-group Pre-Cana over several weeks, and couples may instead attend a one-day course offered by the Diocese of Rockville Centre. Wedding fees for parishioners are $850 ($500 church fee and $350 music fee), and for non-parishioners $1,050 ($700 church fee and $350 music fee). Couples who wish to livestream their wedding pay an additional $150. The church does not allow scattered flower petals, confetti, runners, or auxiliary lighting, and alcohol is not served before or on the way to the ceremony.
Anointing of the Sick. The sacrament is offered any time by calling the rectory, and a communal anointing follows the last Sunday 12 noon Mass each month.
Holy Orders. Men who feel called to priesthood are encouraged to speak with Fr. Joe Fitzgerald at the rectory or to visit the DRVC Vocations office online.
Funerals. A Ministry of Consolation, a team of parish volunteers, serves as greeters, ushers, and lectors at funeral Masses, walking the family through the practical details. Eulogies are given at the wake; by direction of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, they are not part of the Funeral Mass itself. Funeral planning worksheets and a list of readings are available online.
Music Ministry and Altar Servers
The Music Ministry is directed by Jennifer Hegmann-Palminteri. The adult choir is open to all parishioners aged fourteen and older, with no audition or registration required. Rehearsals are held on Thursday evenings from 6 to 7 pm in the choir loft, and the choir sings at Masses throughout the year. The ministry takes its inspiration from the line in Psalm 63: In the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
Altar Servers assist the priest at Mass. Training is offered each year for boys and girls in grades five through eight, and an Altar Server Handbook is available to help new servers learn the order of the liturgy and the responsibilities of the role.
Parish Social Ministry and the Food Pantry
Parish Social Ministry is one of the busiest arms of the parish. The office, located in the St. William the Abbot Convent at 2020 Jackson Avenue, is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 am to 4 pm by appointment, with evenings and Sundays available on request. The phone numbers are 516-679-8532 and 516-679-1083, and the email is socialministry@stwilliam.org. Allison Marro directs the office.
The Social Ministry runs a food pantry that accepts unopened, unexpired non-perishable food, as well as fresh and frozen items. Gift card donations to grocery stores such as Stop & Shop, Lidl, ShopRite, or Target are also welcome, and monetary donations by check, made payable to St. William the Abbot Social Ministry, are used to help clients with unexpected expenses through third-party or vendor payments. The office does not accept clothing, housewares, toys, books, or furniture but can refer donors to local thrift stores and other organizations.
Three support ministries grow out of the Social Ministry office. The Prayer Shawl Ministry gathers about forty volunteers who crochet and knit blankets, lap robes, shawls, hats, and gloves for those in need; the group meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month from 10 am to 12 pm in the Abbey. A Bereavement Group offers a seven-week program in the fall and on Wednesdays in the spring for anyone who has lost a loved one. A Caregiver Support Group offers a confidential setting for those caring for ill or aging family members.
The parish also hosts a St. Vincent de Paul conference that partners with the Social Ministry to provide clothing and furniture vouchers to families served by the pantry. The conference maintains donation bins in the school parking lot for used clothing, and its furniture line at 516-746-8250 arranges home pickup of larger items.
Youth, CYO, and the Garden
The Youth and Family Ministry supports parish life for teens and their families, and the parish fields CYO basketball and swimming teams. The Garden Ministry tends the parish grounds, providing a way for green-thumbed parishioners to serve the community. Volunteers for any of these ministries can sign up through the Ministry Interest Form online.
St. William the Abbot School
The parish school, St. William the Abbot School, serves students from nursery through eighth grade and describes itself as a community that is truly Guided by Faith and Inspired to Excel. The school is dedicated to academic excellence and the spiritual development of its students within the framework of the Gospel and the traditions of the Catholic Church. Elizabeth Bricker serves as principal and Kasey Grasso as assistant principal. The school also serves as the host site for Faith Formation classes and CYO athletics, and its front parking lot houses the St. Vincent de Paul clothing donation bins.
Giving, Memorials, and Parish Life
Parishioners who wish to support the work of St. William the Abbot can give online through Square, set up automated giving directly from a checking or savings account, or drop a check marked Donation in the rectory drop box or mail it to 2000 Jackson Avenue, Seaford, NY 11783. Memorial and honor gifts are also welcomed for liturgical items, vestments, and campus enhancements, and the parish encourages donors to contact the rectory before purchasing a specific item so that the gift can be matched to current needs. The parish finances are overseen by a finance committee and a parish council made up of elected parishioners.
For almost a century, St. William the Abbot has gathered the Catholic faithful of Seaford around the altar, the classroom, the food pantry, and the athletic field. The parish today is a busy place: a school in session, a pantry open by appointment, a choir rehearsing on Thursday evenings, servers in cassock and cotta processing down the aisle, deacons at the credence table, and a pastor and two associates hearing confessions before the first Mass of the day. It is, in the words of its own mission, a community that seeks to share the grace it has received - with those most in need and with one another.