Courtesy photo
St. Bartholomew Church Welcomes New Pastor
This summer, St. Bartholomew the Apostle Catholic Church in Scotch Plains, NJ welcomes Fr. Andy Prachar to the role of Pastor.
“I am very excited about being a part of the leadership of this faith community which Fr. John [Paladino] has shepherded so well and with great love,” Fr. Prachar stated.
Fr. Prachar grew up in Newark, attended Seton Hall University and was ordained to the priesthood in 1990. He served as Pastor of his home parish, Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Vailsburg, followed by fourteen years as Pastor of the Church of the Little Flower in Berkeley Heights. Fr. Prachar holds many years of experience in ministry to youth, young married couples, and serves now as a chaplain to men and women in the fire service and law enforcement.
Fr. Prachar succeeds Fr. John Paladino as pastor. He held the pastorate for eighteen years. As Fr. Paladino moves to a new assignment, he shares his hopes for the future as the church moves forward in its 75th year:
“As we commemorate this milestone, let us not only look back with gratitude but also forward with renewed determination. The journey that began 75 years ago is far from over. It is an opportunity for us to recommit ourselves to the values that have defined our church—compassion, forgiveness, and service to others.”
The parish community of St. Bartholomew Church sends Fr. Paladino off to his next assignment with great love and deep gratitude for his many years of faithful leadership and service to the Church. The community offers a warm welcome to Fr. Prachar and, echoing Fr. Paladino’s vision for the future, looks forward with eager anticipation and hope for what is yet to come.
About St. Bartholomew: St. Bartholomew the Apostle Church is a vibrant Catholic community, nourished in faith by God’s Word, the Sacraments and one another as we seek to be the mind, heart and hands of Jesus Christ in the world. Find out more about the parish at www.stbartholomewchurch.org.
