Father John Bonnici had only been pastor of the two parishes in the Catholic Community of Larchmont for a year when he was appointed an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New York. His appointment was not surprising to the Larchmont parishioners, who already were well aware of his strong charisma and excellent leadership skills, according to Carla Porter, a longtime St. Augustine parishioner.
“You can’t keep a light like that under a bushel basket, and I guess Larchmont is a little bushel basket,” she said. “When he was made an auxiliary bishop we knew that he was going to be on somebody’s radar screen. It’s not unexpected, but we had hoped we’d have more time.”
“Our loss is certainly Rochester’s gain,” agreed Ken Padgett, a longtime Ss. John and Paul parishioner.
Bishop Bonnici gracefully balanced parish, episcopal responsibilities
After his episcopal ordination in 2022, Bishop Bonnici continued as pastor of the parishes in the New York City suburb of Larchmont and took on many additional responsibilities within the archdiocese, according to Father Louis Masi, who handled many day-to-day operations as administrator of the Catholic Community of Larchmont until July 2025.
Bishop Bonnici balanced his parish responsibilities in Larchmont with his episcopal responsibilities with grace, according to parishioner Joseph Fonti.
“As parishioners, we never felt it,” he remarked.
Parish communities came together under Bishop Bonnici’s leadership
Bishop Bonnici’s grace under pressure became apparent upon his 2021 arrival at St. Augustine and Ss. John and Paul parishes, which he’d been tasked with bringing together as the Catholic Community of Larchmont, Fonti said.
Both parishes were strong, independent and had philosophical differences, and his job was to unite them as one community. It was a daunting task,” Porter said.
Parishioners initially worried that coming together would weaken their respective parishes, Fonti said. Bishop Bonnici listened to their concerns, then set about bringing the parishes together “with a very soft touch,” he said.
“Five years later, we have an amazing success. It was really remarkable to see it evolve,” Fonti noted.
Both parishes — which remain separate canonical entities — have recorded increased Mass attendance and financial contributions, Porter said.
The Catholic Community of Larchmont’s success stems from Bishop Bonnici’s excellent administrative skills, according to Debby Kruszewski of Ss. John and Paul Parish. He made changes gradually, at first alternating major parish liturgies and events — such as the Easter Vigil — between churches until it became evident which locations were better suited for specific events, she said. Bishop Bonnici also is good at assembling teams by recognizing and utilizing individuals’ skills, she added.
Bishop Bonnici also emphasized the Eucharist in his efforts to unite parishioners, Fonti said. He started an annual Corpus Christi procession between the two parishes and it has become a beautiful symbol of unity, Fonti added.
Citing bishop’s joyful, loving nature, parishioners call him ‘a true shepherd’
The successful unification of the two parishes also is due to Bishop Bonnici’s unique personality, Porter noted.
“There’s nothing pretentious about him. He just smiles, and with his personal warmth and charisma, gets everybody on the same page. He just is a unifying figure,” she said. “He’s a wonderful pastor. He loves people, and people react to that love. You really can’t help it, because it’s disarming.”
Bishop Bonnici’s joyful nature draws people to him, which may account for both increased Mass attendance as well as the crowd of teens that routinely gathers at the local gym to talk with the bishop while he exercises, Porter said with a laugh.
“He’s someone you want to talk to. He’s someone you want to confess to. … He’s just a true shepherd,” Padgett added.
Bishop Bonnici makes time for parishioners, knows their names and truly listens to them, added Father Matthew Breslin, who has served as the Catholic Community of Larchmont’s administrator since July 2025. The bishop is an excellent listener and a gifted storyteller whose homilies captivate children and adults alike, Father Masi noted.
“I learned a great deal from him about how to minister well in a parish,” he said.
“As a pastor, he truly lives the way that every parish priest is called to live: as a father,” Father Breslin added.
Tags: Bishop Installation, Bishop John S. Bonnici
