The June 2 priestly ordination of Father Jeff Chichester from Mount Morris, Livingston County, has added to the ranks of priests who claim the Southern Tier as their home turf.
In all, 20 current diocesan priests — both active and those who have reached senior status — hail from the Courier’s six-county Southern Tier coverage area of Chemung, Livingston, Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga and Tompkins. And, more are on the way: During this past year, Father Chichester and five other men from the Tier made up more than half of the diocese’s 11 seminarians.
Here are the Tier priests along with their home parishes, years of ordination and current ministerial statuses:
• Father Richard Beligotti, St. Mary of the Lake, Watkins Glen; ordained in 1968; senior status; residing in Venice, Fla.
• Father Robert Beligotti, St. Mary of the Lake, Watkins Glen; ordained in 1968; senior status; residing in Venice, Fla.
• Father Philip Billotte, St. Vincent de Paul, Corning; ordained in 1966; senior status; residing in Frenchville, Pa.
• Father Lewis Brown, St. Mary Southside, Elmira; ordained in 1967; senior status; residing in Painted Post and assisting at All Saints Parish.
• Father Jeffrey Chichester, St. Luke Parish, Livingston County; ordained in 2018; parochial vicar, St. Joseph and Holy Spirit parishes, Penfield.
• Father Patrick Connor, St. Pius V, Cohocton; ordained in 1983; pastor, Ss. Isidore and Maria Torribia, central Steuben County.
• Father William Cosgrove, St. Ignatius Loyola, Hornell; ordained in 1955; senior status; residing at the Sisters of St. Joseph Motherhouse in Rochester.
• Father Michael Costik, St. Matthew, Livonia; ordained in 2013; parochial administrator, St. Benedict Parish, Canandaigua/East Bloomfield.
• Father Walter Cushing, St. Patrick, Corning, ordained in 1956; senior status; residing at St. Cecilia in Irondequoit.
• Father John DeSocio, St. Anthony, Elmira, ordained in 1978; senior status; residing in Elmira.
• Father Michael Fowler, Blessed Trinity/St. Patrick, Tioga County; ordained in 2015; parochial administrator, cluster of St. Agnes/St. Paul of the Cross/St. Rose in Avon, Honeoye Falls and Lima.
• Father Edward Golden, St. Mary, Elmira; ordained in 1961; senior status; residing in Fairport.
• Father Matthew Jones, St. Mary Southside; ordained in 2015; parochial administrator, All Saints Parish, Corning/Painted Post.
• Father Scott Kubinski, St. Casimir, Elmira; ordained in 1984; pastor, Parish of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Elmira.
• Father Christopher Linsler, St. Catherine of Siena, Addison; ordained in 1978; pastor, St. Mary Our Mother, Horseheads.
• Father Robert MacNamara, St. Patrick, Elmira; ordained in 1951; senior status; residing at St. Mary in Elmira.
• Father Jeff Tunnicliff, St. Mary of the Lake, Watkins Glen; ordained in 2007; pastor, St. Michael, Newark.
• Father Peter Van Lieshout, St. Matthew, Livonia; ordained in 2014; parochial administrator, St. Peter Parish, Clifton Springs/Phelps/Shortsville.
• Father Walter Wainwright, St. Mary, Elmira; ordained in 1965; senior status; residing in Elmira.
• Father Thomas Wheeland, St. Patrick, Elmira; ordained in 1966; senior status; residing in Greece.
The five Tier seminarians currently preparing for priesthood in the Diocese of Rochester are:
‚Ä¢ Sean Bassler, St. Mary Our Mother, Horseheads; St. John’s Seminary, Boston.
• Aaron Kelly, Blessed Trinity/St. Patrick, Tioga County; Pontifical North American College in Rome (as of the end of this summer).
‚Ä¢ Joseph Martuscello, Ss. Isidore and Maria Torribia, central Steuben County; St. John’s Seminary, Boston.
‚Ä¢ Gregory Sheffield, Christ the Redeemer, Elmira; St. John’s Seminary, Boston.
‚Ä¢ Deacon Daniel White, Blessed Trinity/St. Patrick, Tioga County; St. John’s Seminary, Boston.
