Archbishop Dolan to Visit

The spiritual leader of millions of New York-area Catholics will be making his first visit to Putnam County next month.

Archbishop Timothy Michael Dolan plans to bless the refurbished St. James School in Carmel on July 18 as well as attending the church's annual community feast and presiding over a special Saturday evening Mass.

The Rev. Anthony Sorgie, pastor of St. James the Apostle Church, told the Courier that when His Excellency heard the news of last month's fire at the school, he called. "The archbishop was deeply concerned. After making sure we were cared for by our insurance company and town building authorities, and after learning that the children and brave firefighters were safe, he asked what he could do. I asked him to visit and bless the restored school during the middle of the summer in particular, if he could find time in his schedule to travel to Putnam during our threeday Feast of St. James, consisting of a carnival, food, and friendship. The archbishop agreed."

Father Sorgie forecast that the day will be special. "His holiness has agreed to meet with the children and their parents enrolled in both our day school as well as religious schools before blessing the school, partaking in the feast, and ultimately finishing the day by saying Mass Saturday evening."

The blaze at St. James broke out on the evening of May 18, when an electrical malfunction ignited a classroom. Quick response and a professional firefight by highly trained members of area fire departments prevented the fire from spreading. Several classrooms suffered damage, but the school was saved.