Our Lady of the Assumption Welcomes New Pastor

WELCOME FATHER JOHN LAVORGNA

My dear friends,

I am happy to extend Christmas Season greetings and best wishes to all in our community.

I have been asked to provide some background information as I soon begin my assignment as Pastor in Woodbridge and Bethany; I am excited to be among you soon.

I am very grateful to Father Christopher Ford for his friendship to me and his faithful leadership as Pastor of Our Lady of the Assumption these past years. We all support him as he takes on significant responsibilities as Chancellor of our Archdiocese and Pastor of Saint Peter Claver Parish in West Hartford.

I was born in New Haven and was raised in the Elm City and also in Hamden. (So I am familiar with the neighborhood!) My home parishes growing up were Saint Rose and Saint Francis in New Haven, and ultimately Saint Ann in Hamden. My parents are Egidio and Palma and I am so grateful for their love, guidance, and many sacrifices, rooted in our faith and heritage.

My older brother, Egidio Jr. is married to Stefanie, and I am blessed with great nieces and nephew, as well as devoted relatives and friends. I have truly special grandparents, now all deceased, but their memory lives on in my heart and prayers. I am also thankful for the companionship of so many colleagues in the ministry throughout the Archdiocese and the countless parishioners I have been called to serve though my varied assignments.

Most of all, our dear Lord Jesus and our Catholic faith remains at the center of my life. Jesus calls us together as the Body of Christ, the Church, and holds us close to His Scared Heart through the hope, peace, and strength that only He can give us. May God be praised by our efforts to seek and do His holy will. Our fundamental identity is as a child of God. That makes all the difference. Our positive achievements are reflections of God’s grace and the care of others.

I share the requested information below, with gratitude for the many blessings that come through the experiences and opportunities we are given along the journey of faith.

All the way – to God’s embrace.

Sincerely, Father Lavorgna

Father Lavorgna is a graduate of Saint Francis School in New Haven. At Notre Dame High School in West Ha-ven, he was Valedictorian, Man of the Year, and also the recipient of the Notre Dame Code Award. While in high school, he was involved in many activities, including campus ministry. He is very grateful for the gift of Catholic education and the example of many dedicated priests and religious sisters and brothers throughout his life.

Father Lavorgna went on to study at Yale University, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a concentration in American Government in 1996. During his college years, Father Lavorgna expanded his involvement in Catholic campus ministry and held varied leadership roles. This included a term as the Chairman of the Youth Institute of the National Italian American Foundation and serving as Founding President of the Yale College Italian Society.

Upon discerning the call to the priesthood and being accepted as a seminarian by Archbishop Daniel Cronin, Father Lavorgna entered priestly formation in 2000. He began his preparation at Saint Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield, CT, and ultimately completed all his theological studies at Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He enjoyed serving as Chairman of the Orientation Team welcoming new seminarians. These were joyful years of continued spiritual and intellectual growth and fellowship.

Father Lavorgna was ordained a priest by Archbishop Henry Mansell on May 20, 2006 at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Hartford. His first full-term assignment was Parochial Vicar for the Torringon Cluster of Roman Catholic Parishes, comprised of the parishes of Saint Francis, Saint Peter, Saint Mary, and Scared Heart. In 2010, Father Lavorgna was named administrator and later pastor of Our Lady of Pompeii Parish in East Haven.

Archbishop Leonard Blair appointed Father Lavorgna as his priest-secretary and vice chancellor of the Archdiocese in 2014, and he also was later involved in vocations ministry. Father Lavorgna returned to parish ministry in 2016, serving briefly at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Waterbury and then as administrator of the linked parishes of Saints Peter and Paul and Saint Leo the Great.

In June 2017, Father Lavorgna was named the pastor of the newly established Parish of Mary, Mother of the Church, which encompasses the formerly linked parishes in the East End of Waterbury.

In addition to his duties as pastor, Father Lavorgna was appointed by Archbishop Blair to serve as the Director of Continuing Formation for Priests for the Archdiocese in 2020. He is a member of the Archdiocesan Presbyteral Council and also has actively served as chaplain for several Knights of Columbus Councils. Prior to entering seminary, Father Lavorgna’s professional background includes positions for the National Italian American Foundation (Greater New York Regional Office), and Saint Thomas More Catholic Chapel and Center at Yale University.