Dear Friends,

We have recently learned that our beloved presider Fr. Sean Manson will be leaving Our Lady Mother of The Church WCL in July 2023. It is 2023 and the Catholic church is still in a fragile state where there is a tremendous need for parishioners to reunite as we continue to evolve from the pandemic.

Although we do not doubt that the replacement for Fr. Sean is a qualified and wonderful priest, it would take any priest a significant amount of time to form the relationships, build the trust, and learn the history that is required to help our parish move forward.

Fr. Sean has been at Our Lady Mother of the Church for 12 years. Under his guidance the church now has a solid community and a very secure and loyal parish. Fr. Sean led this parish through a pandemic, a dark time in history where people needed the church and relied on their faith to get through the devastation. Fr. Sean knew this and refused to close the doors to the church and even welcomed an environment where children affected by this pandemic could come socialize, feel safe and receive a Christian education with the values needed today. He guarantees all families a welcome and open door environment in a church they love and feel at home with God. Our Lady Mother of the Church has grown significantly under the direction of Fr. Sean and we continue to grow as a parish under his leadership.

Fr. Sean has solid relationships in the community with commitments to donate time and money to complete the new clergy residence that was recently purchased. An abrupt change in church leadership would love the parish and community with complete uncertainty and concern. This is not a prudent move. Fr. Sean’s leadership and continuity are needed at Our Lady Mother of the Church for one more term.

We graciously ask as a community that we keep Fr. Sean as the pastor at Our Lady Mother of the Church in Woodcliff Lake, NJ. Please consider signing this public petition and consider writing Cardinal Joseph Tobin:

Archdiocese of Newark
His Eminence Joseph Cardinal Tobin
171 Clifton Avenue
PO Box 9500
Newark, NJ 07104

Please also feel free to share this petition with as parishioners, families,
friends, and Catholics as possible. Thank you for your
consideration.

God Bless,
The Families of Our Lady Mother of the Church Woodcliff Lake, NJ