The parishioners of St. Dominic Church will bid farewell to their pastor on Sunday, June 3, with a special Mass at 10:30 a.m. followed by a block party. Fr. George Schommer, who has been pastor for seven years, is moving to a new assignment at St. Patrick Church in the Rittenhouse Square area of center city in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
During his tenure at St. Dominic’s, the church building has gone through extensive interior renovations, the congregation has grown in numbers and active engagement in programs, and parishioners are enjoying a deeper sense of community spirit and belonging.
The commitment of Fr. Schommer to all that is St. Dominic’s has its foundation in the fact that he was ordained to the priesthood in St. Dominic Church on May 20, 1994. The parish will always feel like home to him and he hopes to visit periodically. Parishioners have expressed their gratitude for his leadership, fiscal stewardship, and effective preaching.
The new pastor at St. Dominic’s will be Fr. Hyacinth Cordell, the current parochial vicar. He will be installed as pastor in a formal ceremony sometime in the fall. Fr. Hyacinth has been instrumental in the establishment of the St. Dominic Young Adults group and the St. Dominic Cenacle group. These programs have been highly successful and beneficial to their participants. Clearly, the parish will remain in capable hands.