Without such a plan, the schools will be closed. The archdiocese has already announced that several of the administrative departments of the archdiocese will be reduced in size or merged with other offices so as to achieve a balanced budget for the central administration of the archdiocese. Egan was formerly bishop of Bridgeport, Conn., where he had earned a reputation as a successful fundraiser and management whiz and also as someone who had revitalized the seminary system by recruiting a substantial number of young men to the priesthood. Since coming to New York, he's appointed Msgr. G. Finn as the new rector of the entire archdiocesan seminary system.
Major changes are afoot at all three schools.
The Neumann facility in Riverdale will be converted into a residence for retired priests, while the seminary students who had studied there will continue their formation at St. Joseph's Seminary. The high school students at Cathedral Prep, who attend classes at various Catholic high schools in the archdiocese, will resume their seminary formation in the philosophy wing of St. Joseph's during specially scheduled time periods during the month. Zwilling said Finn had been selected to direct the archdiocesan seminary system because Egan thought he was the best man to handle the consolidation of the seminaries. Thomas Parish on Staten Island, had been director of communications for O'Connor. He made recent headlines in New York when he led a boycott against the St. Patrick's Day Parade on Staten Island because the grand marshal was a local legislator with a strong pro-choice background.