Paulist Fr. René Constanza will be the next president of the Paulist Fathers. Many St. Austin parishioners will remember Fr. René as our associate pastor for four years, July 2012-July 2016. He will begin a four-year term in June, succeeding Fr. Eric Andrews, the community’s president since 2014.
Fr. René has served as rector-pastor of the Cathedral of Saint Andrew in Grand Rapids, Michigan, since 2018, and also as the director of the Catholic Information Center there since 2016. He’s served on the Paulist General Council since 2018.
A native of Belize, Fr. René was ordained May 19, 2012, at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle in New York City, the Paulist mother church, with two classmates—Fr. Rich Andre, St. Austin’s Associate Pastor, and Fr. Tom Gibbons, now with Paulist Productions. As a Paulist student, Fr. Tom spent a pastoral year with St. A’s, 2009-2010.
In a message to his parishioners in Grand Rapids, Fr. René wrote: “I am deeply humbled and honored by the overwhelming support I have received from my Paulist brothers. Despite the challenging and exciting task ahead, I feel a pervading sense of peace knowing that the Holy Spirit is the one in charge of our community and its mission. It also is comforting to continue trusting in God who has always placed wonderful and talented people around me in every leadership role I have had.” We invite you to read more about Fr. René at the Paulist website.