Following more than a decade of service to Throggs Neck, Monsignor Leslie Ivers will be leaving St. Frances de Chantal Parish.
Ordained a preist on November 3, 1979, Msgr. Ivers remembers his desire to enter into the life of service as early as the third grade.
Throughout his years at Cardinal Hayes High School his faith was strengthened, then Msgr. Ivers chose to attend Herbert H. Lehman College, being a member of the school’s first graduating class, and enter the workforce for several years before he was ready to enter St. Joseph’s Seminary, in Yonkers.
Msgr. Ivers was appointed the fifth pastor of St. Frances in 1996, after having served at two other Bronx parishes, Our Lady of Refuge, located 290 E. 196th Street, and Holy Rosary Parish, located 1510 Adee Avenue.
“I remember looking forward to being a pastor here and having been told what a wonderful parish it was, how lucky I felt,” said Msgr. Ivers.
Though raised in Manhattan, Msgr. Ivers’ deep connection to the Bronx gave him an understanding and enthusiasm for his assignment to St. Frances.
In his time there, Msgr. Ivers has been able to celebrate his own 25th anniversary as a priest, which was honored with a reception at the Marina Del Ray, in 2004.
Msgr. Ivres also oversaw a major renovation to the church in 2003, in conjunction with the 75th anniversary of the parish itself.
One of Msgr. Ivers’ many contributions to the Parish was the expansion of the religious program, through a broader community outreach.
Msgr. Ivers sought to make the church available to the community and began an Evangelist prayer service and rally in the Throggs Neck Houses through the LAMP Ministries.
“It was letting people know who we are and that they are welcome,” said Marie McCarrick, religious education director. “Under the Monsignor’s guidance we certainly grew in numbers. My experience with him has been 100% positive. It is a big loss for this area and we will all miss him.”
Effective Wednesday, July 1, Msgr. Ivers will be serving as pastor of the Church of the Epiphany in Manhattan, and will celebrate his farewell Mass on Sunday, June 28, at 11:30 a.m., with a reception in his honor to follow.
“I have gotten to know a lot of people and many have touched my life. To leave that behind is hard because when a priest comes into a parish you become part of their family and when you walk away from that you are leaving a lot behind,” said Msgr. Ivers. “I have been a priest 30 years and 13 of those have been here. It will be hard, but I’m looking forward to new challenge and serving God and people in different part of the Archdiocese.”
