Fr. Timothy Zak is the New Provincial

By Fr. Michael Mendl, SDB

(New Rochelle, NY – July 29) – After formally installing Fr. Timothy Zak as provincial superior of the province of St. Philip the Apostle (New Rochelle), Fr. Timothy Ploch urged him to carry out toward the province the same responsibilities with which Salesian directors are charged: to be fathers, teachers, and spiritual guides of their communities. The brief installation rite took place within a celebration of the Eucharist in the chapel of Salesian High School at New Rochelle on the afternoon of Saturday, July 29. The rite consisted of a reading of the Rector Major’s letter of appointment, dated June 7; Fr. Zak’s profession of Catholic faith; his and Fr. Ploch’s signing of the document of installation; and an exchange of fraternal greetings and peace between Fr. Zak and each of the Salesian priests and brothers present. Fr. Ploch, general councilor for the Interamerica Region of the Congregation, represented the Rector Major in the ceremony. Also present, because of a non-related meeting, were general councilors Fr. Fabio Attard and Fr. Guillermo Basañes, besides another 28 concelebrating priests and about a dozen other Salesian priests and brothers.

Numerous other members of the Salesian Family just about filled the chapel: Salesian sisters, Cooperators, ADMA members, a Don Bosco Volunteer, Salesian Lay Missioner candidates (doing their three weeks of orientation), parishioners from Holy Rosary-Corpus Christi Parish in Port Chester, NY (where both Fr. Ploch and Fr. Zak once served as pastor), staff from the Salesian works in New Rochelle, Fr. Zak’s sister Stephanie and her husband Richard, alumni, and various other friends. Students from Salesian High served the Mass. Deacon Ivan Gemio from Holy Rosary assisted at the liturgy. July 29 is the liturgical memorial of St. Martha. In his homily, Fr. Ploch first noted various “images” of people following Christ in the Scriptures, which led him to Martha and Mary, who welcomed Christ into their home and listened to him. He linked them with Don Bosco and the service of a religious superior. Don Bosco, he said, appears to us as a super-active apostle, but we know that he had a deep interior life. His apostolic motive was to choose the better part, like Mary—to be close to Jesus; and then, Martha-like, to go forth with energy to serve others, to do Christ’s work Every Salesian, he added, is called to be close to Jesus and thus find energy to do his work. The homilist continued by outlining the responsibilities of a superior (director or provincial): to be a father, a teacher, and a spiritual guide. As a father, he gives life to or animates the community that he leads, and he governs it. Fr. Angel Fernandez has charged Fr. Zak to be a father and governor, to lead the province in accepting the decisions that need to be made.

As a teacher, the superior shows his confreres how to choose the better part, to seek union with God while doing a great amount of work. As a spiritual guide, he accompanies his confreres in their efforts to combine holiness with work. The Rector Major, Fr. Ploch promised, will be close to Fr. Zak, accompanying him in his duties; and so will Fr. Ploch himself.

Finally, Fr. Ploch reminded Fr. Zak that Mary Help of Christians will teach, form, accompany, and help him. As Don Bosco said, she is the one who did everything in his life, and she will continue to act in our lives. In a light moment at the beginning of the homily, Fr. Ploch noted that one confrere had suggested that the day’s liturgy underlined the pairing of the personalities of the provincial and vice provincial: Fr. Tim "Mary" Zak and Fr. John "Martha" Serio. At the end of Mass, Fr. Zak expressed his thanks to many people and highlighted the presence of so many branches of the Salesian Family. He pointed to and thanked Fr. Ploch for being for him a father, teacher, spiritual guide—and friend. After Mass a buffet lunch was served in the school cafeteria.