Gaetano Aldo Donato
Encyclopedia
Gaetano Aldo "Thomas" Donato (born 1 October 1940) is an Italian American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He currently serves as an auxiliary bishop
of the Archdiocese of Newark
, New Jersey
.
, New Jersey
, to Antonio and Rosa Donato, who had immigrated
to the United States
from Italy
in 1923. The fifth of sixth children, he has two sisters, Mary and Rose, and three brothers, Constantino, John and Robert. Named after his paternal grandfather, Donato has, however, always gone by Thomas. After attending Holy Rosary Elementary School and St. Michael High School in Jersey City, he began his studies for the priesthood
at the College Seminary at Seton Hall University
. Donato wanted to become a priest since the second grade
, when he was asked to give an oral composition answering the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" He graduated from the College Seminary in 1961, and attended Immaculate Conception Seminary
in Darlington
from 1961 to 1966, earning a Master of Divinity
degree.
a priest for the Archdiocese of Newark
by Archbishop Thomas A. Boland
. He then served as parochial vicar
at St. John the Baptist Parish in Hillsdale
until 1973, and at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Bayonne
from 1973 to 1982. He then became pastor
of Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Bayonne, where Donato introduced extraordinary ministers
of the Eucharist and lector
s into the Mass
. From 1988 to 2001, he was pastor of St. Paul Parish in Ramsey
. He was raised to the rank of Honorary Prelate of His Holiness
in 1996.
After attending a six-month sabbatical to attend the Institute for Continuing Education of Clergy at the Pontifical North American College
in Rome
, he became administrator and later pastor of St. Raphael Parish in Livingston
. Donato also served as the regional director of religious education for Bergen County North
; a three-term member of the Archdiocesan Priest Personnel Board; a member of the Archdiocesan Offices of Catechetics and Divine Worship; and the Episcopal Vicar
of Bergen County West. In 2003, he was named spiritual director
of Immaculate Conception Seminary.
of Newark and Titular Bishop
of Jamestown by Pope John Paul II
. He received his episcopal consecration
on the following 4 August from Archbishop John J. Myers
, with Bishops Michael A. Saltarelli
and Arthur J. Serratelli
serving as co-consecrators
, at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart
. As an auxiliary bishop, he serves as Episcopal Vicar of Hudson County
and pastor of St. Henry Parish in Bayonne.
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He currently serves as an auxiliary bishop
Auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of the Archdiocese of Newark
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark
The Archdiocese of Newark is an archdiocese of the Catholic Church in northern New Jersey, United States. Its ecclesiastic territory includes all of the Catholic parishes and schools in the New Jersey counties of Bergen, Union, Hudson and Essex .-History:Originally established as the Diocese of...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
.
Early life and education
Gaetano Aldo Donato was born in Jersey CityJersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, to Antonio and Rosa Donato, who had immigrated
Immigration to the United States
Immigration to the United States has been a major source of population growth and cultural change throughout much of the history of the United States. The economic, social, and political aspects of immigration have caused controversy regarding ethnicity, economic benefits, jobs for non-immigrants,...
to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in 1923. The fifth of sixth children, he has two sisters, Mary and Rose, and three brothers, Constantino, John and Robert. Named after his paternal grandfather, Donato has, however, always gone by Thomas. After attending Holy Rosary Elementary School and St. Michael High School in Jersey City, he began his studies for the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
at the College Seminary at Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University is a private Roman Catholic university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by Archbishop James Roosevelt Bayley, Seton Hall is the oldest diocesan university in the United States. Seton Hall is also the oldest and largest Catholic university in the...
. Donato wanted to become a priest since the second grade
Second grade
In the United States, second grade is a year of primary education. Second grade is the second school year after kindergarten. Students are traditionally 7–8 years old, depending on when their birthday occurs....
, when he was asked to give an oral composition answering the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" He graduated from the College Seminary in 1961, and attended Immaculate Conception Seminary
Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology
The Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology is part of Seton Hall University, the Roman Catholic university of New Jersey, and is located in South Orange. ICCST is one of the oldest Catholic seminaries in the United States. The university is the oldest diocesan university in the country....
in Darlington
Mahwah, New Jersey
Mahwah is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 25,890. The name Mahwah is derived from the Lenni Lenape word "mawewi" which means "Meeting Place" or "Place Where Paths Meet".The area that is now Mahwah was...
from 1961 to 1966, earning a Master of Divinity
Master of Divinity
In the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
degree.
Priesthood
On 29 May 1965, Donato was ordainedHoly Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
a priest for the Archdiocese of Newark
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark
The Archdiocese of Newark is an archdiocese of the Catholic Church in northern New Jersey, United States. Its ecclesiastic territory includes all of the Catholic parishes and schools in the New Jersey counties of Bergen, Union, Hudson and Essex .-History:Originally established as the Diocese of...
by Archbishop Thomas A. Boland
Thomas Aloysius Boland
Thomas Aloysius Boland was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was Archbishop of Newark from 1952 to 1974, having previously served as Auxiliary Bishop of Newark and Bishop of Paterson .-Early life and education:Thomas Boland was born in Orange, New Jersey, to John Peter and...
. He then served as parochial vicar
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
at St. John the Baptist Parish in Hillsdale
Hillsdale, New Jersey
Hillsdale is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 10,219.The populated area today known as Hillsdale took form in the mid-to-late 19th century as land speculators, led by David P. Patterson, developed subdivisons to profit from the...
until 1973, and at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Bayonne
Bayonne, New Jersey
Bayonne is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Located in the Gateway Region, Bayonne is a peninsula that is situated between Newark Bay to the west, the Kill van Kull to the south, and New York Bay to the east...
from 1973 to 1982. He then became pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Bayonne, where Donato introduced extraordinary ministers
Eucharistic Minister
-Roman Catholic Church:In the Roman Catholic Church, the only minister of the Eucharist is the priest.The phrase "Eucharistic minister" has sometimes been used improperly to refer to an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion....
of the Eucharist and lector
Lector
Lector is a Latin term for one who reads, whether aloud or not. In modern languages the word has come to take various forms, as either a development or a loan, such as , , and . It has various specialized uses:...
s into the Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
. From 1988 to 2001, he was pastor of St. Paul Parish in Ramsey
Ramsey, New Jersey
Ramsey is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. It is a suburb of New York City, located northwest of Midtown Manhattan. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 14,473....
. He was raised to the rank of Honorary Prelate of His Holiness
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
in 1996.
After attending a six-month sabbatical to attend the Institute for Continuing Education of Clergy at the Pontifical North American College
Pontifical North American College
The Pontifical North American College is a Roman Catholic educational institution in Rome, Italy educating seminarians for the dioceses in the United States and providing a residence for American priests studying in Rome. It was founded in 1859 by Blessed Pope Pius IX and was granted pontifical...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, he became administrator and later pastor of St. Raphael Parish in Livingston
Livingston, New Jersey
Livingston is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 29,366.Livingston was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 5, 1813, from portions of Caldwell Township and Springfield...
. Donato also served as the regional director of religious education for Bergen County North
Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County is the most populous county of the state of New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 905,116. The county is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Hackensack...
; a three-term member of the Archdiocesan Priest Personnel Board; a member of the Archdiocesan Offices of Catechetics and Divine Worship; and the Episcopal Vicar
Vicar general
A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ordinary executive power over the entire diocese and, thus, is the highest official in a diocese or other particular...
of Bergen County West. In 2003, he was named spiritual director
Spiritual direction
Spiritual direction is the practice of being with people as they attempt to deepen their relationship with the divine, or to learn and grow in their own personal spirituality. The person seeking direction shares stories of his or her encounters of the divine, or how he or she is experiencing...
of Immaculate Conception Seminary.
Episcopal ministry
On 21 May 2004, Donato was appointed Auxiliary BishopAuxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of Newark and Titular Bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Jamestown by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
. He received his episcopal consecration
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
on the following 4 August from Archbishop John J. Myers
John J. Myers
-References:...
, with Bishops Michael A. Saltarelli
Michael Angelo Saltarelli
Michael Angelo Saltarelli was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Wilmington from 1995 to 2008.-Biography:...
and Arthur J. Serratelli
Arthur J. Serratelli
Arthur Joseph Serratelli is the current bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson in northern New Jersey.-Early life:...
serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
, at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart
Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Newark, New Jersey
The Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the fifth-largest cathedral in North America, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. It is located at 89 Ridge Street in Newark, New Jersey. Envisioned as a "fitting monument to the faith," construction began in 1899 and was finished in...
. As an auxiliary bishop, he serves as Episcopal Vicar of Hudson County
Hudson County, New Jersey
Hudson County is the smallest county in New Jersey and one of the most densely populated in United States. It takes its name from the Hudson River, which creates part of its eastern border. Part of the New York metropolitan area, its county seat and largest city is Jersey City.- Municipalities...
and pastor of St. Henry Parish in Bayonne.