About Monsignor Joseph DeGrocco
Monsignor Joseph DeGrocco, born in Mineola, New York, and the youngest of three sons of William S. and Marsille DeGrocco, grew up in Carle Place and attended public schools there. After graduation from Carle Place High School in 1979, he went on to Hofstra University, attending New College at Hofstra and earning a Bachelor of Arts summa cum laude in Elementary Education and Interdisciplinary Studies. It was during his years at Hofstra that Monsignor DeGrocco discerned his call to the Roman Catholic Priesthood.
After graduating from Hofstra in 1983, Monsignor DeGrocco attended the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Lloyd Harbor, Huntington, New York where he studied for the Priesthood and earned a Master of Divinity degree. He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Rockville Centre at St. Agnes Cathedral, Rockville Centre on June 4, 1988 by Bishop John McGann. Monsignor DeGrocco continued to pursue theological studies throughout his priesthood. Beyond his Master of Divinity degree, he has earned a Master of Arts in Theology (Liturgical Studies) from the University of Notre Dame and a Doctor of Ministry degree from the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception.
The newly-ordained Father DeGrocco’s first priestly assignment was as Associate Pastor at St. Kilian Church in Farmingdale. After five years there (1988-1993), he went on to additional assignments as Associate Pastor at St. Elizabeth Church in Melville (1993-1994) and St. Frances de Chantal Church in Wantagh (1994-2002).
After fourteen years in parish work, then-Father DeGrocco was assigned to be Secretary to the Bishop and a Vice-Chancellor of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, a position he held from 2002 to 2003. After that assignment, he was assigned full-time to the faculty of the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception, where he was Professor of Liturgy and Director of Liturgical Formation. In addition to serving as a teacher and formator in the seminarian Master of Divinity Program, Msgr. DeGrocco also taught in the Master of Arts program at the Seminary, in the Diaconate Formation Program for the Diocese, training men for ministry as Permanent Deacons, and he has also been a guest professor in the Doctor of Ministry program at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Additionally, Monsignor has taught throughout Long Island as an instructor and lecturer in numerous Catholic parish and diocesan educational and training programs and evenings of adult education, on the topic of liturgy, throughout his own and in other dioceses, and is also part of a four-priest Parish Mission team.
In December of 2008, Pope Benedict XVI conferred upon Father DeGrocco the Papal Honor of Chaplain of His Holiness, along with the honorary title “Monsignor.” In June of 2012, Bishop William Murphy appointed Monsignor DeGrocco to his current assignment as Pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Lindenhurst.
Monsignor DeGrocco is the author of six books on the topics of pastoral liturgy and liturgical theology, and of numerous articles in collected editions pertaining to liturgical theology, in addition to writing the “Q & A” column three times a year in the journal Pastoral Liturgy.
Monsignor DeGrocco is member of the Diocesan Facilities and Real Estate Committee, and has served on other diocesan boards such as the Diocesan Liturgy Commission (for 25 years), the Presbyteral Council, the College of Consultors, the Catholic Home Care Foundation Board and the Priest Personnel Policy Board. He has hosted two award-winning shows produced by the Catholic Faith Network (then Telecare), Divine Intervention and Insight.
Nov., 2019
After graduating from Hofstra in 1983, Monsignor DeGrocco attended the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Lloyd Harbor, Huntington, New York where he studied for the Priesthood and earned a Master of Divinity degree. He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Rockville Centre at St. Agnes Cathedral, Rockville Centre on June 4, 1988 by Bishop John McGann. Monsignor DeGrocco continued to pursue theological studies throughout his priesthood. Beyond his Master of Divinity degree, he has earned a Master of Arts in Theology (Liturgical Studies) from the University of Notre Dame and a Doctor of Ministry degree from the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception.
The newly-ordained Father DeGrocco’s first priestly assignment was as Associate Pastor at St. Kilian Church in Farmingdale. After five years there (1988-1993), he went on to additional assignments as Associate Pastor at St. Elizabeth Church in Melville (1993-1994) and St. Frances de Chantal Church in Wantagh (1994-2002).
After fourteen years in parish work, then-Father DeGrocco was assigned to be Secretary to the Bishop and a Vice-Chancellor of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, a position he held from 2002 to 2003. After that assignment, he was assigned full-time to the faculty of the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception, where he was Professor of Liturgy and Director of Liturgical Formation. In addition to serving as a teacher and formator in the seminarian Master of Divinity Program, Msgr. DeGrocco also taught in the Master of Arts program at the Seminary, in the Diaconate Formation Program for the Diocese, training men for ministry as Permanent Deacons, and he has also been a guest professor in the Doctor of Ministry program at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Additionally, Monsignor has taught throughout Long Island as an instructor and lecturer in numerous Catholic parish and diocesan educational and training programs and evenings of adult education, on the topic of liturgy, throughout his own and in other dioceses, and is also part of a four-priest Parish Mission team.
In December of 2008, Pope Benedict XVI conferred upon Father DeGrocco the Papal Honor of Chaplain of His Holiness, along with the honorary title “Monsignor.” In June of 2012, Bishop William Murphy appointed Monsignor DeGrocco to his current assignment as Pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Lindenhurst.
Monsignor DeGrocco is the author of six books on the topics of pastoral liturgy and liturgical theology, and of numerous articles in collected editions pertaining to liturgical theology, in addition to writing the “Q & A” column three times a year in the journal Pastoral Liturgy.
Monsignor DeGrocco is member of the Diocesan Facilities and Real Estate Committee, and has served on other diocesan boards such as the Diocesan Liturgy Commission (for 25 years), the Presbyteral Council, the College of Consultors, the Catholic Home Care Foundation Board and the Priest Personnel Policy Board. He has hosted two award-winning shows produced by the Catholic Faith Network (then Telecare), Divine Intervention and Insight.
Nov., 2019