Rev. Monsignor Donald M. Dwyer, the pastor who has led the Church of the Resurrection in Rye since 2011, will step down on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, citing medical conditions including arthritis that has limited his activities.

Dwyer broke the news to parishioners in a church email, writing: "After much prayer and reflection, and after consultation with my doctors and other priests, I have decided that I will retire as your pastor, effective September 1."

His departure closes a chapter at one of the oldest Catholic parishes in the area. The Church of the Resurrection was established in 1880 as the parish for Rye and Harrison by John Cardinal McCloskey of the Archdiocese of New York, giving it 146 years of continuous history.

Dwyer said he has informed Archbishop Ronald Hicks, who succeeded Cardinal Dolan in February, and Vicar General Bishop Edmund Whalen of his decision.

A career spanning four decades

Msgr. Dwyer was ordained by Cardinal Cooke in 1979. Before arriving in Rye, he served 10 years as a parish priest in Yonkers, six years on Staten Island, and 16 years in the East Bronx. The Church of the Resurrection is only his fourth assignment for the Archdiocese of New York.

Cardinal Dolan appointed Dwyer pastor of the Resurrection in 2011, and the Archdiocese renewed his term in 2017. His more than 15 years at the parish mark the longest stretch of any of his four assignments.

As recently as Saturday, December 7, 2024, Dwyer addressed the crowd at the parish's annual Christmas tree lighting.

What's next for the parish

The Archdiocese of New York has not announced a successor or scheduled a farewell Mass. Parishioners are waiting for word on the transition ahead of the September 1 effective date.