Fr. Ron

On Dec. 23, 1935, Mildred and Walter Gaesser gave birth to their second of five boys (me) in Rochester, NY. In 1949 I entered St. Andrew’s Seminary completing four years of high school and two of college, followed by the remaining years of college at St. Bernard’s where I obtained a masters in theology.

After ordination on June 3, 1961, my first assignment was at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Rochester, NY where I remained for six years. In 1967 my next assignment took me to Auburn, New York where I spent 14 years in various assignments, which included a pastorate at St. Joseph’s Cayuga, NY from 1972 – 1981 and college chaplain to Auburn Community College and Eisenhower College in Seneca Falls. By 1970 I also acquired a masters in counseling and psychology from Syracuse University. It was a wonderful and invigorating time of my life – best of all worlds – pastor, college chaplain and instructor in psychology at Finger Lakes Community College.

The next six years were spent at St. Columba in Caledonia, NY. Then in 1987 I was named pastor of St. Catherine of Siena in Ithaca and All Saints in Lansing, NY. In 2003 I retired from St. Catherine’s at the age of 67 and began that summer to live and work in the parishes of Monte Plata, Dominican Republic where I now hang my hat. I now call the Dominican Republic my home and my plan is to die and be buried here. (But not for a few more years.)

In January, 2002 I had major prostate cancer surgery. Unfortunately the cancer had already metastasized to the lymph node system, but with constant medication, the cancer remains contained. Hopefully research will come up with a cure for my aggressive cancer.

I entered the diocesan seminary with the idea of being a missionary, but I am a late bloomer in this career. I love what I am doing now and hope that with more than 700 grandchildren in three projects in the DR, that they are my insurance policy for a long life, caring for God’s wonderful and most beautiful children as well as ministering to several thousand people in 17 communities in the parish of San Juan Bautista in Don Juan, DR. One pastor and one assistant priest reside in Monte Plata, and along with me in Don Juan, together we care for more than 42,000 people and 43 communities.

~P.Ron