Shawn Allen to Direct Catholic Ministry

06/11/2013 

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse (N.Y.) appointed Shawn T. Allen to direct the Catholic ministry serving the SUNY Cortland community, beginning on Aug. 1.

He replaces Marie Agen, who retired after 10 years of serving as Catholic campus minister. Sister Harriet Hamilton, Order of the Sisters of St. Francis, is the interim director for matters related to the Catholic campus ministry.

In May, a search committee composed of students, members of the Cortland Newman Foundation and representatives of the College faculty and staff recommended Allen.

“Shawn looks forward to being present for the entire College community and to becoming fully integrated in support of its mission and that of his new ministry,” said Rev. Msgr. James P. Lang, vicar for parishes and diocesan director of campus ministry with the Syracuse Diocese.

He will serve at the O’Heron Newman Hall, which is located off campus at 8 Calvert St.

Allen has served the Diocese of Rochester as a pastoral associate at Holy Trinity Church in Webster, N.Y., for the past year and a half.

Previously, he taught at Seton Catholic School in Binghamton and worked in the public sector. Allen also volunteered as a needs assessment minister at Hope House in Rochester, N.Y., and with the St. Anthony’s Foundation for the poor and homeless in San Francisco.

A native of Binghamton, N.Y., he graduated from the University of San Francisco. Allen has a Master of Arts in Theology and Religious Studies from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Leuven, Belgium.