Newport This Week

this week’s Conversation with Father Scott Pontes



 

 

Prior to entering the seminary, Father Scott Pontes was a modern language teacher in Catholic high schools throughout R.I. He grew up in Bristol and graduated from Rhode Island College with a bachelor’s degree in French and secondary education. In 1999, he entered the Seminary of Our Lady of Providence, where he studied philosophy for a year at Providence College. He earned a Master of Divinity and a Master of Theology from Immaculate Conception Seminary at Seton Hall University and was ordained in 2004. Following a stint at St. Francis Xavier Church in East Providence, last fall, with a desire to smell the sea air, he joined the Salve Regina community as chaplain, and also became pastor of St. Joseph’s Church.

Despite the pandemic, attendance is up at St. Joseph’s. To what do you attribute that? I believe that people are feeling comfortable with all the COVID precautions that we take at St. Joseph’s. Since I arrived in July 2020, I have been trying to reach out to the community and invite people back to Mass. We created a website to encourage parishioners to return. In addition to the website, we published a video showing all the protocols. As I came to the parish, the Hispanic community was in transition as well. We welcomed a new chaplain to the parish. He and I are good friends and I think that makes an impression on the parish. I believe that coming in with some new ideas [such as Lenten Book Club, Bible study and musical mission] and good taste in decorating was also helpful.

Newport isn’t far from Bristol. Any delights or surprises in coming here? I was actually assigned to Jesus

Saviour when I first entered the seminary about 20 years ago. So, not many surprises; plenty of delights, new restaurants, new parishioners, new places to walk my Yorkie-Poo, Buddy.

How do you balance your dual roles? Do they ever intersect or overlap? I am 75 percent of the time at Salve and 25 percent at St. Joseph’s. I try to always be available for funerals, confessions and any other pastoral needs. I make a concerted effort to celebrate and pray with the Hispanic community on Tuesday nights for the recitation of the Rosary, Adoration and Praise and Worship. I spend Tuesdays and Wednesdays at Salve. I also have office hours at Salve on Monday and Thursday afternoons, and am present

for the Sunday evening liturgies. During the week, I celebrate the 12:15 Mass on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

There are many events scheduled at the Mercy Center that I make every effort to attend.

Some things do intersect and overlap. In Lent, we had a Lenten Book Club that was open to both St. Joseph’s and Salve faculty, staff and alumni. We have some service projects that overlap as well. Recently, we collected dental supplies at Salve for a dental clinic sponsored by St. Joseph’s.

What particular challenges and joys do students bring? One of the biggest challenges that I have at Salve is the fact that there has not been a full-time chaplain on campus for many years. I have had a lot of experience in education

and I would like to share my God-given gifts with the students. Since there has been an absence of a priest on campus, it’s not part of the recent culture of Salve. So, I try to be present to the students at many different panel discussions, in the cafeteria, on campus walking with Buddy, and many times just trying to be a non-judgmental ear for students from many diverse backgrounds.

You seem quite busy. Do you have time for hobbies? Travel, reading, Netflix, amateur guitar. Just bought a Guitarele (hybrid guitar/ukulele). I [spend time with] godchildren that live in the Bristol and Warren area. I have two brothers that live outside the East Bay.

You are a real Rhode Islander … coffee syrup and Del’s, wieners, too? Cabinets? I am a real Rhode Islander. Del’s, definitely! Wieners, not so much. And I am always up for ice cream in all of its forms, but definitely coffee cabinets! Don’t forget Awful Awfuls.

How will you know your mission is successful? St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta said we are called to be faithful, not successful. So, for me being faithful and sharing my faith with others is what my mission is. In sharing my faith and living the Gospel and its values, it’s my hope to bring others closer to God, no matter how they identify God. St. Francis of Assisi said to preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary, use words. So, this is how I strive to live out my mission.

Other thoughts about your future? I would like to visit Luxembourg and I want to get a tattoo, I just haven’t decided where.

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