Father Rooney is number four of five children. His home parish is St. Joseph’s in Garden
City. He grew up in West Hempstead and studied at Holy Trinity High School. After graduating
from Trinity, he entered Cathedral Seminary House of Formation to discern if God was calling
him to be a priest. While living at Cathedral Seminary he studied at St. John’s University, where
he received his Bachelor’s of Arts with a double major in philosophy and theology. He graduated
from both Cathedral Seminary and St. John’s in 2017 and then entered St. Joseph’s Seminary in
Dunwoodie, Yonkers. While in the seminary, he was involved in many apostolates including
teaching children in religious education classes and serving our brothers and sisters on the streets
with the Catholic Worker and various other Catholic organizations. While in the seminary he
served at various parishes, including at St. Patrick’s in Huntington, where he spent his pastoral
year.

Father Rooney graduated from St. Joseph’s Seminary in May of 2022, where he received
a Master’s in Divinity, a Master’s in Theology, and a Bachelor’s in Sacred Theology from the
Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas.
Father Rooney was ordained a priest in June of 2022, he has been serving as the
Associate Pastor of Notre Dame since his ordination.