Rev. Fr. Robert A. Gentile named as 2025 Citizenship Award Recipient

St. Patrick’s Committee of Holyoke announced that its 58th Citizenship Award winner is Rev. Fr. Robert A. Gentile, Jr. The Citizenship Award is presented annually to a person or organization that may be of non-Irish descent that has made substantial contributions to the Parade and/or the Parade Committee.

Father Gentile has been a long-time friend to the St. Patrick’s Committee of Holyoke – providing both spiritual guidance to the Committee and a long-time supporter for Parade weekend.

While Pastor of Holyoke’s Blessed Sacrament School and Parish, Father encouraged students to participate in the many celebrations of the famous Holyoke St. Patrick’s Road Race and Parade. Whether it was managing water stations and cheering on the thousands of runners, encouraging students to enter (and sometimes win!) the annual Grand Colleen Float Design Contest, and marching with students and parishioners in the Parade, Father’s support for the Committee and its events has helped to ensure that these community traditions will continue.

Father Gentile served as interim Chaplain to the St. Patrick’s Committee and to this day, although he now serves as Pastor for Ste. Rose de Lima Parish in Chicopee, he continues to provide spiritual guidance and friendship to the Committee.

The son of Robert A. Gentile, Sr. and Beverly J. (Crate) Gentile, the family grew up in the Forest Park section of Springfield until the age of thirteen when his family moved to Ludlow. While living in Springfield, Fr. Robert Gentile attended Holy Name School on Dickenson Street; later attending Saint John the Baptist School on Hubbard Street in Ludlow. Cathedral High School was his choice to further his education, with the hopes of reuniting with his Holy Name classmates. Upon graduating from Cathedral High School Fr. Gentile’s path would lead him to Springfield Technical Community College where he studied Engineering.

While studying Engineering, Fr Gentile discovered an interest in economics. Upon changing his career track, Fr. Gentile transferred to American International College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics, which then lead to a position with Merrill Lynch in the financial training program. He worked as a financial advisor for several years.

Fr. Gentile, Jr’s father, Robert A. Gentile, Sr. was diagnosed with emphysema at the age of thirty-five and by the age of fifty-eight the disease facilitated his retirement from his job. His retirement made it necessary that someone look after him and the property the family acquired over the years. Fr. Gentile, Jr. was the only one of his family who understood the properties and was the only one who was not newly married or just starting a family. He left his position as a financial consultant to care for his father.

The death of his father caused Fr. Gentile Jr to re-evaluate his life and the direction he wanted to pursue. It was at this time that the discernment process for priesthood began leading Fr. to enter Pope Francis the XXIII Seminary in Weston, Massachusetts. Not totally committed to the priesthood, Fr. left the seminary after two years to resume a career in the financial service industry. It was not long, however, before Fr. realized that the priesthood really was what he was being called to do, and only after a year away he returned to Pope John the XXIII to complete seminary. It was with great solitude that in the year 2003, Fr. Robert Gentile Jr. was ordained to priesthood in the Diocese of Springfield.

After ordination, his first assignment was at St. Thomas in the Apostle Church in W. Springfield, Massachusetts as the Parochial Vicar, where he served for thirty-three months. That assignment concluded when he was asked to become the new Pastor of Blessed Sacrament Church in Holyoke. On May 1, 2006, he began his service to Blessed Sacrament Parish. He served in Holyoke until March 1, 2024, when he began his assignment at Ste. Rose de Lima Church in Chicopee, MA.

“I’m honored that Fr. Bob will be marching in the 72nd Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade as its Citizenship Award recipient”, said John Beaulieu, Parade President. “Fr. Bob’s service to his Parishioners and his community is well-known and appreciated throughout Western Massachusetts. We are grateful to the contributions he has made to the Parade and support he has given to my fellow Committee members. As his parishioner, I’m especially grateful for his spiritual guidance.”

“I have the greatest job” says Fr. Gentile, “God does all the work and I get all the credit! Thank you to the St. Patrick’s Committee of Holyoke for this great honor. I look forward to marching again in the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade.”

Fr. Gentile will be honored at the Coronation Ball and Awards Reception in February 2025. The 72nd Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade will be held on Sunday, March 23, 2025, and the 48th Holyoke St. Patrick’s Road Race will be held on Saturday, March 22, 2025.