'God Squad' priest honored for communications ministry

Published: 2004-06-11

NEW YORK (CNS) -- Msgr. Thomas J. Hartman, director of the Rockville Centre diocesan television facility, Telecare, and one half of television's "God Squad," was honored June 9 by the Tri-State Catholic Committee on Radio and Television, known as TRISCCORT, for his ministry as a "priest communicator." TRISCCORT, formed to coordinate the work of diocesan and agency staff relating to the broadcast industry in the New York metropolitan area, made the presentation at its annual awards ceremony in New York. Frank DeRosa, communications director for the Diocese of Brooklyn, described Msgr. Hartman, who was ordained in 1971, as a man who had been interested in communications since his earliest days in the priesthood. Msgr. Hartman gained widespread recognition by joining with Rabbi Marc Gellman to form "The God Squad" for joint appearances on television and joint authorship of articles and books. But the priest's communications work took a different turn about five years ago when a physician told him, "You have Parkinson's disease," DeRosa said. He said Msgr. Hartman discussed his situation publicly in the newspaper column he writes with Rabbi Gellman and on the air with talk show host Don Imus.

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