Rev. Fr. Robert A. Gentile was honored with the 2025 Citizenship Award by the St. Patrick’s Committee of Holyoke.
Photo credit: St. Patrick’s Committee of Holyoke
HOLYOKE — Continuing the buildup to the 2025 Green Season in the city, the St. Patrick’s Committee of Holyoke has announced the 56th Citizenship Award winner is Fr. Robert Gentile, Jr. during a ceremony on Sept. 10.
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.
Gentile has been a long-time friend to the St. Patrick’s Committee of Holyoke — providing both spiritual guidance to the Committee and a being long-time supporter for Parade weekend.
“I have the greatest job,” said 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 Day Parade.”
While pastor of Holyoke’s Blessed Sacrament School and Parish, Gentile 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 the annual Grand Colleen Float Design Contest, and marching with students and parishioners in the Parade, Gentile’s support for the committee and its events has helped to ensure that these community traditions will continue.
Gentile told Reminder Publishing he was taken aback by the honor and that he never anticipated receiving an award from the committee due to being non-Irish. Even though he is not of Irish heritage, Gentile said growing up in an Irish community and serving the Irish community through Blessed Sacrament immersed him within the culture he has come to care for what he calls his second family.
“To be part of Blessed Sacrament in the community was no different than the experience I had growing up. The people of Blessed Sacrament were phenomenal. I had a great experience there. They welcomed me and praised me, and I just tried to do the same,” Gentile said. “I was mostly taken back because for me I was just doing the work that God asked me to do, so to be honored for that was a little surprising to me.”
The son of Robert A. Gentile, Sr. and Beverly J. (Crate) Gentile, the family grew up in the Forest Park section of Springfield until Gentile was 13 and the family moved to Ludlow. While living in Springfield, Gentile attended Holy Name School on Dickinson Street before later attending Saint John the Baptist School on Hubbard Street in Ludlow.
Cathedral High School was his choice to further his education, with hopes of reuniting with his Holy Name classmates. After graduating, Gentile went to Springfield Technical Community College to study engineering.
After some time studying, Gentile decided to change his career path when discovering an interest in economics. He attended American International College where he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics which then led to a position with Merrill Lynch in the financial training program where he would work as an advisor for several years.
Gentile’s path in life changed though once his father became further ill with his emphysema diagnosis and had to retire, needing a someone to care for him and the family’s property. Gentile left his position as a financial analyst to care for his father.
The death of his father caused Gentile to fully reevaluate his life and what he wanted to pursue. He went on to dedicate his life to priesthood after realizing it was what he was called to do.
After ordination in 2003, Gentile had an initial assignment before eventually being asked to become the new pastor of Blessed Sacrament Church in Holyoke. Gentile served the community from May 1, 2006, until March 1, 2024 when he began his assignment at Ste. Rose de Lima Church in Chicopee.
The almost two decades devoted in Holyoke created a forever lasting connection between Gentile and the community that has now led to his recognition as this year’s honoree for the St. Patrick’s Citizenship Award. Gentile said he looks forward to the upcoming celebrations and parade day itself as well as celebrating with the community.
“I’m just hoping I can represent the city as well as they deserve and hope that I can meet their expectations and continue to go forward doing God’s work and enjoy the friendships I’ve made along the way,” Gentile said.
“I’m honored that Fr. Bob will be marching in the 72nd Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade as its Citizenship Award recipient,” said Parade President John Beaulieu. “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.”
Gentile will be honored at the Coronation Ball and Awards Reception in February 2025. For more details or to purchase tickets to the reception, visit www.holyokestpatricksparade.com.
The 72nd Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade will be on Sunday, March 23, 2025, and the 48th Holyoke St. Patrick’s Road Race will take place on Saturday, March 22, 2025.
