Thank you Fr. Bob for the wisdom and grace that you freely shared with all of us in the Cornell Catholic Community. You always taught us to view everything in life as a gift from God. Your own life was a gift, and I'm forever grateful for the generous help (and humor) you gave me during my years at Cornell. We love you Fr. Bob! Please pray for us that we can follow your example to the "home" that is already prepared for us!

Dear Fr. Bob,
The magnitude of your impact on my life is truly ineffable. From your wisdom and friendship, to feeding us at Cornell with Christ in Scripture and Eucharist, to the guidance and formation you have given me these past four years as my spiritual director, I will forever be grateful for you. You have shaped my mind, my heart, my life - to be more conformed to that of Christ. I promise to do my best to "give as a gift", these gifts which you gave to me.

As a young teenager whose confidence and self esteem was low and while others demeaned or made of fun of me, Fr. Bob (then a seminarian) showed kindness, undestanding and ways to make me feel good about myself. He was one of those special individuals in my youth that made the difference. I only wish I would have told him so.

We have known Bob--and at times worked closely with him--from our pre-teenage years through the times into adulthood. He was always kind to us,considerate and understanding with an exceptional intelligence and always shared his wonderfully dry but entertaining sense of humor. He was especially loved and respected by Don's parents, Helen and Joel Newman, whom he would come to visit with great frequency.Clearly, he had a profound impact on a diverse cross-section of students at Cornell. His many gifts and talents will be missed, but it is with great joy that we know we have a new advocate near Our God.

Fr. Bob was an amazing mentor who helped me find my way back to church. He was truly a sweet, genuine, and caring man who will be missed dearly.

Father Bob-
I owe a great deal of the development of my faith to your teachings and prayers. Thank you for your love and support. My 4 years at Cornell were greatly enriched by your presence.

As a student at Cornell, I came to admire Fr. Bob a great deal. To me, he was a guide through difficult time, a voice of reason, and a friend. I will miss him.

Dear Fr. Bob
I am very grateful to you and all that you did for me and for the Cornell Catholic Community. You have been a very special person and a man of deep prayer. I will continue to be inspired by you. As you journey towards your Father's home, please know that we shall pray for your journey. May you enjoy the company of saints in heaven and the vision of the glory of God.

Although I didn't get the chance to know Father Bob for very long, having only met him this past semester, he has had a profound impact on my life, and my view of the world. A scholar and a theologian, he connected with so many in the cornell community, and especially the brothers of Psi Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi.

Words cannot express the loss we face. Father Bob, you will truly be missed. Memory Eternal!

What an unimaginable loss! We'll miss you, Father! We remember you thanking God for giving you as an invaluable gift. We keep you in our prayers, and I'm sure that you are praying for all of us.

One of the many words of wisdom Father Bob imparted, that as a freshmen I felt moved to record: "Think about how strange that analogy is: He is the vine and we are the branches. That’s suggesting more than friendship, he is suggesting that we are one in the same. He is the core of the plant from which energy comes and sustains us, the branches. Think why of all things, he gave himself to us in the form of food, food that we eat and becomes a part of us. It gives us His energy so that we may work for him. When you do something good, it’s not about feeling morally justified, but about feeling gifted that God’s energy is working through you" ~Father Bob (May 14, 2006)

Thank you Fr. Bob for helping me gain confidence in my views, for showing me acceptance and by making my faith stronger. I will always hear your voice and I will miss you too much.

Thank you for all the warmth, kindness and wisdom you have shared with us at Cornell. Our prayers are with you as you make the journey to heaven.