News

196th & Bainbridge

***CHANGE IN THE LOCATION*** !!! The Class of 1976 will be holding its 30th reunion the last weekend of July. Festivities include a Yankee game (family event) on Friday night, July 28th, a Mass at 5:00 pm for deceased classmates and family members at OLR church, followed by a buffet dinner in a private room at Mannion's Restaurant on McLean Avenue in Yonkers, two blocks West of the NYS Thruway, on Saturday night, July 29th (classmates and their spouses/significant other), and a family picnic on Sunday, July 30th. Please contact Mona Eyckmans at mjeyckmans@ashland.com for more information and to R.S.V.P. for any of the scheduled events. Please also let Mona know if you need a babysitter for Saturday night or need to reserve hotel room(s) for the weekend.

143 people came to the Parish Center on Sunday, October 30, 2005 to donate blood. The amount collected was 108 pints. OLR holds collects blood three times a year: the Sunday before Palm Sunday, the last Sunday of July and the last Sunday of October. In 2005 the parish gave almost 250 pints to the

Red Cross. Hudson Valley Blood Services recognized the parish with a special award from the Bronx Borough President for having the largest increase of blood donors in the lower Hudson Valley. Click the photo to see the list of 143 donors and the Borough President's award.

8 parishioners spent their summer vacation in the Dominican Republic catechizing and helping people with donations of food, medicines, and clothing. They joined with parishioners from Our Lady of Mercy and other parishes under the direction of OLM's pastor, Fr. Rodriguez. Below are some photos of their working vacation.

The Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition held an open forum for the Mayoral and Public Advocate candidates on Thursday night, August 11, 2005, in the Parish Center. Only three Democratic candidates showed: renowned civil rights lawyer Norman Siegel running for Public Advocate, Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields and former Bronx Borough President Freddy Ferrer, both running for Mayor. Almost 300 people attended. Questions for the candidates covered schools, housing, the new filtration plant, and immigration. Mr. Siegel emphasized the right of a person to decent housing and stated he would bring legal action against landlords who let tenants live in slum conditions.

David Gonzalez, a Times columnist, accompanied by a photographer, spent 3 hours interviewing neighborhood residents on the topic of Drugs on July 1st. The Citizens' Committee for NYC had surveyed community leaders in all 5 boroughs about their top Quality of Life issue. Four boroughs centered in on items like noise and dangerous intersections. The Bronx, for the second year in a row, cited drug dealing as #1. Nobody in the City seems to have taken notice of this anomaly. Crime is at an all time low and the crime of drug dealing only surfaces as a Quality of Life issue?

Open the PDF file above for the entire June 12, 2005 article. The photo of the bullet hole is from the video store on the NE corner of E. 194th Street and Briggs Ave. On Sunday, April 30, 2000, shortly after noon, bystander Wilson Ramos, a Bronx man who was walking near his home carrying soda for a farewell party being held for his mother, was struck in head by stray bullet in front of this store during a gunfight between two police officers and convicted robber Jamel Hightower, who was released from prison six weeks previously. The shootout was part of a wild chase that began when Hightower stabbed two people in apartment with a drug stash at 2661 Briggs Ave. He then fled to 194th Street and opened fire on police cruiser. Later, he held two hostages on a bus before being captured at Metro North station in Fordham section. Mr. Ramos is still in Beth Abraham Hospital in the Bronx.

Over the 4th of July weekend, demolition began on the former Wagner and Mc Gooey houses on Marion Avenue between 196th and 197th Streets. The company that purchased the homes intending to construct an 8 story condominium. Work has been halted by a problem with the site; they have encountered a huge rock and its removal by dynamite seems to have been ruled out. Blasting may affect the apartment next door where the Mc Guire family, among others, formerly lived.

On Sunday afternoon, June 12th, the parish held a farewell party for our beloved Mary Gorman. OLR Parishioners, her family, and friends celebrated her 25 years in the parish. She taught the 2nd, 3rd and 4th grades for ten years before becoming the parish's Director of Religious Education for 15 years. The OLR Mexican Folklore Ballet group performed a special dance in her honor. Most memorable was the song composed by her three daughters to the tune of The Brady Bunch. A great time was had by all as we celebrated the dedicated service that this outstanding Christian educator gave to OLR. Thank you Mary! God bless you with a well earned and happy retirement.

Special Agent Kurt Dengler, Class of 1985, received the FBI's gold "Medal of Valor" from Director Robert S. Mueller III on April 28, 2005 for his heroic efforts on September 11, 2001 during the attack on the World Trade Center. Kurt was returning to his office from a stakeout and arrived just after the planes crashed into the Twin Towers prior to their collapse. He was very quiet about his actions that day. However, other people saw what he had done and did not forget his heroism. For more about this story, please click the images above.

In February, two new combination ac/heating units were installed on the Parish Center roof. The building was constructed in 1971 without any insulation in the walls and roof; oil, gas, and electricity were cheap in the early 70's. Originally there were 4 huge inefficient units on the roof that were able to more than sufficiently and cheaply heat and cool the space. Over the past 35 years and several replacements we ended up with just one unit heating and cooling the place. This past winter, when it was really cold, we kept it on 24/7; it barely maintained 58 degrees. These two new ones are welcome additions.

On Saturday, November 6th, 2004, over 800 physically challenged men and women made their annual trip to OLR. They were served by the men, women and youth of the parish. They came in wheelchairs, using walkers, canes, seeing eye dogs and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. The chicken was cooked by parishioners in their homes and brought hot to the Parish Center. The vegetables and mashed potatoes were prepared by volunteers in the Center's kitchen. There was a Mass celebrated by Fr. Jenik with accompanied by a chorus led by a blind woman who played the piano to the delight of all present.

Perhaps some former members remember their 1st Saturdays in November volunteering with the Fordettes. By the way, the group's name, Fordettes, comes from the station wagons the group's volunteers used to transport the members from parish to parish. The two thank you letters above capture some of the spirit and sense of welcome and celebration of the day.

On Saturday night, November 6th, 2004, the Class of 1984 held a reunion at the Four Roads on Yonkers Avenue. Almost 50 people came from as far away as London and Florida to reminisce and renew friendships. A great time was had by all. The event was organized by Kelly Sheehy and John McGurk.

This past January, Mary Gorman, OLR's Director of Religious Education, received a phone call from Mary Dwyer, President of the Westchester County LAOH (Ladies' Ancient Order of Hibernians), informing her that she had been chosen to be an Aide to the parade's Grand Marshall, Thomas Gleason. Mary accepted and felt deeply honored. Mrs. Gorman was a teacher at OLR from 1979 until 1990 and has been our D.R.E. since 1990. Before coming to the Bronx, she taught for many years in Brooklyn's Catholic Schools.

Both her parents were from Manorhamilton, County Leitrim. She has been active in the St. Brendan's Shamrock Club since 1980 and in the LAOH, Division 11, in Tarrytown since 1995. Mary has three daughters, Sheila, Eileen, and Alice, and 8 grand children (one deceased). Her husband Joe, passed away in 1999. Her family and relatives were thrilled to see her marching at the front of the parade with all the big shots. Those memories will last a lifetime.

On January 27, 2004, 25 parishioners form OLR went by bus to Wash., D.C. to take part in the National March for Life. Catholic New York interviewed one of our parishioners, Zaida Arce, and two of our 7th Grade students, Danya Contreras and Niikki Quitero. Click here for the interview with Zaida. Nikki and Danya told CNY that they hadn't expected to find the large numbers of young people that they saw as they prepared to walk down Constitution Avenue. "It shows that a lot of people care about the prevention of abortion," Nikki said. "We think it's not fair that life is taken away before they are even born," added Danya.

On Saturday evening, July 26th, 2003, Mona Eyckmann, Eileen McGarry, and Carolyn Condon (right to left in the photo above on school stairs) attended the 5:00pm Mass which was offered for Mona's mother. After Mass they went on a tour of the school and remembered all the nuns and lay teachers they had as they passed each classroom. After the visit, they went to Rory Dolan's in Yonkers where they joined other alumni(ae) from the Class of '76.

Aquilino Martinez, one of the original founders of OLR's Latino community, moved to Cleveland, Ohio after 30 years of service to the parish. Aquilino was an usher, a lector and Eucharistic Minister. Over his 30 years at OLR he also taught CCD classes every Saturday morning and gave a monthly orientation to parents seeking to have their children baptized.

Several of his children were severely challenged and he volunteered as an advocate for other parents with similar children. Aquilino was an Army veteran of the Korean War. The Sunday before he left, Aquilino served as a lector for the last time at the 7:00pm Saturday and 11:00am Sunday Spanish Masses. The Hispanic parish societies and groups gave a reception for him after the 11:00am Mass on June 15th.

On Monday morning, June 23rd, 2003, a steeplejack arrived at 6:00am to take down our old flagpole in the Parish Center garden and replace it with a new one bolted to Center wall about 15 feet away. Our original plan was to paint and refurbish the old one which was erected by the OLR Cub Pack in the early 1970's. This plan had to be rejected because the pole was severely rusted and leaning toward the Parish Center, a proverbial accident waiting to happen.

Al, the steeplejack, had the old pole and the new one up before noon. Pedestrians stopped in amazement looking up at the man clinging to the pole on a swing seat using an electric saw to remove the rotted pole piece by piece. Al informed me he had also climbed to the top of the 100' flagpole in Arlington National Cemetery; OLR's pole was an easy 45'.

On Tuesday, June 10, 2003, Patricia Murphy Sherman of the Class of 1945, and her husband, Richard, visited OLR. They had just celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary, the day before. Pat lived at 2733 Morris Avenue. She was a classmate of Elizabeth Mc Cullough, Sister Maurus, a Sinsinawa Dominican, now deceased. Pat attended Walton High School and joined the Air Force for two years where she met her husband. Fr. Jenik showed them the school and the church, which brought back many fond memories. Pat and Richard Sherman currently live in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

At 3:00am on Friday, April 25, 2003, a 72 year old retired doorman with a heart condition, a pacemaker and diabetes, was nearly frightened to death by police who had a No Knock Warrant for the wrong building. Click the picture below for the full article in Newsday from 5/28/03.

On Sunday, May 4, 2003, members of OLR's Mexican Folklore Ballet journeyed to Flushing Meadow, Queens to participate in Celebration of 5 de Mayo(May 5th), The Battle of Puebla, Mexican Independence Day. Our Ballet has won many prizes and performed in City Center. The Ballet members make their own costumes and practice in the gym several nights a week.

Father Robert P. Holick, hospital chaplain of the North Bronx Healthcare Network, died April 16 after heart surgery. He was 63. A priest of the Newark Archdiocese, Father Holick had been serving the Bronx network of municipal health care facilities, including Jacobi and North Central Bronx hospitals, since 1995. He resided in St. Francis Xavier parish in the Bronx. From 1997-1980 Fr. Holick served at OLR and is remembered for his outgoing personality and his dedicated service to the elderly and shut-ins. Father Holick was known in the hospital community for tireless patient advocacy and lobbied for the needs of worshipers of all faiths. He was instrumental in obtaining funds to refurbish the hospital's Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and Muslim chapels. He also personally raised funds to see to it that every patient received a Christmas or Hannukkah gift. On the first Friday of every month, he made it a practice to visit the morgue to bless unclaimed bodies before they were taken to Potter's Field.

In an unusual gesture of tribute, the health network took out a full-page ad in a Bronx community newspaper which featured a photograph of the priest and a message praising his "compassion, energy and generous spirit." The tribute called him the "driving force behind the development of an active, vibrant chaplaincy program" and a "devoted patient advocate" whose "fierce concern for the comfort and dignity of every patient was an inspiration."

On Sunday, April 27th, 2003, the Fordham Bedford Little League opened its new season on a newly constructed field at 196th Street and Jerome Avenue behind P.S. 86 and Walton High School. Over a year ago, our Little League President, Evelyn Colon, contacted "Take The Field" a non-profit group that renovates ball fields in New York City. An agreement was made between this group and Fordham Bedford Little League/Walton High School. Walton uses the field for girl's softball practice and games after school and the Little League uses it on weekday evenings and all day Saturday and Sunday.

Perhaps, old-timers will remember it as the field many of their children played games on when the Refuge Little League was in existence in the '70's and '80's. This same field now has artificial turf, bleachers, dugouts, a water fountain and a huge digital scoreboard. There are future plans to include lighting for night games. If you are in the neighborhood, please feel free to drop by the field and see the kids play. The first pitch was thrown by Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion. Mr. Carrion, a minister's son accustomed to singing in church, also led the Little Leaguers in a stirring rendition of the National Anthem.

The Guadalupe Committee of our Mexican community did a fantastic job this year with the parish's Annual Good Friday Street Procession. With a cast of some 50 youths and adults they provided a graphic depiction of the 14 Stations of the Cross, especially the last four portrayed on a "Calvary" they had built on the sidewalk in front of the parking lot.

More than 800 people participated in the procession which went east on 196th Street to Marion Avenue, south on Marion to E. 194th Street, west on 194th Street over the Concourse to Morris Avenue, north on Morris to E. 196th Street and east on 196th back to the rectory. The cast practiced for the drama all during Lent. Most of the costumes were hand-made. The Guadalupe Committee is already working on plans for next year's event; they want to make improvements in the "Calvary" stage outside the rectory to make it look more realistic. The Liturgy of Good Friday was celebrated in English at 3:00pm and in Spanish at 7:30pm after the conclusion of the street procession. The first photo shows our Good Friday altar servers.

Two graduates of OLR, as far as we know, are presently with the United States Armed Forces in Iraq. Ralph Dengler, Class of 1980, is a Major, with the US Marines near Nassiriya; Hector Soto, Class of 1993, is a Specialist with the US Army in Baghdad. Please remember them in your prayers. If you know of other OLR graduates in Iraq, please e-mail their names to Fr. Jenik at pastor@ourladyofrefuge.com . On May 28th, 2003, we received good news; Hector Soto returned safely to the States and thanked everyone for their prayers. *** Both Ralph and Hector have returned safely. Ralph received a promotion to Lt. Colonel.

In the May 13, 2002 edition of America Magazine, published by the Jesuits, there was an article about the Our Lady of Refuge Thrift Shop on 198th Street and Briggs Avenue. It occupies what was the former Deiser's Bakery. For 18 years Sister Eleanor Marigliano has run this shop which provides rock-bottom used clothing to poor families in and outside of the neighborhood.

On the first anniversary of September 11th, 2001, the parish remembered the victims and survivors with special Masses at 7:00am and 7:30pm. The family and relatives of one of our students in the fourth grade who lost her mother in the North Tower were present at the evening Mass. Our students said prayers and wrote down their own thoughts on 9/11. These were posted in the classrooms and hallways. Fr. Jenik conducted a prayer service in the street in front of the Briggs Avenue firehouse of Engine 79 and Ladder 54. Battalion Chief O'Rourke was present. He lived in OLR for many years with his wife and three daughters before moving to St. Paul's on McLean Avenue in Yonkers. The church was open from 7:00am until 9:00pm and many people in the area came in to reflect and pray. A commemorative red, white, and blue wreath was set up in the sanctuary along side the paschal candle, symbolizing Christ, the True Light, of all who perished in the darkness of 9/11, and the Guiding Light of all who survived.

The rehabilitation of Poe Park ended up taking twenty months instead of the scheduled twelve. The work began in September of 1999(see the 2000 News for the story) and was completed this month. On Tuesday, May 14th, 2002, students from our 4th and 5th grades, together with their confreres from P.S. 246, and residents of the community attended the Parks Department ceremony commemorating the event. Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe, Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, and our local NYC Councilman, Joel Rivera, who is also the Council Majority Leader, were also in attendance.

Our students patiently listened to the speeches and all were impressed by the orchestra from P.S. 246 when they played the Star Spangled Banner. The dignitaries cut the customary ribbon while in the background OLR students tried out the new playground equipment. The fourth and fifth graders were treated to a tour of Poe's Cottage and were amazed by its miniscule interior; the general agreement was that their apartments were palatial by comparison. In fact, they were so good that Fr. Jenik promised them a Pizza party at the end of the school year. We now await Phase II during which a Digital Visitors' Center with restrooms will be built and the Bandstand refurbished.

The OLR Little League, joined with the Fordham Bedford and Millennium Little Leagues to begin the baseball season with a parade from Concourse House (formerly the House Of The Holy Comforter) to the Mosholu Ballfields on Saturday, April 20th, 2002. Thirty four teams participated and were accompanied by a throng of parents, relatives and supporters. NYFD Engine 79(Briggs Ave.) and the De Witt Clinton High School band led the parade; the marchers numbered around 1,200.

The participants formed a line of march which extended from the Grand Concourse and E. 196th Street to Briggs Avenue and East 198th Street. They stopped at the Briggs firehouse and presented trays of cookies to the fireman in appreciation of the great job they do protecting our community. At the field, the first ball was thrown by NYFD Probationary Fireman Michael Schroeter, OLR Class of 1993.

On Monday morning, March 11, 2002, six months to the day of the World Trade Center Attack, a Memorial Service was held in every precinct throughout the City. A minute of silence to remember all the victims was observed at 8:46am, the exact time the first plane crashed into the North tower. Monsignor Jenik and Monsignor Boyle, the pastor of St. Brendan's were present, together with John Reilly, the Executive Director of the Fordham Bedford Housing Corp and John Garcia, the Director of Fordham Bedford Children's Services, members of the Community Planning Board, the 52nd Precinct Community Council, students and teacher from P.S. 20, the school next to the 52nd Precinct, Councilman Koppell and neighborhood residents.

The names of the 23 deceased NYPD officers, including John Driscoll of the OLR Class of 1977, were read. Monsignor Boyle said a prayer for the deceased officers and the other victims of 9/11. A bagpiper played Amazing Grace, adding to the poignancy of the moment. The 52's Commanding Officer, Deputy Inspector Ray Rooney, captured the epic dimensions of the 9/11 tragedy in his remarks. May God protect those who serve and protect us. The photos next to the bagpiper depict the Towers Of Light Memorial which was lit on the evening of 3/11.

Every Advent the parish collects Christmas gifts for the homeless mothers and their children who live at Concourse House (formerly the House of the Holy Comforter, a nursing home) on the Grand Concourse and East 196th Street. Concourse House is a Tier II shelter that provides temporary housing for homeless mothers with young children. Two baskets containing slips of paper with gift suggestions are placed in the sanctuary on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. The suggestions run from irons, dishes, blankets, and clothing for the mothers to clothing and toys for the children.

Our parishioners wrap the gifts and place them in the sanctuary. This year the largest gift was a walker for an infant. A few days before Christmas employees from Concourse House come and pick up the gifts and distribute them to the residents. Some parish families get their children involved in the selection and wrapping of the gifts, thereby teaching them the importance of generosity to others less fortunate. It's the start of a tradition that hopefully the present parish children will hand on to their own kids in future years.

On Sunday afternoon, December 16th, 2001, over 100 people attended the parish choir's annual Christmas Concert during which the newly restored pews were blessed. The choir presented traditional carols in English, Spanish, German, French, and Swahili. Plaques on each pew indicate who restored the pew or in whose name the pew was restored.

After the concert everyone retired to the Parish Center for a buffet. The heater on the roof decided to quit for the afternoon. Everyone kept his/her coat on and the hot food and coffee helped warm everyone. A good time was had by all and another opportunity for the old and new OLR to meet took place.

Almost 600 parents and students packed the gymnasium on Friday night, December 14th for the Annual Christmas Pageant. Each class danced and sang 2-3 songs. They were accompanied by our music teacher.

If there were any favorites of the audience, they were in the lower grades especially Pre-K and Kindergarten. They stole the show with their reindeer antlers and animated singing. The students recited the Pledge of Allegiance and sang the National Anthem with extra fervor this year.

For over sixteen years the Fordham Bedford Housing Corporation has decorated the fir tree in front of Concourse House (formerly The House Of The Holy Comforter) on the Grand Concourse at East 196th Street. It has become a landmark not only for neighborhood residents but for people traveling up and down on the Grand Concourse.

The tree has grown considerably from 1986 when Fordham Bedford first purchased the property. In those early days, Fr. Jenik used to put an extension ladder against it and climb to the top to string the lights. After the first few years the tree got taller and Fr. Jenik got more cautious (actually he got older) and the telephone company stepped in with a truck equipped with a boom and bucket. It's the only Christmas tree on the entire Grand Concourse from 138th Street to Mosholu Parkway proclaiming the arrival of the Christmas season in the Bronx.

Stephen Driscoll, a New York City police officer serving in the Emergency Service Unit (Truck 4 in the Bronx), perished the morning of September 11th while doing his job rescuing people from the World Trade Center. Stephen and his sister, Marie, graduated from OLR in 1977 and 1978 respectively. After leaving Refuge, he attended St. Agnes High School and graduated from there in 1981. He then served in the U.S. Navy before joining the NYPD in 1991 where he worked in Manhattan South and Street Crime before his final job in Emergency Service. Stephen was affectionately known as the "Mayor" of the ESU. He was a member of the New York Shields and the NYPD Emerald Society.

Click photo for larger image.
****After clicking the above right photo, when the larger version appears, in order to read the text you will have to click again the 4 arrows that will appear on the NYPD patch directly below Officer Driscoll's picture.

A Memorial Mass for Stephen was celebrated at St. James the Apostle Church on October 19th, 2001 in Lake Carmel. "There wasn't anything he couldn't do for anyone else if they needed it," said the Rev. William Kalaidjian, former NYPD chaplain. "He would be the epitome of helpfulness." He is survived by his wife of 20 years, Ann, and son Barry, 15, (pictured in the photo above taken at the Memorial Mass), his mother and father, Patrick and Letitia, his brothers and sisters, Gail, Michelle, Michael, Marie, and Sheila. His brother-in-law, Billy Silke, graduated from OLR in 1973. Please remember Stephen and his family in your prayers.

The smoke from the fires and the storm of dust from the collapse of the Twin Trade Towers could be seen from the Grand Concourse and East 196th Street on Tuesday morning, September 11th. A continual stream of parents came to the school during the morning and early afternoon to take their children home and hold them close. The remaining students were held in the Parish Center until a parent or family member came to sign them out. Our students were informed that an emergency situation had occurred in lower Manhattan which had affected public transportation and their parents might be delayed and arrive late at home. Sharing details of the tragedy with our students was left for the parents. There were some tense moments. One of the sixth grade students, whose mother worked in a building facing the towers, could only reach an answering machine that was filled to capacity. Fortunately, the entire building had been evacuated and his mother was safe. A second grader arrived late for school that morning accompanied by her father; he worked on the 85th floor of 1 WTC. As he emerged from the subway at Church Street and saw his building on fire, he thanked God that his daughter had been late for school. His wife worked three blocks away and was on the sidewalk beside herself as she looked on in horror at the towering inferno that she presumed her husband was in. He ran to her office and found her weeping on the street. Together they fled toward the Hudson River and were evacuated by boat to New Jersey when 2 WTC collapsed. Their daughter is pictured below holding a candle.

A little girl, an only child, in our third grade was not as fortunate. Her mother, a single parent, worked for Marsh McClennan where the first plane crashed into 1 WTC. A Memorial Mass was held for her on October 4th with over 300 people in attendance. After the Mass everyone gathered in the Parish Center to extend their condolences to her surviving brothers and sisters. Since there had not been a wake, the family was appreciative for this opportunity to remember their departed sister with relatives, coworkers, and friends. A meal was prepared as is customary after most funerals.

On Friday evening, September 14th, an impromptu procession to remember the victims of the tragedy began with about forty people in front of the rectory on East 196th Street. By the time this group had made its way up 196th Street, down the Concourse, across Kingsbridge Road, and up Briggs Avenue back to the Church, there were some 400 people in the procession, many holding lighted candles. After some prayers for the victims, everyone joined in singing the National Anthem and God Bless America. The photos above were taken during the September 14th procession. The memorial procession ended on a sour note when some teenagers began pelting the assembled crowd with eggs.

Students from the Diocese of Adelaide, Australia, home to Fr. Tony Densley who stayed and worked at OLR while he studied at Fordham in the late 80's sent many e-mails expressing their concern and assuring us of their prayers. OLR students received 65 pounds of chocolate, handmade cards and e-mails from their counterparts St. Peter's School in Upper Sandusky, Ohio. OLR prepared rooms in the former convent on Bainbridge Ave. for police officers to stay overnight. The Ursulines did the same at St. Mary's Hall on East 198th St. and Pond Place. Fortunately the police officers were not held at the precinct and were allowed to go home to their families.

Kenny Espinal, an OLR student going into the seventh grade this September, is the shortstop for the Rolando Paulino All-Stars, affectionately known as the Baby Bronx Bombers. As of this article, posted 8/21/01, Kenny's team played Washington State at Williamsport, Pa. and won 5-0, their third straight Series victory. Kenny is in the above photo from The NY Times on the extreme left congratulating teammate, Carlos Garcia, who hit a grand slam in their 5-0 victory over Apopka, Fla. this past Saturday. Hugging Carlos Garcia is Danny Almonte who pitched the first perfect game in the Little League World Series since 1957. Kenny is an honor student at OLR and everyone is proud of his academic and athletic prowess. We just might have the next Little League Word Champions coming from the good old Bronx.

After the above was posted on this web site, the team went on to win Third Place, received keys to New York City, had a victory parade in the Bronx and then the whole thing unraveled. It was discovered that Danny Almonte, the pitcher, was 14 years of age, too old to play LL ball, not 12. He had finished the 7th Grade in the Dominican Republic this past June, too late to have been a bona-fide member of the team. Their Third Place victory was revoked; Rolando Paulino, the league's founder, and Danny Almonte's father were banned for life from having anything to do with Little League Baseball. The Rolando Paulino All-Stars' fifteen minutes of fame turned into several days filled with excruciating and detailed revelations of the fraud and chicanery that had been perpetrated by adults behind the scenes. The old saying proved true again..."cheating will get you nowhere."

For several years OLR parishioners have been holding Saturday morning prayer vigils in front of two abortion clinics, one on the Grand Concourse opposite the old Loews Paradise theater and the other on Eastchester Road opposite Jacobi Hospital. On one cold Saturday morning this past winter, a woman, whom we will call Helen to protect her identity, hesitated at the entrance to the abortion clinic, turned around, and went over to the group of protestors. A dialog ensued and she admitted that she was not 100% convinced that an abortion was the right thing for her to do. Phone numbers were exchanged and a relationship developed. She was in this country alone and members of the parish's Cursillo movement reached out to Helen and became her adopted family. She decided definitively not to have the abortion and the Cursillistas directed her to the Pro-Life services provided by the Catholic Church.

On June 30th, 2001, 70 members of the Cursillo representing OLR, St. Nicholas of Tolentine, Our Lady of Mercy, Our Lady of Angels and St. Philip Neri held a baby shower for Helen in the basement meeting room of the rectory (see photos above). At the time, Helen was living in a furnished room and was in desperate need of an apartment. Fordham Bedford Housing Corporation found an apartment for her around the corner from OLR and she moved in at the end of July. The baby is due in September. Too often Pro-Life activists are viewed as fanatical protestors. The story of Helen reveals that these protestors' actions do not end at the picket line; they will go the extra mile for the woman who chooses life in very difficult personal circumstances. Helen's face has been deliberately blurred in the above photos to protect her identity.

A Reunion for former parishioners and graduates of our school was to be held on Friday evening, November 9th, 2001, in the Parish Center from 7:00pm until midnight.. Tickets were $20.00 and included beer, wine, soda and a pasta buffet. Limited parking was to be available at the Concourse House (formerly the House of the Holy Comforter-2751 Grand Concourse & 196th St.) parking lot and Mt. St. Ursula(use the Bedford Pk. Blvd. entrance). This event was publicized only via the internet. On Wednesday, October 17th, 2001, only 9 tickets had been purchased. Given the World Trade Center tragedy, the seeming lack of interest in the event, the fact that no tickets would be sold at the door, and the necessity of finalizing details for the food and refreshments, a decision was made to cancel the reunion. Hopefully, another one is in the future when times get better.

By the way, the rectory had an anthrax scare on Tuesday morning, October 16th, 2001. The parish secretary opened a clear plastic envelope containing office equipment catalogues. A white powder spilled out all over her and her desk. The police were called and Emergency Service officers responded with masks and gloves and removed the powder-covered material. It was later discovered that the company had spread talcum powder on their catalogues to prevent the pages from sticking together: not a particularly intelligent thing to do given the heightened awareness of bio-terrorism in Florida, NYC, and Washington, DC.

Sister Barbara Ford, Class of 1952, a Sister of Charity from Mt. St. Vincent in the Bronx, died on May 5th, 2001, in Guatemala City, Guatemala. According to some reports she was the victim of an apparent robbery; other reports call the killing a political execution occasioned by her human rights work with victims of the country's civil war. Cardinal Egan expressed his condolences to the Sisters of Charity in a letter in which he wrote "I can well appreciate how greatly she will be missed in the work in which she was engaged over the past twelve years." The photo below was taken during a Mass for Sister Barbara in Guatemala City on May 7, 2001.

Sister Barbara provided health services to help people deal with the traumatic effects of violence in Guatemala in the early 1980's. She also helped the bishops of Guatemala in a project they launched to help recover bodies buried in mass graves and to help people coping with disturbing memories of violence. Sister Barbara lived with her parents and a brother and sister at 314 East 196th Street during her time at OLR. She is survived by her mother, her sister, Dorothy, OLR 1950, and her brother, John, OLR 1961.

On Saturday, April 28, 2001, the Northwest Bronx Community And Clergy Coalition held its Annual Meeting in the OLR gymnasium. Over 400 people from the different neighborhoods of the Northwest Bronx attended. City Councilmen Adolfo Carrion and Joel Rivera and State Assemblyman Jose Rivera were present. They pledged their support on issues involving local parks and the Kingsbridge Armory. Police Commissioner Kerik was also in attendance. Security was very tight at the meeting since the Commissioner the day before had announced to the public that he agreed with the findings of the his own department's investigation into the Amadou Diallo shooting. When questioned about his decision by members of the Coalition he emphasized that the four officers would continue indefinitely working for the department without their guns and badges. Commissioner also agreed to meet with the NWBCCC in ninety days on the issues of drug locations and using a percentage of money from the forfeiture of seized drug assets for youth programs.

The NWBCCC Coalition has been responsible for the stabilization of the Northwest Bronx over the past twenty plus years. Some of OLR's former parishioners may remember their early efforts when the Fordham Bedford Community Coalition organized the neighborhood around issues involving a community security patrol and the proposed closing of the 52nd Precinct. The current Fordham Bedford Housing Corporation is the logical growth of the original Fordham Bedford Community Coaltion's Housing Committee whose early members were OLR parishioners Brida Campbell of Briggs Ave. and Tom Reilly of Decatur Ave.

On Sunday, April 22, 1001, OLR hosted the 5th Mexican Artistic Expression Day sponsored by the Tepayac Association, which represents Mexicans who live in New York City. Some 800 people attended the event in our gymnasium. Contestants were judged on their expertise in Mexican music and dance. The participants wore traditional Mexican dress.

NEWS IN THE PARISH AND NEIGHBORHOOD