DOUGLASTON — In the confines of one of the vacant, quaint rooms within the diocesan seminary in Douglaston that houses not only the young men studying for the priesthood, but also more than 35 retired priests, sits a slim, older man in a casual suit.
He pulls out from his pocket a small piece of paper that could pass as a baseball lineup card, but instead is a list filled with names of “players,” his roster of hand-scribbled names of active diocesan priests and auxiliary bishops.
The numbers aren’t batting averages, but instead are a hodgepodge of information: age, year of ordination and years in ministry for men who answered the call to the priesthood.
Meet Peter Purpura Sr….
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