City Council Honors for Aquinas Crew
Celebrating the 100th anniversary of Christmas caroling in America, the Aquinas Honor Society students from Immaculate Conception School, Jamaica Estates, recently sang carols and were honored by the N.Y. City Council for writing Jacob’s Gift, a book about how Jacob Riis brought the Christmas caroling tradition from his native Denmark to Queens. The City Council presented Dorothea Y. Breen, ICS principal, with a proclamation honoring the Aquinas students, who researched and wrote the book under the direction of teacher Carl Ballenas, founder of the school’s Aquinas Honor Society. Students, school representatives and City Council members display the proclamation. (Photo courtesy Gail Donovan)
Immerse yourself in art, architecture, music, literature and other riches of the Catholic tradition while attending Father Robert Barron’s Catholicism Project, a 10-part film series that illuminates what Catholics believe and why. Series begins Jan. 24 at Our Lady of Good Counsel, Manhattan (90th St. between second and third avenues). Evening begins with a film at 7 p.m. followed by discussions and refreshments. Future dates: Feb. 7 and 28; March 6, 13, 20 and 27; April 10 and 24; and May 8.
Music Before 1800 presents the choir of Corpus Christi Church, Manhattan, performing the music of Jan Pieterzoon Sweelinck and his contemporaries on Jan. 29, 4 p.m. at Corpus Christi Church. Tickets are $10-$45. For tickets or more information, call 212-666-9266 or visit www.mb1800.org.
Catholic Charities/Our Lady of Angels Human Service Center, Bay Ridge, needs a volunteer who will be able to serve on Fridays, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. You will receive an orientation of the pantry and your duties prior to starting. Contact Andrea Holder at 718-680-6344 for more details. Your time and dedication for those less fortunate would be greatly appreciated.
What Rules America: Money, Morals or Myth? will be the topic of a three-way debate featuring Robert Kuttner, Robert A. George and Susan Jacoby at Fordham University’s Lincoln Center Campus, Manhattan, Feb. 1. Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne, Jr., will moderate the event, which is free and open to the public. RSVP by calling 212-636-7347 or e-mail CRCevent@fordham.edu.
Reserve your tickets now for the Lawler Endowment Fund for Senior Priests’ Annual Dinner Dance, Feb. 3, 6-10 p.m. at the Immaculate Conception Center, Douglaston. Honoring Msgr. Vincent Keane. In memory of Msgr. Thomas Donovan. Tickets: $75 each; $700 table of 10. Cocktails, dinner and dancing. For reservations, call Tom, 839-5413.
In a winter slump? Need a good laugh? Head over to Comedy Night at Holy Child Jesus, Richmond Hill, on Feb. 4. Some of the funniest standup comedians seen at comedy clubs around the city will keep you in stitches. Show starts at 8 p.m. but arrive a half hour earlier for a good seat. Admission is $20 and the show is for adults only. Cash bar and snack food will be available for purchase. To reserve your seat, call 718-849-3988. Proceeds benefit the parish school.
Give yourself and your spouse the perfect gift this Valentine’s Day! Take a closer look at your marriage, learn effective communication techniques and enhance the love you share during a Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend, Feb. 10-12. Don’t you and your spouse deserve that? To learn more, call 1-877-697-9963 or e-mail marriageencounterbq@gmail.com. (The next Spanish-language weekend is March 9-11. To participate, call Kathy, 646-201-8941, or Manny, 917-577-9268; or e-mail nycemm@live.com.)
Last year, the thrift shop at Our Lady of Grace, Gravesend, raised more than $24,000 for the parish. The parish extends special thanks to the thrift shop staff for its hard work and dedication.
Quote of the Week: “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
An underprivileged Bayside family received Christmas gifts last month through the generosity of students and faculty at Sacred Heart School, Bayside. Students purchased NUT (No Uniform Today) cards to raise money for the family. Additional donations were used to purchase items for veterans in the N.Y.S. Veterans Home, St. Albans. Sacred Heart’s newly elected Student Council also embarked on their first fund-raising event — “Candy Cane Grams.” Under the direction of moderators, Kathy Kilduff and Colleen Russell, junior high students purchased and “sent” candy canes to their friends at school. All proceeds went to charity.
This week’s Tip of the Tablet TALK Top Hat goes to Cub and Webelo Scout Troop No. 349 at Our Lady of Mercy, Forest Hills. In December, the Troop sent 150 pounds of personal and food items to American soldiers serving overseas. In the parish bulletin, Msgr. John McGuirl, pastor, said, “This type of service lies at the foundation of Scouting and our boys and their leaders are to be commended for living up to Scouting ideals.” We agree! Way to go!
St. Finbar Parish Has a New Pastor
A standing-room-only crowd filled St. Finbar Church, Bath Beach, as parish administrator, Father Michael Louis Gelfant, was officially installed as pastor by Auxiliary Bishop Octavio Cisneros, last fall. As administrator, he helped revitalize the parish, which has seen increases in attendance, weekly collections and religious education enrollment. Father Gelfant thanked his brother priests for celebrating with him. In particular, he recognized the first pastor under whom he served, Msgr. Michael J. Phillips, pastor emeritus of St. Anselm, Bay Ridge, pictured with Father Gelfant.