Salsa Sensation Studies in Brooklyn Heights
From the back of a dance studio at age 4 to a world-champion Salsa dancer at 18, Brianna Rios, ’17, mixes being a full-time college student at St. Francis College, Brooklyn Heights, with traveling the world in pursuit of her passion. She recently became the youngest professional world champion in the Salsa On2 division.
Now, she and her partner hold 10 first-place titles from more than a half-dozen national and international dance competitions.
An education major at St. Francis, Rios chose St. Francis College because she wants to combine “dancing and knowledge of body mechanics with teaching.” She aspires to teach physical education, dance and fitness. (Photos courtesy St. Francis College)
Huge Ragamuffin congratulations to Msgr. Jamie Gigantiello, diocesan vicar for development, who will serve as grand marshal of the 48th annual Children’s Ragamuffin Parade, set for Sept. 27 at 1 p.m. in Bay Ridge.
Kudos are also due to Arlene Rutuelo, the president of the Guild for Exceptional Children, who has been named Ragamuffin Woman of the Year. Colleen Golden is serving as parade president.
Starting at 76th Street, the monsignor and Rutuelo will lead the way for children from all over Brooklyn as they march in colorful costumes along Third Avenue to 92nd Street. All are welcome to enjoy the festivities. For more details, visit ragamuffinparadeny.com.
St. Mary, Mother of Jesus parish, Bensonhurst, continues its 125th anniversary celebration with a dinner dance on Sunday, Oct. 12 at 2 p.m. at Gargiulo’s Restaurant, Coney Island. For tickets and details, call 718-372-4000.
Our Lady of Lourdes, Queens Village, thanks the parish’s Magnificat Prayer Group for its recent gift of over $1,400. Way to go!
Treat yourself to a day out and make some new friends! Members of the Rosary Society at Our Lady of Good Counsel, Bedford-Stuyvesant, invite their neighbors around the diocese to join them on a bus trip to see “Moses” at the Sight and Sound Theatre, lancaster County, Pa., on Nov. 8. Tickets are $140 for adults, $108 for teens and $96 children. For reservations, call Marilyn, 718-922-5692, or Molly, 718-399-7659.
Mary Spaulding Balch, state legislative director of the National Right to Life Committee, will be the guest speaker at the annual dinner for the Bay Ridge-based Life Center of New York on Sunday, Oct. 19 at 2 p.m. This year, the center celebrates its 30th anniversary of helping women in crisis and saving babies from abortion. Call 718-748-4992 for tickets and details.
St. Bernard’s Knights of Columbus Council No. 14269, Mill Basin, hosts its seventh annual golf outing on Sept. 22. For details, contact John McCarthy, 718-998-9200.
Samsung Chromebooks are being issued to every fifth through eighth grade student at St. Mel School, Flushing, this fall. Made possible by an educational grant, these laptops help students stay current with the growing trend in high schools and colleges toward a paperless classroom.
Sister Kathy – Getting to Know and Feed Neighbors
Sister Kathy Hickey, C.S.J., is getting to know her new neighbors in Queens Village. She recently joined the pastoral team at Our Lady of Lourdes (OLL) parish as the food pantry director.
She succeeds Sister Christine Cusati, M.S.B.T., who is moving on to a new role as director of Trinita Retreat Center in New Hartford, Conn.
If Sister Kathy looks familiar, it’s because she is a familiar face in the diocese. She most recently served as pastoral associate for faith formation at St. Mary Magdalene parish, Springfield Gardens.
She’s thrilled to work with caring volunteers at OLL to help the large population serviced by the food pantry. (Photo courtesy Sister Kathy Hickey)
