In The News
The Catholic Sun: "Holy Week Traditions," 3/30/10
Statement of Bishop Robert J. Cunningham after being named the new bishop of Syracuse, 4/21/09
Open Letter to the People of Binghamton from Bishop Moynihan, 4/7/09
Journey: "The Love of Words" – Winter 2009
The Catholic Sun: "Lost, Now Found" – 1/29/09 - 2/4/09
The Catholic Sun: "100 Years Strong" – 8/14/08
CBS Evening News: "A Family on the Edge" – 8/6/08
Press & Sun-Bulletin: "A Century of Faith" – 7/12/08
The Catholic Sun: Behind the Scenes – Altar Rosary Societies Serve Area Parishes – 5/22/08
Holy Week traditions: Parishes celebrate old traditions, create new ones
Published March 30, 2010 in the Catholic Sun
By Jennika Baines, Catholic Sun Associate Editor
Holy Week traditions are often as much about the shared experience of faith as they are the history and community of a parish. There is comfort to be found in the repetition of old traditions as well as a spirit of rebirth in the fresh formation of new ones.
Parishes throughout the diocese are welcoming Easter with traditions new and old.
At Sacred Heart Basilica in Syracuse, a predominantly Polish parish, the traditions are centuries old.
"The best tradition is the blessing of the food," Msgr. Peter Gleba said.
This is a traditional Polish observance in which people come with baskets of food which are blessed by the pastor. The food in the basket has symbolic significance, with the decorated eggs symbolizing new life, the horseradish representing Christ’s bitter sacrifice and babka, a sweet bread, representing the staff of life.
Babka was made at Sacred Heart on March 27. "Oh, it's really delicious," Msgr. Gleba said. "They sell over 500 loaves of bread."
If they would like, parishioners can also include some kielbasa or ham, and the meat represents Christ's destruction of an older order which forbade meat.
Sitting on the very top of the basket is a figure of butter molded into the shape of a lamb. Holding a red banner of resurrection emblazoned with a gold cross, it "watches over" the food in the basket. The lamb symbolizes the Paschal lamb, Jesus.
The parishioners have already come together to decorate their easter eggs and make the butter lambs.
The blessing of food will take place at the basilica on Holy Saturday at 8 a.m., 12 p.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.
"It's a nice tradition; it all signifies life and the blessing of life that Christ was for us," Msgr. Gleba said. "And then on Easter morning it's joy and happiness."
Father Sean O'Brien, pastor of St. Patrick's Mission in Forestport, said parishioners are becoming involved in the celebrations at his parish as well.
The Mass of the Lord's Supper will be celebrated on Holy Thursday. Before the Mass, confirmation students will serve a soup and sandwich supper, but Father O'Brien stressed that they wanted to keep it very simple to reflect the austerity of Lent.
"Well, you know how some people are. 'It's Friday, we can't have meat. Let's go to Red Lobster,'" Father O'Brien said. This will be more in keeping with the purpose and spirit of penance and preparation.
On Good Friday there will be the Celebration of the Lord's Passion which includes the veneration of the cross.
On Palm Sunday, for St. Luke's account of the Passion, Father O'Brien said different voices will be assigned for each role.
When I grew up in Vestal there were the three people: the voice, the priest and the narrator, and that was it," Father O'Brien said.
Then he snored.
Instead, this year St. Patrick's will bring the experience into the pews.
"So, on Palm Sunday, there are the two criminals, Peter, the temple guard, Pontius Pilate, Jesus, the narrator — so we're involving, in some cases, one-liners and in others big reading parts," Father O'Brien said. Those giving voice to each part will not be standing by the altar, but will instead be seated with their families. That way the voices will be heard calling out from among the parishioners.
The parish will also welcome six RCIA candidates, Father O'Brien said, "which is not bad for a small town like Boonville."
St. Ambrose Parish in Endicott offers a dramatic presentation of the Lord's Passion during the Saturday vigil and Palm Sunday Masses. "It's 15 people taking part in the reading of the Passion and it's a dramatic reading with sound effects using timpani and other percussion instruments," said Becky Monforte, parish secretary and organizer of the event.
Father Charles Currie plays the role of Jesus, while Father Donald Bourgeois is a collaborator and Father Ben Manding takes the role of Judas. "Father Manding always says, 'Hey, if it wasn’t for Judas we would still be wallowing in our sins,'" Monforte said, laughing.
The presentation has been taking place for about 11 years and has carried on despite the relocation of Father Peter Creed. He helped start the presentation with the help of Monforte's husband, Tony, a professional drummer who passed away in 2005.
Monforte, who plays the cymbal, tambourine and triangle during the presentation, said it is an emotionally-draining performance, but well worth the effort. She said around 200 people show up for each Mass, and when she looks out at those attending, the crowd is paying rapt attention and is very moved.
"I can’t imagine Passion Week without it," Monforte said.
The children in the parish also present the stations of the cross, reading aloud the stations and acting them out. "It involves kids from four years all the way up to high school," said Barbara Kane, parish life coordinator. "It’s something they grow up with."
St. Paul's Church in Oswego will, for the second year, hold a Divine Mercy Novena from Good Friday until Divine Mercy Sunday, the second Sunday of Easter.
"One of the parishioners came in and asked if we would host a Divine Mercy Novena," said Father Guy Baccaro, pastor.
He said he expects around 20-30 people and he said people travel from other parishes to take part.
The novena begins at 3:30 p.m. on Good Friday.
"Hopefully," Father Baccaro said, "it's the beginning of a tradition."
Statement of the Most Rev. Robert J. Cunningham, April 21, 2009
The first gift that our Lord gave to his disciples following His Resurrection was the gift of peace. As I greet each of you here and all in the Diocese of Syracuse for the first time, I pray that you will experience the joy of that same gift and be strengthened in your faith.
Trusting in God's providence and relying on His grace I happily accept the appointment of our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI to serve as the Bishop of Syracuse. I pledge to him this morning and every day my fraternal affection and loving obedience.
I come to you primarily as a pastor — a shepherd of souls — to proclaim the good news of the Gospel, to teach as Jesus did. I invite each of you to join me in the daily challenge of developing a deeper relationship with God as a disciple of our Risen Lord.
I am especially grateful to Bishop James M. Moynihan whose gracious welcome is most appreciated. For the past five years we have worked together here in New York State and in the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. I pray that God will continue to give us many opportunities to pray and to work together for the faith here in Central New York. It has been a privilege for me to have met the last four bishops of Syracuse: Bishop David Cunningham, Bishop Frank Harrison, Bishop Joseph O'Keefe and Bishop James Moynihan. I have heard from them of your deep faith and your love for the church. I hope to build on the pastoral dedication of Bishop Moynihan and Bishop Thomas J. Costello. I pledge my best efforts to serve the people of this diocese. You have my love and my devotion.
Sent by Pope Benedict XVI, I come to teach and preach the Word of God; to love you with wholehearted affection and to serve your needs especially as a minister of the Eucharist and reconciliation. I hope to be a source of unity for the diocese.
I salute my brother priests who are my principal and irreplaceable collaborators in preaching the eternal newness of the Gospel. I look forward to coming to know you individually as father, brother and friend. Your calling is a noble vocation! The parish priest has the unparalleled joy of being with people at all the important moments of their lives. I look forward to our working together with one mind and one heart as we serve our people. I pray that God will keep you strong for the task. I pray also that the example of your lives lived out prayerfully will inspire other young men to follow in your footsteps and to hear the Master's call: "Come, follow Me."
To the permanent deacons who exercise a ministry of charity and service in our midst; to the women and men in consecrated life who embody God's love, I thank you for ministering in countless ways large and small. The Church of Syracuse is in your debt. To our seminarians who are discerning the call to priesthood: be strong and continue to place your hope in the living God. To our pastoral ministers, to our faithful parishioners active in so many ways, thank you for all that you do. I look forward to working with the diocesan staff as we serve the people of this local church. To those who for whatever reason have drifted from an active faith life in the church, please come home. We need you. Your presence will enrich the life ofthe church.
I greet our brothers and sisters in other faith communities and churches throughout the seven counties of Central New York. I pray that we will work together on issues of common concern and that together we will witness to the dignity of the human person and to the value of every human life from the first moment of conception until the moment of natural death. This year the Catholic Church is celebrating a special year in honor of St. Paul — the church's great communicator. I am grateful this morning for the members of the communications media here present. You help us tell the story of the church. We could not do it without you. Thank you for your thoughtful and careful transmittal of the truth which you convey to our community. We rely upon your goodness.
Finally this morning my thoughts turn with affection and admiration to the priests and people of the Diocese of Ogdensburg. Five years ago you welcomed me as a stranger in your midst. From the first day I felt at home. I have enjoyed the support of your prayers and the many ways that you helped me to be your Bishop. It has been a wonderful grace for me to serve you. I will carry you in my heart, pray for you daily and rejoice in our happy memories. "I give thanks to my God at every remembrance of you, praying always with joy in my every prayer for all of you." (Phil 1:3-4) I pray now that Mary, Mother of the Church, who under her title of the Immaculate Conception is patroness of the Diocese of Syracuse, will accompany us in the days and years ahead. May God bless us all and give success to the work of our hands.
Open Letter to the People of Binghamton April 7, 2009
I write to all of you to extend my deepest sympathies for the tragedy you experienced as a community at the American Civic Association last Friday. My prayers are with the victims, their families and the Binghamton Community as a whole.
As I witnessed the events unfold, I was struck by the strength of the people of Binghamton. It comes as no shock to me that when confronted with pain and tragedy, you came together to support those directly affected by this senseless act of violence. Priests, Ministers, Rabbis, Imams, and faith communities as a whole, lock arms to pray and to protect the community from further harm. Police and human services agencies including our own Catholic Charities must be commended for their immediate action. We will continue to question why this event took place and we may never learn the true answer. But we must find solace and strength in the fact that God is present to all of us today and always. Let us pray especially for the repose of the souls of those who were killed: Parveen Nin Ali, Dolores Yigal, Marc Henry Bernard, Maria Sonia Bernard, Li Guo, Hong Xiu Mao, Lan Ho, Hai Hong Zhong, Maria Zobniw, Roberta King, Almir O. Alves, Jiang Ling, Layla Khalil, and Jiverly Wong.
Allow me to also share with you a note I just received from the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People in the Vatican: "Superiors and officials of the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant people have been shocked by the shooting in the Immigration Centre at Binghamton that has caused the death to 14 immigrants and injuries to several others. We join you, your diocese and all people of good will in prayer for the souls of the deceased and for quick recovery of the injured. We ask the merciful God to help the American Society to identify and root out the cause of such frequent occurrences in the country and to build up a nation where human life, dignity and right of all, including immigrants, are really respected. We ask Your Excellency to convey our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and our sympathy to all those who have been affected by this tragedy. May Mary, the Queen of Peace, obtain for the Pastoral agents in your diocese the ability to console those in grief and help the society to go forward in the path of forgiveness, reconciliation and harmonious co-existence." — Most Rev. Agostino Marchetto, Archbishop Secretary
Faithfully yours in Christ,
Most Rev. James M. Moynihan
Bishop of Syracuse
Winter 2009 issue of "Journey," a publication of the Congregation of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Scranton, Pa.
The Love of Words
by Sr. Lillian Farrell, IHM (former pastoral assistant at St. Ambrose)
I don't remember a time when words were not the cause of joy, of sorrow, or of lighter moments in-between. When I was a toddler, my grandmother spent golden hours acquainting me with Mother Goose, fairy tales, and legends. To appropriate Emily Dickinson's words:
I ate and drank the precious words,
My spirit grew robust.
No more I knew that I was poor
Or that my frame was dust.
My parents also took time to answer their curious child's questions ... "Dad, what does this word mean?" In due time, they introduced me to the dictionary where I could seek and find meaning for myself.
When I became a timid but eager first grader, my preference for rhymes and stories over addition and subtraction was soon apparent, and that preference has continued through the years. I reveled in reading, whether it was the tale of Dick, Jane, and Spot, the more exciting Bible stories, or poems such as "In Flanders Fields" or "Aladdin's Lamp."
In high school, the music and the romance in Edgar Allan Poe's works thrilled me.
It was many and many a year ago
In a kingdom by the sea
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
By the name of Annabel Lee.
A little later I had an epiphany of sorts when on my own, I came across Wordsworth's "The Daffodils." This timeworn poem to my seventeen-year-old mind was a discovery and lovely beyond anything I had known.
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils.
And in further description of the daffodils Wordsworth concludes with:
I gazed and gazed but little thought
What wealth the sight to me had brought
For oft when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude,
And then my heart with pleasure fills
And dances with the daffodils.
Afterward, in a college literature course, I came upon Wordsworth's definition of poetry: "emotion recollected in tranquility." Many years later when I visited England, I saw crowds of daffodils by a stream. The poem came to mind unbidden, and "my heart with pleasure filled and danced with the daffodils."
There were also numerous moments in high school literature classes when words spoke forcefully, such as the time Macbeth replies to the scolding wife accusing him of cowardice:
I dare do all that a man dare do
Who dares do more is less than a man.
The brevity of his statement speaks more forcefully than an essay on courage.
Portia's words in "The Merchant of Venice" capture a theological truth: "And earthly power does then show likest God's when mercy seasons justice."
Another poem whose beauty both attracted and repelled me was Francis Thompson's "The Hound of Heaven." In Thompson's work I perceived my own flight from a religious vocation. The lines: "Yet was I sore adread lest having Him I must have naught beside" expressed my fear of sacrifice which would be required in surrender to "The Hound of Heaven."
When I became a student at Marywood, I was blessed to have as a teacher and debate moderator Sister Paulinus Sullivan, a woman of keen intellect and deep spirituality, who herself was a poet. To her, John Ciardi's question, "How DOES A Poem Mean" was more accurate than the high school question, "What does this poem mean?" When Sister shared her "word-hoard" she introduced her students to "the dearest freshness deep down things" (Gerard Manley Hopkins). When she introduced me to the writings of Emily Dickinson, I came to understand that in poetry, less is often more, as in her poem "Eternity."
Eternity is as far
As to the nearest room
If in that room a friend await
Felicity or doom.
What fortitude the soul contains
That it can so endure
The accent of a fading step,
The closing of a door.
Sister also led me to delight in the power of the paradox, particularly in the work of G.K. Chesterton whose wit gave me food for thought.
O how I love humanity
With love so pure and pringlish
And how I hate the rotten French
Who never will be English.
Of course, there was Sister's own poetry. I particularly cherish the Christmas poem, "Canticle of Quietness," which she shared with me in an effort to show my restless mind the beauty of contemplation.
By David's mouth, God spoke, "Be still and see that I am God."
And when the searchers of the stars, schooled to the broad
Far quietness of night, followed upon the men of flocks,
Hill-bred to stillness as to grass and rocks,
The promise bloomed for them where she of David's line
(Ineffably hushed to the housing of God) held to her heart
the Child Divine.
And blessed is the quietness that gives it burgeoning clime.
Throughout my years at Marywood, I was haunted by a sentence from Matthew's Gospel: "Where your treasure is, there your heart is." I knew Christ to be my greatest treasure, and I felt that the way to obtain this treasure was to become a sister. Yet I hesitated to accept Christ's invitation "lest having Him, I must have naught beside."
When I did answer the call I was convinced was mine and entered the novitiate of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I took with me my "word-hoard" and expanded it throughout the years.
When I became a professed Sister, I served for many years as an elementary school teacher. My happiest classroom moments were spent in the language arts classes where I tried to persuade the children to "hang around words and listen to them talk" (Auden). My goal might be summarized in a little verse I wrote:
Between Mother Goose and Shakespeare
New lights are beginning to dawn
In a time that is golden for kindling
The vision a soul can feed on.
The children and I explored Rumer Godden's classic "Prayers from the Ark" wherein the animals confide their wishes to God. We created verses modeled on these prayers and on a delightful book of color poems "Hailstones and Halibut Bones" by Mary O'Neil.
Eventually I was assigned to teach in high school. I approached the ministry with high hopes and great idealism. It didn't take many encounters with American teenagers to realize that imparting my love of words would be a hard sell. Still, there were moments: the freshman class which proudly acted out a Shakespearean play and then eagerly went to see that play at Marywood, advanced placement classes where I encountered some kindred spirits who did "eat and drink the precious words" of the literary giants of the ages and who perhaps acquired insights to store up in preparation for what life might bring them.
Maybe I've helped those entrusted to me to see what I see, hear what I hear. Better yet, maybe I've been the catalyst whereby they take words to heart and enflesh their own vision, dream their own dreams, and thus come closer to being the glory of God, people fully alive.
Sr. Lillian serves as Poetry Enrichment Coordinator for the IHM Center and Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Jan. 29-Feb. 4, 2009: The Catholic Sun
Lost, now found: Sudanese community at St. Vincent de Paul sustains traditions of homeland
By Luke Eggleston/ SUN staff writer
This article mentions former St. Ambrose pastoral assistant Sister Mary Joana Baidoo, IHM.
In 2001, seven Lost Boys of the Sudan stepped off an airplane and stepped into the lives of the parishioners at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Syracuse. Less than a week after their flight from arid Africa, those seven Lost Boys braved Central New York's fierce February weather to attend Mass at their new parish. Along with very few belongings, the Lost Boys brought memories of their homeland's tragic state, but they also brought resilient faith in the face of adversity. Syracuse attorney Carl Oropallo is a lifelong parishioner at St. Vincent de Paul Church. He was baptized and confirmed at the church on the near northeast side. Since the Lost Boys' arrival, however, Oropallo has merged his life, both professionally and personally, with the parish's burgeoning African population.
"I think my life has changed completely since 2001 and my involvement. I have seen a deep faith in them in the face of all kinds of trials in Sudan where they had absolutely nothing to rely on except for their prayers and their faith," said Oropallo, who was among the parishioners who initially greeted the Lost Boys when they arrived. "They had absolutely nothing to eat, bare feet, and bombs dropping around them. They had faith that the Lord would be there and would help them. They still profess that same faith and it's kept alive. We at St. Vincent's try to nurture that."
Since 2001, the number of Sudanese refugees in the city of Syracuse has swelled to roughly 600, according to Oropallo. Sixty percent of them are Catholic. Most are not among those associated with the Lost Boys. The largest concentration of Catholic Sudanese is at St. Vincent de Paul. The Sudanese at St. Vincent de Paul have allowed themselves to be woven into that parish community, but they have also sustained their own traditions.
"What the Sudanese have done is plan and prepare their own religious education program," Oropallo said. Joseph Malek arrived in Syracuse in 2005 with his family of eight. A native of the Gongrial region of Sudan, Malek's journey to Syracuse took him through his homeland's capital, Khartoum, and then through Cairo, Egypt. Here he works at a local foundry, Frasier and Jones, while teaching Dinka to Sudanese children who have grown up speaking English. He is also one of three catechists from Sudan who teach religious education at St. Vincent de Paul. Recently, 24 young Sudanese were confirmed at St. Vincent de Paul. According to the 40-year-old Malek, catechists are crucial to maintaining the Catholic faith in Sudan. Along with Malek, 32-year-old James Deng teaches Dinka to his fellow Sudanese. In Sudan, he taught not only Dinka, but also religious education and Arabic. The Sudanese use religious education classes at St. Vincent de Paul School to not only learn about their faith and the sacraments, but also to exercise their skills in English and Dinka. Many of the new refugees are able to learn or improve their English, while those Sudanese who were either born in the U.S. or were very young when they arrived are able to learn Dinka and thus keep their traditional tongue alive.
Recently, parishioner Domenic Dut Mathiang and a handful of friends developed a hymnal entirely in Dinka. The Sudanese also brought their tradition of clay cow making to St. Vincent de Paul. Clay cow making is a traditional Sudanese art. The Sudanese involved in the Syracuse Clay Cow Project use the craft to expose Americans to their culture and to raise money for their community's educational needs.
"The cow project is important to us because we reveal our culture and we want to show our culture to the American people," said 29-year-old Lost Boy Clement Kuek, adding that cows are an important resource for the Sudanese. "We want to show the Americans the different cows that we have in the different parts of Sudan." Many Americans who come in contact with the Sudanese refugees marvel at their boundless energy. In addition to maintaining jobs and families, in many cases, they have also returned to school. "So many people tell me this [about the Sudanese]: they're willing to learn and they're willing to work hard," Oropallo said. "We've had very few people who hold their hand out and say, 'Just give me something.' They�re willing to take the jobs that many people simply will not take."
Over the course of the past year, the Sudanese parishioners have developed ways of maintaining their own culture while adapting to that of Central New York. According to Oropallo and Kuek, the growth of the Sudanese community at St. Vincent de Paul led to its eventual popularity among many Africans. Now St. Vincent de Paul is home to a smattering of Kenyans, Congolese, Liberians and Nigerians in addition to the Sudanese.
In order to help with the parish's refugee community, the Syracuse Diocese assigned Sister Mary Joana Baidoo, IHM, to St. Vincent de Paul. The Ghanaian sister previously served at Our Lady of Solace Church (which has since merged with St. Therese the Little Flower to form All Saints Church) in Syracuse and also St. Ambrose Church in Endicott. Sister Mary Joana, a member of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mother of Christ, generally serves in a pastoral capacity with the Sudanese parishioners. "I help with their religious needs. I teach religious education and prepare them for the sacraments," she said. According to Sister Mary Joana, the commonalities among Africans make up for their differing nationalities. "We share a common culture – African culture," she said. "Africa is Africa. Our celebrations, our singing, they are all part of our culture."
She stressed that the Sudanese receive considerable support from several lay groups in Syracuse including the Associates of the Immaculate Heart of Mary at both St. Vincent de Paul and All Saints, the Legion of Mary at St. Vincent de Paul and other lay volunteers from Immaculate Conception Church in Fayetteville. Sister Mary Joana said that one of her main tasks is organizing St. Vincent de Paul's vacation Bible school. "It's very fulfilling. It's compassionate work reaching out to the needy and that's very important," she said. In addition to Vacation Bible School, Sister Mary Joana helps young people who wish to enroll in Catholic schools, including helping them obtain scholarships and fill out application forms. According to a September letter the parish sent to Bishop Thomas Costello, 35 Sudanese young people attend the Cathedral Academy at Pompei and 18 more attend Bishop Grimes Junior/Senior High School. Kuek works at the Center of New Americans and attends Onondaga Community College. He is currently taking general studies, but hopes to advance to criminal studies in order to pursue a career in law enforcement. Kuek noted that he and his compatriots faced three serious challenges upon arrival in Syracuse: the weather, the language barrier and living independently.
He said that Oropallo was instrumental in helping him and other Lost Boys adapt to living in the U.S. Along with other parishioners, Oropallo has taught newcomers to St. Vincent de Paul how to ride and repair bicycles. Shortly after that, the parishioners taught them how to drive automobiles. Oropallo said that his legal skills came in handy as he helped new Sudanese drivers obtain their licenses, insurance and negotiate traffic violations. "When you come to this country, you should know how to drive and that was a great challenge because when I came here I didn�t know how to drive – all of us we Lost Boys – we came here and we got it through Carl. He is our key. He is a very important person to us," Kuek said. Oropallo believes the work being done at St. Vincent de Paul is sustaining the labor of the missionaries who brought Christianity to Sudan.
"I think you see too, the sacrifice of the missionaries, because [the Sudanese] were baptized Catholic in Sudan, the missionaries sacrificed tremendously to bring the faith to them. You feel as a Catholic community in Syracuse that you have an obligation to continue the sacrifice of those missionaries and the work they've done with [the Sudanese]," he said.
Aug. 14-27, 2008: The Catholic Sun
100 years strong: Churches across the diocese reach anniversaries which embody their histories
By Luke Eggleston/ SUN staff writer
An anniversary offers a parish an opportunity not only to celebrate its history but also to reflect on it.
Among the parishes of the Syracuse Diocese that are celebrating their centennials are Annunciation Church in Clark Mills, St. Stephen's in Oswego, St. Margaret in Homer and St. Ambrose in Endicott.
St. Ambrose has a unique status among parishes in the Southern Tier city of Endicott. During the industrial boom the Northeast enjoyed in the early part of the 20th century, St. Ambrose operated as Catholicism's epicenter in Endicott.
Endicott's early fortunes were tied to shoe manufacturer Endicott Johnson. Both Endicott and fellow Triple City member Johnson City are named after prominent figures in the Endicott Johnson Corporation. IBM also originated in Endicott.
Initially, the parish was founded by the burgeoning Irish population in the area but as different immigrant groups flooded into the area St. Ambrose quickly became a multi-ethnic parish. The Italian community that would go on to found nearby St. Anthony of Padua met for Italian Mass in the basement of St. Ambrose, as did the founding community of the Slovak parish St. Joseph's. In addition to serving as a home base for what would become the local ethnic parishes, Christ the King in Endwell, Our Lady of Good Counsel in Endicott and Our Lady of Sorrows in Vestal each grew out of St. Ambrose.
With the departure of both the shoe manufacturer and IBM, Endicott fell into a gradual decline. Now, a parish that was once a nexus of a vibrant Catholic community has become a center for a community that has fallen on hard times.
Father Charles Currie said that what makes the parish special is "its rich spiritual tradition." He also stressed that its parish outreach has become a crucial element of St. Ambrose's ministry.
"What makes St. Ambrose unique is its rich spiritual tradition, the church itself, its architecture, its shape, its appointments, etc. It speaks of spirituality and a holy place in which to pray. People reflect that when they come here. And we have many, many older people now. It's an older parish and many of these people have inherited this rich spiritual tradition," Father Currie said. "You feel it here more than in other places."
Father Currie is very enthusiastic regarding the parish's commitment to charity. According to Father Currie, the parish's soup kitchen serves roughly 100 people per week.
"That's kind of been our average during the last couple of months especially with the economy and its downturn," he said.
In addition, the parish opened a food pantry, Mother Teresa's Cupboard, in cooperation with Catholic Charities of Broome County in August 2005. According to a flyer issued by the food pantry it serves an average of 775 people per month.
Mary Pat Hyland is a lifelong parishioner at St. Ambrose. She said that the community has retained its working class identity despite the vacuum left where good manufacturing jobs once provided financial stability for families.
"It's a working class parish and, like Father said, there's a lot of charity. We're made for that. We're a refuge. Endicott is in turmoil. It was hit hard by the economic impact of the last few years," said Hyland. "So a lot of the people who are in this urban setting are very needy and we respond very well to their needs both spiritually and in other ways."
During the events of 9/11, St. Ambrose became a refuge for people in Endicott as Father Curries made sure the church remained open for those seeking comfort in prayer. It also served as a support center during the Southern Tier's flood in the summer of 2006. It is also the preferred choice of residents and nearby workers who wish to attend a noon Mass or participate in the sacrament of confession, according to Father Currie.
St. Ambrose scheduled numerous celebratory events for its centennial including parish tours. Subsequent tours will be held Sept. 21 at 1:15 p.m. and Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. The parish has already held a celebratory Mass, at which Bishop Thomas Costello presided and attended by over 20 priests of the Southern Region. The parish has several other events scheduled that can be found at www.st-ambroseparish.com.
Like St. Ambrose, St. Stephen the King Church in Oswego also holds a significant place in its community is celebrating its centennial this year. In contrast, St. Stephen's has held on to its predominately ethnic roots in the Polish community. According to parish historian Mike Lupa, the ethnic composition of the parish has changed but even non-Polish parishioners develop a strong sense of St. Stephen's ethnic identity.
Since 1908, the pastors at St. Stephen have been almost exclusively Polish. Father Amedeo Guida was the exception when he was assigned the pastorate at St. Stephen. Father Andrew Baranski, a Polish-born priest, recently replaced Father Guida as the pastor at St. Stephen.
In a narrative submitted to The Catholic SUN, Father Guida detailed the rich background of St. Stephen.
"Ethnic pride and a century long commitment to God are the hallmarks of St. Stephen the King Parish," Father Guida wrote.
Since St. Stephen's founding, the cultural climate in Oswego changed, but the church retained its traditions.
"The 60s and 70s brought more changes but the Eastern European flavor of the parish was lovingly preserved, aided by wise, welcoming and fatherly pastors who were Polish but knew how to make the necessary blending of the old and the new," Father Guida wrote.
St. Stephen held its commemorative Mass June 21 followed by a banquet at the Oswego Country Club. The next event will be the parish�s annual festival Aug. 17, which features several traditional Polish dishes and customs. According to Lupa, the parish hopes to host two centennial dinners in the fall, but will consult with Father Baranski before making final plans.
Annunciation Church in Clark Mills is also celebrating its 100th year. In contrast to many other churches of the diocese, Annunciation is benefiting from an expanding population as Clark Mills is one of the few growing communities in Oneida County. In addition, parishioners from the Eastern Region churches that have closed have joined the community at Annunciation.
Parish historian Bob Mathis said that in addition to the growing population, he feels Father Robert Bogan is responsible for invigorating the parish. Annunciation's centennial happened to coincide with Father Bogan's 50th jubilee, which the parish celebrated in May. A centennial festival and history display will be held Sept. 6, followed by a bake sale hosted by the parish's Altar Rosary Society Sept. 13 and Sept. 14, a parish centennial concert Oct. 4, an interfaith prayer service Oct. 17, a centennial Mass and reception Nov. 16, and a centennial Christmas celebration Dec. 6.
St. Margaret Church in Homer is also celebrating its centennial. According to the parish's Spiritual Life Director Lana Riley, the parish has woven its 100th anniversary into each of its activities.
One of the highlights, she said, is the parish's Ministry Fair, which it holds every two years. This year, the parish will make the centennial celebration the fair's theme. Also, each of its liturgies will focus on the centennial. According to Riley, many of the centennial events are still in the planning stages.
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August 6, 2008: CBS Evening News
A Family On The Edge
(CBS) It's just a few blocks from her home in Endicott, New York -- but this is a walk Brenda Hudy has never made.
"I heard that you had a food pantry here," Brenda says as she stands outside a door to a church. "… and I'm here to get help."
It's the wrong door, but the right place: "Mother Teresa's Cupboard."
"Hi, how are you?" asks Mary Roma, the Director of Mother Teresa's Cupboard.
"Could be better," Brenda says.
"I know, I know," Mary says. "It's not easy."
It's not easy because it's Brenda's first-ever trip to a food pantry, reports CBS News correspondent Seth Doane.
"The only requirement for you coming here is that you need food," Mary says.
"Why do you think it's so hard?" Doane asks. "Just the uncertainty?"
"Yeah, of what's going to happen," Brenda says tearfully. "Because with the house foreclosing and having trouble buying food … sorry, it just makes it really hard."
Just how hard was clear the night before as Brenda prepared dinner for her family. She shows Doane her nearly empty cupboard.
Brenda and her husband Mark try to keep things normal for their growing boys -- Kyle and Brandon. Normal used to be a comfortable middle-class life making $70,000, until Mark fell off a ladder at work installing cable. He was a subcontractor and didn't have insurance.
"It feels like someone is just taking my muscles in my leg and just is twisting them like a cloth," Mark says.
He now suffers from a painful nerve condition called RSD.
"I wasn't broke two years ago," he says. "I worked and I worked every day and I worked hard, and now I can't."
So Brenda does work part-time cleaning a nearby church. Combined with Mark's disability check, they bring in less than $25,000 a year.
"We've had to sell a lot of things," Mark says.
The first to go were vacations and motorcycles.
"A few weeks ago we didn't have no money," Brenda says. "to go and buy food so we went to our local pawn shop."
But that didn't make much of a dent, and now they're about to lose their electricity and house.
"This electricity notice is for 12 days from now," Doane says. "The foreclosure, same date, date before, it's all right around the corner."
"Right, which is very difficult to even want to face," Brenda says.
They have no idea where they'll be next week. At least today Brenda was able to find some food and some comfort, too.
NOTE: If you would like to make a donation to Mother Teresa's Cupboard, send it to Catholic Charities of Broome County, 232 Main Street, Binghamton, NY 13905. Write in the check memo that the donation is for Mother Teresa's Cupboard.
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Couric & Co. Blog Post
By Seth Doane
Seth Doane is a CBS News correspondent based in New York.
The Hudy family is living on the edge. Their electricity was supposed to be turned off this week (they got a two-week extension) and their house goes to auction next week because they're going into foreclosure. They're having a hard time keeping food on the table… and trouble knowing what to do next.
For me, the most interesting part of my job is that the camera and my CBS News credentials are a passport into someone's life. I had talked with the Hudys early in the week and by the end of the week – there I was… standing in their living room in Endicott, New York.
In just a couple of days together I learned more about the Hudys than I'm sure some of their close friends know. They opened up to me and there were tears and also concern about being so candid with me. They explained that not only was it humbling to admit that they need help… and to tell a national audience about it… but to know that they're opening up themselves to critique from total strangers.
While we together there was this constant sense of juggling – wondering which ball might drop. Through their ordeal – which has stretched more than two years - they've both lost weight and, at just 37, Mark's hair has started to go gray.
Their troubles started after Mark fell off a ladder while he was working. He was a subcontractor for a cable company and didn't have medical insurance. The fall and subsequent medical problems have changed life. He now suffers from "RSD" which, by both Mark's accounts and what I've read in medical journals, appears to be incredibly painful – a nonstop nagging, burning, shooting pain.
They're living on a disability check and Brenda's income from a local church (where she is a cleaner). As everything has unfolded around them – they've realized that they just can't keep juggling and Brenda told me that she was planning to go to a nearby food pantry for the first time in her life. In the past she'd donated to pantries – now she knew that she needed to go herself.
We joined her on her walk to the pantry… and it was incredibly emotional. I've worked on fourteen stories for this "Other America" series but to experience the process of admitting you need help and the fear and worry that surrounds seeking that help – was hard to watch. That walk – and their story - unfolds in our Evening News piece.
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Press & Sun-Bulletin, July 12, 2008
A century of faith: Endicott's
first Catholic church
celebrates milestone today
By St. Ambrose Centennial Committee
One hundred years ago today, a crowd gathered at the corner of Washington Avenue and Broad Street in Endicott. A choir directed by Miss Nellie Ring sang "Vivat Pastor Bonus" to greet the first bishop of the Syracuse Diocese, the Most Rev. Patrick A. Ludden, as he used a ceremonial trowel to bless each side of the cornerstone of St. Ambrose Church – the first Catholic church built in Endicott.
The need for a new church followed the expansion of Broome County's industry westward, notably Endicott Johnson Shoe Company. St. James in Lestershire (later named Johnson City) was the closest church for those in Western Broome. The faithful had to take a trolley ride to get to services.
There was an influx of immigrants to the area. Irish settlers moved north from Pennsylvania. Italian, Slovak, Russian and Polish immigrants came directly to work in George F. Johnson's shoe factories. Rev. James F. Foy, pastor of St. James, noted this westward expansion and bought property on Park Street to be used for a future church.
By 1906, Endicott was incorporated as a village. That same year the Passionist Fathers of Scranton opened a mission in the former fire station on Washington Avenue. (This site was later turned into a series of banks, including Endicott Trust.) In the meantime, Rev. Ambrose M. Dwyer, Rev. Foy's successor, conducted Sunday School in the home of Mr. & Mrs. William Clemmons on Madison Avenue.
According to records, the interest of 25 Irish families (and probably families of other ethnic backgrounds, also) spurred the creation of a mission church from St. James in Endicott. The new parish was organized on June 16, 1907. As per custom, the pastor of the "mother" church was allowed to select the name of the mission parish. Fr. Dwyer selected his patron saint, St. Ambrose, who was the Bishop of Milan and a doctor of the church.
The next task, of course, was to build a church. Until that could be accomplished, Fr. Dwyer leased the former Van Horn storefront on North Street (now the location of the IBM school) as a site for Mass and Sunday School. Property had already been secured for a church building on Park Street, but someone else was interested in it – George F. Johnson – who wanted to build his home at the location.
Johnson offered property he owned in exchange for allowing him to purchase the Park Street lot. (Today this is the site of the George F. Johnson Memorial Library.) All parties agreed, and after the sale was made, he donated a plot 150 feet on Washington Avenue by 101.43 feet on Broad Street to St. Ambrose on February 10, 1908. The legal incorporation of St. Ambrose was recorded in the Broome County Courthouse on April 1, 1908.
On April 24, 1908, the trustees of the new corporation – Fr. Dwyer, Anthony J. Cawley and Ezra E. Mills – met with Bishop Ludden in Syracuse and received permission to proceed with building a permanent church. Preliminary plans were already prepared by architects Truman I. Lacey & Sons of Binghamton; the estimated cost was $25,000.
Lacey's architectural designs include the landmark Security Mutual, Kilmer and Press buildings in downtown Binghamton and many Tier Catholic churches including St. James; St. Mary of the Assumption, St. Patrick, St. John the Evangelist, St. Paul and Sts. Cyril & Methodius in Binghamton; St. Joseph and Our Lady of Good Counsel in Endicott; St. Ann in Afton and St. Paul in Hancock.
James O'Neil's firm in Binghamton was selected as contractor. The church was designed in the Gothic style and would be built of red pressed Bradford brick trimmed with Indiana limestone with a foundation of rough-faced cut bluestone. Its cornerstone was made of New Hampshire granite. This was a structure being built solidly, to serve many generations of the faithful.
After blessing the cornerstone on that day in July, Bishop Ludden, joined by Most. Rev. Thomas A. Hendrick (a native of Penn Yan who was the Bishop of Cebu, Philippines), then processed to a cross erected in the dirt at the location of the future altar. He blessed that area and then was joined by all the clergy (including Fr. Dwyer) as they sang the Litany of the Saints over the holy ground.
Construction of the new church began after that, but it wasn't until March 10 of the next year that permission was granted to begin saying Mass in the unfinished structure. The official dedication – attended by more than 2,000 people, according to a Binghamton Press report – was held June 20, 1909.
The earliest parish family names that could be identified include Bacon, Blouin, Brecker, Brown, Campbell, Carr, Cawley, Clemmons, Dean, Dobrovolsky, Downey, Dunlap, Dwyer, Ennis, Fosbury, French, Green, Hammersley, Hanley, Johnson, Kennedy, McGlone, Meeker, Mills, Murphy, Murray, Neville, Norton, Place, Smith, Spencer, Sullivan, Swift, Tormey, Tracy, Turney, Walters and Wood.
Over the next few years, beautification efforts continued. Stained glass windows of scenes from scripture made by Franz Mayer of Munich, Germany, were installed. George F. Johnson, whose wife Mary became a parishioner, donated two of the three large windows. Fr. Dwyer donated one of St. Peter receiving the keys to the kingdom. The parishioners of St. James donated one of Jesus visiting Mary and Martha.
Upper windows were designed by Henry Keck Stained Glass of Syracuse. Keck, a former apprentice to Lewis Comfort Tiffany, created symbolic windows of opalescent glass in the manner favored by the Arts & Crafts Movement. In the bell tower stood a lovely Meneely & Co. bell donated by Stefan and Rozalia Krna. It is engraved in Slovak, Latin and English and was donated in May 1910.
On Aug. 15, 1915, St. Ambrose Church reached a significant milestone. Thanks to an ever-increasing congregation and financial stability, it was granted status as an independent parish and was assigned its second pastor, Rev. John V. Byrne.
Endicott Johnson supplied most of the footwear for the U.S. Army and during World War I; production needs drew even more immigrant workers to Western Broome. Because so many Italian workers settled on the North Side, it was decided a new church was needed. Until St. Anthony's was built, Rev. Rocco Macchiaverna said Mass for its parishioners in the basement of St. Ambrose. A few years later, the scenario was repeated with Slovak workers who attended Mass said in the basement by Rev. Joseph J. Martincek until their new church, St. Joseph's, was built.
Soon it became evident that St. Ambrose Church was not large enough to hold its congregation. Under its third pastor, Rev. James P. McPeak, the church was expanded in 1923 to hold 800 people. This expansion changed the shape of the rectangular church. A beautiful pillared sanctuary was added, making the shape of the building in the form of a cross, with apse for a headpiece, the transepts for arms, and the nave for the longer sections. (For comparison, the former church ended where the altar begins in the current church.)
The choir loft was enlarged to accommodate the beautiful $15,000 Skinner organ presented to the church by Mr. & Mrs. George F. Johnson. More stained glass windows were added.
As the number of workers on "The Avenue" grew, thanks to the expansion of EJ and a new company – IBM – so did the staffing at the church to meet their spiritual needs. St. Ambrose added its first assistant pastor in 1925.
Under its fifth pastor, Msgr. Alexis Hopkins, St. Ambrose expanded its outreach in two notable ways. Msgr. Hopkins, whose business acumen was instrumental in securing funding for Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital before he came to St. Ambrose, helped establish three "daughter" parishes: Our Lady of Good Counsel in West Endicott; Our Lady of Sorrows in Vestal; and Christ the King in Endwell. He also built St. Ambrose School next to the church, to handle elementary and middle school grades, and farther down Broad Street, Seton Catholic High School.
Today, St. Ambrose continues the mission set forth a century ago that was guided carefully by its 12 pastors. As economic needs change, the parish has responded by serving as an outreach center for the needy, hungry and homeless. Its weekly soup kitchen serves 90 people on average. During the historic flooding of 2006, it served as the Western Broome Flood Relief Center.
During the rededication of the church after construction completed in 1923, Fr. Dwyer said "It seems but yesterday that a handful of the faithful worshipped in a humble store on North Street, a handful struggling in a newly formed village, whose future wonderful growth was hardly dreamed of by the most sublime and farseeing. Then your yearnings were translated into a beautiful temple which ambition, rather than the then existing conditions, warranted. Truly it is a memorable day for the Catholics of Endicott. Your children's children will glory in its history and rejoice in its story."
He was right.
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May 22-28, 2008: The Catholic Sun
Behind the Scenes: Altar Rosary Societies Serve Area Parishes
By Claudia Mathis/ SUN staff writer
Since the late nineteenth century, Altar Rosary Societies have been a vital part of parish life. In particular, three Altar Rosary Societies in the Syracuse Diocese have served their parishes well. Ss. Cyril and Methodius Church in Binghamton, St. Stephen's in Phoenix and St. Ambrose in Endicott have all given immeasurable support to their parishes through hosting spiritual and fund raising events, caring for the linens and vestments of the altar, reciting the rosary and praying for the needs of parishioners.
Julia Hudak, president of the Altar Rosary Society at Ss. Cyril and Methodius, said her group consists of 282 members and is comprised of women, men, young adults and their family members. Seven people have recently joined the group. Approximately 40 of the society members meet once a month on Sunday. "My goal is to keep the society going," said Hudak.
As president for the last nine years, Hudak said she has acquired many friends through the organization. "I've enjoyed every minute of it – it's very fulfilling," she said.
For the last 30 years, the society has made a quilt to be auctioned off at the annual craft fair at the church. The members also host a bake sale at which ethnic food is sold. The proceeds are given to the church.
A group of 15 society women have made rosary beads for the last seven years. They have made a total of 24,830 rosaries, which have been given out to parishioners and sent to overseas missions.
Hudak explained how the members of the society oversee the first communion and confirmation ceremonies, providing flowers for the girls and boutonnieres for the boys. "We also give the Communion children small gifts – a Guardian Angel cross, prayer and a Guardian Angel to carry in their pocket," said Hudak. "We also give rosary beads to the parents and children."
The society also sponsors a Day of Recollection every other year in March. The event, which is coordinated with other area churches, is very well received, said Hudak. The event includes a speaker and luncheon and usually draws at least 120 people.
On May 4 the society members took part in the May Crowning of the Blessed Mother, processing down the aisle before the Mass began. Society members also rehearsed with the first communion students the day before the Crowning. On the day of the ceremony, the Society dressed the boys in Knights of Columbus clothing and the girls in blue capes and flowered headbands.
The society has also initiated a memorial service for deceased members of the parish. The service is held every November and is growing by leaps and bounds.
"Every June," Hudak said, "a brunch is provided for our ladies to thank them for all their help. Our seven officers do the cooking. I have a wonderful group of ladies and I always thank them for what they do."
Reggie Yurko, president of the Altar Rosary Society at St. Ambrose in Endicott, said her experience in the society has been very rewarding. "It gives me great satisfaction to be able to take care of the linens and the vestments in the sanctuary and to meet and get to know the women of the parish," said Yurko. A member since 1968, Yurko has held the office of president for the last 12 years.
Yurko said that the society in her parish originally started with the women attending funeral viewings with the intent to pray. Now, the mission of the society is prayer, service and care of the altars. The group of 150 women meet four times a year. "We talk about peoples' needs and offer intentions," said Yurko.
The society at St. Ambrose is very involved in serving the parish as well as missions in Africa. They contribute the proceeds from their fall and spring bake sales to the parish's food pantry and to a convent in Nigeria where postulates are preparing to become religious. In addition, the society contributes to St. Kizito, a home for babies in Uganda and the Marianist Institute of Rural Artesans for Christian Life Education in Africa. The society recently hosted a gathering of Church Women United. They prepared the food for 66 women.
The society has also served its community by donating needed items to area nursing homes and those individuals confined to their homes. A group, started by officer Helen Stankiewicz, crochets and knits the much needed items.
Within the parish, the society hosts a communion breakfast, which is held the first week in June. Yurko said the breakfast has been very well attended.
In addition, in the first week of December, the group hosts a Christmas Tea for the women of the parish.
The Altar Rosary Society at St. Stephen's has been active in their parish for more than 50 years. President Sue Shatrau said that their mission is to provide and care for the altar, assist the pastor with any special work, pray for members who are ill or confined, pray the rosary at a member's wake to promote a greater devotion to Jesus and the Blessed Mother, and to support the parish by hosting spiritual and fund raising events throughout the year.
Their biggest fund raiser is the annual Strawberry Festival, which will be held June 27.
The society gathers the second Tuesday of each month to recite the rosary and to take care of business matters.
Shatrau said the group has established a Recognition Award for those high school seniors who continue to practice their faith at St. Stephen's since their confirmation. This year, they are donating three $200 awards to deserving seniors.
The society purchases gifts for the confirmation classes and first communion sets for the communion classes.
"I just love the fact that we're able to do that much for the church," said Shatrau. "It's been my pleasure to serve as the president of this organization for the past two years."
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