Bishops Visit During Catholic Schools Week

By Linda Busetti

Linda Busetti Photos 

SHARING THEIR LIGHT: Students from St. Rose of Lima School, Rockaway Beach, above, sang for Bishop Ignatius Catanello, when he visited their school on Monday, Jan. 28, of Catholic Schools Week. The week’s theme was Catholic Schools Light the Way. Earlier Bishop Catanello, below, enjoyed the singing of children at St. Camillus School, Rockaway Park, along with Patricia O’Connor, associate superintendent in the office of Catholic Schools Support Services, and Father Richard Ahlemeyer, pastor of St. Camillus.

Auxiliary Bishop Ignatius A. Catanello went down to the ocean and visited four schools in the Rockaways on Monday, Jan. 28 to celebrate Catholic Schools Week (Jan. 27-Feb. 2).

The theme for this year was “Catholic Schools Light the Way.”

It was a day full of surprises.

The morning began at Beach 129th St. with a visit to St. Francis de Sales School, Belle Harbor. Then the bishop traveled to St. Camillus, on Beach 99th St. in Rockaway Park followed by a short drive to St. Rose of Lima on Beach 84th St. After a lunch at St. Rose, he headed further east to St. Mary Star of the Sea, Far Rockaway.

Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio and the other auxiliary bishops also planned to visit schools in other neighborhoods of the diocese.

Father Richard Ahlemeyer, pastor of St. Camillus, waited for Bishop Catanello in the school gym along with the fifth-graders, quizzing them on their times tables. The front door bell rang and all the students sat up at attention for the special guest’s arrival.

Sister Agnes White, C.S.J., principal, welcomed the bishop to the assembly at St. Camillus. Bishop Catanello was treated to performances by various grades holding paper candles they had made. Interspersed were selections such as “the Bells of St. Mary’s” by the venerable St. Camillus school band, which was formed 57 years ago by the late Msgr. William Burke.

Eighth-grader Shannon Minihane announced that the students had a special gift for the bishop – a large jar of sand and shells lovingly collected on the beach just two blocks from the school. Together, second-graders Joseph Dawo and Victoria Recco carefully carried the heavy glass jar and presented it to the bishop.

“Keep this as a family,” Bishop Catanello advised the children about their classmates. He said that he is still close with his eighth-grade friends from Most Holy Trinity School, Williamsburg. They attend the special events in each other’s lives – their weddings, his ordination. The bishop hoped the same would be true for the children at St. Camillus. “Consider yourself family,” he said.

Then the bishop traveled 15 blocks east to St. Rose of Lima School, Rockaway Beach, where Theresa Andersen is principal. Students had a full assembly program planned. One class sang, “Meet the Mets,” in honor of the bishop’s favorite team. They then surprised him with a little stuffed Mets mascot bear.

The eighth grade sang the Ramones’ song, “Rockaway Beach.” Another class sang, “We Are One” in front of a banner decorated with a lighthouse and the words, “Welcome Bishop Catanello, St. Rose of Lima Lights the Way for Us.”

The fourth grade presented a film about Christ in their lives, which they had filmed on the beach.

The students had more gifts for Bishop Catanello – a St. Rose of Lima fleece jacket and a spiritual bouquet. Kindergarteners then filled the stage to sing the St. Rose of Lima school song.

Principal Andersen then told the students that perhaps some of them would be called to a religious vocation someday, while others might be called to the married life. She said that someone who was called to the married life was there today to share a special moment.

ALIGHT with joy were students from St. Camillus School, left, who sang for Bishop Catanello during his Catholic Schools Week visit. As the bishop left St. Camillus, right, he thanked the school’s teachers.

With that, in walked Angelo Abbate, who has been dating first-grade teacher Iuvina Amato for two years. The young man walked briskly across the front of the gym and knelt on one knee in front of Miss Amato to propose marriage. She stood, clearly stunned by this development, as he pulled out a box and placed a diamond ring on her finger. All of her first-graders watched with wide eyes.

Bishop Catanello blessed the couple. They stood before him at the front of the gym and he blessed them and then placed his hands on their heads and prayed for them.

First grade would have something to tell their moms when asked what had happened at school that day.

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