The Finest Put Their Faith On Parade At Annual Holy Name Mass

Deputy Chief of Chaplains Is Named a Monsignor

BY Linda Busetti

Linda Busetti Photos

THE NYPD HOLY NAME SOCIETY of Brooklyn and Queens came together for its annual Mass and Communion Breakfast on a beautiful March morning last Sunday. Clockwise, from above, police officers pray during Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes, Queens Village; Msgr. Robert Romano addresses the gathering at AntunÕs catering hall; Emerald Society bagpipers begin the march down Springfield Blvd.; Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio and Bishop Ignatius Catanello march behind NYPD banner with other dignataries; Bishop DiMarzio, Deputy Commissioner George Grasso, and Msgr. Romano present Cops of the Year awards; and Courtney Kane joins her father, Sgt. Ed Kane, in the long blue line of march.

The New York City Police Department Brooklyn and Queens Holy Name Society celebrated the news that Father Robert Romano, their spiritual director, has been raised to monsignor when Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio made the announcement at its 87th Annual Mass and Communion Breakfast Sunday, March 11.

More than a thousand members of the Holy Name Society gathered for Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Queens Village, which Bishop DiMarzio concelebrated with Auxiliary Bishop Ignatius Catanello; Msgr. Romano, Deputy Chief of Chaplains; Msgr. David Cassato, NYPD chaplain; Msgr. Joseph Zamit, NYPD Manhattan Holy Name chaplain; and Msgr. Robert Pawson, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes.

In his homily, Bishop DiMarzio spoke of “moral evil” and “physical evil” in the world and the need for repentance. “As police officers you are on the front lines of seeing physical and moral evil. You also see the good people who risk their lives.

“Although we cannot make things perfect, we can make a difference. You make a difference each day.”

It was at the Mass that Bishop DiMarzio announced Father Romano had been named by Pope Benedict XVI as a new monsignor.

The uniformed congregation filed out of church with officers pulling on their white gloves and assembling behind a wide blue New York City Police Department banner. Bishop DiMarzio, Bishop Catanello, State Senator Martin Golden, Sgt. Edward Conroy, president of the Holy Name Society, and Colonel John B. O’Dowd, Man of the Year honoree, fell in behind the banner for the march down Springfield Blvd. to Antun’s catering hall.

NYPD Sgt. Jack Rossiter was among the flag bearers leading the parade. A steady breeze unfurled the flags and carried the sound of NYPD Emerald Society band bagpipes.

In a bright red coat, Courtney Kane and her brother Ryan joined their dad, Sgt. Ed Kane, in the long blue line. Little Vincent Manco ran to meet his father, Detective Vincent Manco, as the march arrived at Antun’s.

Members searched out old friends in the packed banquet room. Ryan Corleto wore the hat of his father Sgt. Timothy Corleto, who was congratulated by friends for being one of the “Cops of the Year” to be honored after breakfast.

Msgr. Romano, in NYPD chaplain’s uniform, was enjoying the day and thanked the bishop for his support of the NYPD.

First Deputy Commissioner George A. Grasso mentioned The Tablet cover photo of then-Father Romano (Feb. 24) with Pope Benedict. He said that when the NYPD contingent entered St. Peter’s Square there was spontaneous applause. Grasso said the uniform of the NYPD represents “decency, courage and integrity” and is “respected by all.”

Bishop DiMarzio thanked the NYPD Holy Name Society. “To an outsider,” he said, “to see all of you together is truly impressive…. You bring your Catholic faith into what you do.”

Colonel O’Dowd, Chief of Staff, U.S. Military Committee, U.S. Mission to the United States, was visibly moved to be honored as 2007 Man of the Year. Col. O’Dowd served in Afghanistan as staff engineer for the Combined Forces Command and previously was commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New York District at the time of the 9/11 attacks on America.

“You don’t know how important you are,” O’Dowd said to the police officers. “You are rare around the world. In many countries, police do the opposite of what you do.”
Bishop DiMarzio and Msgr. Romano presented awards to the Holy Name’s 2007 scholarship winners, Stephen Birbiglia, Michael Dobranski, Daniel Heffernan, Dylan McCarthy and Patrick Harrison.

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