The Tablet . Youth | Diocese of Brooklyn

Young people in Flushing know there’s only one place to go on Friday nights — Care and Share at St. Kevin’s.

For those not in the know, Care and Share is a youth ministry program run entirely by parent-volunteers for around 150 kindergartners through eighth- graders in Northern Queens. Every Friday night from mid-October through the end of March, children from the parish school and religious education program, as well as local parochial and public schools, meet to learn more about their faith while having fun and spending time with friends.

Care and Share is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary with a Mass and Gala Dinner Dance for past and present members on April 5. “Pay It Forward” was selected as the anniversary theme to highlight the ministry’s mission of teaching children to practice their faith.

But anyone familiar with the volunteers who’ve organized and faciliated the program over the past two decades knows that that mission has been reinforced every week in word and deed by women and men who have no expectation of receiving anything in return.

Started and led for many years by parent Rita Rizzi, Care and Share is now directed by Isabella Iocco and Lina Balestri, a team that lives up to the program’s appellation — caring for each child, all of whom they know by name, and continually sharing of themselves.

That spirit is part of their nature as both women of faith and mothers. Now, they’re not only giving back for all their children received from the program but also setting an example of Christian service for youngsters and adults alike.

“I do it because I know the children have a safe place to go and enjoy themselves,” said Iocco, a fifth-grade teacher at P.S. 11 in Woodside.

Besides directing the program, Iocco and Balestri, a school crossing guard at St. Kevin’s, oversee activities for the younger grades. Their partners in ministry, Lilliana Bruschi and Patricia Bommarito, lead the junior high program for seventh- and eighth-graders.

On Fridays, youngsters meet at 7:30 p.m. with their age groups for a half-hour scripture lesson in classrooms. On a recent evening, seventh- and eighth-graders had a special guest speaker, Father Michael Greco, O.F.M. Cap., who talked about the “Pay It Forward” theme.

Lessons are followed by snacks served up by volunteers Rita Masci, Maria Costanzo and Meryl Cunningham.

Arts and crafts, game nights, cooking nights, and sports nights fill the remainder of the schedule for the younger set who stay until around 9 p.m. Junior high has taken trips to see movies, go ice skating, play billiards or laser tag until about 10 p.m.

For children, this means participation in charitable activities to benefit the local and global community, including assembling Thanksgiving food baskets and buying Christmas presents for local families; preparing beds and meals for homeless men in the parish shelter; writing letters to soldiers serving overseas; sending toiletries to Women Helping Women; and perhaps the most fun fundraiser, a Dance-A-Thon to benefit Ronald McDonald House.

And parents, who contribute a nominal fee to register students, also donate their time at two meetings during the year.

Lay leadership and parental involvement are the ministry’s lifeblood, noted Msgr. Joseph Finnerty, St. Kevin’s pastor.

“I rejoice and praise God for the dedicated people helping to provide our youth with a sense of parish and community,” he said.

He noted that the program is financially self-sustaining, due to dedicated volunteers and former program members, like DJ Adam Lombardi, who donate their services.

“People here have a vision and a sense of the future. They know these kids will be the future Church, the future parish, the future community,” he said.

Future leaders are already surfacing among high schoolers from St. Francis Prep, Fresh Meadows; Archbishop Molloy, Briarwood; St. Agnes Academic, College Point; and St. Mary’s, Manhasset, who volunteer their time to the ministry.

One volunteer is Iocco’s daughter Daniela. She and friends Brittany Baldwin and Michelle Mazzarello, all juniors at St. Francis Prep, attended St. Kevin’s and Care and Share together.

“When we started in kindergarten, my mom volunteered to lead our class until we were 14. This was something we always did and loved. They (Care and Share volunteers) did so much for us and now we’re here to give back and help them,” said Michelle.

Brittany appreciates the family atmosphere, the comfort of being someplace where “everyone knows each other. Friendships made here last forever.”

Sitting between her pals, Daniela agrees, “My best memories from childhood were here. We couldn’t go out by ourselves so we came and made our memories here.”

Buddies Melissa Miranda, an eighth- grader from M.S. 216, and Briana Maguire, seventh-grader at St. Luke’s, Whitestone, are following in the high schoolers’ footsteps. They’re having fun, doing projects to help others and making friends, like St. Kevin’s eighth-grader Brandon Roldan.

Alleluia! You have risen to the challenges presented each of the last few weeks and prepared yourself for this Sunday when we celebrate the Church’s greatest feast — Christ’s resurrection, His triumph over sin and death so we may all share in eternal life. Each day between Easter and Pentecost, incorporate the following prayer into your conversations with Jesus. Perhaps it will become a permanent part of your prayer life. Alleluia!

Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal

Imagine you’re one of the townspeople watching Christ carry His Cross to Calvary and He falls before your feet. What would you do?

Amanda Baudreau
Stella Maris H.S.
Junior

I would lend Jesus a hand. I would speak to Him and let Him know that I am there for Him.

Andrea Salaman
Stella Maris H.S.
Junior

Even though I’m not a strong person, I’d try to help Him carry His cross. I’d ask Him what I could do to help others follow Him. I wouldn’t stop Him from dying because it’s what God wanted.

Stefanie Ficalora
Bishop Kearney H.S.
Freshman

I would help Jesus. I would encourage Him to be strong and promise to spread His Word.

Patricia Johnson
Bishop Kearney H.S.
Sophomore

I would be very upset to see Him. My instinct would be to help Him and try to get Him some water.

Tara Iannotti
Stella Maris H.S.
Senior

I would tell Jesus that even though many people don’t believe He is the Son of God, I do. I hope my words would give Him courage to go on.