B’klyn Parish Kicks Off Papal Trip Celebration

By Linda Busetti

When St. Cecilia’s new pastor Father James Krische invited parishioners to offer suggestions for planning events at the Greenpoint parish, Edward J. Hawkins eagerly accepted.

With the approval of Father Krische, the lifelong parishioner set in motion plans for nine days of events at the church at 84 Herbert St., April 12-20, to celebrate Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to New York.
Hawkins, who is retired, explains that he loves St. Cecilia’s, the community and the Catholic Church. His close ties to St. Cecilia’s go back to infancy. On the day he was baptized, he and his family had to remain inside the church for eight hours waiting for a blizzard to end. As a boy, he attended the parish school before moving on to Bishop Loughlin M.H.S. around the time that Vatican II was convened.

Hawkins has attended every papal Mass in New York during his lifetime going back to Pope Paul VI’s visit and will be a guest at the papal Mass at Yankee Stadium on April 20.

He saw the pope’s visit as an opportunity to spread “good will” throughout the Greenpoint-Williamsburg neighborhood.

Papal flags flank the main doorways of St. Cecilia’s letting people in the neighborhood know that something special is happening. Inside the church, more yellow and white papal flags are hung from the columns running from the front to rear of the church.

Part of the project was the printing of more than 2,500 gold, black and white placards exclaiming “St. Cecilia’s Catholic Church Celebrates the Visit of Pope Benedict XVI” under a photo of the pope. One such poster can be seen in a second floor window across from the church and others are displayed in neighboring homes.

Linda Busetti Photo 

?PENNIES FOR THE POPE were donated by, from left, Perry Cuffey, Jonathan Adedeji, Michael Tuffey, Eric Lochnicki, Gabriela Cirillo, Morgan Gifford, Nicole Orbegoso and Tiffany Velastegui of St. Cecilia School, Greenpoint.

The more than 300 children in St. Cecilia’s School are being included in the celebrations in a special way.

Student Michael Tuffey explained that at First Friday Mass, Father Krische told the children about the role they will play. They have been invited to perform “random acts of kindness” and to collect Pennies for the Pope, which will be forwarded to the Vatican to benefit a charity of the pontiff’s choice. Holding one of the large plastic bottles, which are filling with coins, Perry Cuffey said he is sure the pope will give the money to “poor people.”

Student Eric Lochnicki said he hopes to see the pope as he drives by the church. The opportunity may only present itself on television, but still Morgan Gifford, Gabriela Cirillo and Nicole Orbegoso seem genuinely excited about Pope Benedict’s visit.

Jonathan Adedeji and Tiffany Velastegui will join their classmates at a rally and prayer service on Friday morning, April 18, at the school just as the pope’s flight will be landing at JFK Airport. During the rally, the students will hand in pledge cards with prayer intentions and lists of good works they have done for the intention of the pope. These will all be sent to the Vatican.
Father Krische is “excited about this opportunity for our school students to share in the good work of the Holy Father and this history-making visit by their performance of good works in his name.”

The entire parish and community are invited to participate in the nine days of events. Helping Hawkins to pull together the celebration in such a short time were Rosalie Washack, Frances Murano, Beverly Riccio, Jean and Louis Galeno, and Eddy Toribio.

The celebration begins on Saturday, April 12, at 3 p.m. with the opening of a multimedia exhibit on the life of the pope in the church foyer. Through the kindness of Una Voce, a group that promotes the celebration of the Tridentine Mass, Hawkins has accumulated more than 100 photos of the pope for the display. A special prayer service will be part of a 5 p.m. Vigil Mass. The exhibit will continue before and after Mass on April 13, 19 and 20.

Local businesses got behind the celebration. Louis Rovegno of the James Romanelli Funeral Home and an alumnus of St. Cecilia School generously covered the costs of the papal exhibit as a memorial to his father, Howard Rovegno. Pauline Books and Media also added their support. Another local donor was George’s Meat Market on Kingsland Ave. in Greenpoint. Evergreen Funeral Home, Thomas Pepe, Esq. and Anna DeLuccio also helped to defray the costs.

At an outdoor 5 p.m. prayer service Sunday, April 13, a new eight-feet by four-feet banner proclaiming “St. Cecilia’s Church Celebrates the Visit of Pope Benedict XVI” will be raised up along the side of St. Cecilia’s bell tower. People should be able to see it as they drive along the BQE and spot St. Cecilia’s familiar steeple.

During the week, prayer services for the intention of the success of Pope Benedict’s visit will be held following 8:30 a.m. Mass on Monday through Friday, April 14-18. Solemn Eucharistic Adoration will be held in the church from 9 a.m. - noon on Friday, April 18.

On Saturday, April 19, a papal blessing, which Hawkins requested for the parish, will be presented during the 5 p.m. Vigil Mass.

Hawkins has some other surprises for the parish including a floral copy of a papal triple crown (the tiara), a life-size image of the pope and the installation of a formal papal photo in the church vestibule following 10 a.m. Mass on Sunday, April 20.

A closing prayer service of thanksgiving for the pope’s visit will be held at 6 p.m. Mass.

For more information, contact Father James Krische at 718-389-0010 or E.J. Hawkins at 718-512-8577.