March 2016 to present

Noreen Cordaro creates one of her First Communion silhouettes at St. Ann's School
 

May 10 -- As sure as daffodils and tulips are signs of spring, we know that First Holy Communion Day can’t be far away when the lovely, white silhouette-portraits of the children of St. Ann’s who will receive the sacrament begin to appear at the back of the church.
 
This tradition was started about 10 years ago by Noreen Cordaro, of South Nyack, the creator of the portraits and a lifelong parishioner of St. Ann’s.

Every year, Noreen visits the First Communion class to begin work. Each child is seated before a strong light in front of a large sheet of paper taped onto the wall. They sit quietly looking straight ahead as Noreen traces the shadow of their profile.
 
Some of the kids are a little squirmy, so Noreen has to work fast. But when the drawing is cut out and the kids see the finished art, 99 percent of them say the silhouette looks just like them.
 
Although the silhouettes become treasured mementoes of a very special day, their real purpose is a spiritual one, according to Noreen, who has taught religion at St. Ann’s for 15 years. It’s to help the children “connect their faith to the world.”
 

What’s more important to a second-grader than learning about who they are? And if God has called each of us by name, our given name is a very important part of our story. So each child is tasked with learning about their name, what it means and why their parents chose it. On each portrait you’ll see a little handwritten essay composed by the child explaining what they found out.

Many children learn they were named after a beloved relative or a saint, and over the years a few have even reported how, before they were born, their mother had a vision in which their name was revealed – just like in the Bible.
 
Noreen started creating children’s silhouettes many years ago as a religion class project to teach her students about the saints whose names  they carried – a special way to celebrate All Hallows Eve (Halloween).

Now these angelic portraits are part of First Communion at St. Ann’s. Parishioners look forward to seeing them each year. Parents love these special gifts, and they beg Noreen and Julie Lepore, the religious ed coordinator, to keep it up. “Please, don’t stop doing it,” they say.

Brandon Watson (standing, center, white shirt) with some of the members of the St. Paul's and St. Ann's Youth Group, who organized the Baskets 4 Brandon tournament.
 

We’ve got spirit!
We’ve got pride!
We’ve got Brandon
On our side!! 

April 30 -- Who are these kids?

It was in mid-January that a small group of students first started to meet to form the St. Paul’s-St. Ann’s Youth Group.
 
But only three months later, their number had grown to 20, and this energetic bunch of teens – 8^th grade through high school – was pulling off its first, full-scale benefit, a two-day basketball tournament called “Baskets 4 Brandon” to help with the medical expenses for one of their classmates.

“It was the kids’ own idea,” said Hernan Caceres, the adult moderator of the group. “It was their way of putting faith into action.”

(Photo left -- Brandon with his parents, Chris and Kim Watson)

Brandon Watson, a 7th grader at Felix Festa Middle School in West Nyack, suffers from a debilitating lung and GI disorder. To show their support for him and to help the family with medical bills, the youth group organized a 3-on-3 basketball tournament.

Players from 6th through 12th grade were invited to the St. Paul School gym in Valley Cottage, where the games were played over the weekend of April 30/May 1. A donation of $10 per player was requested, which came with a free hot dog, ice cream, plus a tournament T-shirt.
 
The shirts and refreshments were donated by the Knights of Columbus Pope John XXIII Council 7104 in Congers.

Commenting on the big turnout of kids and adults at the Saturday evening session, Brandon’s mom, Kim Watson, said, “We are thrilled. Just to see all the community support – be it a donation or a hug -- and everyone here. This will have a lasting effect on Brandon. And he’ll have a lasting effect on them.  When Brandon is in remission, we’ll find a way to pay it forward. This is so huge for us!  We’ll never forget it!”
 

For more photos of the Baskets 4 Brandon tournament, click here. Double-click on a photo to enlarge it and then use the arrows to scroll through the resulting slide show.
 

Madeline Clark helps her mom, Bridget, and grandmother, Janet Fenton, set the supports
for the remay "tents" at the Garden of Faith.

April 25 -- The first seeds were started indoors in plastic milk jugs in January. And now the tiny sprouts of red leaf lettuce and kale have been transplanted into the beds. The first crop should be ready for harvest in June.

For the past six years, the volunteers of St. Ann's Garden of Faith have raised over 10,000 pounds of fresh produce, which is distributed free of charge to the needy of the community. The parish garden is on the grounds of the Marydell Faith and Life Center on Midland Avenue in Upper Nyack, a beautiful site overlooking the Hudson River at the foot of Hook Mountain.

The garden consists of 15 raised beds in a 42' by 42' plot, protected by fencing to keep out the deer and undergirded with wire mesh to discourage the groundhogs and other burrowing varmints.

Despite the cool weather the garden has been turned over and weeded, and last Saturday volunteers were busy laying the drip hoses that are part of the irrigation system that delivers water directly to the plants' roots, placing the remay sheets to protect the young seedlings, and raking wood chips (8 cubic yards, donated by Robert Helmke of Hudson Valley Landscape and Tree Service) over the walkways between the beds. Over time the chips break down and can be used as mulch.

There will be much work to be done as the gowing season progresses. If you're a gardener or would like to be one, a family looking for a worthwhile activity to do together, a student needing community service hours, or someone just wanting to spend time outdoors in one of the loveliest settings in Rockland, this important ministry may be for you. No experience necessary.

For more information or to volunteer, please contact Denise Oswald at 845-359-5714 of [email protected].

For more photos of ongoing work at the Garden of Faith, click here. Click on a photo to enlarge it and then scroll through the slide show.

Deacon Luke Conroy (arrow) leading an Oak Hill Cemetery Walking Tour group in October 2014.
Photo below by Bill Batson.

April 18 -- On May 1, our own Deacon Luke Conroy will conduct another of his famous Sunday afternoon walking tours of Oak Hill Cemetery in Nyack. Deacon Luke was caretaker of the cemetery from 1989 to 2003.
 
Anyone who has ever joined Deacon Luke on this tour will agree that it’s a not-to-be-missed experience. As he leads you along the cemetery paths, you'll see beautiful views of the Hudson River while you listen to the deacon's stories about the history of Nyack and the famous and not-so-famous but still fascinating people buried at Oak Hill.
 
And if you like what Deacon Luke has to say in his homilies, you’ll have a chance to see him in action in another setting as he connects – in his own unique way – with people of all faiths and backgrounds, explaining how cemeteries and funeral customs help us move from grief to healing.
 
For a great article about Deacon Luke, see this week’s edition of Bill Batson’s Nyack Sketch Log, which appears every Tuesday on NyackNewsandViews.com
 
The tour begins at 2 p.m. on Sunday,  May 1, at the main entrance to the cemetery across from Nyack Hospital. The tour is sponsored by the Historical Society of the Nyacks, and there is a fee of $5 per person.  

Parishioner Matt Michaluk donates blood at the drive hosted by St. Ann's Church

April 10 -- Since 2003, George Berry has been organizing blood drives at St. Ann’s Church. During those 13 years, he estimates that donors have given some 1,300 pints of blood to save the lives and meet the transfusion needs of cancer and surgery patients, accident and burn victims, newborns, and many more.

St. Ann's hosts blood drives twice a year in the school cafeteria with the New York Blood Center, based in Elmsford, providing equipment, supplies, and professional staff. The day of the drive begins at 6 a.m. for George, and the setup alone takes about two hours. Then the doors open at 8 a.m. and the drive continues through 2 p.m.

By late morning the cafeteria is bustling with people signing in, giving blood, and having refreshments after the donation.

The key to a successful drive is recruiting local donors. So in the weeks before a drive George mounts a campaign of phone calls, emails, and posters to promote it. For a single drive, he may make as many as 300 phone calls, but it pays off. Around 50 people come each time, and many of them become regulars.

“George does a wonderful job,” said parishioner Catherine Stokes. “He puts in a lot of hours.”

“Giving blood is a great thing you can do for people,” says George. And it’s even good for you when you donate because your body has to replenish its blood supply afterwards, he adds.

George modestly refers to his work with the blood drive as a “hobby.” Hobbies are something we do for our own enjoyment basically, and – it’s true -- you can tell George enjoys what he does.

But there’s so much more to it than that. He’s an integral part of a mission to saves lives. And he makes it possible for the rest of us to help save lives too, with the simple gift of a pint of blood. The next St. Ann’s Blood Drive will be held on Sept. 11. Please come be part of it!

March 29, 2016 -- The church at Easter teems with signs of Jesus’ resurrection and the new life He won for us – the Pascal Candle, the lilies, pink and purple hydrangea and yellow daffodils, the gleaming crucifix above the tabernacle and the golden banners proclaiming Alleluia.
 
And there’s one more. Come up the sanctuary next Sunday and take a closer look at the front of the altar.
 
You’ll see a lamb holding a cross with a banner and reclining on a book, from which are suspended seven round objects that seem to be hanging from ribbons.
 
The lamb, of course, is the Agnus Dei, the Lamb of God, the ancient symbol of Christ and His sacrifice. But here He holds a banner of triumph, His Easter victory over sin and death.
 
And the book and the round things? These are from the Book of Revelation, which speaks of a scroll bound by seven seals. And only Christ, who appears as a Lamb, can break open the seals and so accomplish the divine plan of salvation.

Worthy are you to receive the scroll
and to break open its seals,
for you were slain and with your blood you purchased for God
those from every tribe and tongue, people and nation.
You made them a kingdom and priests for our God,
and they will reign on earth.

 (Rev 5:9-10)

For more images of the triumphant Agnus Dei, click here.

And for more photos of our beautiful church during the past week and those who helped to decorate it, click here.

March 18, 2016 -- About 40 volunteers reported to the school cafeteria Friday afternoon to prepare 170 Easter "baskets” for residents of the Nyacks who are served by the St. Ann’s Food Cupboard program.

The Food Cupboard distributes emergency food to individuals and families, helping to fill the gap when monthly incomes are unable to meet all expenses.

On Saturday morning, recipients picked up their baskets, which contained all the makings for an Easter dinner, and a frozen turkey. They also took home a additional bag filled with staples like peanut butter, tea, soup, macaroni and cheese, and fresh fruit. Volunteers delivered baskets to the homes to local seniors.

Each Easter basket was topped off with a bag of candy with an Easter chocolate bar, jelly beans, and other treats provided by Betty Ruiz, the “Candy Lady.”

Jane Barch, the president of St. Ann’s Food Cupboard, and Joanne Gunther, treasurer, supervised the crew of volunteers, which included students from area high schools. Many hands make light work – and the entire project, from setup to completion, took about 2 ½ hours.

“It’s do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” said Betty Ruiz. "That’s what it’s all about."

For more photos, click here. Click on a photo to enlarge it, and then use the arrow to scroll through the slide show. Photos by Liz O’Brien

March 13, 2016 -- On every second Sunday of the month, the 11:30 mass is a Children’s Mass with songs led by the Children’s Choir, youth serving as lectors, and, this time, a special children’s homily by Deacon Jerry Fenton.

His lesson was the morning’s gospel – the woman caught in adultery. No, he never even used the word.

But Deacon Jerry – a seasoned father and grandfather – had no problem breaking down the themes of accusation, condemnation, and hypocrisy into terms his rapt young audience could understand: tattling and bullying.

The kids paid close attention and eagerly waved their hands to answer the deacon's questions -- even the rhetorical ones. And in the end they agreed that since we’re all sinners, the best thing to do when someone gives you a hard time is to be like Jesus – listen and forgive.

March 13, 2016 -- This coming Sunday is Palm Sunday, the commemoration of the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem, a few days before his Passion and death. The distribution of palms at mass and the placing of palm crosses on the graves of loved ones are part of the solemn celebration of this day.

Here students from St. Paul's School in Valley Cottage held a school fundraiser after the masses at St. Ann's, providing palm crosses.

The masses for Palm Sunday at St. Ann's Church are 5:30 PM (Saturday, March 19) and 9 and 11:30 AM (Sunday, March 20). For a full schedule of Holy Week and Easter Vigil Services, click here.