History of Holy Name of Mary Parish in Valley Stream, NY

History of
HOLY NAME OF MARY PARISH
Valley Stream, N.Y.

Click any blue underlined item, to view that portion of the history.

1970

1980

1990

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— CHAPTER NINE —
1970 - A TIME OF CHANGE

In late 1969 and early 1970, the ceremonies of the Eucharistic celebration were altered to include:

Presentation of the gifts at the Offertory
The sign of peace
Initiation of the laity as lectors; the men in 1970, the women two years later

In the spring of 1970, a Saturday evening Mass was inaugurated to fulfill the Sunday obligation. When Pope Pius XII authorized an evening Mass in 1953, it was concurrent with a change in the Eucharistic fast.

Prior to 1953 the Eucharistic fast was not to eat or drink anything (including water) from midnight the night before receiving Holy Communion.

For Midnight Mass, the Eucharistic fast was for the previous six hours.

On January 6, 1953, Pope Pius XII issued the Apostolic Constitution “Christus Dominus” which included the following:

Natural water does not break the Eucharistic fast.
Authorization to celebrate afternoon Mass on certain occasions
The Eucharistic fast for these afternoon Masses was a three hour fast from food and one hour fast from non-alcoholic beverages.

On March 19, 1957, effective March 25, 1957, in Sacram Communionem, Motu Proprio, Pope Pius XII extended the “Christus Dominus” as follows:

Afternoon Mass may be celebrated every day.
Eucharistic fast was extended to all Masses.

On November 21, 1964, the day of the close of the third session of the Second Vatican Council, Pope Paul VI changed the fast to one hour for food and drink. This is presently reflected in Canon Law 919.1, “Whoever is to receive the Blessed Eucharist is to abstain for at least one hour before Holy Communion from all food and drink, with the sole exception of water and medicine.”

In the early months of 1970, Monsignor McGowan became seriously ill, and no longer had the strength to fulfill the duties of his office.

On April 15, 1970, Reverend Henry J. Phillips was appointed to be our parish Administrator, replacing Father George J. Hein who was transferred.

There were other changes in personnel during 1970.

On June 24 newly ordained Reverend Thomas P. Maloney replaced Father William J. Conlon.

On October 15 Reverend Richard P. Dina replaced Father John P. Henry in residence. Father Dina remained for two years.

Mr. Anthony Zizzamia joined our parish in 1970. He had been a member of St. Francis Xavier parish in Park Slope, Brooklyn, where he had led their folk group. Shortly after his arrival he became our Folk Group's Music Director, replacing Father Lane, the group's founder. He continues as the Group's Director in the Centennial Year of 2002.

One of the first tasks of the newly formed Parish Council began at the Council meeting in September 1970, when Father Phillips revealed that the parish was operating with a monthly deficit of approximately two thousand dollars.

In April 1971 on the recommendation of the Finance Committee with the approval of the Parish Council, a stewardship drive was conducted to increase the weekly contributions of as many parishioners as possible. Six hundred people responded to the call for workers in the campaign, and through their effort the deficit was eliminated.

In 1971 the Liturgy Committee introduced several changes that affected the entire parish.

Sunday Mass schedule was revised to allow more time between Masses and alleviate traffic congestion.
A second Saturday evening Mass was added.
A weekday Monday evening Mass at 7:30 P.M. was added. This Mass was continued for more than fifteen years.
The Sunday celebration now began with a procession of priest, lector and servers from the rear of the church.
The celebrant began to give the sign of peace outside the sanctuary to a portion of the congregation.
The faithful received Holy Communion in a standing position.
At all the weekday Masses the worshipping community was afforded the opportunity of receiving the Eucharist under both species.
In September 1971 the sacrament of Baptism was conferred for the first time within the context of a Mass.

The number of Confraternity of Christian Doctrine students had grown to about fourteen hundred. Approximately one hundred fifty instructors taught religious education to children from pre-school through high school. Mr. Peter Barnett was appointed as Parish Coordinator for Religious Education. Sister Barbara Anne Shea O.P. succeeded him in September of 1974.

On September 22, 1971, newly ordained Reverend John F. Bennett was appointed to Holy Name of Mary and Father Thomas Maloney was transferred.

Reverend John F. Bennett

On December 20, 1971, Monsignor McGowan was called to his eternal reward. Bishop Walter P. Kellenberg was the principal celebrant at the funeral Mass. Interment followed in Holy Cross Cemetery.

The following month, on January 19, 1972, Bishop Walter P. Kellenberg announced the appointment of Father Phillips as Pastor of Holy Name of Mary.

Reverend Henry J. Phillips

Father Henry Phillips was born in Manhattan on October 20, 1924. He was educated at St. Gerard Majella Elementary School, Hollis, Queens and attended Cathedral High School and College in Brooklyn. He studied theology at Immaculate Conception Seminary in Huntington, and he was ordained from there on June 3, 1950, by Bishop Thomas E. Molloy.

Following his ordination, he became assistant pastor of Most Holy Trinity parish in East Hampton, and remained there until 1955. From 1955 to 1962 he was assigned to the parish of Our Holy Redeemer in Freeport.

In 1962 Father Phillips was named Associate Diocesan Director of The Society for the Propagation of the Faith, and in the following year, its Diocesan Director. He remained in that post until April 15, 1970, when he was appointed to be the Administrator at Holy Name of Mary Parish.

The son of a New York City policeman, Father Phillips had served as chaplain of the Nassau County Police Department since 1970.

In 1971 he was named a delegate to the St. Agnes Deanery and served as Diocesan Director of the Holy Childhood Association.

Two priests were transferred to Holy Name of Mary Parish to work with Father Phillips. Reverend John Chao replaced Father Robert Lane on June 21, 1972, and remained for two years. Reverend Alfred J. Rodgers arrived on June 20, 1973 and remained until April 12, 1978.

In 1972 there was a dinner dance to celebrate the seventieth anniversary of the parish. It was held at the Valley Stream Park Inn. The dinner dance was so successful that it was repeated on February 1, 1974, and referred to as the “20th Annual Dinner Dance.” This also was held at the Valley Stream Park Inn.

The Vietnam War ended on April 30, 1975. American casualties were more than fifty thousand killed. Among those who made the supreme sacrifice for their country from our parish was:

Herbert Dilger

While Father Phillips served at Holy Name of Mary

He authorized a kindergarten to be added to the school.
He contracted for a new church organ, which was installed in October of 1976.
He authorized the establishment of the Monsignor McGowan Memorial Association Fund to be used for acts of charity in Valley Stream.
He provided steady leadership as the changes of Vatican Council II were instituted.

Bishop Walter P. Kellenberg, the founding bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, retired May 3, 1976, one month short of his seventy-fifth birthday.

On Sunday, June 6, 1976, news of a deadly car accident shocked the community of Holy Name of Mary Parish. Father Phillips' life had been taken in a car crash near Point Lookout.

On June 10 Bishop Walter P. Kellenberg presided at a concelebrated Mass of Christian Burial in Holy Name of Mary Church. Bishop John R. McGann was the principal celebrant. Burial took place in St. Charles Cemetery, Farmingdale.

The Most Reverend Bishop John Raymond McGann D.D., the Auxiliary Bishop of Rockville Centre was appointed its second Bishop on May 3, 1976, and installed on June 24, 1976.

On September 15, 1976, Bishop John R. McGann appointed Reverend Theodore J. LeTure, recently Pastor in Westhampton Beach, as Pastor of Holy Name of Mary Parish.

Reverend Theodore J. LeTure

Father LeTure had been named Pastor in Westhampton Beach in 1976 after having served there since 1969 as its Administrator.

A Valley Stream resident, Father LeTure was born on March 15, 1925 and studied at St. Agnes School, Rockville Centre and Central High School in Valley Stream. He then attended Mount St. Mary's College and Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He was ordained on June 11, 1949. Father LeTure served in St. Christopher's, Baldwin; St. Joseph the Worker, East Patchogue; St. Anne's, Garden City; and as a Newman chaplain at Adelphi University, Garden City.

In October of 1976 a new church organ was installed in the sanctuary. Its location was a new concept at Holy Name of Mary, since up to this time the church organ had been located in the choir loft. The planning, funding and design work had been accomplished during the time that Father Phillips had been Pastor. The parish Music Director, Daniel Sheridan, supervised the project. An electronic organ system manufactured by the Allen Organ Company was chosen. It would replace the Wurlitzer electronic organ which had been installed approximately twenty years prior and had become obsolete and difficult to maintain.

A renovation of the sanctuary was required to provide not only the space for the organ but also the space for a large speaker system that was required. A parishioner, Emil Gunther, accomplished the renovation and installation.

Father LeTure became noted for his homilies. They were interesting, to the point, with an overall optimistic tone and always concise.

Another major liturgical change took place in 1977. After having been authorized by the Holy See, the Bishops of the United States affirmed the practice of reception of Holy Communion in the hand.

In 1977 Father LeTure initiated a Conference of the Saint Vincent de Paul Society in our parish. He requested that a group of four people, John O'Connor, Margaret Reich, Charles May and Dennis Mulhearn, start to organize a Conference. The first three later became Conference members. Money from the Monsignor McGowan Memorial Association Fund was used to finance the charitable work of the Conference. Needy families were given help in paying rent and bills, and given vouchers for food. The Pastor administered the fund.

There was a dinner dance on November 18, 1977, at the Valley Stream Park Inn, to mark the seventy-fifth anniversary of the founding of the parish.

A special Mass was celebrated on Sunday, November 19, 1977, to mark the occasion. The principal celebrant was Bishop John R. McGann. Priests who formerly served in the parish were invited to concelebrate the Mass. The Bishop blessed the new altar, which was dedicated to the memory of Father Henry Phillips, the previous Pastor. A reception followed in the auditorium.

The new altar was constructed by modifying and reducing the size of the church's original marble altar that had been constructed more than twenty years prior. This modified altar was relocated closer to the congregation, replacing the temporary altar which had been in use. The marble column, which supported one side of the original altar and included the mosaic Alpha Omega symbol, was converted into a base for the ambo (gospel lectern).

In the middle to late 1970s there were many changes in parish staff.

Reverend John C. Meszaros was appointed to our parish from April 26, 1975, until August 31, 1975, when he left to study in Rome. He returned in residence from July 1, 1978, until September 15, 1986.

On September 6, 1975, Reverend Edward A. Sweeny replaced Father Meszaros.

On May 17, 1977, Reverend Richard P. Kopinski replaced Father Bennett and remained for a year.

On June 28, 1978, the Reverends Vincent A. Kennedy and Gerard A. Ringenback replaced Fathers Alfred Rodgers and Edward Sweeny.

Reverend Albert F. Cerezo was appointed to our parish from December 1, 1978, through March 31, 1979.

Reverend Nicholas J. Figliola was assigned to our parish on May 16, 1979. One of his first assignments was to administer the fund of the Conference of St. Vincent de Paul.

There were major changes in the Vatican beginning in 1978.

Pope Paul VI was called to his eternal reward on August 6, 1978.

He was succeeded by Pope John Paul I on August 26, 1978. Pope John Paul I died on September 28 after only 33 days in office.

Pope John Paul II was selected as the next pope on October 16, 1978.

He is pictured here during a Mass at Yankee Stadium on October 2, 1979. A special bus transported many parishioners from Holy Name of Mary to that evening Mass, which was held before a capacity crowd.

On the following morning, a group of Holy Name of Mary parishioners was privileged to attend another service with the Pope before a capacity crowd at Shea Stadium.

On October 6, 1979, Pope John Paul II became the first Pope to visit the White House. He was greeted by President Carter.

— CHAPTER TEN —
1980 - CONTINUING CHANGE

It was 1983 and the liturgical changes of the Second Vatican Council continued to be inaugurated.

A sanctuary renovation program was begun.
The tabernacle was no longer located behind the main altar.
The Baptism room, in the northwest corner of the church, was transformed into the Blessed Mother chapel. The Blessed Mother altar had been previously located on the west side of the main altar.
The Baptism font was moved to the front of the sanctuary, in front of the ambo.
A new Blessed Sacrament chapel, where the tabernacle was now to be located, replaced the vacated Blessed Mother altar. The communion rails were removed from the main altar. These communion rails were attached to the walls of the Blessed Sacrament chapel.

Rug-covered steps were added to the front and side of the sanctuary. Rugs were installed to cover the flooring in the aisles of the church. The sanctuary lighting was upgraded, through the installation of hi-hat spotlights.

Administration of the St. Vincent de Paul Society Conference fund was turned over to the members of the Conference.

Sister Margie Kelly, C.S.J. arrived in Holy Name of Mary Parish in 1983. Sister Margie began and developed the Parish Outreach Program. She continues to organize and direct the many activities and areas of concern. In 1991 Sister Margie received her Master of Social Work degree from Fordham University. Since that time she has been utilizing her skills as a Social Worker along with limitless enthusiasm and ability to improve the operation of Parish Outreach.

There were several changes in the staff of the rectory during the 1980s.

In June of 1983, after serving five years, Father Vincent Kennedy was transferred.

Reverend Robert J. Clerkin was transferred to our parish on September 29, 1983, to replace Father Gerard Ringenback who had been transferred on September 1, 1983.

Reverend James C. Meade replaced Father Nicholas Figliola on June 12, 1985.

Reverend James C. Meade

Father Meade celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of his ordination in our Centennial Year. Father Meade decided on the priesthood after his experiences in World War II. He was a navigator on a B-17 Flying Fortress that was shot down in 1943. He spent the rest of the war in a German prison camp. His Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal are on display at the American Air Power Museum in Farmingdale. He served with the White Fathers (the Society of Missionaries of Africa) beginning in 1952. Father Meade traveled between Africa and the United States for twenty years. However after contracting a severe case of malaria, he decided to become a parish priest, and in 1977 was incardinated into the Diocese of Rockville Centre.

Reverend Thomas W. Coby replaced Father Robert Clerkin on June 18, 1986.

Reverend Thomas D. Candreva was transferred to Holy Name of Mary Parish on June 16, 1988.

Reneé Socci added her beautiful voice to our Music Ministry in September of 1987. In addition to being a cantor at Mass, she has been instrumental in teaching the techniques of joyful singing to the young people of the parish.

The fiftieth anniversary of the parish school was celebrated on Sunday, October 8, 1989, with a special Mass followed by a reception.

Left to right: Bishop Markiewicz, Mary Conlon,
Reverend Theodore LeTure, Sister Elizabeth Marie

Mr. Kevin J. Faughey became Director of Music for Holy Name of Mary Parish on January 1, 1989, after holding similar positions at various parishes in the Brooklyn Diocese for twenty-five years. In our Centennial Year 2002, Mr. Faughey is completing his thirty-seventh year working in Church Music Ministry. His background includes a degree in Music, and study in organ, voice, orchestration and choral conducting. He is certified as a Choir Master from the American Guild of Organists and is certified in Liturgy by the Diocese of Rockville Centre. He has composed several Masses and choral arrangements and is the Associate Conductor of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick Glee Club, New York City. Mr. Faughey has played the organ in many New York locations, including St. Patrick's Cathedral and Radio City Music Hall.

In 1989 Mr. Faughey began a musical program that has grown into a parish tradition. Each year shortly before Christmas, the annual Christmas Concert is presented from the sanctuary of our church. Our Choir, Folk Group, and Children's Choirs combine to sing various musical compositions proclaiming the Birth of Jesus. This event is always well attended and strongly supported by our parishioners. Also featured is a grand finale featuring approximately sixty singing voices joined together in a large chorale, accompanied by a guest organist, and conducted by Mr. Faughey.

Main Altar at Christmas 1999

— CHAPTER ELEVEN —
1990 - TIME OF THREE PASTORS

On December 13, 1991, the members of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops of the United States changed the regulations concerning holy days of obligation to the following:

“In addition to Sunday, the days to be observed as holy days of obligation in the Latin Rite dioceses of the United States of America, in conformity with canon 1246, are as follows:

Whenever January 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, or August 15, the solemnity of the Assumption, or November 1, the solemnity of All Saints, falls on a Saturday or on a Monday, the precept to attend Mass is abrogated.”*

*“This decree of the Conference of Bishops was approved and confirmed by the Apostolic See by a decree of the Congregation for Bishops (Prot. N. 296/84), signed by Bernardin Cardinal Gantin, prefect of the Congregation, and dated July 4, 1992. ... the effective date of this decree for all the Latin rite dioceses of the United States of America will be January 1, 1993, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.”

It was in February of 1991 that Father LeTure faced his most difficult test as Pastor. Due to low revenue from tuition and the ever-increasing need for revenue to pay school expenses, the parish was running at a significant deficit. Father LeTure wrote a letter to Bishop McGann notifying the Bishop that if things continued as they were, he would have to close the school effective September 1992.

Father LeTure immediately directed the Finance Committee of Maurice Fitzgibbon, John Geis and Rudy Schlameuss to devise a plan to save the school. After many meetings and much compromise, they developed a deficit reduction program. It was to be a three-year plan consisting of a combination of tuition increases and a special monthly collection. Parishioners responded very generously to the special request. Revenue projections were favorably enough, that by September of 1991, Father LeTure was able to notify the Bishop that the school would remain open.

During the years that followed in the 1990s, there was little change in the physical structure of Holy Name of Mary Parish. It was a decade of three Pastors.

Father LeTure was to retire after his sixty-seventh birthday.

Turning over the reins, October 4, 1992

Reverends Theodore J. LeTure
and William L. Willdigg

Reverend William L. Willdigg, a young priest showing great promise, was appointed to be the sixth Pastor of Holy Name of Mary Parish.

Reverend William L. Willdigg

Father Willdigg was formally installed as Pastor at a Mass in Holy Name of Mary Church on Sunday, October 4, 1992.

Father Willdigg was born in Roslyn on April 16, 1949. He grew up in New Hyde Park, where he attended Holy Spirit School. He studied for the priesthood at the former St. Pius X Preparatory Seminary, in Uniondale; Cathedral College, in Douglaston; and Immaculate Conception Seminary, in Huntington. During the 1971-72 school year he taught at St. Pius X School, in Plainview, and was parish coordinator of religious education.

Father Willdigg was ordained on April 24, 1976. He served as associate pastor of St. Joseph's Church, in Garden City from 1976 until 1982; St. Gerard Majella, in Terryville from 1982 until 1990; and St. Boniface, in Elmont from 1990 until 1992. He was appointed Pastor of Holy Name of Mary Parish on June 24, 1992.

Also on June 24, 1992, the Reverends Raymond J. Carlo and Thomas M. Moriarty replaced the Reverends Thomas W. Coby and Thomas D. Candreva. Two years later, in June of 1994, Father Carlo was transferred. Reverend Andrew L. Millar arrived in June of 1994 and remained for a year.

This was Father Moriarty's first assignment after ordination. Father Moriarty was quoted as saying, Father Willdigg was “a good teacher and a good friend.” His style of leadership was “to let you find out who you were” and to work collaboratively not only with the other priests of the parish but with the whole staff.

Father Willdigg's priorities as a Pastor, Father Moriarty said, were to build community and to provide opportunities for “a real spiritual awakening.” In pursuit of the first goal, he said, Father Willdigg strove to support parishioners' sense that the Church “is their Church.” To encourage spiritual growth he worked closely with the pastoral formation staff to organize parish missions, weeks of prayer, days of reflection and other opportunities for spiritual growth, all of which were well attended. Father Willdigg also strongly supported Catholic education. He continued the leadership initiated by Father LeTure to keep the parish school from closing, working closely with the fundraising committee, and encouraging parental involvement.

Father Willdigg's life on earth as our Pastor was a brief 29 months. He went to his eternal reward on November 26, 1994. He was 45 and had been a priest for 18 years. A funeral Mass was offered at Holy Name of Mary Church. Bishop Emil Wcela was principal celebrant of the funeral Mass. Burial was in Holy Rood Cemetery, Westbury. A memorial tree was planted on the church lawn in his honor.

Reverend Richard C. Bauhoff was appointed Administrator of Holy Name of Mary Parish on December 5, 1994. He remained until June 28, 1995, when the new Pastor was appointed.

The third Pastor who served during the 1990s was the highly respected Monsignor Daniel Fagan. He was to influence the spirit of the parish community deeply.

Monsignor Daniel E. Fagan

Monsignor Daniel E. Fagan, the seventh Pastor of Holy Name of Mary, was born December 11, 1935, in Huntington on Long Island. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Patrick's Church in Huntington. Monsignor Fagan received his early schooling at Lloyd Harbor School and St. Dominic High School. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from Cathedral College in Brooklyn. Upon completion of his theological studies at the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception, Huntington, he received a Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree (S.T.B.) from Catholic University. Following his ordination, on June 3, 1961, he undertook graduate studies at St. John's University and earned a Master's degree in Education. He also did graduate work in psychology at St. John's.

Monsignor Fagan's first 17 years of priesthood were spent teaching at St. Pius X Preparatory Seminary where he was also the Rector from 1968 to 1978. During those years he regularly served as a weekend assistant at St. Pius X Church in Plainview.

He was appointed Pastor of the Church of St. Mary in Roslyn in 1978 and remained there for 17 years. He left St. Mary's when he was appointed Pastor of Holy Name of Mary Parish on June 28, 1995. He was formally installed as Pastor on October 29, 1995. In 1996 Monsignor Fagan was honored with the title “Monsignor” as an honorary prelate of His Holiness, Pope John Paul II. He was also a member of the Senate of Priests, the Board of Consultors for the Diocese of Rockville Centre, and was a mentor for newly ordained priests.

Being a priest among the people was a happy and fulfilling life for Monsignor Fagan. Celebrating Liturgy with the parish community, meeting and working with people, helping in the development of a community of faith, all are the legacy that he left with his parishioners and friends. For this was a priest who truly cared about people. “He was a very friendly man,” Father Thomas Harold said. “He really delighted in people. He had a very special ministry to the sick. He was very generous in visiting the parishioners who were ill, in their homes and in the hospital. The focus of his priesthood was celebrating Mass with the people of his parish.”

The Pastor loved to preach, “and a number of the parishioners have been fondly recalling that when ever he preached he would preach with three points; then he seemed to have many, many sub-points.”

Monsignor became ill in November of 1999 and went to his eternal reward on April 25, 2000. Bishop James T. McHugh celebrated a Mass of Christian Burial on Monday, May 1, at Holy Name of Mary Church. Burial took place in St. Patrick's Cemetery in Huntington.

During Monsignor Fagan's time as Pastor there were several changes in personnel at the rectory.

The Reverend James C. Meade retired.

Reverend James L. Maltese was appointed to the parish on November 1, 1995.

Reverend Stephen J. Brigandi, a newly ordained priest, replaced the Reverend Thomas M. Moriarty on June 25, 1997.

The Hispanic Ministry was initiated in our parish on November 24, 1999. A Mass was offered in Spanish on that Wednesday evening at 7:30 P.M. The Wednesday evening Mass was continued on a monthly basis until February 18, 2001. Starting that day, the Mass in Spanish was moved to 2 P.M. on the third Sunday of every month.

The 1990s were also a decade in which the groups, organizations, and services in the Parish flourished, approaching seventy at last count. Parish Outreach under the generous and expert leadership of Sister Margie Kelly, C.S.J. expanded its response to yearly requests for services from approximately four thousand at the beginning of the decade to nearly seven thousand at its close.

Sister Elizabeth Marie Lynch, C.S.J. has served the parish as School Principal for a greater length of time than any of her predecessors. Her capable hands have guided its operation since 1977.

In the year 2000, Sister Barbara Anne Shea, O.P. completed her twenty-sixth year as Religious Education Director. In that year alone, she was responsible for the supervision of close to twelve hundred fifty students and one hundred seven teachers. Sister Barbara has continued her unselfish and dedicated work as Religious Education Director in this our Centennial Year.

The numbers of Eucharistic Ministers also grew rapidly.

Four new deacons joined Deacon Robert P. Walsh, who had returned from his assignment at Mercy Hospital. The new deacons were:

Anthony W. Cuseo
James M. O'Hara
Clyde C. Ruggieri
Richard F. Raad

The parish web site was launched in 1997 under the address, hnm.org. It was later revised and again released in 1999 as hnmchurch.org. The third update to the web site was November 16, 2000, with the address now becoming hnom.org. There were over seven thousand visits in its first year.

The Most Reverend Bishop James Thomas McHugh S.T.D., the Bishop of Camden, was appointed the Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Centre on December 7, 1998.

The Conference of the St. Vincent de Paul Society had grown to approximately forty members, providing aid to over seventy needy families. The members make close to seven hundred yearly visits to the needy, providing food, once or twice a month depending on need. The Conference also responds to requests for assistance with rent, children's shoes, threats to discontinue service and other emergencies. Funding is from the poor box donations and donations from the parish.

The story of the 1990s could hardly be told without a mention of Holy Name of Mary School's favorite crossing guard, Mary Ann Cahill, who served the school children and senior citizens alike for 25 years, and retired in September of 1991. On December 18, 1998, Monsignor Daniel Fagan and Mayor James Darcy conducted a ceremony recognizing her service, at the unveiling of Mary Ann Cahill corner. The children of the school witnessed the ceremony. Monsignor Fagan read a proclamation honoring her 25 years of service.