1998-2003 - St Stanisluas Kostka, Pleasant Valley, NY

Celebrating Mass at Christmas 2001 at Pleasant Valley, NY

These were 5 glorious years I spent in Dutchess County in Upstate New York, in a parish founded by the Jesuits, and therefore dedicated to the novice St Stanislaus Kostka, a Polish Jesuit seminarian. We renovated the sanctuary of the church between 1999 and 2000, and I was very active here with children and youth, the home-bound, celebration of the sacraments and everything else that came along. Together with Fr Charles Quinn we served the parishioners well, and they responded generously in donating for the renovation which changed completely the sanctuary, dominated by a large crucifix and simple sacred furniture.

A Holy Thursday foot-washing ceremony for children

A small Nursery school gave me the opportunity to connect with young children and their parents. Two large nearby hospitals kept me busy with visits and anointings too. When I arrived in Pleasant Valley from Long Island, someone asked me what kind of car I had, and when I told them that my current car was a Geo Metro, they insisted that I get a new stronger car, because their lawn-mowers were more powerful than my Geo, which had only three cylinders, while a lawn-mower has 4. Within a few days I got a Honda CR-V, which served me well for over 100,00 miles and 10 years.