Some 12 years ago, at the St. Nicholas Ukrainian church’s picnic, a tough friend of mine, we call him Big Daddy, was talking about his then 15-year-old son. “He went upstate this summer and didn’t want to come home,” Roman Diduch said of his fourth child, his only boy.
The two are pictured at right over a decade ago, in 2011.
Little Roman was up in the Catskills at a Ukrainian sports and culture camp. “Five weeks up in CYM. He grew, man. Stretched out. He has girlfriends now! And then I look at his neck. He’s got a silver chain with a big Tryzub hanging there! He came back a real Ukie. His grandfather must be smiling,” Big Daddy said.
He was so proud of little Roman who now wears the Trident coat of arms from Ukraine. Three generations of pride, heritage and community explained in a short statement: “A real Ukie.” Like many others in our community, I am proud of where I come from, at the intersection of my culture and my religion.
I love that when I go to Ukrainian Church I bless myself three times and chant prayers that my ancestors did decades ago, customs which began over a thousand years earlier.
I laugh when I eat solenyna at a picnic in my hometown of Perth Amboy or at the church in Passaic, or in the center of Kyiv like I did during the Orange Revolution back in 2004. It is the same delicacy other Kozaks like me washed down with vodka generations before.
My heritage, which intertwines with my religion, is a great emotional well in my soul. It is a deep and familiar place to be. The fact that people like me and Big Daddy can share this with other Ukies from all across the globe—that they know the same prayers and rituals and eat the same foods, and share so many connections—is a great gift.
While I did not meet my grandfather John and do not much recall my dad Joe, when I go to most any Ukrainian church, and when I am around my hromada—my
Contributing
Associate Editor & Social Media Mgr.
Ariana Puzzo
Art Director Ken Peterson Business Mgr.
Irene
KulykOn Feb. 22, 2022, we stood for peace in front of Paterson City Hall. The Russian invasion of Ukraine continues as Ukrainians defend their sovereignty and stand up to senseless aggression.
community—I see “Dido” and “Tato.” I connect with them and “Babcia” and “Mama,” and all my aunts and uncles, because we come from the same tribe.
I simply look around the church or on the picnic grounds and see my family in my new neighbors. There is my Babcia in the lined and etched visage of the old ladies, reciting the Hail Mary in a quiet murmur as part of the Rosary in a dimly lit but boldly painted church.
Decades after she has gone, I see my mama Julie sitting on her bed, looking out the Ashley St. window, reading from her prayer book. That’s my brother John—Yonko— walking to the school stage so proudly in his embroidered shirt, ready to dance the Hopak.
And there is my beautiful sister Elaine, perhaps 16, at the center of the May crowning of our beloved Blessed Virgin Mary, looking angelic, even sacred.
These days, I am a church elder, above in the choir loft, where often I share duties as a Diak—a cantor—who leads the English responses to the priest during Divine Liturgy. From the loft, I sing and watch new generations of my brothers and sisters, along their families, wearing their Sunday best as they kneel and bless themselves three times before the icon of Volodymyr, petitioning him and our saints, and asking the Blessed Virgin for protection or forgiveness.
I hear them shssing their young as they enter the pews, innately teaching them the rules of being Ukrainian Catholic, just as their parents did in Ykraina and my parents did during my youth in our Perth Amboy ghetto.
I love the fact that little Sister Yosephata taught me for eight years at the Ukrainian Assumption School and decades later she instructed my kids in preparing for their first Holy Communion. Just this past month I spoke with her, some six decades later, and we greeted each other as peers.
While I can sing in Ukrainian I do not speak the language. But I love the fact that while at times we cannot understand one another, there is this unspoken nod of trust between me and many of my new brethren who do not speak English so well. Newcomers like Ihor, Myron and Jaroslaw, as well as guys like Yonko, Big Daddy and me have a certain amount of trust just because we are Ukies.
Perhaps that’s because we have drunk from the same well and we are pilgrims on a shared journey.
Being Ukrainian makes the world a smaller and friendlier place. It gives me knowledge of where I come from. It is a place where I am always welcomed and it is a community where I still discover new things.
And to have a place where you belong is a good and comfortable feeling.
Prayer is one of the Five Pillars of Islam that brings purpose to Tarek Alnatur’s life.
“A lot of people ask, ‘Why do you pray five times a day?’” said Alnatur, 44. “The Almighty God Allah does not need our prayers. We need it more.”
“Between each prayer, we are being reminded that our purpose, our reason here is to not do the wrong thing,” he continued. “It brings us closer and fills our heart with the remembrance of God and connecting to Him.”
Other rituals that are deeply a part of Alnatur’s existence include attending Friday services and fasting during Ramadan. He said his family fasts because it’s obligatory, yet also understanding how blessed they are to have the means to have food.
“It humbles us and is great from a health perspective,” said Alnatur.
Alnatur is Palestinian and immigrated to the United States at age 11. He lived with his family in Paterson and grew up “aware of the holy book of the Qur’an.” From a young age, he learned the Pillars and what his duties and responsibilities entailed.
Today, Alnatur is married to his wife, Suhair, and is the father of four Clifton children. Their family strives to maintain an understanding of the morals associated with what is right and wrong. One way they do that is by attending services at the Islamic Center of Passaic County in Clifton.
“Visiting the mosque keeps us close to our beliefs,” said Alnatur. “It also keeps us close to God and on the straight path.”
Alnatur is committed to guiding his greater community as well. He has a martial arts school and child development center, Elite Child Development Academy in Paterson. He works there with a number of children who come from broken homes, have run away, or are on watch for suicide.
“[It’s] very heartbreaking because how do you explain to a kid that the world is unfair and a lot of people will try to harm you, but you’re not a bad person [and] you’re not a failure?” said Alnatur.
Alnatur emphasizes to kids that the academy is available and they have other possible options — ranging from their families to other resources and services. Alnatur has done workshops for children at the Palestinian American Community Center, 388 Lakeview Ave, on anti-bullying and mentorship topics.
Even if people make a mistake or multiple errors of judgment in life, Alnatur said that asking for forgiveness is a “natural part of religion” that extends beyond Islam.
“A lot of people stray away from the right path of religion and feel that there’s no way back,” said Alnatur. “If I have a message, it’s that God is most forgiving and merciful. There is always an opportunity and it’s never too late [to seek forgiveness].”
“We have our Holy Book for a reason,” he continued. “It’s a blueprint for life.”
For more information about services, visit the Academy’s website at elitebba.com.
As a child, Maria Parham-Talley always felt the structure of the church. That was thanks to her mother.
Parham-Talley, 62, recalled how she was born into “poverty, dysfunction, and every stereotypical obstacle that a child of non-English speaking parents” could encounter. The structure of the church was something that she originally thought just gave her mother peace of mind.
“When my father was killed and my mother was left with five mouths to feed, clothe, and educate,” said Parham-Talley, “I remember hearing my mother praying, ‘God what am I going to do?’”
The church, in those days, was simply the end destination for her weekend bus rides.
“Little did I know that one day, in the midst of life’s storms, I would not only hear the voice of God but see him working miracles in my life,” said Parham-Talley.
Parham-Talley recognized the power of praying during life’s early trials. She witnessed how her mother did “the best she could do” and how their family never went hungry and they always had clothes.
Today, she sees the work ethic instilled in her with prayer and discipline that she passed down to her own children and grandchildren.
But those early days of praying looked different from her relationship with God as an adult. She said they were taught the Lord’s Prayer and that her daily ritual was praying that prayer in the morning and before she went to bed at night. When Parham-Talley was later introduced to the Charismatic Church, she learned that prayer extended further than that.
“I immersed myself in the idea that prayer was a daily, constant dialogue with God, Himself,” said Parham-Talley. “I learned that God loved us, in spite of ourselves.”
“I learned that how we blessed others would pave the way for blessings to come our way,” she continued. “I have been praying this way for the last 45 years.”
Parham-Talley has experienced these blessings. She believes prayer is what touched the hearts of all the teachers, college professors, and mentors that saw her through.
“This Latina who was to amount to nothing — ac-
cording to the world’s standards — went on to become an educator, administrator, and minister of the gospel, in spite of poverty, racism, and abuse that we’ll not speak of today,” said Parham-Talley. “I know this was because of the power of prayer.”
‘Why me, Lord?’, ‘Not again, Lord’, ‘I’m tired, Lord.’
Parham-Talley’s commitment to prayer has seen her through recent struggles as well.
She was diagnosed with cancer and noted that it’s not the first medical diagnosis that she has encountered. Yet it was different this time around given that she’s older — like it is for many.
“My faith was indeed shaken for a moment, but only a moment,” said Parham-Talley. “I allowed myself a brief time of wallowing in the ‘Why me, Lord?’, ‘Not again, Lord’, ‘I’m tired, Lord.’ When the tears ran dry, I began to pray and ask God to heal me.”
Parham-Talley described a sort of “calm and peace” that came over her after she prayed.
What followed was a surgery to remove the cancer. Despite obstacles on the day of the surgery — the surgeon had an emergency, the operation was delayed by hours, the anesthesiologist was late, and her blood pressure was too high — her faith didn’t waver.
She recalled how a nurse that she didn’t recognize visited her, saying, “The Lord told me to pray for you. I have been praying and everything is going to be alright.”
“A surgery that was supposed to take six hours was over in three,” said Parham-Talley. “The chemo and radiation that was to follow was unnecessary because the cancer was contained.”
Parham-Talley still remembers how after the nurse spoke, she closed her eyes for a moment and the nurse was gone when she opened them.
“I knew then that the Lord sent me an angel to confirm His word to me.”
Togetherness is important year-round for Elinor Alboum, but even more so during Passover.
“It’s a happy holiday, and we do have Jewish holidays that are not happy,” said Alboum, 80. “It’s especially important for families to get together on Passover.”
Alboum and her husband, Martin, have three children. Instead of hosting the Passover Seder in her home, the president of the Clifton Jewish Center has passed the tradition down a generation to her daughter.
“It’s wonderful not having to do all the work,” she laughed. “Not having to clean your home and get rid of what we call chametz — the food that you should not be eating on Passover.”
Alboum acknowledged there are other changes, like her son-in-law making handmade matzah.
“It’s a younger [person] thing that people are doing,” said Alboum. “The older generation didn’t have the time or maybe the knowledge to do that.”
While certain traditions have changed, the meaning of the holiday remains consistent. In some regards, it’s now about incorporating the old with the new.
“Passover is the retelling of the Exodus story and of Moses leading the Jews out of Egypt,” said Alboum. “My grandson, who just had a Bar Mitzvah, will be asking the four questions.”
Alboum continued, saying that the Seder plate has changed in slight ways over time. Traditional foods that younger people put on plates can vary and “every family has some kind of tradition.”
There’s also new ways to discuss the 10 plagues that God brought on the Egyptians.
“Nowadays, younger families have little toys or objects on the table to illustrate the plagues,” she said. “When I was younger, nobody did that. Now there are little things to represent all the plagues that happened.”
Spending time with her family and friends, and reciting the story of Passover before the meal, is deeply meaningful. It’s something that the entire family can join in as each person tells part of the story.
“It’s wonderful watching the children grow and be able to take part in the reading,” said Alboum. “[It’s wonderful watching] as they learn Hebrew in religious school and see them ask the four questions or sing the songs as we go along.”
Since 1981, Alboum has been a member of the Clifton Jewish Center near Downtown Clifton.
She joined the Board 25 years ago and has spent the last nine years as the president. Alboum’s children, who grew up in Clifton, marked their Bar and Bat Mitzvahs at the Center, which is on Delaware and Barkley Aves.
It’s where she will attend services on the first and second days of Passover, as well as the last two days.
“It’s a conservative synagogue that’s been in Clifton for about 80 years,” said Alboum. “It’s one of the few conservative synagogues remaining in the area. I’m proud that we’re able to continue doing things for the community after all of these years.”
One of the things that Alboum strives to do for her community and family is put words to action. Instead of offering “thoughts and prayers” in the wake of tragedies, she said that people should think about the situation they’re using them for as a placeholder for action.
As a grandmother of nine grandchildren, Alboum sees the importance of leading by example.
“I’m doing the best I can to help the world be safe for them as Jewish people in America,” said Alboum. “With antisemitism, you hope it doesn’t lead to something worse in the United States. I think that’s in people’s thoughts right now.”
“I think they see that I’m active in my synagogue and I’m hoping they continue working for their synagogues … and continue their Jewish traditions and let people know that Jewish people are just like everyone else.”
“It’s to understand that we are very fortunate to see Ramadan,” he said. “[To understand] the benefits of the Qur’an and … how the abstinence of food, drink, and other things for 30 days is not a punishment. It allows us to recreate or make our relationship stronger with God.”
Ramadan and the Muslim faith does make exceptions. Young children and those who are sick, elderly, pregnant, and on medication are not required to fast. Those who are unable to fast can instead give a donation.
“That’s how merciful religion can be,” said Abedrabbo, 37. “You have to do this, but it’s so merciful that there are exceptions.”
“Understanding the purpose of Ramadan is that it does not just make you hungry or thirsty or deprive yourself. [It helps you] understand what others who are less fortunate go through,” he continued. “That’s what it means to me and my family.”
Over 100 people, and Imams from various mosques, were at the 6th Clifton Ramadan Fanous Lighting on March 28, 2022 on the great lawn of City Hall. The Fanous is a folk and traditional lantern used to decorate streets and homes in the month of Ramadan, which begins March 22.
That’s not to say that there aren’t generational differences.
Abedrabbo noted that observing traditions as a child today differs from his youth. He said it can relate to whether you have “old school parents” who brought religiosity overseas with them.
“You’re looking at two different worlds,” said Abedrabbo (CHS 2003). “There is one part of the world where it’s the norm to pray, to fast, and to follow the Five Pillars and be religious.”
“When you come to the Western world with different religions together as a melting pot,” he added, “it becomes harder. You look around and as a young American and young Cliftonite, you think, ‘I’m the only
acknowledgment that we don’t know how much time we have on Earth.
one fasting? Why do I have to go through this while others don’t?’”
Abedrabbo began fasting in second grade. He said it’s something that you grow accustomed to and the month offers him a chance to repurpose himself. As you mature, he added that you start to understand why you fast during Ramadan even when others do not.
Those were the “old days.” Abedrabbo said many American-born parents today ease their child into fasting. He said his daughter, Lubna, 7, is in second grade and will fast for the first time this Ramadan for half-days.
“I want to be able to get [my children] normalized to the idea of Ramadan and fasting,” he said. “What it means, the purpose of it, and what the religious traditions are.”
Part of that includes answering questions that Lubna has started asking about the holiday. What Abedrabbo emphasizes is that it’s more than fasting and it’s more than a pilgrimage or prayer.
“The purpose is that we all sin in our own ways,” he said. “But the idea is … I’m re-establishing myself as, in this case, a Muslim. I’m going to look to the future and make goals that will allow me to better myself.”
Abedrabbo attends the Islamic Center of Passaic County – Clifton with his wife, Hannah, and their children Lubna, Zakaria, 5, and Yaseen, 2. Abedrabbo appreciates that there are sermons and prayers in English and said he’ll attend with his family on the first night of Ramadan.
Abedrabbo and Hannah also strive to make the holiday relevant to their children. Like those who put a Christmas tree or menorah in their house, the Abedrabbos have a small fanous. A fanous is a traditional lantern used to decorate streets and homes during Ramadan.
“We really try to get into the spiritual mode,” said Abedrabbo. “A young child will not understand as an adult would. Even adults have questions.”
“We are all people in the making and are still projects to be worked on,” he continued. “We need spiritual guidance.”
Abedrabbo encouraged others to join the Clifton community on Sunday, March 19 at 6 pm for the City Hall Fanous Lighting. He also emphasized including people of all ages. “It will get children into the idea that it’s Ramadan,” he said. “That it’s not something that I have to do, but something that I want to do.”
Mahmoud Ramadan grew up watching his parents and his family pray. As a first generation Palestinian-American, he recognized that prayer is a significant part of life as a Muslim. Yet he admitted he wasn’t that religious when he was younger. In fact, he said that he didn’t truly grasp prayer until about 10 years ago when he had an identity crisis.
“It was a culmination of things,” said Ramadan, 31. “I had graduated from college and wasn’t where I wanted to be.”
“I was yearning for that connection,” he continued. “So I thought, ‘Maybe let’s try this thing out.’ Once I got into [prayer], it became a huge part of my life.”
Ramadan grew up with his family in Clifton. He played football for the Fighting Mustangs and he graduated with the CHS Class of 2009. His younger brother, Ahmad, graduated last June.
Today, he is married to his wife, Ahlam, and they have two daughters Serene, 5, and Semma, 2. When he considers a time when prayer brought him comfort, he said it was when Semma was diagnosed with Tay-Sachs disease, a rare genetic and terminal neurological disorder.
“It still hurts to this day,” said Ramadan. “There’s no better hands for my daughter to be in than mine and her mother’s, but when I started praying … it gave me the comfort of knowing she’s going to be in God’s hands, and there’s no better hands than God.”
“Prayer is getting me and my wife through what we are going through.”
What also keeps life in perspective is appreciating each moment as it comes. Ramadan said he doesn’t look too far ahead since “time is something that you don’t get back once it’s gone.” He’s committed himself instead to valuing the time spent with his family, children, and loved ones.
But prayer is always present. Ramadan said that he feels highly appreciative when other people extend a message that they are keeping his family in their thoughts and prayers.
“In my situation, people ask, ‘Is there anything that we can do to help or donate?’” he said. “I always ask people to just give prayers.”
“When people say [you’re in my thoughts and prayers], I don’t care what religion it is. We pray to one God,” continued Ramadan. “Prayers are prayers. I believe in the power of God and prayer.”
Mahmoud Ramadan with wife Ahlam and daughters Serene, 5, and Semma, 2.
Many Christians keep their ashes visible throughout Ash Wednesday, but Luca Membreno received another type of blessing.
During a service at St. Paul Roman Catholic Church, 124 Union Ave, Luca was chosen to give ashes to Father Leonardo Jaramillo. For Luca and his father, Christian (CHS 2002), it was an overwhelming experience.
Christian said he felt honored and proud watching it. Luca, 9, said he didn’t expect it but he also felt honored despite his nerves.
Luca received his First Holy Communion at St. Paul Church last year. His mother, Antonia, said he’s more religiously aware than many children his age. “All his other friends that he spoke to didn’t know what Lent was, so he kind of had to explain it to them,” said Antonia, 41. His mom attributed Luca’s awareness to receiving his Communion and taking CCD classes.
She added that he’s an avid reader. “He … likes to read about history,” she said. “It’s intriguing [to him] because it’s something else that [he] can learn about: Why we practice, why other families don’t, where everything comes from.”
Antonia and Christian wed on April 18, 2018 in St. Paul Church. They also have a daughter, Luciana, 6. Both children attend School 13 on Van Houten Avenue.
This Lenten season, the family strives to be more positive and community-oriented. One way is by supporting a family near School 9 who lost their possessions in a house fire. Antonia hopes these practices endure as Luca matures.
“Hopefully he can continue [his religious journey] with his kids,” said Antonia. “To teach his kids what we’re teaching him and keep moving that faith forward.”
Prayer has always been the center of my life since my childhood as a student at St. Brendan’s in the 1950s. I will never forget Sister Mairea. She taught our religion class and said, “Jesus was perfect. If you see him as a role model, you will not be perfect, but you will be way ahead of everyone else.” Those words have inspired me throughout my life, in sickness and in health. Through speaking to God in good times and bad, I have found a sense of peace and well being in prayer.
As a young man, I considered the priesthood with much contemplation, but I decided against it. Now here I am at the age of 73, still single and living alone. When I look back over the decades, I realize that I would have been a good priest.
The old saying, “God works in mysterious ways” brings new light upon my long life and lessons well learned. I have taken my faith seriously and, as a result, have grown stronger in my faith.
Prayer and faith do not always give us what we pray for, but what we learn from our life experience. True faith means that we believe in God, the loving Father, who only wants what is best for us. That is faith and the answer to our prayers. I am thankful for learning this at a young age. I have made mistakes and, in prayer, asked for forgiveness. In this process, I have grown stronger in my faith. That is what faith and prayer have taught me.
- As told by Mike Finegan, pictured above.
Converting to another religion can be challenging, but Louis Penalillo sees it as an opportunity.
Born and raised in a Catholic home, Penalillo has nearly finished converting to Judaism. As he reflected on the journey, he acknowledged the ways that your life can change.
“You have to be sure of what you want because it is a life-changing decision,” said Penalillo, 43. “But if people are already 100% sure that they want to follow this path, I would say to not to look back and continue because it’s an amazing thing.”
One of the things that Penalillo has discovered is a strong sense of community.
“The ties in the community [and] how they help each other is something that I haven’t seen anywhere else,” he said. “Even if they don’t know who you are.”
Penalillo emigrated from Peru to the U.S. in 2001. Religion did have a role in his upbringing with him receiving a Catholic education and his family attending weekly services. What was most consistent was his interest in religion.
Penalillo wanted to learn more about “God and His creation” and would find like-minded people at each of his jobs.
“I remember at a couple jobs, we would sit and read the Bible together,” recalled Penalillo. “I just wanted to read and learn more. It was a personal interest.”
By 2011, Penalillo found that there were things that were unclear for him. So he decided to read the Bible by himself — in English and Spanish to make sure that he didn’t miss
anything. That is how he developed a deep interest in the Old Testament. Or, for those of Jewish faith, the Torah.
After deciding to return to college, Penalillo started with a degree in religious studies. He took a number of courses that studied the Old Testament and took a specific class that focused on the Books of Genesis and Exodus. Meanwhile, he found an online library in 2011 and focused on learning more on his own about Judaism.
“It talked about what it entails to be a Jew, [Jewish] practices, how they came to be, and I was very drawn to it,” said Penalillo. “I continued with my life normally, but I wanted to practice what they practiced.”
Penalillo completed his degree – which by then was in counseling – and went on to get another degree focused on behavior analysis. During that time, he started working with a family for their child who all happened to be Jewish.
“When I went to their home and started seeing their practices, for me it was a beautiful thing,” he said. “I remember asking them questions every time I was working in their house like, ‘When do you pray? What time? Why?’”
They were receptive to discussing their faith, but discouraged Penalillo from converting by citing the difficult process. Instead they guided him toward reading certain books and, for a while, he listened. When they saw how much he still wanted to convert, they connected him to a rabbi.
The rabbi, who was a teacher and not a leader of a syna-
gogue, introduced Penalillo to Ahavas Israel in Passaic. A rabbi at Ahavas Israel invited him to the synagogue and once Penalillo told him what he wanted to do, he explained what Penalillo needed to do next.
“He said, ‘Come learn,’” said Penalillo. “It’s basically a commandment in the Jewish faith to learn the Torah every day. To just sit and learn.”
“So I was learning and able to meet some people who wanted to help me,” he continued. “I had a partner who was helping me learn some Hebrew, too.”
That was how the process began. Today, Penalillo’s progressed to the point where the final step is finding a home in the Jewish community that is within walking distance.
“Right now I’m looking and hopefully by September, I’ll make that move.”
Penalillo never doubted whether he could handle converting to Judaism. But he did recognize it affected his family.
When he returns to Peru, it’s more difficult to access kosher food. Penalillo also said that his family didn’t think his interest in Judaism was so serious. When they did notice the changes, his mother grew concerned.
“She met with a priest and asked [about Judaism] because in Peru, not as many people know what Judaism or Islam is,” he said. “So my mother went to ask and told me that she was not OK with that.”
What helped bridge the gap was Penalillo’s brother coming to visit. It gave Penalillo a chance to show his brother how Jewish people can live and their customs, and he said his brother liked it.
“I guess he brought a report to my parents of what he saw,” said Penalillo. “Even though they’re still not 100% happy, I didn’t hear again, ‘I’m against it or I don’t want you to do this.’”
Penalillo knows he made the right decision. In his shul – a Yiddish term used for synagogue – a man approached him once. The man said he hadn’t seen Penalillo before and invited Penalillo to join him and his wife for dinner at their home. They’ve also invited him to festivals.
Penalillo described the encounters as “a beautiful thing” and now enjoys praying with others.
“I used to get shy praying in front of other people, but when I was more comfortable being with them and praying with them in the shul, it was amazing,” said Penalillo. “I cannot describe it with words, but the feeling is something else.”
Life is a delicate balance, and Lisa Sargese learned that lesson as she was fighting for her own.
At the time, she was battling severe Type 2 Diabetes. She had become immuno-compromised and developed sepsis. Then she was dealing with sores all over her body.
“I was isolated in an infectious disease unit … and I think that they took me over to St. Mary’s,” said Sargese, 58. “Multiple bags of antibiotics were dripping in every day to save me.”
“I cried — there was so much pain and confusion,” she added. “I prayed to God, ‘I think you just need to take me. The suffering is too much.’”
Sargese, a Professor of Religion at Montclair State University, described herself as once severely obese. She couldn’t in those days get a hold of her overeating, which exacerbated the diabetes. From her perspective, she was “failing at life” and needed to ask God’s permission to die.
But another thought occurred to her. So she added a sort of addendum to God.
“I said, ‘I can remember a time when I was happy, and that makes me hopeful that maybe, just maybe, I can be happy again,’” recalled Sargese. “‘So I’m going to sleep on it, God, and I’ll let you know in the morning what I decide. But if I decide to live, you have to help me and keep me alive.’”
“That was in 2005,” she said. “So God answered.”
Before teaching religion on the higher education level, Sargese had her own spiritual journey.
Though she described her parents as not particularly religious, she did have religion in her own life. Her mother thought that it was important for her to attend church. She attended the former Richfield Christian Reformed Church, today the Islamic Center of Passaic County –Clifton, at 259 Pershing Rd.
“It was a Dutch Clifton reformed church and an allblond congregation,” chuckled Sargese. “I was the little Italian girl sticking out like a sore thumb.”
Sargese received the church’s elected form of baptism at about age 12. Outside of church, she attended a few religious schools in her youth. After severe bullying, her parents appealed to the former St. Andrew’s School to accept her for eighth grade.
After eighth grade, she attended Paul VI for a year. Then her parents sent her to Clifton High School.
“I was so happy there,” said Sargese (CHS 1982). “I was in the Concert Choir and became the choir’s president. I sang the National Anthem at graduation.”
Yet after she was baptized, Sargese began having some doubts about religion. She had started reading Omni Magazine and enjoyed science fiction and facts. She eventually perceived religion as a contradiction to that and became agnostic for a while.
It wouldn’t last forever. What Sargese truly appreciates is her exposure and experiences with a variety of faiths and practices. At one time, she practiced Buddhism for a little under two years. In 2013, she started her catechism and converted to Roman Catholicism.
She exposed herself intellectually to even more.
At 30, she began her studies as a philosophy major at MSU. It was there that Michael Kogan, the chair of the Department of Philosophy and Religion for 24 years, became her mentor.
“He was so brilliant in the way he explained things,” said Sargese. “You don’t have to give up science to be religious. You’re describing the same thing in two separate types of languages.”
After minoring in religious studies, she pursued teaching it. She earned one of her master’s degrees at Drew University’s Theological School. She attended the school because she wanted to study on a higher intellectual level but surround herself with other “believers.”
Ultimately, the reason why she converted to Catholicism was quite simple.
“I felt as I got older that I was done being religiously promiscuous,” she laughed. “I wanted to choose a faith. Hinduism and Buddhism, of course, appealed to me philosophically. I believe in mindfulness for stress relief.”
“But I needed God,” added Sargese. “And I needed the Savior.”
Along for the Journey
Sargese fills other roles as well. Since 2011, she has served as a Public Speaker and Workshop Facilitator for the Healing Ministry at Recover Really, Inc. in Clifton. She also teaches Women in Religion at Bergen Community College and is an Interfaith Dialog Facilitator and Minister at MSU.
In a February video on her YouTube channel @LisaSargese, she noted, “With proof, there is no faith” and “Faith brings about an elevated way of living.” When asked how she maintains her faith in trying times, she pointed to her daily habit.
Sargese doesn’t take a day off from scripture and prayer. She acknowledged that Catholicism is also about “making meaning from suffering” and finding ways to cope with it.
“I don’t expect things to always be easy,” she said, “but I do expect for God to be with me in whatever I’m doing.”
Sargese is also the author of the book, “Diary of a Fat Girl: How I Lost 140 Pounds, Overcame Binge Eating Disorder, and Learned to Love Myself After Weight Loss Surgery”. Published in 2015, the book chronicles the aftermath of Sargese’s gastric bypass surgery.
It came more than a decade after her second attempt
at lap band weight loss surgery. One thing that Sargese heard after the surgery was people who believed that she took “the easy way out.” The point that she tried to get across was that there was nothing easy about the experience.
“It was horribly painful and complicated, and I still need to be on a diet and be disciplined,” said Sargese.
There was also the fact that the weight loss was not immediately obvious to other people.
“I lost 30 pounds very quickly, but when you weigh 400 pounds and lose 30, you can’t really tell,” she said.
So she started going to the gym and blogging. In the pre-Instagram and TikTok eras, sharing her journey was different. Posting videos was complicated and smartphones were not the norm. The blog posts became an early road map to her eventual book.
“I kept that blog going almost 10 years until a mentor of mine, Matt Stone … said, ‘Stop giving your writing away for free. Turn your blog into a book or several books.’”
Living in the Richfield section, Sargese sees the similarities of prayer across religions.
It’s unique in a world where many people focus on the differences. These differences can range from the manner in which people pray — bowing, kneeling, or standing — to whom they send their prayers. Sargese said there are three core prayers: praise, gratitude, and asking.
“There is worship: ‘God, you’re the greatest and only thing worthy of worship in the universe,’” said Sargese. “There is thanks — understanding and expressing how blessed you feel. And there is asking: ‘Can you help me get through this?’”
However people practice or pray, Sargese hopes they’ll put the “thoughts and prayers” to action. She said these words should never replace actual action, but they do still carry great meaning.
“I think [they’re] two of the most powerful and magical things that you can do from a distance for people,” she said. “If I say that I’ll pray for you, I do it right then and there. And sending positive thoughts? It’s like throwing a pebble in a pond that ripples out.”
“Even if people on the receiving end of thoughts and prayers don’t believe in it, at least you said something kind to them,” continued Sargese.
At 3 pm, the bells ring. There’s a collective prayer for peace. That call for peace spreads across the grounds and touches every corner of Clifton’s secluded monastery. Yet its presence is not only felt during the day.
Holy Face Monastery shines atop its mountain during the nighttime. Located at 1697 Route 3 West, it’s a Clifton landmark with a history of reaching people from a distance. It attracts not only believers, but those looking for spiritual guidance or serenity.
Frank Cortes describes the monastery and its grounds as a personal sanctuary. From the open grounds and the Stations of the Cross to a collection of picnic tables and Hall of Saints, visitors have their choice of where to meditate, pray, and relax.
Cortes first learned about the monastery’s existence in 1998. Almost entirely by accident. “I used to drive on Route 3 and would see the statue of Christ,” said Cortes.
Described by The New York Times in July of 1993, the statue “like the famed Christ overlooking Rio de Janeiro” seemed to bless the countless drivers it overlooked. The next time Cortes saw the statue out of the corner of his eye, he made a u-turn.
Cortes followed the street all the way up and saw a little chapel.
Mosaic of the Holy Face of Jesus with Fr. Stephen Pedica (left) and Diana Baldi, waiting for the blessing of the Holy Father, Pope Pius XII, in Rome, 1954. The Clifton groundbreaking of Holy Face Monastery on Dec. 26, 1952. The 25th Anniversary of Holy Face Monastery, from left: Father Benedict Ferretti, Abbot Brian Clarke, Bishop Frank Rodimer, Abbot Simon Tonini and Abbot Augustine Hinches.
“That was the beginning of a place to meditate,” he said. “The place, itself, inside brings a lot of peace to your mind.”
Cortes isn’t the only one who thinks so. Clifton residents and non-residents, alike, travel from all distances to visit the monastery.
As it marks its 70th year in Clifton, its Superior Brother Antony Maldonado, seen on facing page, hopes that their close-knit community continues to welcome many more individuals of all faiths and backgrounds.
“Whoever is still unaware of the [monastery] and its surroundings are welcome. Pay us a visit; we’re quite centric,” said Br. Antony. “Form your own opinion. We hope that it won’t be your only visit and that your visit encourages you to return. That’s what we want.”
Just 10 miles west of Manhattan, the monastery has overlooked generations of motorists while navigating one of the busiest intersections in northern New Jersey.
The confluence of Routes 3, 46, and the Garden State Parkway certainly requires a watchful eye, if not a higher power.
What truly stands out at night is a glimmering, illuminated cross. It’s a view and a symbol that is as captivating to drivers as the panoramic view of New York City is to those who take in the view from the monastery on clear days.
Bob Murphy, who has visited and volunteered at the monastery since 1999, agreed that the view of the city is remarkable.
“At night, when the lights are on in New York, people will come and sit down to view the skyline,” said Murphy. “It’s a great view.”
Holy Face Monastery belongs to the “Order of St. Benedict of Montefano”, known today as the Sylvestrine Congregation, O.S.B. St. Sylvester Guzzolini, from the town of Osimo in central Italy, founded the family of Benedictine monks in Italy in 1231.
It was St. Sylvester’s apostolic spirit that led the Sylvestrine Benedictine monks to America. The congregation first arrived in Kansas, where they served Italian coal miners from 1910 to 1928. In later years, they established themselves within the Diocese of Detroit. By 1960, the building of a novitiate house emerged near Oxford, Michigan, just 25 miles due north of Detroit.
Today, the monastery serves as the headquarters of the Sylvestrine Benedictine monks in the United States. The increasing number of monks was what inspired the expansion in the U.S. to what the Congregation saw as an “isolated, windswept hill” in Clifton. Exceeding expectations, the “Monastery of the Holy Face of Jesus” was built and later dedicated on Dec. 20, 1953.
Despite its visual prominence and past recognition in publications, Br. Antony gave a possible explanation for its enduring seclusion.
“Although we’re in the middle of an urban area and built on the side of a highway, the trees may curtain some of the noise,” said Br. Antony, 61. “The thing is that it is a spiritual atmosphere that we try to cultivate even with the businesses around. We try to keep the silence.”
On Feb. 15, the day before he turned 87, retired Clifton Firefighter Don Murray is pictured with his son Don, who is a retired Passaic Firefighter, at the statue of Jesus Christ. The father and son are frequent visitors to the monastery grounds, which offers many prayerful statues.
The monastery is long-considered a House of Prayer. It holds Weekday Masses at 7:30 am and Sunday Masses at 10 and 11:30 am. Confession is available for those who seek it from 2-5 pm on Tuesdays through Saturdays.
During the summer, Br. Antony said that different groups visit them. They will sometimes play music on the grounds, sell some food, and perhaps do other activities. Yet the monastery strictly limits these activities to maintain the desired ambiance.
“Here on the grounds, we have the Stations of the Cross that contribute to the quietness and recollection that we try
to maintain,” said Br. Antony. “We try to keep [events] to a minimum.”
“The monastery is an oasis for spiritual needs for people around the area,” added Br. Antony.
Frank Cortes and Christine Freda have both felt that deep, spiritual connection to the monastery for decades.
Cortes is the President at The Diamond Real Estate Agency, 881 Allwood Rd. In his spare time, he finds himself up there once or twice a week admiring the large statue of Jesus Christ. He also admires the many statues
of saints and continues to appreciate the reprieve the grounds gave many people during the worst months of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I would go there and walk because we couldn’t go inside,” said Cortes, 57. “It’s great to meditate and breathe some fresh air. It feels like you’re in Heaven.”
Cortes has lived in Clifton since 2005 and brings family to the monastery as well. He, along with his mother and sister, visit the monastery on Saturdays to meditate and pray. He’s also attended Saturday morning Mass with his mother who, though she doesn’t speak English, follows along.
“It’s not a church where you can just follow Masses at 11:30 in the morning on Sunday,” he said. “If you feel down [or] if you need an escape, you can go there [and] meditate or pray.”
When visiting the monastery, Cortes described it as getting a “nice spiritual massage.” When he needs it the most, he will pray there and sometimes stay for half an hour or an hour. He said he used to bring his late father there when he was sick for that same peace of mind.
“One word that I come out of there with is: Hope,” said Cortes. “You can walk in there also when you’re happy to say, ‘Thank you, God. Thank you for everything that you do for me.’ I wouldn’t change it for anything. It’s my favor-
ite place.”
Unity is what comes to mind for Christine Freda when she thinks of Holy Face Monastery. After moving to Clifton in 1974, she discovered the monastery. Since she lives nearby, she described it as “hard to miss.”
“I don’t go continuously, but sometimes it’s very soothing to go there,” said Freda, 79. “There is no politics and it’s non-denominational, so anyone can go. No one’s turned away.”
The reason she likes the monastery is almost ineffable, but she can pinpoint certain qualities. A combination of a great view and the kindness of the monks have left a lasting impression. She makes specific mention of two well-regarded priests, Father Sylvester and Father Louis.
Though Freda is not religious, she said she believes in God. She visits the monastery to pray for world peace.
“It’s funny — the other day when going there to pray … I turned to go into the chapel there and I don’t know what made me look up, but a big American eagle went flying by,” said Freda. “I never saw an eagle like that up close. It was kind of uncanny.”
Several years ago, Br. Antony made his own arrival at Holy Face Monastery.
Originally from Puerto Rico, he moved to the United States and settled in New York at age 25. For six years, he lived in the Bronx and worked in Manhattan. It was at St. Lucy Roman Catholic Church in the Bronx that he met one of the monastery’s monks, Father Bernard Schinn.
Fr. Bernard is American and was the Superior before Br. Antony, but he made his monk vocation in Italy. Once Br. Antony became more acquainted with the former Superior, Br. Antony visited the motherhouse in Michigan. He joined the main ministry in 1993 and became involved with the retreat house for high school students for the 25 years that he spent there.
Br. Antony said despite missing the main ministry, it was nice to return to the east coast in 2019. His new assignment gave him the opportunity to experience the Clifton monastery, along with its history.
“When [the ministry] found this property, it wasn’t up for sale. It happened to have been owned by a [Dutch man] who planned to make a clinic on top of the hill,” said Br. Antony. “He was a Catholic person. When the monks talked to him and when he saw there would be a monastery on his property, he was open to the idea.”
Br. Antony estimated that the approximately 10 acres of land sold for $35,000 at the time. The monks also had early obstacles to overcome. For starters, there wasn’t a road that came to the property. There also wasn’t running water available. They needed to dig a well, so they did — a 150 ft. deep well that is still seasonally accessible to everyone.
After three years at the Clifton monastery, Br. Antony assumed a new role. From 2019 to 2022, he and Fr. Louis Navaratne both served as the Superiors of the community. Those three years served as a transition period toward having the community be led by one monk, as is custom.
A few days prior to the March 21, 2022 Feast of St. Benedict, the Monastery’s Prior, Fr. Damien Gjonaj, appointed Br. Antony as the sole Superior of the community. It’s only recently allowed by canon law for a brother to become a Superior.
“I was, in a way, surprised. It had to be approved, of course, by the superiors, even all the way up to Rome,” said Br. Antony. “It still feels like an honor [and though it] made my responsibilities bigger, being a small house with only five monks here is manageable.”
Br. Antony noted how his fellow monks are extremely supportive and “with God’s help” he hasn’t felt overwhelmed. Still, it’s taken time to get used to going from serving under others to having people look to him for guidance. He said he will remain in the post for “as long as his superiors deem necessary.”
“If I [ever] have to step down, it’s perfectly OK with me,” said Br. Antony. “I was a regular monk for 25 years in Michigan, so I don’t think anything ego related would harm me or make me feel hurt. I will still be the happiest guy on Earth.”
There are changes to come that will neighbor the monastery.
In our January, 2021 edition, we wrote about the future of the land where Vincent’s Hilltop Villa once stood. Located at 110 Vincent Dr., our Project Watch 2021 remarked how the spot would make a beautiful setting for a wedding, a house of worship, or perhaps a nursing facility.
Those were all projects once considered for the vacant, abandoned property. The Zoning Board even heard an ultimately denied proposal for a Ukrainian Cultural & Community Center. As the neighborhood united to object to the potential projects, the city’s skyline remained permanently marred with debris and cars in the parking lot.
That is, until 14 single-family houses were approved for development.
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Leading up the project is developer Steven Porada, the owner at The Porada Development Group. Prior to the pandemic, Porada tried to buy the restaurant and repurpose it into a Ukrainian Community Center, with the goal of making it a place for weddings and community events.
They were moving ahead with the project when COVID-19 hit and City Hall was closed for a few months. When it reopened, Porada recalled that the neighbors came out in opposition.
“It became too difficult … and, within the community, people were starting to lose interest in the idea,” said Porada. “I ended up pulling the plug on the idea. Then, a couple months later, the owner of the restaurant called and asked if I had any interest in buying it again.”
That was when the real estate market was getting hot. Porada said that when the idea was first pitched for single family homes in the area, the numbers didn’t work due to
the values of homes in Clifton at the time. Once the values increased, Porada saw that “it started to make sense.”
The Planning Board approved his plan for 14 singlefamily homes around November of 2022. When we spoke with him on Feb. 21, Porada hoped to get started in the next couple of weeks since he had finished testing the sewer lines. He was waiting for the engineer to compare that data to the assumptions and see if any changes were required.
The plan will feature four different style homes, multiple times. Porada said the houses will look different, yet cohesive and he and the architect were still finalizing certain details. He does know that the smallest version of the houses is about 3,700 sq-ft, the next size up is 4,000 sq-ft, and the two largest end houses will be about 5,000 to 6,000 sq-ft.
“I feel like my homes are going to add value to every other home in that neighborhood,” he said. Several longtime monastery visitors feel the exact same way.
Bob Murphy, who has lived on Grove Street since 1998, is one of those people.
“I think that it’s a good addition,” said Murphy, 76. “I think that it’s going to work well with the monastery there.”
He noted that once the original owners of Vincent’s left, there were times when the former space was rented out for parties. He recalled how noise traveled over to the monastery at night and, at times, you could come across empty liquor bottles on monastery grounds.
Murphy is incredibly familiar with the grounds. When he started attending the monastery to pray and attend Mass in the late 90’s, he approached Father Paul, the administrator at that time while the late Prior Hilary Conti was ill.
“I asked Fr. Paul if I could do some volunteer work. He said, ‘Sure, no problem,’” said Murphy. “I started picking up the litter from picnics, parties, and general litter. Going down the road, all the way down to Route 3.”
Despite the grounds having a landscaper, Murphy continues with his daily volunteering. He’s not alone in his efforts either. He’ll gather branches and other volunteers will help him to remove the candles on the weekends before the chapel closes.
Murphy does take some time for himself as well. He attends daily Mass at 7:30 am and gets his exercise by saying the rosary as he walks the grounds.
“I do a lot of reading up there on the grounds or in the chapel. It’s very important,” said Murphy. “When you get into a routine, it becomes your routine every day. I thought it was a good way to start the day.”
John Pogorelec Sr. agreed, saying that the monastery has a tremendous amount to offer.
“If you go up there and you look at the facility and walk the grounds, you’ll see that you want to come back,” said Pogorelec, 80. “If you go into the chapel … off the chapel is the Hall of Saints.”
“If you go in there, you have to be impressed with all of the statues of all the saints,” he added. “You can pray there, too, and ask them to intercede on your behalf.”
Pogorelec, whose general practice law office is located at 840 Van Houten Ave., appreciates the flexibility of the monastery’s hours. He noted that while he was always a religious person and he attends Sunday Mass in his own church, they don’t leave the facility open like the monastery.
“They’re open for Mass in the morning and then if you want to go there during lunch time to say a prayer for 10 to 15 minutes, you can’t do that,” said Pogorelec. “The monastery is open all the time. If you’re asking for God’s blessings … that’s always available there.”
Over the years, some people have embraced asking for God’s blessings with others present.
In these cases, prayer groups have grown accustomed to meeting all together at the monastery. People of all ages are connected to one group that is devoted to St. Thérèse of Lisieux, or St. Teresa of the Child Jesus or the Little Flower.
Nancy Forte and Marty Kleber formed the group about 18 years ago. Following Kleber’s encouragement, Forte spoke about her own devotion to St. Teresa to a priest in her first year at the monastery. Forte asked about doing something for St. Teresa since she had read books on how great St. Teresa was about miracles.
“At first, he was against it because she was a Carmelite,” said Forte. “Then he was told that she’s of Holy Face and she became a big part of the monastery and is still surviving.” The group meets at 7:30 pm on the second Monday of the month in the hall located right behind the chapel. Forte added that Br. Antony is among those to join the prayer group.
Forte, 65, lives in Nutley and said she grew up Catholic and has always involved herself when it comes to helping others. Whether it was volunteering at soup kitchens or later restoring the Hall of Saints, she tries to bring Christ into her volunteer work.
“He loves us no matter who we are … and we will always be loved by Him,” said Forte. “I was always brought up like that.”
When she came to learn about St. Teresa, she was struck by just “how wonderful this little saint was.” Eventually, Forte was given the opportunity to clean her shrine every day and she typically closed and started opening the hall for others.
“A lot of [people] would cry with their problems and I would talk to them as I cleaned the shrine,” said Forte. “It opened up a door, you could say, and I started to become more prominent there.” In her second year at the monastery, a priest learned that Forte was a painter. Although she had never done statues, he asked whether she would fix and repair them at the monastery.
“I went to an art store and found out which paints to use,” said Forte. “I did that for no money … so the monastery could save money. Every time a statue would break, I would come in and fix it and put fingers back on,” she said. “I did that for about 15 years.”
She still puts her skills to use, even for the past 20 years employed in the monastery’s gift shop. There are a number of people who will come in hoping for repairs on their religious items. “I pass the religion on even in the gift shop,” said Forte. “People come in with their problems and I talk to them. It’s not just about being there, but helping.”
Other visitors like Tom Siso and Angelina Gonzalo, who is the young lady featured on our cover, find meaning in the legacy of St. Teresa.
Siso, 81, has lived in Clifton for over 50 years and found the monastery grounds peaceful even before joining the prayer group. “I’m a sort of busy guy and sometimes you need a little peace and quiet — and it’s there,” said Siso. “It has quite a large grounds and you can find yourself comforted there.”
St. Teresa is a saint that Siso has followed for a number of years now. Last month, he said the group attracted higher numbers than usual with about as many as 24 or 25 people. Others join as well when it’s for the celebration of her sainthood.
Siso said he has become friendly with some others in the group. He added that the collective prays to St. Teresa and her sainthood for guidance.
“I find it to be very rewarding. She was a very special woman,” said Siso. “She was only 24-years-old when she died and was part of a Carmelite order in France.”
“She was quite a lady, and she moves me,” he added. “She was always very sick. I guess that sickness and the strictness of the Order of Carmelite drew a lot of people to her to pray to her. I talk to her like she’s a friend.”
Both Forte and Siso acknowledged the relic of her’s at the monastery. The relic gives the prayer group another opportunity to venerate her. Not dissimilar to what many other visitors have done with the life-sized replica of the Holy Shroud of Turin, which was blessed by Pope Pius XII and is on display in the monastery’s chapel.
“I think more people should come — either for our gathering or just to come up and realize there’s a beautiful view of New York,” said Siso. “It doesn’t have to be a lengthy time, but [the monastery is] there for all of us.”
Gonzalo offered a similar sentiment.
The St. Teresa Prayer Group at Holy Face Monastery. Front: Ray Neelino, Br. Antony Maldonado, Angelina Gonzalo, Thomas Siso, Nancy Forte, Marty Kleber, Vivienne Semeraro, Nick Bassano. Back: Harry Ahrens, Aida-Albert Libiran, Roberto Mora, Elie Sarraf, Bob Murphy. The group meets at the monastery on the second Monday of the month. Below is an illustration of St. Teresa.
At age 25, Gonzalo is currently in a doctoral program with a focus on Educational Leadership, Management, and Policy at Seton Hall University.
Under the guidance of her patron saints — St. Teresa and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton — Gonzalo hopes to one day expose more students to a Catholic education and help others to access and achieve their educational goals. Her 15-year history with Holy Face Monastery has inspired these goals.
“The monastery is my safe haven. My second home,” said Gonzalo. “I not only go to pray there, but I study there. As I have progressed in my studies, I attribute that to the monastery because it is a peaceful place.”
Gonzalo encourages others, regardless of whether they’re Roman Catholic, to visit the peaceful environment. Whether that means walking on the grounds or praying, she said the monastery is capable of helping you find your “inner zen.”
Along with the monastery and St. Teresa Prayer Group, Gonzalo said her faith was nurtured and instilled in her by her mother, Ligia. She also credited Forte, who she looks to as a spiritual mentor.
“She has also served as a spiritual source of guidance over the years … as we study the life and footsteps of St. Teresa,” said Gonzalo.
In a world where what it means to belong to any faith is dominated by news headlines, Gonzalo said that faith relates to your “core values and your value system in practicing what you preach. I tell everyone that regardless of denomination, the main thing is to do God’s work and spread God’s love on this planet,” said Gonzalo. “We need to institute kindness in this world.”
“Everyone has faith and knows there’s a supreme being in their religion,” she continued, “but being in the world and
with the current events going on, I go by ‘Treat others as you would like to be treated.’ That has been my guide throughout all my life.”
Praying in solitude and amongst others are both important ways of prayer for Gonzalo. While on her own, she often walks the monastery grounds and prays using her rosary. For her, the rosary is a source of hope that she likes to also provide to others.
“Fr. Louis, another spiritual mentor and monk at Holy Face, makes rosaries. If he gives me a rosary, I like to give it to someone else,” said Gonzalo. “Again, taking the approach of sharing that faith. That was taught to me by Fr. Louis.”
It’s a devoted community and history of faithful monks that have kept Clifton’s monastery on the mountain thriving for 70 years.
Br. Antony in particular appreciates the longevity of the older monks. One thing that he hopes to see in the future is their continued involvement, while also bringing in new monks to perform any responsibilities that they cannot do.
“Even though we don’t need many monks because it’s a small place and is solid ministry-wise, people from all areas like to come here,” said Br. Antony. “Some organizations have had their annual activities for decades here.”
“We’re still making our small difference … and maybe if we get some other monks, we can keep on giving the people this option,” he added.
Br. Antony was careful to remind the community that the monastery is not a parish. Instead, it is a place for people to visit and perhaps seek refuge when everything else in life is too hectic. “We will keep on offering that option for years to come, God willing.”
By calling for other banks to do their part, the Board of Directors of Clifton Savings Bank in 1998 was hoping to triple its investment in the young people of the Clifton area. The Board presented a check for $150,000 to the Clifton Boys and Girls Club for its capital campaign--and has challenged other Clifton banks to collectively contribute $450,000 in matching funds. “This project will benefit everyone in our community,” explained Kenneth H. Van Saders, then President & Secretary of Clifton Savings Bank. “Our
board felt that by rallying other banks to join in, we could maximize the effectiveness of our contribution. With more than a dozen banks in our town, I’m confident that they will meet the challenge. It will really make a dramatic difference.”
will help you be able to interact with anybody.” That’s her advice to younger Club kids, and she’s not the only one that we spoke to about what the Club means to its community and youth. From its humble beginnings in the 1940s — and in some regards, even earlier origins back in the 1920s — the Club, located at 181 Colfax Ave., has allowed first boys and then all children to meet, play, socialize, and learn with their peers.
Its constant evolution is what makes it a touchstone organization in the first place. Along with its ability to serve as an environment where children can enjoy spending time with other kids.
“It’s a place where kids can … interact with different people while maintaining the leadership of being able to join different things,” said Kelly. “I think that’s why it’s so special. It’s just a place for everybody.”
Starting as a branch of the Passaic Boys Club, the Boys Club of Clifton was founded with 375 members in 1947.
In those days, the boys could fit in School 13 on Van Houten Avenue. Two years later, the Club relocated to School 7 on Randolph Avenue with 680 boys. By 1965, the
girls had something to say about creating their own space. So that’s why 663 young women that same year presented a petition to the Clifton City Council with the goal of creating the Girls Club of Clifton.
The new club was founded the following year by Donna Aiello, with its first official home at 1241 Main Ave., now with a split occupancy by Fresh Style by Charo and Sweet Harmony Spa. Four years after full membership was granted, Dolores Colluci was named executive director in July of 1974.
Known today as Dolores Colluci Healey, the former executive director first got involved with the Club in the 1960s. Before that, she taught art at CHS but saw the need for a place like the Club to supplement opportunities for children.
“I happen to think the Club’s evolved according to the needs of the community,” said Healey, 81. “I wasn’t around in the very beginning … but got involved … and then we started the Girls Club. It was obviously time for the girls, you know?” she added with a chuckle.
Healey recalled how things were going “extremely well.” They offered kids social programs and after-school daycare. The Boys Club handled many sports programs as well.
Then a group of a dozen or so women who belonged to the Clifton Junior Women’s Club had an idea. The club, which Healey joined after her children were born, focused on doing community improvement projects. These active women wanted to give back during their days and they took it upon themselves to get the Girls Club off the ground.
“It was a tiny storefront on Main Avenue with … only a few activities,” said Healey. “We felt we needed more, so we got more.”
“More” meant finding another space, now on Van Houten Avenue — a building. Healey recalled that they needed to figure out how to support the building and that’s when Healey was asked to take on a full-time role. But she had one condition.
“I never took [a lunch break], but I took 3:15 to 3:30 pm to pick up my kids. I had flex time before flex time was known,” laughed Healey. “I worked twice as hard and didn’t get a lot of money.”
That spirit of hard work from all of the administrators and staff is why Healey believes the Club has remained successful for decades.
“At the Girls Club and later at the Boys & Girls Club, if someone needed to go home … or their child was sick, we didn’t condemn them,” she said. “So, when they come back, they’ll work twice as hard because they care. That’s how we [became a] professional organization.”
Once the Boys Club and Girls Club consolidated at 820 Clifton Ave. in 1986, Healey was named executive director. It was a role that she maintained until retiring in
September of 2006. At the time of her retirement, the Club had exceeded 5,000 registered youth memberships.
What kept children engaged and off the streets were the Club’s facilities and those dedicated to expanding on what the Club could offer them. Still, they needed to validate a need for programs and that could take as long as three years for full approvals.
“With the Boys & Girls Club, we had a very, extremely progressive Board who cared about our community,” said Healey. They also put forth unique programs. Given CHS’ size and continued growth, they noted that an additional basketball program could benefit Club kids.
“How many kids were really going to get to play [at CHS]?” said Healey. “We instituted it and … in four months got together a basketball league only for students not on the school team.”
“All of those children were taken off the streets and given something positive to do,” she added. “Given a way to feel good about themselves and learn.”
That’s something Healey hopes never changes about the Club. She acknowledged the hard and often challenging work done by Executive Director Bob Foster, with whom she worked closely, and his staff.
“We tried to teach fairness and not to blame other people,” said Healey. “To try to stand and do the very best at what you do. I’m hoping some of those things will remain with the children.”
The 2015 Youth of the Year Amauris Peralta Munoz certainly took that lesson to heart.
Munoz started taking swimming lessons at the Club when he was younger and officially joined in eighth grade in 2010. Growing up in Clifton, he attended School 12, CCMS, and graduated with the CHS Class of 2015.
The Club gave him the ability at an early age to attend Keystone Club programs, which led to him becoming the Youth of the Year and pursuing higher education.
“[Keystone] provided me the opportunity to learn more
and further find a path after high school,” said Munoz, 25. “I traveled to conferences and networked with different Keystone clubs around the country.”
Munoz studied Broadcast Journalism at Ramapo College for his bachelor’s degree. In 2021, he earned his Master of Science in Sport and Fitness Administration/ Management at MSU.
The Club moments where he got to interact with professional athletes served as the groundwork for Munoz’s career today with the NFL. He is the Operations and DEI Coordinator for NFL Films, a division of NFL Media.
“It is not an easy industry to get into, but I got into it and progressed quickly so far and the work I do is valued. I love my job,” said Munoz. “I think it all started because the Boys & Girls Club opened opportunities for me and instilled [a desire] to give back to my community.”
“As part of the NFL, I am part of different groups and we volunteer our time to continue giving back,” he added. “For me, that started at the Boys & Girls Club. Community came first.”
Now living in Woodbury, Munoz also gives credit to Foster and regards him as “a very important person in many children’s lives.” Munoz believes Foster has done a “tremendous job” at making sure that programs at the Club thrive and the organization remains a key part of the community.
Munoz hopes that never changes.
“I think the reason why it’s lasted so long and is an integral part of the community is it’s a safe place where kids from all walks of life feel they can belong,” said Munoz. “It’s a place where — regardless of the language that I spoke or the color of my skin — I felt like I belonged.”
“I had staff members that looked like me and people that cared for me,” he continued. “I think the Boys & Girls Club provides an additional source of affirmation that children who are moving through the path of life look for. Not just at home or school, but a third additional source of affirmation that we all need to move forward.”
Providing that affirmation for children was and remains important for Club kids-turned-adults like Dr. Kent Bania and Keith Oakley.
Bania, who served on the Club’s board for over 20 years, grew up not too far from the old Boys Club. What he attributes to it lasting for 75 years is that it’s a safe and enjoyable space. Where a kid can “go and be safe” while enjoying the many available educational and sports activities.
As a boy, Bania’s parents enrolled him and his younger brother Robert (CHS 1971) in the Club. One of six kids, it was 1958 and he attended School 6, now the Board of Education building.
“I lived up Athenia Avenue and when they were building in the old building, there used to be a pool downstairs. That’s where I learned how to swim,” said Bania (CHS
1969). “I’d watch them do construction as I went to grade school.”
Bania, 72, remembers playing basketball for hours at the Boys Club and how much he enjoyed spending time there. So much so that after Dolores Colucci asked him to join the Board in 1990, it was a no-brainer.
One of his sources of pride while on the Board was when they built the Club’s pool. He noted its positive result of expanding the facilities while also giving more children the ability to go there.
“All four of my kids went there and they all enjoyed the pool,” said Bania. “Both of my daughters were good swimmers; fantastic in high school and college. My sons played the different sports that they had. They all really enjoyed themselves.”
Building the pool was not the only thing that he was proud to see at the Club. Retired now for 14 years and living in Massachusetts, Bania remembered how all the facilities were “next to none.” That included the old Camp Clifton, which they ultimately closed so they could continue offering more in the main facilities.
Nonetheless, Bania recalled some great times spent there.
“I never went in the summer, but I’d go up in the wintertime and enjoy it with my kids. Ice skating or skiing. It always had activities,” said Bania. “It was a beautiful place, but we had to make a decision: To maintain the camp or build on the facility. It must’ve tripled the size of everything.”
Keith Oakley (CHS 1971) remembers the decision well. And how he initially opposed it.
There were a lot of fond memories held there. As a boy, Oakley recalled how he took a “mystery bus ride” to what was originally known as Camp Ranger. He was one of the first people inside of the camp when it opened as Camp Clifton. Years later, as the Board’s secretary, he was the one who had to sign the papers closing it.
“I didn’t like getting rid of the camp, but we had to because people weren’t going and we used it to keep building the Club,” said Oakley, 69. “I loved the place, but it was time.”
Oakley’s youth was hugely defined by his connection to the Boys Club, and he remains proud to be a part of it. He joined the Club at age 6 — a year earlier than most since his mother, Mary (CHS 1939), worked there as a secretary. Mary worked in that role for 35 years
and his father, Lewis, was a volunteer maintenance worker in the Men’s Club after serving for over 30 years in the US Army.
“My family has been involved at the Club for almost all of its 75 years,” said Oakley. “I’ve spent 63 years there — I was a kid there, a president of the Men’s Club, a camp counselor, and have served on the Board since 1986, spending 14 years on it as an officer.”
“I never left,” laughed Oakley.
The thing that Oakley’s always admired about the Club is that you don’t need to be a star athlete to be valued. Speaking from his own experience, he was never an athlete. Yet the Club was an environment where you could play in the pool or read and “no one thought less of you because you weren’t somebody popular.”
What’s more — the Club always helped people. It taught children things and kept them off of the
streets. As time has passed, Oakley acknowledged that it’s more structured — versus the days when you could drop in whenever you pleased. But it still has something for everyone.
“I really believe the Club is what it says — one of the best places a kid can go to,” said Oakley.
It’s one of the organizations that the Clifton native and Athenia section resident will miss most as he prepares for his next adventure. In August, Oakley plans to retire. He and his wife, Michele, will make the move down to South Carolina to make a new start.
That means, along with his six decades-long involvement at the Club, he is also saying farewell to his volunteer work for the Avenue of Flags and the Clifton Elks.
“This is my swan song,” said Oakley. “I hate to leave Clifton and all that I do, but it’s so much pressure on me right now and I can’t do it anymore.”
Between the New Jersey cost of living and his health, he said that it’s the best decision. Yet he did acknowledge that for many years, volunteer work is what kept him in fighting form.
“I think it’s great to give back,” said Oakley. “I can’t work or do a lot of things, but that keeps me going and keeps me alive. I forget that I have all these problems.”
For the next 75 years, he hopes that the Club continues to reflect the community that it serves.
“Clifton speaks something like 65 languages … and we try to hire staff who [reflect that],” said Oakley. “We have a fantastic, dedicated staff that stays with us because they love what we do and we run a great organization.”
Foster is at the helm of that organization, but his work started there as far back as 1980.
“I see the organization’s drive and the community that has helped us so much,” said Foster, 66. “It’s been terrific. When you reach out for help, the community is always there for us.”
Foster continued by saying what has made a difference is becoming larger and well-known, with a devoted alumni network that’s eager to give back. One of the ways their support has helped is giving current Club kids not only a chance to play with other children, but a chance to form deep connections with mentors.
“That’s what we do,” said Foster. “[We offer] a safe place to go and to have a caring adult when you come through the door. I’ve always remembered that as part of our mission.”
Another Club mission is making sure that all the donations go to the right places. It’s the reason why the organization has remained scandal-free, according to Healey, and why people continue to give to them.
Foster is serious about respecting that responsibility.
“It’s always their support and gifts that meet the critical needs of our kids. The support is always needed and we thank them for that,” said Foster. “We have to be stewards of their money and we hope to continue doing a good job of stewarding their dollars and gifts back to the Club.”
And for as much as he’s a recognizable face at the Club, he said that it goes both ways.
“I always remember a face and whether I helped them,” said Foster. “Those things are always priceless when it comes to working with kids. That’s why we do it.”
Present Club kids like Amber Kankam and Kelly agreed that those mentors have made a major difference in their lives.
Kankam, a PCTI senior, joined the Club at age 3 with her twin sister, Ashley. They were enrolled in the preschool program and continued going to the after-school program through eighth grade. Kankam views the Boys & Girls Club as a family based on the longevity of people there, making it easy to know many of them.
One stand-out mentor during her youth was Denisha Williams.
“She used to be with my group when I was in second grade and was kind to me and my sister,” said Kankam, 18. “[After she left], I developed a bond with her outside of the Club. It’s a sisterly connection that I formed with her.”
Others that she sees often and who always ask her how she’s doing are Program Director Paula Benjamin and Assistant Program Director Andrea Fowles Bracco. It’s these small moments that contribute to the familiar environment and encourage her to take the Club with her.
While twin sister Ashley plans to pursue a career in law, Kankam is considering a career in the medical field. Both girls want to attend four-year colleges and Kankam hopes to utilize her social and science skills.
“I like helping people, which is why I volunteer at the Boys & Girls Club,” said Kankam. “It’s just about helping each other and those in need and making everyone feel better about themselves.”
Although Kelly has a few more years before she officially strikes out on her own, she also has a career trajectory in mind. She’s interested in writing, which may lead to her majoring in English or Literature. But she’s keeping her options open and considering journalism as well.
She also named Benjamin as her mentor and inspiration at the Club. “She’s always there for me,” said Kelly. “Whether I had a problem or something was going on, she was right there and definitely guided me through the years.”
Kelly has known her since the age of 5 when she was enrolled in the kindergarten program. She added her appreciation for how Benjamin kept her informed about opportunities like the Youth of the Year.
The other skills that Kelly has developed at the Club will stay with her for life. She mentioned the benefit of the socialization at the Club, particularly as a naturally introverted person.
“Through STEM programs and working in tutoring programs, it has given me the opportunity to interact with kids my age,” said Kelly. “To put myself out there to the point where I work well with others in different parts of the Club. The Boys & Girls Club made it so that I could be very open with other people.”
At the Boys & Girls Club, there are almost 200 staff members responsible for overseeing and managing daily operations.
That team, some of whom are pictured here, ensure that programs run smoothly for over 4,200 registered members, from preschool and early learners to high school students and young adults.
The kids learn athletics, academics and aquatics as well as civics and social skills as they seek ways to build their own futures.
Staff here does everything from fund raising from businesses to weekly Bingo games, to building community partnerships. Their mission is to provide a safe and supportive environment where Clifton’s young people can develop their full potential.
Patty Lavender and Doris McFarlane and the Early Childhood team full-timers, Jody Luterzo, Claudia Gaughan, Vanessa Rojas, Mary Jo Anzaldi-Foster, Ivette Maldonado and Sabrina Pineda.
Early Childhood part-timers from
Amy Sproviero, Allison Sproviero, Donnelle Condito, Olivia Hirst, Loretta Moses, Emely Pichardo, Leslie Escobar, Nicole Wong, Rachel Vazquez.
Administration team from left rear: Josh Tauber, Chris Street, Robert Foster, and Greg Reinholt. Front: Vilmary Mercado, Alexandra Zeszotarski, and Lesia Krysyna. Not pictured: Alisa Koch, Breyanna Fields, Maureen Cameron, Marijka Fanok, and Melissa Inoa.
More Early Childhood: Amber Milan, Ariana Barbosa, Kaliah Acevedo, Alaa Tahboub, Greisa Rios and Tamari Hill.
Above, program staff for after school for K to 8th grade from left, Theresa Gibson, Pamela Meregildo-Castro, Milagros Sosa, Ivy Perez, Margarita Vazquez, Corey McClain, Brionnah McClain, Giovanna Modola, Grace Mercado.
The Bingo team from left, Patty Jewell, Linda Scancarello, Chris Rizzuto, Barbara Dobol, Linda Declet. Missing is Joey Bray, Kathy Illescas and Tracy Cirasuolo.
Above: gym staff, Kiara Negron, Kathy Basto, Tara Dittus, Tyler Andreas, Paula Benjamin, John Rusnock, Andrea Bracco.
Not sure but Jimmy Anzaldi will be feted at the 75th Anniversary celebration of the Boys & Girls Club at the Valley Regency on March 9. And over the coming weeks there are more accolades to be added.
For instance on March 25 at 11 am, the park and recreation center on Clifton Ave., now known as Athenia Steel Park, will be renamed and dedicated in his family name to Anzaldi Park.
Clifton Rec Director Debbie Oliver said the NJ Parks and Recreation Division will name him the 2023 Advocate for his decades-long roll in promoting Clifton Recreation. While that is the start to his victory lap, photos on these pages show a few images from over his decades as mayor.
Not every class has one, though every class should — Clifton High School 1964 happily did. By which we mean, a genuinely world-class artist... and Mustang.
In what is sometimes dismissively termed “vernacular” or “pop” art, yes, but still, Stephen Douglas “Hoop” Hooper, was good. He hung with the Warhol set and sniffy sorts like Yoko Ono, was thus totally “downtown.” So much so that his personal “downtown” was always Clifton.
In the original publication of this story in 2014, word in the art world was that you should find and buy something by him. It was only going to appreciate since Hoop, sadly, died of cancer in 2011. And Hoop himself, who lived modestly on Charles St., may in fact have been and be by
far, the wealthiest person in town. Even, mysteriously, as folks always wondered during his long, showy, flamboyantly dressed career how on earth he actually ever made ends meet.
You probably saw some of Hoop’s art works yourself. They were mobile and he drove them around Clifton daily, and they were a staple of Montclair’s annual Fourth of July parade. Hoop “decorated” vehicles, turned them into art projects. Transformed them into rolling works of art.
Hoop never saw a car he couldn’t carpet over, prettify via draped furbelows and faux fur, paint in day-glow colors and in general make look like Elijah’s chariot if Elijah lived in southeast LA.
He is considered by art critics to have been the leading light of the so-called “art car” movement, and they claim Hoop’s long career began sometime during the 80’s when he began adorning a series of BMW’s then easy-to-find Isettas, which were an early effort at a genuinely compact car.
But Mike Finegan, himself CHS ‘68 who grew up on Lakeview Ave., knew a much younger version of Hoop.
“It was around ‘64,” Finegan remembers, “and there was a retired teacher who lived in Richfield Village. She had an old Henry J (note: a Kaiser, which they stopped making in ‘53) parked near Clifton Ave. she couldn’t drive anymore. Hoop bought it and decorated it. Really decorated it. It sat out there by his house and people stared at it.” And thus began his entry into “art car” movement.
Finegan, apparently the sole Cliftonite to sign one of those online “remembrance” books when Hoop died, recalled something else about Hoop (which Hoop also had in common with Warhol).
“He loved his mother. He always took her with him to all the car shows. They even went down to the ones at the Whiskey Cafe in Lyndhurst in the parking lot there and she’d sit beside him and you’d clearly see how much he actually loved and respected her.”
“And he was always just a real nice guy to anybody who talked to him,” concluded Finegan affectionately.
Hoop was also, as noted above, quite and quietly wealthy near the end of his allotted years.
His friend Baird Jones died in 2008 and made Hoop his sole heir and beneficiary, giving Hoop Jones’ first-class collection of modern art.
That, plus Hoop’s own “art cars,” makes for a mighty estate. Left supposedly, in turn, to a brother somewhere in PA. All of which is pretty cool for a scraggly-looking guy from Clifton High ’64 who just belonged to the Mustang Art Service and History Clubs.
And in a real-life “Revenge of the (semi, anyway) Nerds”-type situation, the guy is worth this modest tribute of ours, honest.
The St. Paul Rosary Society FishN-Chips Dinner & 50/50 Raffle is March 30. Held at the Parish Hall, at 124 Union Ave, the sit-down dinner begins at 6 pm. Take-out and pick up is only from 5-5:30 pm. Cost is $20 for adults and $10 for children under 12. For info or tickets, call Linda Darragh at 973-365-4006 or St. Paul’s office at 973-340-1300.
The Bunny Bash is April 1 9:30am, rain or shine at Nash Park, 700 Lexington Ave. The free family fun event is for kids ages 3-12. The Bunny-themed activities include a: Bunny Hop, Visit with Mr. Bunny, Breakfast with Mrs. Bunny, Mrs. Bunny’s Playstation, and Easter Bonnet Contest and Parade. Visit cliftonrec.com or call 973-470-5956.
The Clifton Garden Club’s monthly meeting is March 7 from 7-8:30 pm at the Allwood Library, 44 Lyall Rd. Speaker Janet Schulz is a Bergen County Master Gardener, a featured garden commentator on Home Time Cable TV, President of the Wyckoff Area Garden Club, and Director of the District 1 New Jersey Garden Club. In April of 2009, her garden was featured in the NY Times. Her presentation is on Ephemerals. Guests are welcome. The Garden Club volunteers goal is to keep Clifton cleaner and greener. Call Donna Fantacone at 973-473-0577.
While St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic School on President St. is decades old, it serves a growing number of children in grades K to 8. With that growth came a need to upgrade its WIFI and internet services, said Principal Sister Kathleen Hutsko, who knew the expense was not in this year’s budget. As the need became public, it was heard by attorney Roman B. Hirniak. “My goddaughter Olya Cade and her brother Myron attend the school,” he explained, “and their mom Krissy teaches there. Once Sister Kathleen and I talked, I was impressed how Sister budgeted for the project and how woefully needed the upgrade was. I was proud to write the check and make this project a reality. Keeping Ukrainian Catholic schools thriving is a great investment. For more on St. Nick’s, call 973-779-0249 or go to stnicholaschool.com.
The 19th Annual Passaic County Film Festival returns April 29 at a new location. The festival, from 11:30 am to 3 pm, will be held at Passaic County Community College, Public Safety Academy, 300 Oldham Rd. in Wayne. The festival received 85 submissions from high school students, university students, and independent filmmakers who live, attend school, or work in Passaic County. The film categories were general short film, PSA, music video, and documentary. Two PCTI students each submitted multiple entries. All of the films were judged last month by members of the Passaic County Film Commission. This year’s festival will include a special performance by the NJ Symphony Orchestra Chamber Players. The participation of the chamber players was made possible through a grant from the PSEG Foundation.
Art by Diane Walker, Tom Dzubina, Eugenia Gore, Mike Bertelli and others will be displayed as part of “My Favorite Things” at the CAA.
The Clifton Arts Center presents “My Favorite Things” by the Clifton Association of Artists. From March 8 to April 29, the new art exhibit is open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 1-4 pm to the public. On March 11, the center will host a Meet & Greet opening and reception from 1-4 pm for all of the artists. This year’s theme by the CAA showcases favorite things in many mediums like oil, acrylic, pastels, photography, watercolor, and sculpture from amateur and professional artists. As visitors tour the gallery, they can consider what some of their own favorite
Learn about managing stress, anxiety, and grief with Power of One’s Kim Castellano. The next date is March. 16 in the series of one-day welcome sessions from 6:308:30 pm at the Senior Center Barn C5, 900 Clifton Ave. Future dates are April 13, May 18, and June 15. Register for the free series by emailing info@powerofoneccom. org or calling 862-239-5905. The series is open to people of all ages who want to learn about stress, anxiety, and finding hope. For info, call Castellano at 201-328-2326 or email kim@powerofoneccom.org.
The Theater League of Clifton will present its dinner/ theater production of “Meshuggah-Nuns” at Mario’s Restaurant, 710 Van Houten Ave, on March 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 18, and 19. Friday and Saturday shows are 7:30 pm and Sunday matinees begin at 4 pm. Tickets cost $55, including a buffet dinner, bread, coffee, tea, soda, and dessert. To reserve tickets call TLC at 973-928-7668, order online at theaterleagueofclifton.com, or pay by check addressed to PO Box 4072, Clifton, NJ 07012. Send news to tomhawrylkosr@gmail.com
things are to appreciate, such as this piece entitled Slava Ukraine by Tom Dzubina. A group of 12 Clifton artists established the CAA in 1963 to advance art and culture in Clifton. Since 1964, Clifton’s Recreation Department has sponsored the group. The Arts Center is on the Clifton Municipal Complex, 900 Clifton Ave., near the Well Water on Well Road. For info, call the Arts Center’s office at 973-472-5499 or visit cliftonartscenter.org.
Clifton FMBA Local 21’s Tricky Tray is March 10 at 6 pm. The event will be held at the Boys & Girls Club, 822 Clifton Ave., with dinner, dessert, and one general prize ticket sheet. Tickets cost $40 per person. Pre-sale ticket bundles are available for $60 and only available for purchase by Feb. 28. Cash and checks should be made payable to the Clifton Firefighters Foundation. Submit payment to 219 Valley Rd, Clifton, NJ 07013 Attn: FF Hoogmoed. For more info, contact Tara Hoogmoed at butterfly210@optonline.net.
The Clifton Health Department and the Community Policing Division are seeking donations for homeless or at-risk individuals throughout the winter season. The donation drop-off location is at 900 Clifton Ave, with a drop box in the City Hall lobby. New clothing items are requested, including: Underwear, towels, sweatpants, sweatshirts, blankets, T-shirts, hats, scarves, and gloves. Toiletries can include feminine products, toothpaste/ toothbrushes, deodorant, and toilet paper. Find the complete list on cliftonnj.org.
These four students, one from each grade, were selected by the vice principals at CHS, to be spotlighted for their personal achievements and school-wide contributions.
More acclimated to high school with each passing day, Raschel De La Cruz knows what works and doesn’t work for her.
The freshman Mustang said that her favorite school subject is gym. She enjoys playing sports and staying active. She has other plans on how she would like to stay active in the future with all her extracurricular opportunities.
“At this time, I am focused on my grades,” said De La Cruz (CHS 2026), “but I would like to help other students in the ELL program here at CHS.”
De La Cruz has kept on top of her academics by behaving responsibly and setting aside time to focus on her work and studying. Although she hasn’t determined a future career path, she does see herself taking advantage of CHS academic programs, like the Bergen program, Academies, or MSU program.
In the meantime, she has people who influence her to work hard. One of the influential figures is her social studies teacher Matthew Stuart, who she described as “very kind with his students.” The other person that she admires is her grandmother.
“She was a single mother and worked so hard so that she could give her children an education and the best possible future,” said De La Cruz.
Jadrian Castro knows that achieving big picture goals requires small picture focus.
That’s why the sophomore is committed to passing all of his classes. From there, he will decide where he wants to commit himself in the future. His dedication has paid off so far in his first year and a half of high school.
“I managed to be successful by putting my work first and staying focused in class,” said Castro (CHS 2025). “By studying regularly and working hard, I can be successful and learn from all my classes.”
Castro’s favorite school subject is geometry. The challenge of solving problems and putting the questions together “like puzzles with missing pieces” greatly appeals to him. His most influential teacher is Rafat Ewais, who teaches math.
“He teaches well by making the lessons more understandable for us and assisting the students when they have trouble,” said Castro. “Mr. Ewais works hard to help us learn each topic and is an amazing teacher.”
Aside from in-school influences, Castro has influential people at home. He credits his mother for always putting others first.
“My mom always believes in me and pushes me to be my best,” said Castro. “That is how I got to where I am today.”
Raschel De La Cruz, Jadrian Castro, Lory Anne Cuadra, Jason Rossi.Lory Anne Cuadra, Junior
Moving during high school is difficult, but Lory Anne Cuadra was up to the challenge.
“The biggest hurdle that I tackled in CHS was adapting to the new environment that I was in,” said Cuadra (CHS 2024). “I had to make new friends and get used to this big change that I was experiencing.”
She was able to not only adapt but also get involved. One of her extracurriculars is managing the volleyball team. She enjoys the role because it enables her to spend time with her friends.
When she is in the classroom, Cuadra’s favorite school subject is pre-calculus. She explained that math has “always been my strong suit” and her teacher, Lucyna Mierzwa, makes the class both fun and enjoyable. She also has some other teachers that she admires.
“In all honesty, Mr. [Christopher] Henry and Ms. [Andrea] Miller-Hamilton have been the most influential to me this year,” said Cuadra. “They have been very helpful and always strive to make their students be the best, academically wise.”
Cuadra plans to attend college and possibly pursue engineering. It’s not an easy path, but she feels prepared.
“[My parents have] always taught me to work hard and aspire to be the best that I can be.”
Jason Rossi, Senior
Jason Rossi has nearly conquered high school and is ready to pursue his future career plans. “My aspirations [after graduating high school] are to go to a trade school and learn a trade,” said Rossi (CHS 2023). “Mainly HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning).”
It is a strong plan and one that he already possesses the soft skills for — like time management and perseverance — to make a reality. The person who instilled those skills in him from an early age is his mother.
“The person that inspires me the most is my mom because she keeps pushing me to a higher standard, which shows in my school work,” said Rossi.
One major hurdle that he’s overcome at CHS is improving his work in math class. He credits the support of teacher Anthony Genchi and his own efforts.
“Math was always a hard subject to learn and I used to struggle on tests,” he said. “Over the years, I have learned to become much better at preparing and now I am doing much better.”
Alternatively, Rossi’s favorite school subject is social studies.
“I always found the World Wars interesting,” said Rossi. “I have had some great history teachers here at CHS who inspire me to learn about the past.”
Doris Struyk turns 90 on March 10, pictured with granddaughter Nicole Rosoline and her fiancé Kenny Peterson while baking Christmas cookies. Ruth Basta daughter of Medhat and Melba Basta of Clifton celebrated her 22nd Birthday on March 27. Alex Fadil hits 23 on March 12. Zayden Oskar Buonafina is 5 on March 13. Dana Aref is 18 on March 10.
Grandson Billy Thomson celebrates his 11th birthday on March 8. Elaine Sassine will be 75 on March 15, the Ides of March. Colleen Murray turns 83 on March 20. Stephany Naomi Bernales is 29 on March 19. Rosemary Trinkle Baran turns 62 on March 30. Liam Kelly is 12 on March 15.
Lynn Grosser’s 21st birthday is March 21 and is pictured with Mercedes, her mom. Congratulations to Corey & Michelle Genardi, celebrating their anniversary on March 28. Their daughter Bianca Eda Genardi turns 17 on March 2
Patricia Vigh
Ted Grzybowski ..................
Pat Smith
Victoria Crudele .................. 3/9
Pamela Culque ................. 3/10
Tiffany Sabo
USMC Pfc. Frank Uricchio, a resident of 13 James St., was Killed in Action on the beach of Iwo Jima on March 1, 1945.
Uricchio was 19 when he died, the result of wounds after being hit by shrapnel inside his foxhole. He was taken to a hospital ship, likely the USS Samaritan or Solace, where he passed away.
During 36 days of fighting on the island, nearly 7,000 Americans were killed. Another 20,000 were wounded. The island was declared secured
on March 26, part of a major battle in which the US Marine Corps (USMC) and US Navy (USN) landed on and eventually captured the island from the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II.
Uricchio was a CHS grad of 1943 who played varsity baseball and football as a Mustang. He then attended the University of Alabama for a year before his enlistment.
While with the 5th Marine Division, Uricchio was wounded after storming the beach, then evacuated to a medical ship but died during surgery. In what was then not an uncommon practice during the war, his remains were taken back to the 5th Div. cemetery near the Iwo Jima beach head where they were interned and remained for three-and-a-half years.
At the conclusion of the war, his remains were disinterred and brought back to Clifton and a funeral was conducted by Marroco Funeral Home. A burial mass at Sacred Heart Church was held on Dec. 20, 1948 after which Pfc. Uricchio was buried in Calvary Cemetery in Paterson with full military honors.
Surviving him to this day are his cousins Lorraine Debellis and Sharyn Cartnick, who appreciate this celebration of his brief life.
