33 minute read
Class Notes
THE 40s
Delores Quinn-Stuebe ‘45 writes “I am 93 and 8 months. Looking back, it was a wonderful experience, but I do not think I appreciated it at that time.”
Genevieve Dillon-McMonigle ‘47 celebrated her 68th wedding anniversary. “We are blessed with two wonderful daughters, six super grandchildren, and two active and loving great-grandchildren who reside in MA — but whose escapades we see daily online. It has been a good life and I am thankful to Bishop’s each and every day.
Margaretmary (Peggy) Lang Virgadamo ‘48 writes “since my last update, I have been blessed with two great-grandchildren and another on the way. Sadly, within nine months of each other, I lost both my husband and our youngest son. I emailed my son every morning in his final days; he lived in FL and begged us not to come down to see him die. My book, Love Letters from a Mother to her Dying Son (published with amazon.com), has a five-star rating. All proceeds from the book are donated to Cathedral Prep Seminary High School. It was originally written as a gift of love for our two grandsons with copies just for immediate family and close friends. After much deliberation and positive feedback, I was encouraged to publish it as a beacon of hope reflecting our final journey of helplessness, denial, anger, despair, frustration, and unconditional love — eventually resulting in the culmination of acceptance, faith, hope, and gratitude for the privilege of sharing in the creation and development of our family. The special bond of mother and child is written with love on their hearts and souls, making them a part of each other forever. Always and forever, pride and gratitude for being a Bishop’s girl.”
Joan Roche-Stroh ‘49 had a small reunion in Rockville Center last spring with other classmates from 1949.
THE 50s
Rosemary McCoy-Balling ‘50 is 89 yearsold and doing well.
Margaret “Margo”Richter Roll ‘50 is still hanging in there at 90 years-old, “slow but still gardening and painting. I stopped teaching in 2020, and recently closed my studio. I get to Mass most days and am involved in the ACTS retreat, Come Lord Jesus, and Catholic Daughters in our parish, St. Joseph Church in DeRidder, LA. I have five children, 11 grandchildren, and 16 great-children. My husband of 67 years, Ernie, went home to be with the Lord at the age of 94 on October 5, 2020. Oh Jesus, I surrender myself to you, you take care of everything. God Bless.”
Anne Linnane-Kevany ‘51 recently became a great-grandmother and writes, “I am still in my house, volunteer at Good Sam Hospital in West Islip, make dolls for sick children in hospital, and quilts for the Life Center in Massapequa. Life is good — praise the Lord.”
Therese Young Beckwith ‘51 has five children and eight grandchildren. She retired after 38 years of teaching high school and second and third grade.
Sr. Theresa Kelly, RSM ‘52 wants you to know that Sr. Sally Ryan, RSM ’52 died at Maria Regina Residence on Dec. 23, 2020.
Magdalene (Baroni) Sanatore ‘53 has retired from her legal practice at age 86! She says “I am healthy and love the Lord. My husband is with the Lord since 2010. We have four children, 18 grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren. The Lord said, increase and multiply, and we did!”
Grace Tomanelli-Meyer, Esq. ‘53 lives in River Vale, NJ and writes “well, thanks be to God there are eight of us friends from the Class of 1953. Bishop McDonnell Memorial High School remains with all of us. We were taught love, compassion, friendship, and the true love of God— how truly blessed the eight of us are! I have four children, 18 grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren. At 86, I am finally retiring from my legal practice — which started half of my lifetime ago! I was
Bishop McDonnell Scholar Angela Derras ‘22
Angela is a Student Ambassador, a member of the National Honor Society, and she participates in softball, band, and Campus Ministry. She dreams of practicing Criminal Justice/Law at Penn State.
sworn in to the NJ Bar in 1978, the U.S. Supreme Court in 1983, and in the NY bar in 1988. Been busy, but grateful to the Lord for giving me His health, power, and love to make it through. I lost my husband of 54 years, Heinz, in 2010. I am grateful to be able to support myself and my family with my late profession. The Lord said “increase and multiply” and Heinz and I took that seriously. I give our Lord, Jesus Christ all honor, glory, and praise for dying to save me, and leaving me His Holy Spirit to guide, comfort, direct, and carry me through! Hallelujah, and many thanks for my good education at Bishop McDonnell Memorial High School with its devoted, wonderful five orders of nuns — back so long ago! Give God the glory, honor, and praise that He alone deserves.”
Rita Minary Hesse ‘54 cherishes her wonderful friendships from Bishop McDonnell — even 68 years after graduation. “I thank them all for the wonderful times together and the great memories. God Bless.”
daughter Veronica DeMartino writes Marie Salvato-Dodrill ‘54 “was married for 65 years to Thomas Dodrill. She developed Parkinson’s disease and passed away on April 17, 2021 leaving five children, 16 grandchildren, and three great grand-children (with another due in May 2022).”
Lorraine Baumann-Palme ‘55 is looking forward to her 85th birthday.
Lorraine Ducotey-Solen ‘55 writes “I have lived at The Fountains at Millbrook retirement community since 2019.”
Lorraine Pallotta-Danna ‘55 will be celebrating her 62nd wedding anniversary with husband, Dr. Peter Danna, on April 23 on the Celebrity Equinox. They live in Tierra Verde, FL.
Roberta and Don
Roberta Paul Molaro ’55 says she took it to heart “when the good nuns at Bishop’s told us to find a husband just like St Joseph. I dated a few who I thought might be possible prospects: Joe, was nice, but I wasn’t what he was looking for. Then there was Bob, who was Jewish and his middle name was Joseph, but he definitely was nothing like St Joseph! Then, John, a dreamboat — but neither of us were ready for marriage yet. Eventually I met Don, a cabinetmaker. Although he was not what I was looking for at first, he treated me with respect, was great company, and we got along well — and his father’s name was Joseph. I was married 59 years, 13 days, and one hour to Joseph’s son when he passed away two years ago.”
Carol Callahan Comando ‘56 has been married for 64 years (in July) and has three grandchildren. She is grateful for the education received at Bishop’s and has spent all these many years paying it forward volunteering in Girl Scouts, garden club, and League of Women Voters.
Theresa Doherty-Breault ‘56 has relocated to sunny Arizona and is loving it after a lifetime on the East coast in NY, CT, and NJ. Kathleen Donovan Von Der Linn ‘56 lost her husband Jim of 63 years in July, 2021. “He was Bishop Loughlin Class of 1954. We did most of our dating on the train to Brooklyn and attended each other’s graduation proms. I live in Issaquah, WA and winter in Scottsdale, AZ. Our five children and eight grandchildren are spread over seven states, but we get together as often as possible. There will be a final celebration of Jim’s wonderful life in NY in June.”
Sr. Margaret Farley, CSJ ‘56 volunteers in Our Lady of the Snows School in the Children’s Liturgy of the word.
Anne Marie Liston, SJC ’56 passed away in RI on February 4, 2022. She was a Sister of St. Joseph of Cluny for 61 years and served as a teacher, principal, and pastoral associate. She ministered in RI, CA, WV, and Ontario. “Her missionary spirit never flagged. May she rest In peace!”
Mary Ellen McGowan O’Boyle ‘56 just celebrated her 53rd wedding anniversary. Her grandson is getting married in October.
Elizabeth Trust-Conlon ’56 hosts a reunion luncheon each year for her French group classmates. “Going strong after 65 years!”
Carolyn Alderese-Langevin ‘57 is now in her 80s. She has three greatgrandchildren and writes, “My life has been a gift and my faith has been my rock. Thank you for those formative years and thank Jesus for it all.”
Barbara Matzuga-Douglass ‘57 is grateful every day for the education she received at Bishop’s and the wonderful nuns who taught her. She expected her first great-grandchild in March. “Thank you Lord for many blessings!”
INSIDE A ı CLASS NOTE
CLASS NOTE ROBERTA M. EISENBERG ‘58....
Roberta M. Eisenberg ‘58 has been active with the St. Cecilia Chorus of New York in Carnegie Hall since finding an ad in the Sunday New York Times Arts & Leisure section in 1977…but wait, there is more to this story!
Bobbi Eisenberg, smiling with silver hair, seen past the conductor’s left shoulder in Carnegie Hall.
HOW DO I GET TO CARNEGIE HALL? PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE!
by Roberta M. Eisenberg ’58
I was scouring the chorus ads in the Sunday NY Times Arts & Leisure section in the last weeks of August, 1977. NYC has many amateur choruses that attract people who love to sing. And, there among the ads, was a very attractive offer — to sing J. S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with the St. Cecilia Chorus in Carnegie Hall. All that was required was to pass a sight-reading audition and to have a “pleasant, blending voice”.
What is sight-reading? It means that you can read the lyrics and the music and, with the help of piano accompaniment, you can sing whatever is printed in the score. Sopranos most often they have the melody. The rest of us, including me, an alto, have a harder time because the piano provides a reduction of all the orchestra parts. If you are given the starting note, you can then sing the rest by reading the music.
Some people have perfect pitch. I do not. I do have almost perfect relative pitch. So, once I hear the note, with the help of the piano, I can sing what follows. I never studied how to do this nor took any classes.
How did I learn? Well, at seven, one of my aunts, a piano teacher, started giving me lessons and made me count out loud. Playing scales and exercises was boring so I began singing along and counting: 1-un-uunn, 2-oo-ah-nd… Without knowing it, I was teaching myself how to sight-read music.
View from the top of Carnegie Hall. The Cecilia Chorus of New York is a widely recognized, diverse, multigenerational, mixed 150-member chorus that has been enriching New York’s musical life since 1906. Each season we perform two major concerts at Carnegie Hall and a third concert at another venue. Spanning five centuries, our imaginatively curated repertoire includes standard works, neglected gems, and exciting commissions. (ceciliachorusny.org)
St. Cecilia Chorus was officially founded in 1906 by Victor Harris, a coach with the Metropolitan Opera. It was preceded by the Tuesday Morning Singing Club, begun in 1900. Originally it was an all-women chorus. In 1964 it became a mixed chorus. More on the history can be found at ceciliachorusny.org/about.
In 1965, David Randolph became the conductor and music director, a position he held until 2010, when at the age of 95 he died after a short illness.
The 2010-2011 season had guest conductors and Mark Shapiro conducted the 2011-12 season. In 2012, the name of the chorus was changed by the board of directors to The Cecilia Chorus of NY. There followed many newly commissioned works and world premieres of others. For the 2020-2021 season, we met via Zoom every Monday night. There were interesting sessions with our previous soloists and composers as well as voice coaches giving us various exercises. There were also “staycations” to several countries featuring their music.
Carnegie Hall reopened last fall with very strict protocols — proof of vaccination just to be allowed to enter the hall. Singers and brass and wind instrument players had to provide proof of a negative PCR test in the immediate few days before the December concert. Precautions for the next concert are being discussed.
The audience similarly had to provide proof of vaccination and masks were required. There were timed entries and three different entrances used to prevent a crowd from forming in the lobby.
If you are interested in auditioning for the chorus, visit ceciliachorusny.org — where you can also see the program for this season. Rehearsals are Monday nights in Manhattan from 7:15 to 9:45 p.m. We are now required to wear N95 masks and show proof of vaccination and booster to attend rehearsals. Chairs are arranged with appropriate spacing. If you are not feeling well, or when weather is bad, you can follow the rehearsal via Zoom.
If you have any questions about singing with us or attending concerts, please feel free to contact Bobbi at bobbi@alumni.nd.edu.
Rosemarie Tagliavia-Tirrito ‘57 has one great-granddaughter and another on the way. “My granddaughter Corinne is blessing me with this joy. I am sorry to announce that my husband Frank passed away on February 28. He is finally resting in peace. Thank God. I wish happiness and health to all my classmates of ’57. “
Peggy Candia-McDonald ‘58 attended Little Bishop’s in Flushing for two years before attending the main building in Brooklyn. “I was one of five from St. Joseph’s, Astoria, NY school to attend Bishop’s. All five of us attended the 50th anniversary reunion. It was as if time stood still when we saw each other. We went our separate ways, but that day, we were back in high school. The education we received at Bishop’s was exceptional as it prepared us to peruse our life’s goals. Now retired, I split my time in NY and FL. Do not miss the cold winters. What could be better?”
Carol Dignam-Sohm ‘58 turned 80 in June and lives with her husband George in Carmel, NY. She is still in touch with Sr. Kathleen Lynch, Sr. Margaret Sprague, Diana Carey Lee, and Joan Pertuciello Kowolsky. Her son and daughter live in Pennsylvania.
Brenda Mayher McGinn ‘58 lives on a small island in FL where in her church there are a few women who graduated from Bishop’s! She will be married 60 years in November. She is always grateful for having the opportunity to attend Bishop’s.
Barbara Sacco Jackson ‘58 is happy to have nine grandchildren.
Jean Beyer Quinn ‘59, still in the Flushing/Bayside area, is happy to report good health and attitude. Her seven grandchildren keep her entertained; all but one (still in college) have graduated from college with success in their professional efforts. She was “fortunate to have completed 35 years as a teacher in varying educational settings.”
Caroline Jakubek-Grayson ‘59 is retired and living in Carson City, NV. She has four children, eight grandchildren, and two great-grandsons. She has fond memories of her time spent at Bishop McDonnell.
Theresa (Terry) Rochford ‘59 is currently writing a book of poetry which she hopes to publish next year.
THE 60s
Suzanne Nicoletti-Krase ‘60 retired in 2019 and spends much of her time with Good Neighbors of Park Slope, an organization she helped to start. “Our members can join book clubs, lectures, scrabble, meditation, current events, etc. GNPS has no employees and all our activities are member-run. My husband Jerry and I look forward to traveling once again now that COVID has calmed down and we are vaccinated and boosted. I remember my years at Bishop’s with fondness and am always happy to meet another Bishop’s girl!”
Arleen Cavaliere Best ‘61 is retired and living in Ardsley, NY. She has a son in Brooklyn (so she sees her alma mater often), a daughter in PA, and three grandchildren.
Elizabeth Louise “Bette Lou” McKnight Russo ‘61, lives in Port Washington, NY. She married Frank Russo, Jr. (Bishop Loughlin MHS ‘60) in 1964. They have seven children, 34 grandchildren, and one great-grandson.
Rosemary Perinelli Kelley ‘61 sends greetings to her fellow classmates and writes, “Our first grandson is getting married in San Diego in September. Time may march, but the years fly!”
Ann Therese Bruder Gross ‘62 worked as a secretary after graduation from Bishop’s before attending nursing school at Holy Name Hospital (graduating in 1966 as an RN). She worked at Jamaica and Mary Immaculate hospitals (Queens, NY) as a medical surgical nurse and then at Mercy Hospital in Rockville Centre, Nassau County, NY as an intensive care nurse. She married Peter Gross in 1971 and raised a family of two girls and two boys in West Islip, NY. They moved to Charlotte, NC (where they still live) in 1994. She returned to oncology nursing for a year and finally finished her nursing career in hospital hospice in-care for almost ten years.
Mary Jane McCarthy-Conroy ‘62 is still grateful for her education and how it lead her to wonderful opportunities.
Bishop McDonnell Scholar Saniah Reid ‘24
Saniah, a cheerleader, participates in the Arthur Ashe Institue for Urban Health and is in the Project Lead the Way STEM program. She hopes to study medicine and aspires to become a surgeon.
Joan Miley-Danehy ‘62, retired from teaching computer science at SUNY Morrisville, has six grandchildren (two in high school, one in college, and three college graduates). One stepgranddaughter made her a step-greatgrandmother.
Stephanie Pirog Pietrangelo ‘62, who has two children and three grandchildren, sees Bishop McDonnell often — her daughter lives directly across from BBG and the Brooklyn Museum. She was a NYC first and second grade teacher for 26 years in Staten Island and loved every day of teaching. She is now retired and travels with her husband (including places like Argentina, Italy, Chile, Switzerland, and more). She takes classes at the UFT, which are lots of fun. She is “returning to my 50th year reunion with my two sisters and cousin — yes, we all went to Bishop’s. I saw and still love the marble and the chandeliers in the main lobby, so beautiful. The strong academic program there prepared me for Fordham and a career in teaching.” Anne Swanson-Gargiulo ‘62 remembers all in her prayers.
Joan E. Farley ‘63 writes, “My mother, Ann Grace Burger was a 1932 graduate and my sister Mary Ann Farley, a 1958 graduate.
Marilyn Hayden ‘63, a fine art appraiser, turned short-story writer (thanks to COVID), writes “I am still alive and kicking, now living in Greenwood Lake, NY — not quite retired after all these years. I was recently appointed Greenwood Lake Historian. I agree with Yogi Berra — it ain’t over til it’s over.”
Agatha J Napoli–Barone ‘63 celebrates her 56th wedding anniversary with Joe, her prom escort, on May 1. Their youngest grandson receives his First Holy Communion on the same day. “God has truly blessed us.”
Carol Van Nostrand Tobin ‘63 reflects “It is difficult to imagine the number of years that have passed, but one thing is for certain, I recall the fond memories of Bishop McDonnell. Thinking back, I was
WHO ARE THESE BISHOP’S GIRLS?
The names from the back cover of the last issue were identified by Kathleen Howley Witt ‘60 when Paula Giangreco Cullison ‘60 posed the question on Facebook. In the picture at the Copacabana Night Club are Paula Giangreco Cullison ‘60, Paula Cappitelli ‘60, Cathy Incorvaia ‘60 and Maureen Hayes Handy ‘60. blessed with the opportunity to obtain a wonderful, well-rounded education that served me well during my extensive career in publishing. I remember one nun comparing our education to an associate college degree. I believe that to be true considering the intense daily curriculum. Looking back, I remember the selflessness of the nuns. I am truly grateful for their dedication, and more importantly, their patience with all of the students. I would not trade the education received at Bishop’s for the world! Bishop’s enabled us to experience a deep camaraderie with fellow students. Some friendships were short-term and others long-term — including my best friend Barbara Kearney Barkocy ‘63. She and I still speak with one another every day! On a personal note, my husband Paul and I are retired (Paul as a marine investigator/marina owner and I as a Director of Manufacturing Operations of a major publishing company). We have five children and seven grandchildren and relocated permanently to our home on the west coast of Florida. We couldn’t be happier! My one hope is that the education provided at Bishop’s continues for those who will become the future leaders in the country we are so very blessed to live in! Much love to all of my Bishop McDonnell sisters. May God bless you with love, health and happiness and keep you in His care!”
Mary Ellen Holodak ‘64 owns Mary Ellen’s Specialty Fabrics (MESF, LLC). She writes “For over 35 years, I have been selling overseas fabrics, mostly to the intimate apparel and dress markets, to manufacturers in NYC. My office for many years was in NYC but I had to close due to COVID last year so now I am in my NJ home. I am semi-retired and enjoy my five grandchildren. In reflection of my Bishop’s years, they were the best. I can’t believe it will be 60 years in 2024! I made some great friends then — some I am still in contact with.”
Mary Lou Bove-Klenner ‘64 will be married to Adolph for 57 years in November. They are the parents of two daughters and four grandchildren. “Life has been good to
us and we have persevered through the ups and downs. The joys of our life are our GrandGems — Lila (a college junior at FGCU perusing a career in the medical field), Michael (a high school junior and three-letter athlete), Nina (also a high school junior and avid volleyball player), and Julian (a 14 year-old dancer and actor who has appeared in several TV shows, and possibly theater productions). God has blessed us in many ways for which we are grateful. Bishop’s will always be a wonderful unforgettable memory for me — it’s the only high school I ever wanted to attend and I am thankful for the great education it provided.”
Rosemary Johnston-Lawton ‘64 lives in St. Louis, MO with her family. She and her husband have three children and four grandchildren. She is retired from careers in higher education and managed behavioral healthcare. “Unfortunately, I have never been able to coordinate a Bishop reunion with a family visit to NY and now no longer have family in the area. I welcome contact from fellow Bishop alums at Rjohnston-lawton@sbcglobal.net or 314-882-7161.”
Frances McGill, RN, MD ‘64 writes “Bishop’s and the dedication of the sisters who taught us so well influenced my career as a RN at Mary Immaculate Hospital, Jamaica, Queens (now closed where several Bishop’s alumnae trained too). I recently spoke with Lois Biggin Moylan ‘64, PhD, RN (now a Dean at Molloy College of Nursing) and JoAnn Sposito Kurtz ‘64, (Director and Nursing Educator at Nassau Medical Center), and, just received an email from MaryAnn Moks Miotto ‘64. After working as a critical care nurse, I was accepted to St. George’s University School of Medicine where I trained in Obstetrics and Gynecology and worked at Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY and St. Vincent’s Catholics Medical Center. I currently teach at Grenada. Women now comprise 52% of our medical students. We encourage Loughlin students to do well in the STEM courses and serve others in medicine, nursing, and the many health professions. I can be reached at fmcgill@sgu.edu. Members of the Class of 1967 met for lunch in August 2021 — Lizz Manning Mancini, Phyllis Murphy Howell, Particia Hurley Pagano, Marie Santangelo, Barbara Accardi, and Marie Mascaro.
Pat McKiernan Ciarleglio ‘64 is happily retired with her husband. Both her sons have married in the last two years (2020 and 2021) and live in Houston.
Fran Piscopo Boccella ‘64 lives in Cumming, GA and would love to hear from anyone in the class of 1964.
Regina Leeds ‘64 is moving to WA after 42 years in Los Angeles, CA. She is the author of ten books and is delighted to share that her New York Times best seller One Year to an Organized Life is being updated for rerelease in December — just in time to be a helpful stocking stuffer.
Diane Riceputo-DeMilta ‘64 says “I have many wonderful, heartwarming, and funny memories of my days at Bishop’s, but this is one I’ll never forget: One day after gym, I was touching up my makeup — which was not an acceptable part of the dress code in 1964 — and as I was looking in my rather large two-sided mirror, I saw the reflection of one the nuns looking right back at me! I guess you know what followed, detention. I never did that again, well, at least not when a nun was looking! Be well!”
Rose Ann Visconti-Cimino ’64 and her husband Joe will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in August. They have two sons (one that lives downstairs and one that lives in TN), two granddaughters, and two grand-dogs.
Joan Felcetto Vitale ‘65 lives in Charlotte, NC and writes that she is “married (January, 2018) to Juan Carlos Stasi. We spend time in Buenos Aires, Argentina — and we do tango! We teach dance and provide online music and history classes about Argentine tango. I no longer teach Fine Art. Travel remains important. We have four grandchildren whom I embrace whenever I can.”
Catherine Pittman ‘65 is completing a gift, Storyworth (52 weeks of guided questions, which once answered, are printed as a book). “The questions about most memorable birthdays and who I dated in high school brought back a flood of memories of my years at Bishop’s. If I remember correctly, someone from our homeroom volunteered to get birthday corsages for classmates. Everyone chipped in to pay for them. Wish I could remember what each one for every year was, but I do remember bubble gum and sugar cubes were for sweet sixteen. One of the other memories was about proms! A group of girls from Bishop’s were dating a group of boys from Trinity and our senior proms were two days apart! What to do?! We decided that we would go to both of them and wear the same gowns. The boys, of course, didn’t have to worry
about what they would wear as the black tuxedo was standard attire. We felt so grown up, riding in a limo to fancy hotels in Manhattan — the Waldorf Astoria and the Americana! On Wednesday night, we went to the Hawaiian Room where they served “mocktails” and then there was a horse-drawn carriage ride through Central Park. Being good Catholic teens, we knew we should go to Mass the next day, as it was Ascension Thursday. Why not make that an adventure too? We hopped a bus to the LaGuardia Airport Chapel for a very early morning Mass and then took the bus home. It still astonishes me that my parents let me stay out all night! Friday night brought other post-prom adventures as the limo took us on the Staten Island Ferry and then drove across the newly opened Verrazano Bridge to one of the girl’s home in Brooklyn for a “champagne” brunch put on by her parents. A sleepy subway ride brought us home at about 4:00 a.m., with blissful memories that have lasted all these years. I wonder what happened to that boy I dated?”
Marie Scuderi-McNamara ‘65 is fast approaching her second year as a resident of Hampstead, NC. She is looking for any fellow Memorialites in the area.
Janice Comiskey Morrissey ‘67 has two daughters and two grandchildren. Her husband Tom passed away in 2018. She recently sold her home in North Andover, MA and moved to Methuen, MA. “Downsizing and decluttering has taken time and effort — someday I will be rid of boxes! Unfortunately, in January 2022, a dear sister passed away after a long illness and another friend in the UK as well. My life was enriched by these individuals. Sometimes I can’t believe that I graduated so long ago — with mostly good memories of high school and my own life. Yes, there have been good and bad times, but here I am handling my senior years…one day at a time.”
Mary Sandanavicius Newsom ‘67 has been living in the Los Angeles area for 48 years and recently retired from a very long teaching career. She says, “Throughout my entire life I have been very active in the Lithuanian-American community. For the last 35 years I have been a Director of our Lithuanian Heritage School (Saturdays) and am a great proponent of bilingualism and diversity. My husband Bob is retired, and our three children have gifted us with five grandchildren. It was a pleasure to attend Bishop’s 50th reunion. What a great educational foundation we all received at Bishop’s!”
Rosemarie D’Ambrossi Casaccio ‘68 is enjoying retirement (June 2015) from the NYC Department of Education where she worked as an AIS Teacher in Literacy. She writes, “My days at Bishop’s live in me. Sometimes, I picture the girls and the teachers. In my mind I remember their smiling faces. Of course, I still see us as teenagers. I remember Sr. Theodora (Mary Anne Rogers). She said our class A3-112 was part of “The Hundredfold.” My two daughters are married and live close by so my husband and I see our three grandsons often. We weathered the pandemic by staying close to home and keeping our social circle very small. We look forward to expanding our horizons now.”
Kathleen (Walsh) Conway ‘68 writes that her mother, Catherine Leahy Walsh ‘44, passed away on January 29, 2022.
THE 70s
Mary Ellen Dunbar ‘70 has happily remained a Brooklynite and “every now and then I find myself in the neighborhood of Bishop’s and I think of all the wonderful times there! I attended Brooklyn College and then transferred to St. Francis College in Brooklyn after I was hired for a full-time position in the NYS Court System. I retired 40 years later. I have been involved with music my whole life. In 1995, my husband Michael and I formed a band called Garavogue. We are still active but have been unable to perform the last two years. We have been recording original music (written by Michael) and we are fortunate that our music does get some airtime. Just in case anyone might be interested, I thought I would include links to two of our most recent songs. I sing The Longford Girl (https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Xd8uU9KSIMc), which Michael wrote in tribute to my grandmother, and sings harmony on The Sands of Rockaway (https://m.youtube.com/ watch?v=GETXjEePWHs). Wishing you all a blessed 2022!”
Maricela Rente Campos ‘70 graduated 52 years ago and will always remember and cherish her experiences at Bishop’s. She married and has one daughter, Cynthia. “I met many wonderful friends at Bishop’s which will always hold a special place in my heart. I worked for 40 years for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and retired seven years ago. God is good!”
Bishop McDonnell Scholar Elizabeth Charles ‘25
Elizabeth is a step dancer and hopes to study pediatrics at Spellman. She offers “a sincere thank you to the alumnae of Bishop McDonnell for their constant support and commitment to us students.”
Phyllis Brooks Collins ‘73, in her 29th year at Delaware State University in Dover, DE, “gives thanks for another year. I look forward to developing new and innovate academic programs for a diverse student population, many who come from NY, NJ, PA, and MD. I am looking forward to the pandemic ending so I can attend the reunion in April.”
Dr. Marie Murphy Gleason ‘73 retired as Director of Outpatient and Community Cardiology in the Division of Cardiology at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in January, 2021. She was a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and an Associate Chief in the Division of Cardiology. “I was privileged to spend 32 years at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and seven years at The Pennsylvania State University Medical Center in Hershey, PA treating children and young adults with congenital and acquired heart disease. I found working with families to be very rewarding. I live in the Philadelphia suburbs and enjoy traveling with my husband Ed, when COVID permits! We enjoy visiting our two sons and two grandsons. It is so hard to believe that we will celebrate our 50th year anniversary of high school graduation in 2023! Definitely hoping to get back for the reunion.”
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END OF AN ERA — THE SCHOOL CLOSES ITS DOORS
— from the Bishop McDonnell alma mater
Enjoy this excerpt from ‘Memorial, Memorial’ — thank you Phyllis!
With the decision made, Bishop McDonnell began the process of closing its doors. Letters were sent to faculty and staff detailing the prerequisites necessary to take early retirement and providing information regarding job placement at other schools. Severance packages consisted of two weeks’ pay for those who had worked two to five years, three weeks’ pay for those who had worked five to ten years, and four weeks’ pay for those who had worked ten years or more. Those choosing to work at another school would keep their seniority benefits. A number of nuns and lay teachers would continue working at the school to accommodate those juniors who had decided to take accelerated courses and graduate from Bishop’s in July. While the nuns received $50 per week, lay teachers received $181 per week, almost four times what the nuns received. Looking at these numbers, it is obvious how much of a financial drain the school incurred when lay teachers replaced teachers from religious orders.
As the date of closure drew near, a complete inventory of the school had to be undertaken. The Royal typewriters put to use for so many hours by commercial students were on the list, as were 1,026 lockers, numerous cabinets, countless wooden chairs from the school offices, waiting rooms, and cafeteria, as well as 59 armchairs and 1,190 student chairs — all needing to be dispersed among other schools or disposed of.
St. Francis de Sales agreed to take much of the inventory of furniture and equipment, giving Bishop’s an additional income of $12,355. However, the week of August 13 was the final week during which items St. Francis had decided not to keep could be picked up. Fr. Mondel had only one request — that was to keep the cross that hung in the Chapel he loved so dearly and had been so instrumental in seeing come to fruition. That cross is now displayed at the Blessed Sacrament Chapel of the St. James Church in Chatham, NY.
The “changing of the guard” was to take place at noon on August 20, 1973, and all details needed to be concluded by then. All insurance policies issued to Bishop’s needed to be closed and new policies issued under the name of the incoming school, St. Francis de Sales School for the Deaf. Various schools around the country submitted requests to Fr. Noonan, the principal, to take some or all of Bishop’s library books. It was his Noonan’s wish to keep the Library intact. He chose Bishop Hoban High School in Wilkes-Barre, PA to receive the 20,000 volume library. Bishop Hoban was set to open in September, but in July, its entire inventory of books had been badly damaged by Flood Agnes.
It was not only the students who felt displaced. The entire faculty, a number of who were Bishop’s alumnae from the 1940s, was forced to find new positions or choose retirement. Three became principals at other schools, while the remaining members transferred to Bishop Loughlin, Bishop Reilly, St. Agnes, College Point, and Bishop Kearney. Certainly, they felt the same sorrow experienced by the students they had taught.
WE BID FAREWELL
With the impending closure of Bishop McDonnell Memorial High School slated to take place in June, more than 1,500 women, comprised mostly of alumnae, gathered at the school on May 20, 1973 to bid a final farewell to their alma mater. For almost a half-century, Bishop’s had served as a home away from home for students keen to learn and prepare for their futures. Former Principals, Rev. Franklin Fitzpatrick and Rev. Walter Vetro, joined with Rev. Thomas Noonan, the then current principal, to celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving. Rev. Noonan attributed the closing to the decline in enrollment and the lack of available funds necessary to keep the school solvent. Freshmen and sophomores would continue their education at a variety of other schools, including Bishop Loughlin, Bishop McDonnell’s “brother school.” Juniors, likewise, could transfer to a school of their choice. However, they also had the opportunity to accelerate their studies at Bishop’s with both afterschool and summer sessions. Those juniors would become Bishop’s final graduating class with the ceremony taking place on Friday, July 20, 1973. Approximately 240 existing students, comprised of freshmen, sophomores and juniors, decided to transfer to Bishop Loughlin, making it coeducational for the first time in its history.
During the 47 years of its existence, over 25,000 students graduated from Bishop’s. By 1960, Bishop’s could boast of 1,003 graduates having taken vows spread out among 55 religious communities. Sixty-eight percent of Bishop’s students took academic courses to prepare for higher studies. The remainder enrolled in commercial courses and/or a homemaking curriculum.
Bishop McDonnell became nationally known for its contributions to missions throughout the world and the wealth of vocations to religious life. Its alumnae went on to become, among other occupations, high school principals, college faculty members and administrators, diocesan officials, and leaders in religious communities. Religious vocations were encouraged, but it was the example of the nuns themselves that played a large part in encouraging students to enter religious life.
The entire history of Bishop’s may be characterized by a multitude of annual traditions, including the production of school plays, the hoopla of the Ring Day Ceremony and accompanying festivities, the boat ride to Rye Beach, the trip to Washington, DC, spring concerts, celebrating Senior Class Day, attending religious retreats and Days of Recollections, trips to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, the May Crowning of Mary, and the very special senior prom — always held in a ballroom that was among the best in New York City. Those traditions, as well as the basketball games, Regents exams, fun in the cafeteria and, of course, graduation ceremonies would cease to exist, but there was one vital tradition that would live on. That tradition is the indestructible school spirit that has captivated and enriched the hearts of all of Bishop’s graduates. If readers have any doubts that spirit still exists, the yearly alumnae reunions clearly demonstrate that it does. In September 1973, the school re-opened as the St. Francis de Sales School for the Deaf with Sr. Patricia Carroll, a Bishop’s alumna, at its head.
----------------------------------------------------For a copy of Memorial, Memorial — The History of Bishop McDonnell, contact Phyllis Howell at howelldogs@aol.com or 718.627.2145. Copies are $20 each, which includes shipping.
