Hempstead Town Holds Sunrise Memorial Service

Anton Community Newspapers • 132 East 2nd Street • Mineola, NY 11501 • Phone: 516-747-8282 • FAX: 516-742-5867

Hempstead Town Holds Sunrise Memorial Service

Written by Christy Hinko Friday, 21 September 2012 00:00

‘Chain of Love’ Carries Legacy Of Victims

The Town of Hempstead held their annual remembrance service on Tuesday, Sept. 11, at 7:30 a.m., at Town Park, Point Lookout. Year after year, the town invites residents to the place where hundreds first gathered to mark one fateful day in the nation’s history. Residents wrote messages and names of victims on a 35-foot mural of the New York City skyline, the “Heroes of 9/11 Panorama,” set beside a 15-foot-tall shadow box image of the fallen towers.

Approximately 1,500 participants were in attendance; many of them cast white carnations into a reflecting pool located at the base of a 30-foot steel remnant from the fallen towers. Attendants included families of the victims, clergy members, firefighters, police, rescue workers and the common citizen. Also in attendance was Russell Siller, the brother of Stephen Siller, a heroic firefighter who ran through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to reach the burning Twin Towers.

Levittown firefighters honor Chief Ronald Kerwin. “This morning, we remember those Americans who were killed on that fateful day 11 years ago, honoring their memory and the legacy they left behind,” said Town Supervisor Kate Murray. “Today is also an opportunity to reflect, pay tribute and honor the heroes who died that day. It is also an appropriate occasion to celebrate the legacy of love left to us by the victims of the terrorist attacks.”

Inspiring words were also offered by Father Douglas R. Arcoleo, of Our Holy Redeemer Roman Catholic Church in Freeport; Rabbi Kenneth Hain, of Congregation Beth Sholom in Lawrence; and the Reverend Eric Mallete, of the Greater Second Baptist Church in Freeport.

Point Lookout—Lido Fire Department served as Color Guard for the ceremony, while their department, along with the Levittown, Woodmere, Lakeview, Seaford and Rockville Centre Fire Departments, which provided honor arches across the beach entrance.

Murray thanked the many community leaders and organizations that participated in this year’s program. The Gregorian Consortium of Kellenberg Memorial High School in Uniondale performed musical selections during the service. Dee’s Nursery of Oceanside, Stop & Shop Supermarkets, the Salvation Army and Zwanger-Pesiri Radiology sponsored the event.

News

Father Sommer Coming To St. Bernard’s

Thursday, 13 June 2013 00:00

When Msgr. Ralph Sommer was growing up he found inspiration from the example of his uncle, Father Ralph Besendorfer. “He was a Brooklyn priest,” said Msgr. Sommer, who is known to parishioners as “Father Sommer” or “Father Ralph.”

“My uncle was a most powerful and delightful influence, happy, caring, and helpful,” said Father Sommer, outgoing pastor of St. Brigid’s Church, in Westbury. “I would look at him and say, ‘I could do that.’”

For a number of years, Father Besendorfer would come out to St. Bernard’s in Levittown on weekends to assist.

Now, Father Sommer finds himself about to become pastor of St. Bernard’s on June 26, succeeding Msgr. Gerard Ringenback, pastor of St. Bernard’s since 2001.

He doesn’t know if anyone at St. Bernard’s will remember his uncle, Father Sommer said, but “if I meet people who remember him from that time, it will be a nice thing.”

Born in Flushing, Queens, Father Sommer grew up in Garden City, attending St. Anne’s School. He advanced to St. Pius X Preparatory Seminary, a high school for young men considering the priesthood.

“It was a caring community,” with priest-instructors and students who shared an interest in exploring the priesthood.

For college, he left the seminary system for Adelphi University near his home. “I walked every day. We didn’t have another car.”

Adelphi offered an opportunity to test his vocation. He majored in psychology, “which I thought would help me if I became a priest.”

After Adelphi, he returned to priestly studies at Immaculate Conception Seminary, Huntington. Upon graduation, he was ordained a priest in 1983.

Sports

Semonella Signs

Thursday, 13 June 2013 00:00

Senior pitcher Anthony Semonella at Division Avenue High School has received a scholarship from the University of Bridgeport and has signed a National Letter of Intent to play baseball at the collegiate level. He was joined by parents Donna and Ralph Semonella, Principal Dr. Francesco Ianni, Physical Education Chairperson Mauro Chiti and varsity baseball coach Tom Tuttle as he signed a letter confirming his acceptance to the university’s athletic program.

Photo provided by Syntax

Robert Naughton To Return To Cardinals

Thursday, 13 June 2013 00:00

St. Thomas Aquinas College freshman Robert Naughton, of Levittown, has made his impact known in the NCAA Baseball East Coast Conference. Naughton started out his 2013 campaign not allowing an earned run in the first 19 innings he pitched.

At completion of his first season Naughton pitched 58 innings compiling a record of 6-1, leading the East Coast Athletic Conference with an era of 1.54.