2014 Past Events

2014 PAST EVENTS

Bishop Frank J. Caggiano’s Visit to St. Emery’s Parish
Christmas  Cookie Walk and Holiday Fair
Ziti and Meatball Dinner
Ladies Victorian Tea and Luncheon
Choir Annual Guest Artist Day
Exhibit Commemorating Cardinal Mindszenty’s Visit to Our Parish in 1974
Hungarian National TV films Cardinal Mindszenty Documentary
Celebration of Father Stephen J. Balint’s Retirement and Father John Paul Long’s 45^th Anniversary in the Priesthood

Bell Tower Project

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Bishop Frank J. Caggiano’s Visit to St. Emery’s Parish
September 14, 2014 

St. Emery’s Parish was honored by The Most Reverend Bishop Caggiano’s visit to St. Emery’s Church on Sunday, September 14, to celebrate the 9:00 AM mass.

Father Guido G. Montanaro, Pastor and Administrator of St. Emery’s parish, Reverend Frank Gomez, Priest-Secretary to the Bishop, Father John Paul Long, Resident Priest and Deacon Rudolph Trankovich also participated in the celebration of this beautiful mass.

The Knights of Columbus gracefully performed honor guard ceremonial services during the mass and a large variety of home baked food items and beverages were served in the  church hall following the mass.

Please enjoy the following gallery of photographs from the Bishop’s visit (click-on images to enlarge)

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  Photographer and Parishioner Henry Kutash

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The Refreshments – Social Committee

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We would like to thank St. Emery’s Social Committee and parishioners for all the refreshments they provided after the 9:00 AM mass.

We would like to thank the Knights of Columbus for their participation.

We would like to thank St. Emery’s church choir for their superb performance under the direction of Anthony Procaccini.

We would like to thank Rose Kovach (Cantor and Soloist).

The photography is the excellent work of Henry Kutash.

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Christmas  Cookie Walk and Holiday Fair
December 13 – 14, 2014

The St. Emery annual Cookie Walk, which took place on a Saturday and Sunday, was once again a successful event.

Eighteen parishioner volunteers donated dozens and dozens of cookies, which were sold.  Over 350 home cooked stuffed cabbages made by parishioners were sold-out as well.

Several vendors were at the fair.  A large gift basket was raffled to conclude the event.

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Ziti and Meatball Dinner
September 20, 2014

An enjoyable autumn dinner event was held in the St. Emery’s church hall on September 20 from 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM.  The Italian style dinner was sponsored by St. Emery’s Social Committee.

It was a delicious home cooked meal with very ample servings that included fresh salads, loaves of rye bread, the ziti and meatball main course, deserts and a wide selection of wine, beer and soda beverages.

A raffle concluded the dinner.

Each of these types of enjoyable events demand much work on the part of many volunteers. Twenty-nine parishioners volunteered their time to make this dinner event successful.

Please enjoy the following gallery of photographs from the dinner (click-on images to enlarge).

The Dinner Guests

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Photography courtsey of parishioner Kimberly Scinto.

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The Social Committee

Co-chairmen: Barbara Chuga and Mary Ann Corcoran
Marie Kassay
Betty Hasak
Kathy Sherwood

Volunteers – St. Emery Parishioners

Numerous volunteers participate to make these events successful.

Jim, Betty, Herb and Chris Hasak
Herb and Shalene Ramirez
Henry Kutash
Greg and Barbara Chuga
Carroll and Barbara Fencil
Gary and Pat Dicso
Art and Mary Ann Corcoran
Wendy Bleggi
Marie and Mae Kassay
Carol Gladstone
Helen Olah
Helen Norton
Sandy McCarthy
Maggi Gagyl
Kim Scinto and Noel
Doris Estock
Dorothy Rouleau
Kathy Sherwood
Joe Ull

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Ladies Victorian Tea and Luncheon
Sunday, July 13, 2014

St. Emery’s parish held their annual Ladies Victorian Tea and Luncheon on Sunday in the church hall — a delightful and entertaining afternoon. In addition to the luncheon, a ballroom dancing exhibition was held where professional dancing couples from the “Dance With Me” studios in Stamford performed for this enjoyable affair.

Several door prizes were included.

Please enjoy the gallery of photographs from the Victorian Tea, which are posted below. Our thanks go to Doreen Hesse who volunteered to do the photography (Left click-on images to enlarge photos. Right click on ‘back’ to return).

The Tea and Luncheon

The event was sponsored by members of the St. Emery Social Committee, Parish Advisory Council.

 

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Dance With Me Studios

The ‘Dance With Me’ studios in Stamford, Connecticut was co-founded by Maks Chmerkerskly from Dancing with the Stars TV program.

Meridith Landphair and Ivan Agnelkevski performed a series of dance routines for the guests.  They were  later joined by the guests to learn the Latin American Salsa.

 

 

 

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A fun time for all!

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The Social Committee

Barbara Chuga – Chairman
Mary Ann Corcoran
Marie Kassay
Kathy Sherwood

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Our Photographer

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Many thanks to Doreen who volunteered her time and effort to cover this event. Excellent photography.

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Our Volunteers

A special thank you to all the St. Emery volunteers who contributed to make this Ladies Victorian Tea another very successful event.

Kathy Sherwood, Parish Advisory Council President

Barbara Chuga and Mary Ann Corcoran, Chairman of Social Committee

Karen Adams, Beatrice Bleggi, Rita Bailie, Theresa Bell, Greg Chuga, Art Corcoran,

Maureen Chuga, Pat Dicso, Victoria Dicso, Doris Estock, Carol Gladstone, Maggie Gagyi,

Betty Hasak, Jim Hasak, Marie Kassay, Mary Kassay, Nancy Kali, Sandy McCarthy

Helen Norton, Irene Olah, Laureen Pekar, Dorothy Ruleau, Carol Ramirez, Herb Ramirez,

Mary Ann Scinto, Kim Scinto, and Joseph Ull.

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Choir Annual Guest Artist Day
Sunday 9:00 AM Mass, June 22, 2014

Guest artist Tenor David Finley
Preformed before three former American Presidents

St. Emery’s Music Department held its Annual Guest Artist Day on Sunday, June 22, at the 9:00 AM mass. Tenor David Finley joined the Saint Emery Festival Choir as the guest artist and together they performed an exceptional and wonderful special music program. Music Director Anthony Procaccini’s musical direction and selection of songs for the mass was well done.

It marked the end of the normal choir season and thus was an opportunity for the entire parish to thank the choir members for their dedication and work during the season.

The choir will resume in September.

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The choir members from left to right are Rose Kovach (soloist), Claudette Apple, Veronica Dicso, Louise Miller, Phyllis Simon, Gary Dicso, Sandra McCarthy, Barbara Fencil, Robert Rouse, Marie Warren, Frank Zilinyi and Anthony Procaccini, Music Program Director.

The chorus group used was comprised of four sopranos, two baritones, four altos and one bass, or a full SATB (soprano, alto, tenor, bass)  choir.

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A delightful assortment of pastries and coffee followed the 9:00 AM mass in the church hall, which was complimentary and sponsored by the Parish Advisory Council, Social Committee.

It was a very well attended event.

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Exhibit Commemorating Cardinal Mindszenty’s Visit to Our Parish in 1974
May 3 – 4 and May 10 – 11, 2014

The exhibit included news articles and photographs of Cardinal Mindszenty’s day in Fairfield, Connecticut on May 8, 1974, 40-years ago.  The Cardinal visited St. Emery’s parish and was also honored by the Town of Fairfield’s First Selectman John Sullivan.

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To the left is a summary of the world renowned Cardinal’s biography and the actual itinerary of his day in Fairfield and Norwalk on May 8, 1974.

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Over 100  photographs and news articles of the Cardinal’s visit to St. Emery’s were collected and displayed.  The photographs and articles were provided by several parishioners and by the Fairfield Museum of History Hungarian archives.

On Sunday, May 4 the parish Social Committee sponsored complimentary coffee and home baked pastries in the church hall following both the Sunday masses. This event was well attended and received as many parishioners fondly recalled the festivities and excitement that occurred on the day of the Cardinal’s visit.

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Hungarian National TV films Cardinal Mindszenty Documentary
April 24, 2014

The National Hungarian TV network from Debrecen, Hungary visited St. Emery’s Church on April 24 (Thursday) to film, photograph and interview parishioners for a documentary they are producing that trace Cardinal Mindszenty’s travels in the U.S and Canada in 1974.  Mindszenty visited St. Emery’s parish on May 8 of that year.

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Reporter Ferenc Vojtko and cameraman Mathe Gabor photographed and filmed both the outside and inside of the church and also conducted interviews in Hungarian with Mr. Imri Ihasz of Shelton and Dr. Balazs Somogyi, of Cheshire. Parish Music Director Tony Procaccini and soprano Rose Kovach performed a Hungarian hymn and a classical vocal piece for the documentary.

The TV crew from Hungary were very pleased with our contributions to their work and expressed their sincere thanks.

To assist the TV crew, numerous photographs and articles had been collected prior to their visit. These photographs and articles were displayed as an exhibit in the church hall on May 3-4 and again on May 10-11 (see above posting).

St. Emery’s will be getting a copy of the Cardinal Mindszenty documentary.

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Celebration of Father Stephen J. Balint’s Retirement and Father John Paul Long’s 45^th Anniversary in the Priesthood
Sunday, February 23, 2014

St. Emery’s parish hosted a wonderful luncheon on Sunday, February 23^rd to celebrate both Father Balint’s retirement and Father Long’s 45^th anniversary in the priesthood. Parishioners filled the church hall for this delightful luncheon affair.

Father Balint, a beloved and dedicated priest, served in the priesthood for 48 years (see Father Balint’s biography).

Father Long has been a Priest in Residence at St Emery’s since 2011 and is dedicated to supporting the religious needs of the parishioners and parish (see Father Long’s biography).

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Our Clergy

Catholic clergy attending, besides Father Balint and Father long, were Father Guido Montanaro, St. Emery’s Parish Administrator, Father Norm Gilbert, Holy Family Parochial Vicar and Deacon Rudy Trankovich.

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Celebration Luncheon

Enjoy the following gallery of photographs covering the celebration luncheon event.  The photography is the work of parishioner Henry Kutash.

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Following St. Emery’s extensive restoration in 2000, artistic handwoven tapestries from St. Stephen of Hungary Church in Bridgeport were discovered in storage a few years later by Father Pintye.

The tapestries were meticulously handcrafted to commemorate St. Elizabeth’s Altar Society (1917-1937) and to present the Monstrance, which displays the consecrated Eucharistic host. The letters IHS are the monogram of Jesus Christ.

(Click on tapestries and Crucifix to enlarge)

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This Crucifix located on the wall between the two tapestries was refurbished and remounted during the 2000 restoration..