The-Leader_1988-08-04

              FREEPORT MEMORIAL U B R A R V
Ofllclal
Newspaper
Village ol
Freeporl
•
Freeporl
School District
•
Baldwin
School District
FREEPORT
BAIOWIItf
4 s«s-^
LtAim
"Welcorn^totheMoon"
seepages
54th YEAR, NO. 31 - FREEPORT, NEW YORK THURSfiAY, AUGUST 4, 1988 PRICE 25* PER COPY
Residents protest
development
by Joan Delaney
un.. _ . . . ^ _ _ . photot>yThe Long lilandCatholic
NEW PASTOR: Sylvia Hall-Loekworth, firit vica-chairfnan of Our Holy RedMinar Pattoral
Courwil, prasanted the Sacramentary aa a symbol of office to the Rov. Matthaw J. LMvy. Also
ptcturad are Magr. William F. Costallo. and Altar Sarvar Albert Serrano.
New OHR pastor installed
by Helen M. Fleming
. Reverend Matthew J. Leavy
was formally installed as the sev­enth
pastor of Our Holy Redee­mer
Church in ceremonies at a
special Mass held in the church
on Saturday, July 16, at 2 p.ni.
Monsignor William F. Cos-tello,
dean of the RockviUe Cen­tre
Deanery and pastor of St.
Thomas the Apostle Church in
West Hempstead, represented
Bishop Johii R. McGahn at the'
installation.'
Thirty priests concelebriated
the Mass with Father Leavy.
Principal concelebrants were
Monsignor Costello, Monsignor
Saverib C. Mattei, former pastor
of Our Holy Redeemer, now pas­tor
of St. Matthew^ Church, Dix
Hills; and the associate pastors of
Our Holy Redeemer, Reverend
Alfredo Burgos, Reverend Ralph
Sommer and Reverend Richard
Figliozzi. Reverend James
Lisante, diocesan Right to Life
coordinator, was the master of
ceremonies.
At the opening rite, parish
representatives presented to
Father Leavy various symbols of
office, which he accepted as signs
of his ministry. Joseph Olinger,
coordinator of lectors, presented
the lectiiiaary; Thomas Cummis-key,
coordinator of Euchatistic
ministers, presented oil 'for
annointing the sick; Henry Den-gel
and Thomas Fagan, parish
trustees, presented collection
basket and parish seal; Patricia
Booth, director of religious edu­cation
g^ve the Fatiier a-slKli;
and Sylvia Hatt-Lockworth, first
vice-chairman of the Pastoral
Council gave him the Sacnmentaiy.
Following the new pastor's
profession of faith, Monsignor
Costello asked the people of the
parish to receive 'Hhis servant of
Christ and his Church," to pray
for Father Leavy and assist him
in his ministry, sincerely welcome
him into the parish community
and to strive in all things to live
together in the peace of Christ.
Our Holy Redeemer's new pas­tor
had a note of sadness on this
special day. Father Leavy had
ori^nally planned the time of his
installation in the hope that his
mother, Elizabeth, would be with
him to celebrate the occasioiL
But, though Mrs. Leavy knew of
her son's pastoral appointment,
she died before his formal
installation.
In his homily, Father Leavy
paid tribute to his parents and to
all parents, calling them the Ttrst
aiS best teachers of our faith."
He said this preparation by his
parents provided him with sonic
wion of what a vocation in
' Christ means.'
The faith taught by his parents
he uid, would help him as people
in their struggles and sorrows, as
' well as in the joys of their lives,
would look to him foran answer.
Father Leavy told his people,
"We are all called in a way to be
shepherds." He said, "I need you,
I cannot do it alone. I have made
. . . ,,. .,-,. ,._.,,,. ... , -
a personal comnntntent to you
and you can hold me to it and
challenge me. I must become like
Christ, honed in the furnace of
life, keeping an eye on the vision
of God"^ Son, Our Holy Redee­mer,
so I can be truly worthy to
serve.' •
At the Mass, Melva Rodriguez
was commentator and spoke
both in English and Spanish.
Joseph Olinger and Frandsco
Cales were lectors and Benedict
Ciaravino was leader of song.
The gifts of bread and wine were
presented at the Offertory by
Father Leavy's nephews. Repre­sentatives
of various' parish
organizations carried their
banners in the entrance proces­sion
and the recessional.
At the conclusion of the
ceremonies. Mayor Dorothy
Stonn welcomed Father Leavy to
Freeport. She declared Saturday,
July 16, Father' Matthew J.
Leavy Day in the village.
Camel Foskey, representing
oflicials of the Town of Hemp­stead,
presented Father Leavy
.with a citation in appreciation of
the spiritual direction he will pro­vide
to the people of Our Holy
Redeemer . and the ' local
community.
'' A reception followed in
Sumner Hall. The hostesses for
the parish were Catholic Daugh­ters
of Court Stella Maris.
' Approximately 20 residents
carrying over 100 petitions
attended the hearing of the Board
of Zoning of the Town of Hemp­stead
on Wednesday, July 27.
They were protesting the '
request for the establishment of a
street on undeveloped land south
of the existing Parkway Drive. A
builder, who intends to build two
homes on the property that resi­dents
say include wetlands, wants
permission to build a road to the •
property which will not be up to
the Town of Hemsptead min­imum
standards.
The builder, Marra Homes,
Inc., is requesting permission to
build a road only 18 feist wide into
the undeveloped property. Law­yer
William Cohn who was
representing the builder of the
two proposed homes explained
that each of the two requests was
separate and said that to build the
-.M«l up ta -T«w».«C HfMpstead
standards would create a hard­ship
on the builder.
His real estate consultant, Bert
Nelson, outlined the original cost
of the parcels, <he cost for build-iiig
a road up to standard, the
cost of construction and said that
if the Town insisted on a regula­tion
road, the building costs
would be prohibitive.
Residents at the meeting pro­tested
the proposed road as
inadequate and unsafe arid then
attempted to include environ­mental
issues to support their
op'position not only to the road,
but also to the building of the
houses. _^,
Mr. Cohn, chiding the Board
of Zoning, told tl*m that their
jurisdiction extended only to
consideration' of the variance
regarding the road itself and said
tbat any environmental testim­ony
was irrelevant to the issue. A
resident later said that Mr. Cohn
had been allowed to present tes­timony
relative to costs, which
were dot considered irrelevant to
the issue, and time and again res­idents
sotti^t to have environ-
(continued on page 8)
photo by Joan Delanty
WETLANDS aouth of Paricway Drhra in Bay Colony in Baldwin
•re tiie aubject of controverty between recidenta who oppoae
the buHding of homea and • aub-etenderd road and dewelopen
who want to eonetniet homee on the property which to the'
habitat of numaroue wikflife.
Commissioner elected
Dennis Meekins was elected to
the position of Commissioner of
Sanitary District #2, receiving
702 votes. Ralph Rose received
298 votes and Bob Babb received
250 votes.
Mr. Meekins is a businessman
in Baldwin and received (he
endorsement of the' current
commissioners of Sanitary Dis­trict
#2. He is a Korean War
Vefcran, founder and first chair­man
of St. Christophert CYO,
former coach of Baldwin little
League and Babe Ruth League
and a member of the Knights of
Columbus.
The position of Samtation
Commissioner is a five year term.
Police news
see page 2
Village Board meeting
seepages
"Not So Grimtn Fairytales"
see page 4
Roundabout Freeport
see page 6
Letters to the editor
seepage?
"Freeport's Fabulous Homes"
see page 11