evangelist n12d #2

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5 September 15, 2011 THE EVANGELIST Prepare today. Achieve tomorrow. 7 Washington Square, Albany, NY 12205 | www.tbccpa.com | 518-456-6663 Accounting Auditing Tax Advisory Services Offering wellness programs & services that support active, healthy, independent lifestyles in sought-after locations throughout the Capital Region & beyond . . . Sponsored by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany Fully accessible communities with elevators 1 & 2 bedroom apartments & cottages Community computer stations with Internet access Health education programs & social activities Your pets will love living here too! DEPAUL HOUSING MANAGEMENT B’nai B’rith Parkview Apartments For people 62+ • Rent subsidies available • Includes all utilities Income under $37,050 • Rent= 30% of income 1 Bedroom Apts. & Studios (518) 465-2293 400 Hudson Avenue, Albany, NY 12203 EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY BY MAUREEN PRATT CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE As children are cringing that their summer vacations are over, I imagine that more than a few adults are thinking, “I wish I could go back to school!” Why can’t they? At various times in my own life, I’ve embarked on learning journeys. Each time, my efforts were met with challenges. But each endeavor was worth it for the knowledge, satisfaction and self-confidence that resulted when I moved into unknown ter- ritory. First, I had to deal with three things that can impede “going back to school:” fear, finances and fatigue. Whenever we start some- thing new, it’s natural to feel some apprehension. Perhaps the fear stems from the possibil- ity of failing. Perhaps it is because, as the oldest person in a class, feeling out of place will happen. Fear of doing something new might be tied to an unpleasant experience. I remember my sec- ond-grade teacher trying doggedly to get me to roll the let- ter “r” in Spanish (which I could- n’t do), much to the glee of the rest of the class. I still hear my classmates’ laughter. It wasn’t until 20 years later, when I was studying abroad in Spain, that I finally overcame my fear of being ridiculed. Adults have an excellent weapon against fear: their life’s experience. They have already conquered many fears. Being a parent or grandpar- ent, for example, takes great courage and strength. Meeting unexpected challenges in life in general brings courage, too. That courage translates into the ability to meet other fears head- on — even the fear of going back to school. Even a lack of money does not need prevent anyone from learn- ing a new skill or subject: • Abraham Lincoln studied law by reading every moment he could while working as a sur- veyor (among other things). • Ray Bradbury, the celebrated author, learned how to write books by sitting in the library and reading everything he could. Church-sponsored book clubs and discussion groups are inexpensive, excellent ways to learn and share that knowledge in a group. • The internet is an endless source of learning. Community colleges, artist studios, high schools and local museums are among the places offering adult education. Many organizations, including some universities, have embraced “dis- tance learning,” offering online classes that can be taken at a per- son’s own pace. Some institutions even offer financial aid and scholarships for adults who want to further their education. It never hurts to explore what’s available! It can seem overwhelming to fight fatigue in order to go back to school. But with a little cre- ativity, flexibility and willpower, the time to learn can be folded into one’s daily schedule. And as soon as the learning begins again, the exhilaration that comes with meeting a particular challenge is energizing! One of the first people that I worked for when I was in college told me, “Get as much education as you can. Once you learn something, no one can take it away from you. It’s yours for life.” Going back to school can occur at any time and in any way in our world today. We’ve only just begun to learn! PERSPECTIVE Why older adults may go ‘back to school’ RETIREMENT SPECIAL SECTION:

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Fully accessible communities with elevators 1 & 2 bedroom apartments & cottages Community computer stations with Internet access Health education programs & social activities Your pets will love living here too! THEEVANGELIST Accounting Auditing Tax Advisory Services PERSPECTIVE (518)465-2293 Offering wellness programs & services that support active, healthy, independent lifestyles in sought-after locations throughout the Capital Region & beyond . . . BY MAUREEN PRATT

TRANSCRIPT

5September 15, 2011 TH E E VA NG E L I S T

Prepare today. Achieve tomorrow.

7 Washington Square, Albany, NY 12205 | www.tbccpa.com | 518-456-6663

Accounting Auditing Tax Advisory Services

Offering wellness programs & services that support active, healthy, independent lifestyles in sought-after locations throughout the Capital Region & beyond . . .

Sponsored by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany

Fully accessible communities with elevators 1 & 2 bedroom apartments & cottages Community computer stations with Internet access Health education programs & social activities Your pets will love living here too!

DEPAUL HOUSING MANAGEMENT

B’nai B’rith Parkview ApartmentsFor people 62+ • Rent subsidies available • Includes all utilities

Income under $37,050 • Rent= 30% of income

1 Bedroom Apts. & Studios

(518) 465-2293400 Hudson Avenue, Albany, NY 12203

EQUAL HOUSING

OPPORTUNITY

BY MAUREEN PRATTC A T H O L I C N E W S S E R V I C E

As children are cringing thattheir summer vacations are over,I imagine that more than a fewadults are thinking, “I wish Icould go back to school!”

Why can’t they? At various times in my own

life, I’ve embarked on learningjourneys. Each time, my effortswere met with challenges. Buteach endeavor was worth it forthe knowledge, satisfaction andself-confidence that resultedwhen I moved into unknown ter-ritory.

First, I had to deal with threethings that can impede “goingback to school:” fear, financesand fatigue.

Whenever we start some-thing new, it’s natural to feelsome apprehension. Perhapsthe fear stems from the possibil-ity of failing. Perhaps it isbecause, as the oldest person ina class, feeling out of place willhappen.

Fear of doing something newmight be tied to an unpleasantexperience. I remember my sec-ond-grade teacher tryingdoggedly to get me to roll the let-ter “r” in Spanish (which I could-n’t do), much to the glee of therest of the class. I still hear myclassmates’ laughter.

It wasn’t until 20 years later,when I was studying abroad inSpain, that I finally overcame myfear of being ridiculed.

Adults have an excellentweapon against fear: their life’sexperience. They have alreadyconquered many fears.

Being a parent or grandpar-ent, for example, takes greatcourage and strength. Meetingunexpected challenges in life ingeneral brings courage, too.That courage translates into theability to meet other fears head-on — even the fear of going back

to school.Even a lack of money does not

need prevent anyone from learn-ing a new skill or subject:

• Abraham Lincoln studiedlaw by reading every momenthe could while working as a sur-veyor (among other things).

• Ray Bradbury, the celebratedauthor, learned how to writebooks by sitting in the libraryand reading everything hecould.

• Church-sponsored bookclubs and discussion groups areinexpensive, excellent ways tolearn and share that knowledgein a group.

• The internet is an endlesssource of learning.

Community colleges, artiststudios, high schools and localmuseums are among the placesoffering adult education. Manyorganizations, including someuniversities, have embraced “dis-tance learning,” offering onlineclasses that can be taken at a per-son’s own pace.

Some institutions even offerfinancial aid and scholarshipsfor adults who want to furthertheir education. It never hurts toexplore what’s available!

It can seem overwhelming tofight fatigue in order to go backto school. But with a little cre-ativity, flexibility and willpower,the time to learn can be foldedinto one’s daily schedule. And assoon as the learning beginsagain, the exhilaration thatcomes with meeting a particularchallenge is energizing!

One of the first people that Iworked for when I was in collegetold me, “Get as much educationas you can. Once you learnsomething, no one can take itaway from you. It’s yours for life.”

Going back to school canoccur at any time and in any wayin our world today. We’ve onlyjust begun to learn!

PERSPECTIVE

Why older adults maygo ‘back to school’

RETIREMENTSPECIALSECTION:

BY ANTOINETTE BOSCOC A T H O L I C N E W S S E R V I C E

Most Catholics who havebeen around awhile would befamiliar with the Catholic bookspublished as “the Joshua series.”

I always knew when a new onewas coming out, because myolder sister Rosemary orderedevery one. Rosemary, who neverleft our hometown of Albany,would tell me that the author,Rev. Joseph Girzone, lived justoutside of Albany; that madehim “a neighbor.”

After the worst tragedy in mylife — the murders of my son,John, and his wife, Nancy, in1993 — Rosemary called excited-ly to tell me that Father Girzonewas offering a two-day retreat inthe Adirondack Mountains.

We took the trip together. Idid a lot of crying, and I will

never forget the kindness thatFather Girzone extended when Itold him how I was inconsolablebecause of the murder of myloved ones.

Now, Father Girzone has cre-ated a new and inspiring charac-ter — an archbishop namedCarlo — who embarks on anextraordinary journey to try tounderstand why Jesus so lovedthe poor and disadvantaged.

Titled “The Homeless Bishop”and released by Orbis Books,Father Girzone’s new bookjumps in where many fear totread.

A retired priest of the AlbanyDiocese, Father Girzone is trou-bled by many Americans’ atti-tudes toward the poor — atti-tudes out of sync with Jesus’ loveand concern for the poor. Hesaid he out to explore this ques-tion: “Why is Jesus so obsessedwith the poor?”

His central character isVatican Archbishop Carlo, whogets permission from the popeto leave Rome to experiencewhat it means to be a homelessperson in America.

Ragged, poor, hungry andhomeless, Archbishop Carloendures the same sad, some-times tragic days that havealways been the lot of the verypoor. He sees how they are —and always have been — socialoutcasts who often get ignored,ridiculed and more.

This book raises questionsthat we Catholics must not shyaway from: How did Jesus’ mes-sage of helping and loving thepoor get so misrepresented? Ifwe call ourselves Catholics —that is, followers of Jesus — dowe honestly try, as ArchbishopCarlo does in this book, tounderstand and accept Jesus’authentic messages?

After the archbishop returnsto Rome, he resumes his highposition and is named a cardi-nal. He uses his “power” to helpthe homeless in Italy, and for thishe is respected. When the popedies, Cardinal Carlo succeedshim.

Novels are best when theyhave happy endings; so, as areader, I approved.

Father Girzone has spentyears dedicated to sharing agreater understanding of Jesuswith the world, the publisherpoints out. I can’t think of a bet-ter motivation for all Catholicwriters!

(Antoinette Bosco is anauthor and a native of theAlbany Diocese. To order FatherGirzone’s book, go to www.orbisbooks.com or call 1-800-258-5838.)

6 September 15, 2011TH E E VA NG E L I S T

“THE CEMETERY GUY”

ALBANY

DIOCESAN

CEMETERIES

A Tradition of Faith

For more information please

contact:

St. Agnes Cemetery, Menands

(518) 463-0134

Most Holy Redeemer

Cemetery, Niskayuna

(518) 374-5319

St. Mary’s Cemetery of Troy

(518) 463-0134

Our Lady of Angels Cemetery,

Colonie (518) 459-2414

or visit

www.capitaldistrictcemeteries.org

Rick Touchette, The Cemetery Guy, is

Director of Cemeteries for the Diocese of

Albany. A certified Catholic Cemetery

Executive with over 25 years of experience

in Catholic Cemetery ministry, Touchette is

the past President of the New York State

Association of Cemeteries and has also

served on the Board of Directors of the

National Catholic Cemetery Conference.

Got a question? Write to 48 Cemetery

Avenue, Menands, NY 12204 or

[email protected]

Our Lady of AngelsCemetery

Albany Diocesan Cemeteriesassumed responsibility for OurLady of Angels Cemetery uponthe closure of Holy FamilyChurch in Albany in October2010. We have invested in newequipment, fertilized and treat-ed the turf, and implementedother improvements.

Diocesan regulations con-cerning memorials and gravedecorations are now in effect.Like other Diocesan Cemeter-ies, a general cleanup will beconducted on or about Nov. 1.At this time, all decorations areremoved and discarded. Lotowners should remove anydecorations they wish to savebefore Nov. 1. In addition,plantings in violation of thenew regulations such as peren-nial flowers, hosta plants, edg-ing around plantings and thelike will also be removed.

Please contact the cemeteryoffice at 463-0134 for moreinformation.

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REVIEW

Retired priest pens new book

7September 15, 2011 TH E E VA NG E L I S T

RETIREMENT/FINANCIAL PLANNING

BY ANGELA CAVE S T A F F W R I T E R

While most of his eight-year-old peers used their odd-jobearnings to see movies in the1920s, Fred Randall chose toattend vaudeville variety acts —mostly to stare, wide-eyed, at thedrummers.

The boy graduated from shov-eling sidewalks and mowinglawns for nickels to selling news-papers for $1. He started takingweekly drum lessons, marchingin his first parade at age nine andplaying in a high school orches-tra by 10.

Today, at a self-described “95-and-a-half ” years old, Mr. Randallstill hasn’t shaken his fascinationwith percussion. He rehearseswith a 15-piece dance band and a40-piece concert orchestra inSchenectady, performing sever-al times a year. He only stoppedplaying in parades after surviv-ing a stroke in 2003.

“Every once in a while, I get apaid gig,” he told The Evangelist.

He’s played in symphony and

concert orchestras, German andItalian bands and more: “Youname it, I’ve played it.”

Mr. Randall is the oldest mem-ber of the dance band, made upof men over age 60.

“I promised them a partywhen I’m 100,” he said, laughing.

Drumming, he said, keepshim active; he also uses a station-ary bicycle daily.

A parishioner of St. John theEvangelist Church inSchenectady, Mr. Randallrecently led his 16th Flag Dayceremony at Schaffer Heightssenior apartment homes inSchenectady, where he’s livedfor the same number of years. Alife member of the Veterans ofForeign Wars, his NationalGuard career has stuck withhim.

“I go out and salute my flagevery morning,” he said, point-ing to his terrace.

Mr. Randall was born inSchenectady on New Year’s Day,1916. His father lost his job fouryears later, forcing the family to

move into a house without elec-tricity or running water. Mr.Randall’s father died on the eveof the Great Depression, makingthe seven-year-old’s contribu-tions to the family finances nec-essary.

At 12, Mr. Randall joined a jun-ior brigade of the NationalGuard, which he compares tothe Boy Scouts. He camped outof an Army truck in theAdirondack Mountains, learningto sleep in the snow, read a com-pass and cook in the woods.

After high school, he joinedthe National Guard, got marriedand finished a General ElectricCo. toolmaker apprenticeship.He was drafted in 1944 as a ser-geant in World War II and sta-tioned in Germany.

In his travels, Mr. Randall onceaccompanied a chaplain to visitTheresa Neumann, a well-known German Catholic mysticand stigmatic. For decades, sheallegedly consumed no food orwater other than the Eucharist.

To Mr. Randall, seeing her was

“breathtaking. It has stayed withme. I have sat here and talked forhours about it.”

Back home in 1946, Mr.Randall worked as the New YorkState military photographer for28 years. Photography is hisnext favorite hobby after drum-ming; he built a darkroom in hisold basement and onceprocessed a glass negative of hisfather.

Mr. Randall has survived hiswife, Marion, and two children,but hasn’t lost his positive out-look — perhaps thanks to hisCatholic faith.

“It’s quiet like a man’s faith isquiet,” said Rev. David Lupo,SSCC. After Father Lupo’s par-ents died, Mr. Randall “adopted”the priest, whose father he’dworked with at GE.

Father Lupo remarked thatMr. Randall “has a very deep,abiding love of God, despite allof the tragedy in his life. I thinkhe knows that he’s been richlyblessed in his life.”

The priest recounted several

of those adventures: Mr. Randallmet singer and dancer SammyDavis Jr. in his prime and lis-tened to Kate Smith sing “GodBless America” before it becameher signature song.

Mr. Randall, for his part,recalled a lifetime of volun-teerism with his wife. The cou-ple spent Sunday afternoons vis-iting shut-ins after Mass; he vol-unteered at a tool shop at EllisHospital and sold medical alertdevices for 10 years.

“No moss grows under hisfeet,” Father Lupo declared. “He’sas outgoing as a 95-year-old canbe. He just can’t sit still.”

CATHOLIC VETERAN

The beat goes on for 95-year-old drummer

MR. RANDALL

8 September 15, 2011TH E E VA NG E L I S T

RETIREMENT/FINANCIAL PLANNING

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Sunday, September 25, 11 a.m.

Parish of St. John the Evangelist

and St. Joseph

50 Herrick Street, Rensselaer, NY

(across from Amtrak Rail Station)

Eucharist and Veneration of St. Padre Pio Relic

Presider and Homilist: Fr. R. Adam Forno

Pastor, St. John and St. Joseph Parish

Homemade Italian Buffet

$12 adults; $5 children under 10

(following 11 a.m. Mass)

(pasta, meatballs, sausage & peppers, bread,eggplant, salad, dessert & beverage)

Reservations by Sept. 20

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BY ANGELA CAVES T A F F W R I T E R

At 74, Doug Lonnstrom hastaken some work responsibili-ties off his plate in recent years— but he has no plans to retire.

A founding director of theSiena Research Institute atSiena College in Loudonville,Dr. Lonnstrom still keeps tabson six distinct jobs: teachingquantitative business analysis atSiena, managing the researchgroup’s monthly consumer con-fidence index poll, writingbooks, penning articles on poli-tics and flying, hosting a televi-sion show about golf and manag-ing family trusts.

He sometimes includes pilot-ing and boating on the list, aswell, and he seems to treat golfas another career.

“One of the great days you canhave is to fly your plane to a golfcourse,” Dr. Lonnstrom remarked.

He recently sold his first planebecause he lacked the timerequired to maintain the instru-ment rating required for pilots;however, he’s hoping to eventu-ally buy another.

Dr. Lonnstrom seems to thrive

on the variety of his work andenjoys relaxing with his wife,Cristine, and his dog, Driver.

“I feel good,” he declared.“Every day, it’s different. I work alot of hours, but there’s greatcontrol of [my] schedule. I feellike I’m doing something goodfor society.”

Dr. Lonnstrom’s top priorityremains teaching. He says hischarges at Siena are “the best andthe brightest in the country.”

Dr. Lonnstrom’s 60-hour workweek begins in his Siena office at6:30 a.m. on weekdays. Herefrains from lunch breaks infavor of a banana at his desk andstays until 4 or 5 p.m.

Some days are filled withresearch and polling work; oth-ers, three-hour lectures. Eachtime the institute’s monthly con-sumer poll is released, he’sswamped with 30 or 40 mediainterviews.

Once home in Guilderland,Dr. Lonnstrom grades papers,works on his books and pre-pares his half-hour televisionshow, “Tee Time,” which airs onTime Warner Cable channel 3

during summers. He films a dozen episodes a

year at area golf courses, inter-viewing famous golfers andsharing golf history. In threeyears, Tee Time has amassed aviewership of 1.5 million andexpanded into the Syracusemarket.

“He’s not a workaholic, but hejust has such enthusiasm,” saidCristine Lonnstrom, his wife of29 years and a retired teacher.

Mrs. Lonnstrom thinks her hus-band’s energy was instilled in himby hard-working parents. Dr.Lonnstrom recalled his father’sdedication as a state engineer.

Raised a Protestant in NewSalem, N.Y., Dr. Lonnstromremembers the day World WarII ended; before that happy day,he’d lived through years of airraids and blackouts, food

rationing and victory gardens. In 1958, Dr. Lonnstrom gradu-

ated from Drew University inMadison, N.J., with a degree inmath and economics. Heworked for an economic consult-ing firm in Albany before earn-ing his master’s degree in busi-ness administration from Siena.

Then he taught night classesat Siena, did a stint in Houstonand returned to Albany to spend10 years managing a corporationthat bought and flipped run-down businesses.

In 1979, he started at the mathdepartment of Siena’s businessschool full-time. Then he beganresearching presidential ratings.

“I love statistics and I love his-tory,” explained the teacher, whoattracted national attention witha mathematically-based ques-tionnaire of political science andhistory professors in 1981.

Today, the Siena ResearchInstitute uses hundreds of vol-unteer researchers to take thepulse of the public on politics,

social topics and more. Manybooks cite its findings on presi-dents and first ladies; represen-tatives of politicos often call theinstitute for information.

Results from Siena’s monthlyconsumer confidence poll ofNew Yorkers are also used bygovernment and business lead-ers and the New York StateDepartment of Labor.

Dr. Lonnstrom, who becamethe first Protestant dean to serveat Siena when he served as deanof its School of Business from1985 to 1992, said he enjoys thecollege’s Catholic environment.

“The priests here are justabsolutely spectacular,” he said.

Mrs. Lonnstrom, a Catholic,called her husband a spiritualman who “does so much goodfor other people,” from mentor-ing students to helping withscholarships.

“He puts 100 percent intoeverything he does,” she said. “Itseems like he wants to go on for-ever.”

ACTIVE SENIOR

Half a dozen jobs areabout right for Siena prof

DR. LONNSTROM. TWO OF his books delve into the history of golf in theCapital Region; a third combined his love of flying with his research skills toexplain John F. Kennedy Jr.’s fateful plane crash in 1999. Dr. Lonnstrom had flown himself that day and attests to the heavy mist blan-keting the skies: “It was just like flying in soup.” But his four-seater CessnaSkyhawk featured instruments to let him fly through clouds. Mr. Kennedylacked the training and skills to use such instruments — one of 32 mistakesDr. Lonnstrom cites in his book.Dr. Lonnstrom’s fourth book will explore the highest- and lowest-rated con-secutive U.S. presidents.

9September 15, 2011 TH E E VA NG E L I S T

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BY ANGELA CAVES T A F F W R I T E R

If cows could talk, they’dprobably thank HenryTassitano for creating a gadgetthat can save their lives.

Mr. Tassitano, a parishioner ofSt. John the Baptist Church inWalton, lives with his wife,Mary, on a 200-acre farm inWalton. He cared for 50 Jerseycows for decades until thedecline of small farms forcedhim to sell the animals in thelate 1990s.

But before that, Mr. Tassitanopatented an invention to detectinflammation of the udder andother impurities. The devicecan also filter the milk so thatcontaminated milk doesn’tthreaten a farm’s entire milksupply.

A New Jersey native, Mr.Tassitano learned to box at age15. He achieved a dozen knock-outs as a junior boxer anddeclined an offer to fight atMadison Square Garden inNew York City.

By that point, he had alreadypassed on high school, too. Theabsence of a television at homeled to the pastime of readinghistory books. His teachers, rec-ognizing his sharp mind, want-ed him to skip from seventh to10th grade, but he refused — and

quit school instead.“I want-

ed to goup thegrades likeyou shoulddo,” heexplained.

Mr. Tassitano served inthe U.S. Army in World War II.Later, while managing a motorpool in Panama, he rented ablack Cadillac for future presi-dent Gen. Dwight D. Eisen-hower. He also ran truckingcompanies as a mechanic for 39years; today, the eclectic seniorstill pursues publishing fictionbooks he wrote for children andadults when he was a farmer.

The number of dairy farms inNew York State plummeted by27 percent from the late 1990sto 2007. Mr. Tassitano oncemade $17 per hundredweight ofmilk, but that profit dropped to$10. He continued to sell hay fora few years, but lost money onthat, too.

“It’s sad,” he said of the declin-ing industry.

Although he was forced toretire, the 84-year-old keepsbusy mowing three acres ofland around his house, fixingneighbors’ tractors, huntingdeer and baking and decorating

cakes. He’s also the handymanfor St. John the Baptist parish.

Pitching in at the Waltonchurch “means a lot to me,” hesaid. “Friendship is more thanmoney.”

Aside from serving as anusher for 28 years, his parishresume includes installing win-dows and appliances; buildingdoorframes and moldings; mak-ing electrical repairs; and look-ing after plumbing and refriger-ation. His skills were passeddown to him by his father.

Mr. Tassitano attends Massthree times a week, a routine headopted during his time in theArmy. In Guam, he witnessed abomb kill two fellow soldiersand narrowly escaped his owndeath.

“That’s why I still stick somuch with the Church,” he toldThe Evangelist. “Why didn’t Istand there with them? Godmade me move, and I justmoved.”

Without cows to feed andmilk, he sleeps until 7 a.m. andfeels so healthy, he tells whitelies about his age: “I’m on nomedication, I have no aches inmy body, and I’m only 48.”

HELPING HEIFERS

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10 September 15, 2011TH E E VA NG E L I S T

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A STATUE FROM St. Anna’s Church inSummit, which closed in 2009, hasbeen transported to St. Joseph’sparish in Worcester. The more than1,000-pound statue of St. Anna andthe Blessed Mother was rededicat-ed recently in its new home near St.Joseph’s “Life Garden,” accordingto Rev. Ronald Lee Green, MM,administrator, shown blessing thestatue during the ceremony. (NateWhitchurch photos)