By:LINDA DELMONICO-PRUSSEN
This past Sunday St Ignatius's past, present and future came together to celebrate the parish's 75 year history with an nniversary mass. Sunshine streamed through the stained glass windows and music flowed from the choir loft above the congregation as a candlelit procession of lectors, priests, deacons, altar servers and the recently retired Bishop John McGann entered the church. Scheduled as the celebrant, but stricken with a last minute case of laryngitis, Bishop McGann joined the other priests on the altar for the celebration. Though unable to speak, his presence signified the importance of this event for the parish.
Father Jim Kelly, a priest raised in Long Beach who received all his sacraments at St. Ignatius, began his homily with the history of the parish. He quoted Msgr. Cass, the first pastor of St. Ignatius, as saying, It was the Irish pioneers who helped build the church when the City of Long Beach was only three years old. He asked those present at the church's first mass on December 11, 1926 to please stand. There was a moment of silence before those present at that first mass stood and were applauded. They were Eileen Lane, whose brother Joe Lane was a former Long Beach Police Commissioner, and Virginia Evrard, long time secretary to the first pastor of St. Ignatius, Msgr. Cass, and mom to deacon Tom Evrard.
The history of St. Ignatius is truly a large part of Tom Evrard's family history. My mom,Evrard said, was one of the first people baptized in St. Ignatius. Actually she was the third person baptized here. She and her mother were baptized together when my mother was 14.
Prior to that, Virginia Evrard had been a practicing Lutheran. Deacon Evrard also knew Fr. Kelly, who was the celebrant and homilist for the anniversary mass.
I knew Jim Kelly as a teenager. He went into the seminary and I joined the Marine Corp. He added that Deacon Tony Cuseo, who was present for the anniversary service, was also born and raised in Long Beach. Deacon Cuseo now serves in the Holy Name of Mary Church in Valley Stream.
When Fr. Jim Kelly asked during his homily that all present who received at least one sacrament at St. Ignatius stand, much of the congregation came to its feet. Fr. Jim continued his homily speaking of the parish in its present form, giving credit to its school and many ministries. He closed by outlining what, he hopes, will be part of St. Ignatius's future. First he asked the parishioners of St. Ignatius to remember that they are all members of one Catholic Church throughout the world.
Knowing that,Fr. Kelly said, you will never be alone in your Christian existence. He also told parishioners, Don't let the events of the past month turnoff or lessen your love. He called for peacemakers; reconcilers who if not of the same head, certainly by heart
