90 Year Parishioner Surrounded by Love and Care

    In 1924, a baby was born at home to Margaret Mary and Francis MacStoker of Garden City, NY.  

   Their son Robert was baptized two weeks later at St. Anne's church where they were already active. 

   Bob recently turned 90, and parishioners held a birthday party for him at the same house he’s lived in his entire life.

   Bob remembers walking the few blocks to Sunday Mass with his parents and sister.

   The nearest Catholic school at the time was St. Agnes, the diocesan Cathedral, in Rockville Centre, 7 miles away. Bob took the bus there each weekday, where he was taught by mostly nuns about his family's cherished Catholic faith.  

   Over the years, Bob's faith and devotion to the Blessed Mother grew. Some of it stemmed from his mother, who was involved with the Legion of Mary growing up in Brooklyn.  His unusual statue of the Infant of Prague, was hers when she was a parishioner of Our Lady of Grace there.            .

   Later, Bob worked at an antique store in Manhattan, where he acquired a love for old Catholic artwork.  Working not far from the Archdiocese of New York's offices adjacent to St. Patrick's Cathedral, Bob struck up a friendship with Terence Cardinal O'Connor from attending Mass there and running into the Cardinal on his neighborhood walks.

 He began working in his home parish as a custodian in 1963.  That was the year the tiny St. Anne's church was torn down in order to build a larger church for the growing population. The original small altar has stood in Bob's dining room ever since then, adorned with Marian images and statues. 

  “I’ve always had a great devotion to our Blessed Mother. I got it from my mother, and I’ve always prayed the rosary. I don’t remember when I didn’t. My Infant of Prague statue is over 100 years old, and it was in my mother’s family when she was a girl in Brooklyn.”  

 After 24 years as custodian for the church and school, Bob became the parish sacristan.  He got to know a succession of pastors, priests, and parishioners, along with many school students who came to know his friendly face.  That's how I first came to know Bob, when my now 31-year old son was a first grader at the parish school.  

 Amy Keene is a long-time parishioner who knows Bob from his years of setting up and cleaning up for various parish d events.  In addition to bringing him dinner now and then, she enjoys sitting and chatting with Bob about neighborhood doings and about their Catholic faith.  For Bob's birthday, Amy brought his favorite, carrot cake, with candles, as well as party hats and noise makers.

  A neighbor for over 30 years, Geraldine Marino planned Bob's front porch surprise 90th birthday party. Due to his low immunity, the celebration was kept outside.  Her daughter blew up balloons and invited the parish priests and neighbors to the surprise party.

  Geraldine is among the loving friends who make sure Bob has dinner every night of the week, as well as Communion each Sunday. 

  "The neighbors bring him food and he also gets dinners from parish social ministry. My entire family has always visited and kept him company, took him food shopping, to haircuts, helped with his laundry.  He never drove and we were happy to help him.  Bob is extremely religious.  He watches something like three Masses a day on TV.  He has a Jesus and a Blessed Mother statue on his front lawn that my husband painted for him."

  Parish priest Fr. Joseph Catafago came out for Bob's surprise birthday party in March.  "I first met Bob after I arrived at the parish. He was with a parishioner, helping him to leave the Church. At this point, he was already mostly homebound. The parishioner introduced me to Bob, saying that he was one of the legendary members of the parish and goes 'way back'. In that quick interaction, Bob told me about being a lifelong parishioner. He spoke fondly about many of the priests assigned to the parish. Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity and blessing to visit Bob on several occasions. Each time, he shares his heartfelt emotions regarding the climate of the community and broader world. His deep empathy is grounded in his rich spiritual life, most especially through the lens of Marian Devotion."

  Thanking everyone for his birthday party on his front porch, Bob shared that the same porch was where his mother would read him books as a child; where his parents often sat chatting on summer evenings; and that many get togethers have started on that porch over the decades…”but this is my favorite event here ever!”

 Bob is an inspiration of Catholic faith to his community.