I, (say your name), Promise to DO MY BEST To do my DUTY

A story from Joseph Barone

About a month ago, I went up to NYC to visit my parents with my family. On the way to Canal St., Sunday morning, I ran into Anita and Ricky Galasso. Anita gave me a big hug and a kiss. Ricky shook my hand and one of the fist questions he asked me was: Are you involved in Scouting.
That made me think of my very first memory of Cub Scouting with Pack 111 at St. Joseph's. (St. Joseph also had Boy Scout Troop 111.)
My very first memory of Scouting, was one evening while eating dinner, there was a knock at the door. (This had to be about 1968.)
When I opened it, it was my friends Stephen Eidlen and Gerald Alfano. Both were dressed in Cub Scout uniforms and both lived in the I Building. They asked me if I would be interested in coming down. Although I really did not know what it was, but I was so excited I ran to my dad asking him if I could go. I hadn't even finished dinner.
So, he said yes, and off I went with them to St. Joseph's Auditorium. The place was filled with kids that I knew (and some that I did not know) in Cub Scout uniforms.
I don't remember too much of that night, but I do remember my father coming down, filling out some forms for me and giving a couple of bucks for registration.
The Cubmaster at that time as Peter Grillo. Mr. Grillo (who is still alive) worked for Con Edison and was a Battle of the Bulge veteran. Mr. Grillo had two sons (Paul and Peter) and a daughter. Peter I believe is an Eagle Scout.
Some of the other Assistant Cubmasters that I can remember were were Ricky Galasso, a Mike C? (lived in Brooklyn) and Mr. DeBlase (I think Jimmy was his first name). Mr. DeBlase lost his son Jimmy on 9/11. Jimmy was a Scout with Troop 111. (I have a photo somewhere of Mrs. DeBlase -- a Den Mother herself -- with then Mayor Guiliani shortly after 9/11.)
Mr. Molinelli was the Webloes Den Leader. The Webloes, since they were older, got to meet in the back of the auditorium in a room just off to the side of the stage. His son, John, is now a Scout leader and living in KV. John is also an Eagle Scout.
Anita Galasso was one of the Den Mothers (she was the Bear Den Mother?). The Galasso's have two sons. (Ricky is an Eagle Scout and Matt.)
Each week we would meet at St. Joseph at 7pm. Dues were a quarter a month or a week. Can't remember which. The meetings were not much different than they are today. There would be an opening, a den activity, a closing, some announcements and some sort of game.
Each den would do some sort of craft. The one I remember Mrs. Galasso working with us on was making a cat out of a washcloth, a bar of soap and some pins. Another time we made a large cross out of match sticks, and then shellacked them. If you did crafts outside of Cub Scouts, you could bring them in and get points towards your Arrows.
Periodically, we would take a trip. I remember visiting the Staten Island Zoo's Reptile House and another, the Central Park Zoo.
Each year, the Cub Scouts would sell Miss Chocolate chocolates to raise money. Each Cub would receive a box of different items and they would be expected to sell it. The Peanut Brittle was the big seller but there were lots of other boxes you could sell. Beauty Parlors were always a great place to sell. The women would always buy from a Cub Scout who would pop in with a couple of boxes. One year, I was the top seller. I had my choice of prizes and picked this kit by which you could make houses and buildings out of miniature plaster bricks. I probably should have picked something else, but it kept me amused for probably a couple of weeks. Another year, I remember, I could barely sell anything.
At Pack 111, each year we would celebrate Scout Sunday and on that day, those who earned their religious awards, would be given them at Mass. Then afterwards, everyone (Cubs, parents and invited guests) would go down to the auditorium for donuts, cake and coffee. The photo is of me outside of the St. Joseph Rectory after receiving the Ad Altarei Dei Award for Cub Scouts in 1973. The donuts and cake were usually ordered from St. Joseph's Bakery (on Madison) or Savoia (on Catherine).

Sanctuary

Above: Joseh Barone, Oct. 13, 1974

Recently, my son became an Altar Server and it brought back memories of when I was an Altar Boy.
When I was in the 5th Grade, you could become an Altar Boy. Many, if not all, of the Catholic boys in St. Joseph became Altar Boys. It was a big thing for us.
Training to learn how to serve was conducted by the moderator of the Altar Boys. Each week, for four or five weeks, we would meet after school to practice and learn about the various items used during Mass.
We would go into the Sanctuary, where the priests would dress for Mass. It was a large room behind the left side altar - behind the "back staircase" (if you were facing the front of the Church), which held a couple of large closets, and cabinets w/ drawers. (There was also a toilet back there too.) These cabinets and closets held various vestments, chalices, books, and other items used during the various Masses throughout the year. Behind the main altar, in the rectory, was a large cabinet which would hold the altarboy albs (white robes), which the altar boys wore for everyday Masses. Every boy was assigned one and responsible for keeping them clean.
Since it was not even 10 years after Vatican Council II, we wore red cassocks and white surplices for the 11am Mass - which was a considered a sort of High Mass, in which incense was used, Latin sung, etc. They were also used during other special days, such as Christmas Midnight Mass, Easter, etc. There were held in small alcove (between the elevator and Sanctuary). Yes, there is an elevator in the Rectory, which would take you to the Church basement, all of the floors of the rectory and up to school. It was one of those with a sliding gate, which you had to close by hand.
Once or twice a week, we would go down to the Sacristy to be trained after school. Our training consisted of practicing the our role -- when and where to sit, stand and/or kneel, when to hold up the Lectionary (or book of prayers), how to help with Communion, etc. We also learned how to set-up for and clean up after Mass. In addition, we had to learn about, including the names, of the various items used: Chalice, Ciborium, paten, purificator, etc. Although these items were usually ready for us before Mass, every once in a while, something our be missing and we had to go and get it for the priest. So, we also had to learn where it was.
Altar Boys were first introduced to the everyone during the Easter Masses. We would usually be part of the procession in and out of the various Masses. We did not do anything, since there were many other older boys.

Above: Fr. Hector Satori (Asst. Pastor of St. Joseph) in May of 1975. He was also the Altarboy Moderator for a couple of years.

Once you had learned what to do, you were assigned for a week of Masses and a Sunday Mass. On the Monday after Easter, I was required to serve the 8am Mass (which means I had to get up early on my vacation). I was scheduled with one of the Maldonado boys (they lived in the Smith Projects -- I think at 54 Catherine). You were always assigned the first time with an older server. As soon as Mass ended, the older boys usually "cut out" and left the younger guys to clean up.
So, you would arrive at least 10 minutes before Mass. You would dress, bring out anything that needed to be set up, light the candles and hang around waiting for the priest to begin. Since it was the weekday, Mass would last about 25 minutes, and there there was usually about 10 to 15 minutes of clean up --depending on how fast you worked together on it.
Now, depending upon the person who cleaned up, one of the things some of the boys would do is to drink the leftover wine. The wine used by the priests is usually sweet with a low alcohol content -- not strong like the Italian red wine. If there was one priest, the wine would be put into a small a small cruet (like a small pitcher), similar to ones you might find holding vinegar or red wine used for salads. They only hold three or four ounces of wine, not a huge amount. And after the priest had used some, you were lucky if there was one or two ounces left. So, some of the altar boys would fill the rest of the cruet with cold water and drink it. You couldn't get drunk on that but it was a big thing. Funny, how when you are younger, these are big things.
As I got a bit older, I and my buddy Jude, would many times be asked to serve the 8am Mass. Most mornings we usually had Fr. Chan. Now, Fr. Chan fled Mainland China in 1949, when Mao and the Communists took control. Each morning he would race in about five minutes before Mass was to begin, with a big "HELLO BOYS". (He lived on the Riverside Drive in the upper 80's/lower 90's, with some other priests who I believed also had fled the Mainland at that time.) We would then help him to vest up and out we would go.
Now, Fr. Chan was well known for speeding through the Mass, except during the Consecration (or when we believe that the bread and wine are turned into the Body and Blood of Christ) which he would slow down. Typically, he would be done under 20 minutes. This was great if you had to serve and then head up to school. If you were lucky, you would be up in your classroom by the first bell. (Once done, Fr. Chan would head up to the kitchen for some coffee, cookies and to read the paper for a bit, before heading back uptown or making the rounds in Chinatown.)
In addition, we would also be called upon to serve a Funeral Mass. Funeral Masses usually started at 9:15am and ended about 10:15am. If the altar boys were given tips, we never got them with one exception. At the funeral of the father of one of the neighborhood boys, who was an altar boy himself, he handed each of us, at the end of Mass a couple of dollars. We were all too embarrassed and attempted to give back the money but he refused. (It was rumored that the sacristan would get be given money to distribute to us, but we never saw any of it.)
If you were a faithful server, meaning you rarely missed serving, you might be called upon to serve a wedding. Now, serving a wedding usually meant a tip -- that was your way of being thanked for faithfully serving. The tips were usually two or three dollars but sometimes it went up to $5.
I remember very well one wedding in particular. The bride was from KV. The wedding was in the early afternoon. The Church was packed. Fr. Moffo was the priest. It was a ceremony only, which meant that it should last about 20 to 30 minutes. The time for the ceremony came, no bride. Okay, some brides are a few minutes late. No problem. We waited. And waited and waited. About an hour later, she showed up. Fr. Moffo was furious. (My mom was wondering where the heck I was all this time.) After the ceremony, one of the groomsmen came in and gave my buddy and I $15 to split. Each of us got $7.50 -- a huge haul. We were talking about it for weeks.
by Joseph Barone