Choir Members
Guests
Pilgrimage Leadership
Testimonials





Parish/Pilgrimage Choir

* Choir members travelling to Italy
+ Guests singing with the pilgrimage choir
SOPRANO
  *Penelope Althoff
  *Lisa Bonaventura
+*Katie Burland
  *Lisa Burland
  *Rose Hogrebe
+*Brenda LaFevre
  *Marion McCarthy
+*Cathy Misner
  *Nina Presuto
  *Ronnie Sinker


   Julianne Baranski
   Sophia Dragan
   Lucie Kunka
   Mary Ramsey
   Barbara Semanchik		 ALTO
  *Sr. Pat Centner
  *Lorraine Dozier
  *Doreen Jamieson
  *Olga Kryla
  *Angela Lanfranchi
  *Bee Sutt
  *Liz Systo
  *Joanne Vinciguerra




   Peggy DeRossett
   Diana Hennessey		 TENOR
  *Eric Althoff
  *Dennis Johnson
  *Rob Nonni
  *Chris O'Sullivan
  *Joe Petrozelli







   Paul Hennessey
   Joe Vinciguerra		 BASS
+*Michael Baransky
+*Chris Bishop
+*Fr. Florian Gall
  *Larry Jamieson
  *Ed Jankiewicz
+*Charles Jones
+*Joe Mitala
+*Paul Nonni
  *Joe Systo
+*Rich Wikoff


   Bill Dragan
   Bill Giel
   Stephen Tasy



Thomas DeLessio, Director
Charles Jones, Organ
Ed Jankiewicz, Guitar/Percussion
Corey Gutowski, Oboe

Pilgrimage Guests
Lisa Biello-Grieco
Ben Bishop
Jocelyn Bishop
Sue Bishop
Frances Bonaventura
Maria Bryant
Ralph Bryant
Katie Burland
John DeLessio
Lynne Ewen
Irene Fitzpatrick
Gloria Frediani		 John Grace
Patricia Grace
Clarence Hackman
Pat Hackman
Leonard Hogrebe
Stan Kryla
Mary Leonard
James McCarthy
Judy McGunagle
Rev. J. William Mickiewicz
Marlene Mitala		 Jane Monteleone
Dorothy O'Sullivan
Amanda Orkwis
Carol Orkwis
Joan Pesta
Claudette Petrozelli
Olga Przewoznik
Ernie Rall
Pat Rall		 Dorothy Ryan
Richard Ryan
Abigail Sammon
Margaret Sanguiliano
Beverley Stoveken
Paul Sutt
Rena Wagner
Carol Winberry
Paul Winberry

Leadership

Thomas DeLessio, Director of Music
Charles Jones, Accompanist, Assisting Director
Robert G. Nonni, Tour Manager
Rev. Florian J. Gall, Spiritual Director
Sr. Pat Centner, Assistant Spiritual Director
Ed Jankiewicz, Prayer Cards/Instruments/Misc/Airport Bus
Christine DeLessio, Airport Bus/Office Assistant
Marion McCarthy, Choral Librarian
Joanne Vinciguerra, Fundraising Chairperson/Choir Dress
Nina Presuto, Fundraising Committee
Doreen Jamieson, Fundraising Committee
Olga Kryla, Fundraising Committee
Liz Systo, Fundraising Committee
Eric Althoff, Videographer
Thomas DeLessio, Web Site
Larry Jamieson, Web Photo Contributor
Rob Nonni, Web Photo Contributor
Frank Darish, Photographer
Roman, Christine, Samantha Hnidj, Concert Catering
and others





Testimonials

Pilgrims are asked to write down some thoughts on the pilgrimage and send them to the following e mail address or to the church through regular mail:
delessio@blast.net

Penelope Althoff

Thank you, Thom, for crafting us into a WONDERFUL CHOIR! It was thrilling to sing in St. Peters etc. and to sound so good. The whole trip was exceptional.

Lorraine Dozier

I enjoyed the Choir Trip to Rome more than I can say or write. It was more than expected, as every day there was an additional unexpected excitement. The choir sang better than I had anticipated. The Wednesday audience with the Pope was exciting, the crowd was fun, it was a nice day, and to sing (even though it wasn't exactly at the right time) at the square was a great honor. Each day brought an unexpected chance to sing - such as at St. Paul's when we were filmed for Mexican TV. What more can I say about singing not once - but twice in St. Peter's Basicila.

John L. Grace

I enjoyed the fellowship, the friendship, and the good humor of the group on the trip to and from Rome. The choir performed so beautifully under Thom's masterful and professional leadership. At St. Peter's Basilica I had such a profound feeling while the choir performed. I felt the presence of the Lord. He was listening and I knew He was pleased. I was moved to tears at each of their performances throughout the trip. And our joyous dinner on the last night at the restaurant was a perfect finale. I have been through many experiences in my lifetime including World War II. In my profession I have met many celebreties including President Reagan, Frank Sinatra and many others, but they all paled in comparison to our Pilgrimage to Rome. It moved me deeply. My wife and I have enriched our lives with meeting and making friends with all who made the pilgrimage. We hope to be a part of future trips.

Ed Jankiewicz

I didn't know exactly what to expect on this trip, and I went with an open mind and open heart, prepared for some great spiritual impact. Touring the sites of Rome, and even the great churches, I was overwhelmed by the scale and grandeur of these places, but nothing was really hitting me yet. Our musical experiences, from the challenge of conforming to the high standards necessary to be the principal choir on Thursday in St. Peter's, to the remarkable performance we gave Friday night was by far the best experience I have ever had with a choral group. The chance to perform my original composition "God is Love" with members of the choir in the concert at St. Ignatius was a personal high point. It seemed that every day was exceeding the previous in terms of musical and emotional impact.

I spent the two hour bus ride to Assisi transcribing music for the guitar, as we had learned there was no keyboard available in the chapel where we would celebrate Mass. Imagine, still doing my homework on the bus at my age! I think the exhaustion resulting from the week of activity, the tension of preparing the music at the last minute, and my own state of mind and heart, were working together to prepare me for what was to happen. After touring Assisi, and seeing the simple stone tomb of St. Francis, we came together in the chapel to sing and pray the Mass together. As I accompanied the choir on the "Prayer of St Francis", an arrangement I had never played before, I found myself completely transported by the experience and the sound in that chapel. The pilgrimage experience for me was focused at that moment, and I felt that everything I had come looking for was delivered right then. It wasn't until I returned home, and after some very interesting personal detours, that I really understood what this meant to me, and just how significantly it would change my life, and it has. Since returning home I have written two new songs after a dry spell of over a year, one relating the story of my personal search for the spiritual connection I made at Assisi, and another about the life and ministry of St Peter called "Peter in Chains", after the church of the same name in Rome which we visited on Sunday. In the song about Assisi, I paraphrase portions of the prayer of St Francis, adding my own thoughts:
 
    "Lord, play me like an instrument, that I may be your song
     For when I try to call the tune, I always get it wrong.
     And let my every thought and deed be steps along the way you lead
     And always moving on to where I can do the work that you've prepared."
(lyrics copyright 1999 Ed Jankiewicz - used by permission - all rights reserved)

Additional testimonials

Awaiting additional testimonials from other pilgrims - keep checking back!!


Links Within This Site

Music Ministry Home
The Pilgrims and Their Testimonials
Concert Repertoire
Formation of the Pilgrimage
Pilgrimage Day by Day Itinerary