It was a great gathering of 100 or more parishioners of Our Lady of Perpetual Help- St Agnes parish who came together for an afternoon of camaraderie, fun, games, plenty of food and a picnic at the former Mother Theresa School playground. Even the skies stayed blue and the few rain clouds parted to let full sunshine came through. Until the scheduled end of the picnic. Ten minutes later, the rains came.
The members of the Fr. Joseph Donnelly council of the Knights of Columbus managed all the cooking and grilling for the annual parish picnic while their wives and other women of the parish together with more of the Knights organized everything from the food tables laden with everything from salads and fruits to pastas and desserts to games and fun.
While kids favored the Dunk Tank and their opportunity to play pranks on their oldsters, the adults favored sitting in the shade of the trees and chatting with neighbors and making new friends. Mayor Loretta Gluckstein was there with her mom, who never misses a good party, and Father Marty joined both Fr. Jarlath and Father Tom in spending some relaxing time with friends they generally only get to see at church services and busy activities.
A highlight of the game playing was a game of Trivial Pursuit designed by some very clever Knights and including categories of religion, Highlands and Atlantic Highlands history and local sites. Just about everyone could answer the question on where Fr. Jarlath went to grammar school, knowing he is a St. Agnes graduate but few, if any, knew that Father Tom worked at Brennan’s Deli before entering the priesthood. Some knew the distance of the Sandy Hook peninsula is six miles and many remembered that Our Lady of Perpetual Help School first started in the basement of the church on Route 36. The observant knew the stained glass windows at OLPH are significant with the Rosary and events on the life of Christ’s mother, and the four windows on either side of the St. Agnes Church altar are of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Only the active Bible readers remembered that John wrote Revelations, but most recalled that Sandy Hook Light is the oldest active lighthouse in the country.
But it was the actor who stayed at what is now the St. Agnes Thrift Shop on Ave. D one summer that had even the historians stumped. While most probably recall the actor for whom the fire company is named Robert Mantell and the 19th century actor who built Brucewood, now the thrift shop, no one knew that John Wilkes Booth also stayed there. Not sure of the source of that piece of information, knowing that Booth, who was a famous Shakespearean actor in his own right had three brothers who were also actors. But the brothers owned their own summer homes in Long Branch, so it seems strange Booth would stay with Mr. Mantell rather than at one of their homes. There’s little doubt they would have known each other though, given they were all famous actors until Booth chose a theater to assassinate President Lincoln and died shortly after in 1865.
The winning team included both a nun and St. Agnes graduate who could be counted on to be certain of the religious questions, a historian who’s still researching the source of information on Booth staying at Mantell’s house one summer, the mother of the nun and longtime active resident who even knew that Mother Seton is the patron saint of Catholic schools in America, and a relatively new borough resident but former Leonardo resident whose quest for knowledge and memory for what she learns are hard to beat. Even Councilmen Steve Boracchia stayed with the group to offer his own knowledge and expertise. Kudos to the team of Knights or their committee who came up with the idea and the questions.
It was another example of how terrific and active this Knights of Columbus council is.
Their next event is Oct. 15 when they’re putting on their Oktoberfest. Everybody who was there last year knows it’s an autumn event not to be missed. Once again, there will be outstanding professional comedy on stage, as well as an Oktoberfest menu that has everything from Bahrs Restaurant’s German Pea Soup and German potato salad to Black Forest Cake and Bavarian pretzels served warm, along with so many other great dishes from some famed and respected restaurants in the area.
Tickets are going fast for their event that begins at 6 with doors open at the OLPH Gym in Highlands at 5 pm, so get your tickets or call to make reservations in advance. With Uncle Floyd on stage, known rightfully as New Jersey’s own comedy Legend, and food and drink from Bahrs, Belford Brewing, and Black Forest Bratwurst, a craft beer tasting, a drawing for a flat screen tv and more, it is truly an event not to be missed. And a bargain at $40 per person.
For information, fun goers can call 862-368-0801, e-mail mikenap1962@gmail.com, or drop off a check at the St. Agnes business office made payable to KofC #11660 or mailed to 180 Navesink Ave., Highlands, NJ 07732. This is too much fun in a single night to be missed!
And the proceeds from all this fun and food is the Council’s Parish Assistance Fund, which means the proceeds help in maintaining and supporting both churches in the parish, OLPH and St. Agnes.
What more could you want?
