Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, the head of the Brooklyn Catholic diocese which encompasses all the parishes in Brooklyn and Queens, and spiritual director of the Cathedral Club of Brooklyn, presided over the group’s annual memorial mass in the Sacred Heart Chapel of the Visitation Monastery in Bay Ridge. Also participating in the service, which memorializes past deceased presidents and officers dating back to the year 1900, and members of the club who have died this past year, were Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello, vicar for development and Monsignor Kieran Harrington, vicar for communications.
The memorial tribute was followed by the club’s annual communion breakfast at the Bay Ridge Manor, where members and their families were welcomed by Cathedral Club President Vincent LeVien, and heard brief remarks and a blessing by Bishop DiMarzio.
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Brooklyn‘s Michael A. Rawley, Jr. American Legion Post 1636 held a testimonial dinner honoring two of its most prominent and distinguished legionnaires, retired U.S. Air Force Major William Harris and retired U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Prisco “Pete” DeAngelis.
Harris, a World War II veteran, was drafted in 1940, and assigned to the then Army Air Corps which was later established as the U.S. Air Force. During his wartime tenure, he became a pilot and flew C-47 and B-17 aircraft in North Africa, Sicily, Italy and the south of France. After the war, he served 38 years in the Air Force Reserve. Today, the spry 97-year-old is serving as post chaplain.
DeAngelis is a Korean War veteran who was awarded the Purple Heart. He has served as Rawley post commander several times and is its current post adjutant. DeAngelis has also served twice as Kings County commander of the American Legion. He is the president of the Brooklyn Memorial Day Parade Committee, and chair of the United Military Veterans of Kings County.
On the Avenue: Bay Ridge’s parade season in full swing 
On the Avenue: Kiwanis Club fetes ‘Finest’ with award named for late chief