St. Finbar’s celebrates 138th year with dinner dance

St. Finbar Catholic Church hosted its annual dinner dance celebration to honor the church’s 138th year in operation on March 10, bringing together the community for the church’s biggest fundraiser of the year.

“Each year we honor parishioners and community partners because that’s how we survive,” St. Finbar’s Father Michael Gelfant said, speaking highly of the help the parish receives from the community.

At this year’s dance, Madeleine Montuori, Betty Pisano and Councilmember Mark Treyger were all honored for their helpfulness to the church and the community.

Montuori is a retired school teacher and a trustee of the parish who frequently volunteers within it. Pisano organizes St. Finbar’s Golden Age Club, a social club for seniors. She plans trips, orders food and makes sure that the club functions properly, Gelfant said.

The church has never honored a politician before, Gelfant said, usually because it is “messy” to do so. However, the church has made an exception this year for Treyger.

“Really, he was the only one that stepped up and helped us,” Gelfant said. Treyger has been a proponent for issues facing the church and local community, according to Gelfant. He assisted especially with the ongoing crackdown on illegal massage parlors in Bay Ridge, led in part by Gelfant.

The dinner dance, Gelfant said, was something that was not just good for the church, but good for the community.

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