Category: PNCC

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The PNCC in Springfield and Westfield, MA

From CBS3 Springfield: Roman Catholic Alternative

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield announced this summer that 19 Catholic Churches are closing leaving many fighting to keep their places of worship open or looking for another church. We found local Catholic churches that are not part of the Roman Catholic diocese but are Catholic and run their church democratically.

Laurie Costello, member of National Catholic Church, says, “We came from the Roman Catholic Church and we just weren’t happy with the way things ran.”

Laurie Costello and her family changed churches 5 years ago when the Springfield Diocese closed the Roman Catholic school she grew up in.

Costello says, “We did fight to keep it open and we came to find out that no matter what you were going to do it has been decided.”

But at St. Joseph’s National Catholic Church in Westfield parishioners claim that would never happen to their church because they don’t answer to the Springfield Diocese or the Vatican.

Costello says, “The parish won’t close unless we vote on it.”

Susan Teehan, a life-long member of St. Joseph’s says, “The church is a democratic church. We own the property, the buildings.”

Teehan’s grandparents helped found St. Joseph’s 80 years ago. She’s been going to mass here since she was a little girl.

Teehan says, “I think other people feel they come to Sunday Mass and they leave and they have no voice in the church whereas we feel as if we are an important part of the church.”

Father Sr. Joseph Soltysiak says, “The people of this church have very much a say in the affairs that go on.”

Father Sr. Joseph Soltysiak has been the priest at St. Joseph’s for more than 15 years. He says everyone gets one vote, including him. But it’s very much a Catholic church.

Father Sr. Soltysiak says, “We are a very high church. We are a Catholic Church. Our main method of worship is the Holy Mass Eucharist.”

The National Catholic Church was founded in Pennsylvania in the late 1800’s by Polish-Americans who broke away from the Roman Catholic Church partly because of disputes over who owned church property. Currently, there are 8 churches in Massachusetts and have 25-thousand members in the United States. It used to be called the Polish National Catholic Church until recently. They changed the name to welcome all people.

Father Sr. Soltysiak says, “The majority of people coming here and who become part of our family are people who left their Catholic faith and they can find it again here but not under the jurisdiction of Rome.”

That’s exactly what Laurie Costello and her family did and they found a new religious home.

There are differences between the National Catholic Church and the Roman Catholic Church. One of the most obvious is the priests can marry. Father Joe has several kids. One of them is also priest.

The National Catholic Churches in Western Mass are in Chicopee, Northampton, South Deerfield, Ware and Westfield.

Perspective, PNCC,

Church sales, opposition to reform-of-the-reform, evangelism and more

From the Buffalo News: Church sales by diocese spur debate

For the most part, the buildings are old, difficult to maintain and situated in less-than-ideal neighborhoods.

But that hasn’t stopped buyers from snapping up former Catholic churches that many observers expected would be nearly impossible to sell.

Consider the city of Buffalo, where two years ago the Catholic Diocese moved to shut down 16 churches. Today, just one of those churches, Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Herkimer Street, is still actively being marketed.

In all, the diocese has dealt away 33 empty churches in eight counties since 2006, selling to Muslims, Buddhists and a variety of Protestant denominations, as well as museum operators, developers and nonprofit groups.

It just closed its most recent deal Friday, selling the former Our Lady of Grace Church on Route 5 in Woodlawn for $170,000 to Holy Trinity Polish National Catholic Church.

Hurray and congrats to Fr. Spencer and his congregation at Holy Trinity. More from the Buffalo News here.

“It was difficult to project what kind of success we’d have selling these properties,” said diocesan spokesman Kevin A. Keenan, noting that the economic downturn and tighter lending practices threw an unexpected variable into the equation. “We have probably defied a lot of predictions that we wouldn’t sell these properties.”

However, the diocese’s adeptness at selling churches has hardly quieted critics of the church closings. Some preservationists and city officials remain skeptical about the future of those properties. They say the diocese is more intent on getting rid of buildings than on ensuring their longtime survival for future generations.

“I don’t think they care who they sell to,” said Common Council President David A. Franczyk, who has sparred with Bishop Edward U. Kmiec over church closings. “The city is a write-off zone for them.”

As I’ve said many times. The inner city is a charity zone — it might as well be Zimbabwe or Vietnam or North Korea (excepting that people come to the Catholic Churches in droves in those places in spite of persecution). The se dioceses see rich suburban parishes as the financial ministries to help the downtrodden. What the downtrodden really need is Jesus Christ and the hope He offers, not just a hand-out.

It’s too early to call the brisk sales of the churches a win for the community, added Timothy Tielman, executive director of the Campaign for Greater Buffalo History, Architecture & Culture.

Tielman and others questioned whether some of the buyers have the capacity to maintain the properties.

“They’re selling churches to people who they know can’t afford it,” said Albert Huntz, president of traditionalist Catholic group Una Voce Buffalo. “In a year or two, these buildings are going to look like Transfiguration. They’ve been down this road before.”

Transfiguration Church on Sycamore Street was one of a handful of glorious Catholic churches that fell into disrepair after being sold to organizations that couldn’t afford the upkeep.

One of my original blog articles on Transfiguration. My father was baptized there. See here and here as well.

Huntz has a more personal stake in the sales. Una Voce, which advocates for the traditional Latin Mass, is an eager church buyer that the diocese has repeatedly turned away. The group has been trying for years to save a city church for Latin liturgies. It has looked on as nearly all of the available Buffalo churches were sold to other religious organizations.

“It doesn’t make us too happy, as to the way some of them were sold and to whom they were sold,” Huntz said.

In an interview, Keenan reiterated the bishop’s stance on Una Voce’s request, saying the group already is well served at two other Western New York parishes that provide the Latin Mass —” St. Anthony of Padua in Buffalo and Our Lady Help of Christians in Cheektowaga.

“At this time, Bishop Kmiec is not about to start adding parishes. We’re still in a reconfiguration process,” Keenan said.

Check that… I think he means: …not about to start adding traditionalist parishes.

The resistance to the reform-of-the-reform in the Roman Church is huge. These folks should be able to walk into any parish in the entire Buffalo Diocese, including those massive suburban hootenanny parishes — Jesus in the round — and respectfully request Holy Mass in the Extraordinary Rite. They should be able to but can’t because Father Happy-Clappy would throw them out, with the Bishop’s blessing. Rather, these folks get two parishes, one in downtown Buffalo, hidden behind City Hall, with nearly no residential neighborhood nearby and the other in Buffalo’s first ring suburb.

Remember that this is for a diocese that covers Erie, Niagara, Genesee, Orleans, Chautauqua, Wyoming, Cattaraugus, and Allegany counties or roughly 6,455 square miles and has a Catholic population of 702,884Wikipedia contributors, “Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Buffalo&oldid=306583981 (accessed October 28, 2009)..

Keenan also defended the sales, saying the diocese takes a close look at any prospective buyer’s financial information before agreeing on a deal.

Still, he acknowledged, “You can do all the vetting you want, and sometimes things don’t go well for an organization.”

Easy out.

Preservationists also worry that architectural details will be stripped from churches by new owners eager to cash in on the items, dramatically decreasing the value of the properties.

“Talk about temptation,” said Tielman, noting that architectural salvage dealers often are willing to offer top dollar for quality features.

It’s happened before with Catholic churches, most notably St. Matthew on East Ferry Street, which originally was bought by a church organization after it was closed by the diocese in 1993.

After being mined bare over the years, the church ended up being sold at a 2006 city foreclosure auction for $3,500.

Already, the former Queen of Peace Church on Genesee Street has been stripped of its original beauty —” although not necessarily for profit. The church was purchased by a Muslim group, and the Christian images in the stained-glass windows and interior wall murals by acclaimed painter Josef Mazur were no longer appropriate for a mosque and community center.

Darul Hikmah, which paid $300,000 for the property, removed the items. The windows were saved and preserved at the Buffalo Religious Arts Centers. Sacred objects also were reused by other Catholic churches, including St. Josaphat in Cheektowaga, which received an altar.

Nonetheless, the Mazur murals are gone, and the church’s huge Kilgen pipe organ, which was fully operational, was thrown in the garbage when the Muslim group couldn’t find anyone to take it.

Józef Mazur (1897-1970) was born in Poland and emigrated to Buffalo, studying at the Albright Art School in Buffalo and at the New York Art Institute. Mazur worked in a variety of media. His stained glass works can be found in churches in Philadelphia, New York City and Buffalo. Before turning thirty Mazur distinguished himself as an ecclesiastical painter in the Buffalo area. His first commission was the complete decoration of St. Stanislaus Church in Buffalo. His works can also be found in St. Adalbert’s, Blessed Trinity, the Polish National Cathedral, St. John Gualbert’s, and Villa Maria Academy, Holy Trinity in Niagara Falls, and St. Aloysius in Springville. Mazur also painted churches in Rochester, NY, Chicago, IL, Detroit, MI, Adams, MA, New Haven, CT, and Trenton and Perth Amboy in New Jersey. Mazur’s secular works include the sculpted bust of Frederick Chopin, a life-size portrait of Kazimierz Pulaski in Olean, and interior decoration at the UB Main Street Campus.

Other famous Polish-American artists are sculptor Louis Długosz of Lackawanna, Joseph Bakos, a painter of western landscapes, Józef Sławinski, scrafitto artist and sculptor, Marion M. Rzeznik, an ecclesiastical painter of numerous WNY churches, and architect Joseph E. Fronczak.

It should be noted that with a little work Mazur’s murals could have been easily saved. They are painted on canvas and attached to the ceilings and walls of the churches. They can be carefully removed and preserved.

The sale infuriated some Catholics who viewed it as a sign that the diocese had given up on trying to spread the faith.

Seems that way – I lived there most of my life and never saw any effort at active evangelization at the parish or diocesan level. While Roman Catholic plus other Catholic Churches represent a huge majority in Western New York the number of unchurched is growing.

And it was another disappointment for Una Voce, which had expressed strong interest in taking over the church.

Huntz said his group would be able to maintain a property. It has at least 200 families —” more people than in most of the small Protestant congregations that purchased former Catholic facilities.

A few years ago, Una Voce made inquiries about St. John the Baptist Church on Hertel Avenue, but the diocese sold it instead to a developer, the Plaza Group, which has put the buildings back on the market.

More important than obtaining a building, the group needs the bishop’s approval for a priest to come from outside of the diocese and serve the Latin Mass community. “For us, finding a priest is no problem, it’s just getting the bishop to say OK, fine,” Huntz said. “I don’t know what it would take to change his mind.”

Huntz and others had hoped that a 2007 decree from Pope Benedict XVI allowing for greater use of the ancient liturgy would open the door in the Buffalo diocese for a Latin Mass apostolate. The diocese “can’t say there’s a problem with the Vatican, and there are dioceses all over North America that have the same situation,” Huntz said…

Mr. Huntz sees a problem and I do as well, and it isn’t in Rome.

Perspective, PNCC, , ,

Being within the Church

Several things I have heard recently have caused me to reflect more on what it means to be within the Holy Church. Recent news of the Roman-former Anglicans provision for unity touches on the issue. That said, I see two aspects to being within the Church:

Union within the Church and under the Church’s Bishops:

I recently read a post by the Rev. Canon Chandler Holder Jones at Philorthodox in Notes on Holy Orders wherein he says:

Most Continuing Churches follow the historically Augustinian-Western approach to this subject. I should deem the practice of some other Continuing Churches, the Polish National Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodoxy to be Cyprianic in origin.

The whole issue of orders and belonging was covered extremely well, some time ago, in a post on the Cyprianic understanding of Holy Orders at Ad Orientem in Once a Priest , Always a Priest? (Thanks to the Young Fogey for the link to this). I recommend those interested in the theological difference between the Cyprianic and Augustinian understandings of Holy Orders read it.

To have Orders and to be a deacon, priest, or bishop requires that you be within the Church. Simply said, we have to be agnostic about what occurs outside the Church. Certainly we could use the cudgel of “without grace” for those outside the Church, as some online pundits do, but it is really an unnecessary exercise. All we can know for sure is that those within the Church, who have unity with its structure and Bishops, most particularly its priests, are only able to do what they say they are doing while they are in the Church under their Bishop. We are within the Church as long as we are grafted onto the Church — part of Her. If we are deposed and outside we might as well be cave men, satanists, or witch doctors — what we say is void of meaning and affect apart from the Church. Same words and actions as mimicry — no affect.

In the PNCC the issue arises from time to time in those who were formally of the clergy and who have been formally deposed. The case of Mr. Tomasz Rybka, a former priest in Poland is a case-in-point as are folks like Robert Mary Clement of the American Catholic Church or Ramzi Musallam of the Arabic Catholic Church (I won’t link to them, Google if you wish, the same vagante type stuff you see everywhere) and a few others. In the end all we can say is that whatever those outside the Church do, say, or suspect they do — regardless of the ritual used — is of no account.

The first aspect of being within the Church is an outward sign of unity, being part of the Church under the authority of its Bishops. That is a sure guarantee of the Holy Spirit’s outpouring for our lives and the life of the Church.

Unity of belief:

This one is touchier because it requires intellectual and spiritual honesty. You can pull-off of a total lack of belief in what the Church says and believes without any outward sign you are doing so. You can lie to yourself, to your wife, children, Bishop, and to God. To be within the Church however requires that you bring yourself into unity with what the Church believes; that you square your beliefs with the Church’s requirementsBecause the Church is infallible in what it teaches on Faith and Belief..

For those raised in the PNCC this is really no problem. They have had consistent and constant teaching in what the Church believes. That becomes part of them. Lifelong PNCC members have been catechized in accord with the beliefs of the Church. They don’t trip over things like the Pope (most don’t give the issue a second thought), the creed (proceeds from the Father), unheard of dogmas (Immaculate Conception, Assumption, Papal Infallibility), original sin, an understanding of Orders, scholasticism, phony homiletic constructs (every homily has to tie to the Eucharist, to a pro-life message, etc.), how the sacraments are “counted,” heaven, hell, the intermediate state, the Church’s infallibility (not one man’s), or differing Solemnities.

Former Roman Catholics, I am among them, had to trip and fall over these things. Getting there is not an overnight process and it definitely requires a conscious effort at stripping out belief systems pounded into our heads in R.C. schools, confraternity classes, and most particularly Roman seminary. It isn’t easy and takes time, but unless one is focused on being a member of, priest or deacon in, the PNCC you cheat yourself and all the members of the Church. More than that, I believe that you put yourself outside the Church in being less than faithful to It.

The PNCC welcomes everyone with open arms and speaks ill of no one who finds they must follow Jesus in another way, but if you wish to stay — if you wish to be honest with yourself and the Holy Church – with the Holy Spirit — you must purpose yourself to learn about, believe, and profess what the Church professes.

It is a huge fallacy to compare the PNCC to the Roman Church and to say: ‘We are the same except…” I used to do that. I don’t anymore. Former R.C. members of the Church carry in a lifetime of learned beliefs and in many ways they do not match with the PNCC. Can a person transition? Absolutely! I’ve done it and I’ve seen wonderful former Roman Catholics, including priests, who have committed to the honesty that change requires.

For those considering the PNCC, know that through the process of learning, which takes time and patience, you find the beauty and joy lifelong PNCC members know. You can bring yourself into unity of belief. PNCC members are open to teaching you about the PNCC’s beliefs, its prayers, its Solemnities, and Our way of life.

Bringing it together:

What is necessary is honesty on entering the Church. Honestly know that we are not Roman nor a subset of anyone else. Know that we ascribe to no dogmasDogmas are created in response to heresy. None of those dogmas, created in Rome, was a response to any heresy regarding the holy, even blessed Mother Mary. The issue of Papal infallibility was in response to the ever decreasing worldly power of the Pontiffs. invented in the past few hundred years. Know that we have our own way of life which you can be a part of. Honestly know that to be within the Church requires outward unity with your Bishop and inward honesty in believing and professing what THIS Church believes and professes.

Christian Witness, Perspective, PNCC,

…and the hubris will work against them

For instance on some of the posts listed at WDTPRS (here and here for example, but there’s a lot more out there). While its all great to be happy for those who have been given the option to enter the Catholic faith, it is uncharitable to grunt with glee over the Archbishop of Canturbury’s embarrassment, the reclaiming of properties, etc. You can be right about something and maintain charity as well.

What do I hear? We were right all along, you’re stupid (as were your ancestors), have nothing to offer us really, and give us the dang buildings back. Nice…

It’s a huge turn off for anyone who would even think of discussing next steps. PNCC and Orthodox folks take note.

PNCC,

Turkey Dinner at the Cathedral – Scranton, PA

From the Times-Tribune: Turkey dinner

The Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament Society of St. Stanislaus Polish National Catholic Cathedral will hold a pre-holiday homestyle turkey dinner on Sunday, October 25th at 12:30 p.m. in the Parish Youth Center, 530 E. Elm St., Scranton; takeouts, 10:30 a.m. to noon; $10/adult, $5/children under 12. For more information please call Gloria Makowski at 570-498-3922.

Christian Witness, PNCC,

A personal note of thanks

Last Sunday, the Solemnity of the Christian Family, marked one year since I began my active ministry at Holy Name of Jesus parish in Schenectady, NY.

Of course thanks are in order, but in a way I am uncomfortable making this list because everyone should come first. Needless to say I will start with the Lord who leads me in my ministry of service, at Holy Name, in the Mohawk Valley Seniorate, in the Central Diocese, and the PNCC as a whole. I am so thankful to Fr. Stan Bilinski for taking the time (and having the great patience necessary) to teach me the ropes. A huge shout out and special note of thanks to all the parishioners at Holy Name; they have been very charitable, accepting, and have shown great Christian love in welcoming my family and me. And, finally, my family who support me in my ministry and whose patience I tax with running to and fro to minister. I realize their sacrifice and am so thankful for their charity.

Here’s a picture of me assisting at Holy Mass on the occasion of the YMSofR Track and Field meet in Scranton. Holy Mass was celebrated at the Grotto of Christ the Benign. Prime Bishop Nemkovich is celebrating, I am the Deacon of the Mass, and Fr. Jason Soltysiak is standing in as Sub-Deacon.

Holy Mass at the Grotto of Christ the Benign

Please pray for me.

PNCC,

Around the PNCC

Capturing history:

Holy Spirit Parish in Little Falls, NY is reaching out to parishioners past and present for photos of events in the Parish’s history. If you have any photos you can contact Fr. Rafal at 315-823-0793. He will scan them in and promptly return them to you.

Confirmation at the hands of Bishop Leon Grochowski in 1962
Confirmation at the hands of Bishop Leon Grochowski in 1962
Father Francis Szcesny, 1954 Holy Mass at the Parish Cemetery
Father Francis Szcesny, 1954 Holy Mass at the Parish Cemetery
First Holy Communion, Father Brzostowski, ca. 1940
First Holy Communion, Father Brzostowski, ca. 1940

Celebrating their Patronal Feast Day:

St. Francis Parish in East Meadow, NY celebrated its Patronal Feast with a weekend full of events and capped by a Fall Dinner.

Seated - Fr. Kolek, Fr. Senior Pietruszka, and standing - Fr. Koterba with dinner guests.
Seated - Fr. Kolek, Fr. Senior Pietruszka, and standing - Fr. Koterba with dinner guests.
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Waymart, PA

From the Wayne Independent: Plan stars Waymart as heritage destination

US Route 6 is steeped in heritage as it winds its way 427 miles across Pennsylvania’s northern tier, and the unique legacy of Waymart as a cross roads community has not been missed.

‘The culmination of numerous meetings with interested citizens and other stake holders in the Waymart area is the presentation of a work plan of how to make Waymart an even more desirable and well known destination community for travelers. As was said Wednesday at a discussion of the plan at the D&H Gravity Depot Museum, the idea is how to get people to not just stop for gas but to stay a while and explore.

Waymart was one of several communities along Route 6 that applied and were picked as a Route 6 Heritage Community in the first round of the state tourism program. The goal is to have at least one town in each of the 11 counties selected; the next nearest is Wyalusing. Carbondale and Milford have been selected as Route 6 Heritage communities in the next round.

In 2005, Governor Rendell named Route 6 in Pennsylvania as a State Heritage Corridor under the Pa. Heritage Areas Program of the Pa. Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR).

Although the interest is high and the Waymart area is seen as having a lot to offer, the plan’s implementation will require funding. State grants may be hard to find with the austere budget just passed. Suggestions were made to apply to private foundations. The Route 6 Heritage Corp. also has a certain amount of funds already allocated. Dan Perry of the Lackawanna Valley Heritage Authority said that their organization may be able to assist.

Rick Truscello, Manager of Planning Services, EADS Group, represented the consulting firm hired by the state to help Route 6 Heritage communities develop a plan and implement it.

A main focus ahead for the heritage effort in Waymart is development of a visitors center in what is referred to as the Brick House, on top Farview Mountain and once a part of the Farview State Mental Hospital operations. The State Legislature recently approved transfer of the three acre property along Route 6, to the Waymart Area Historical Society.

Jane Varcoe president of the Waymart Area Historical Society, states that several organizations, from the area historical societies to the Pocono Mountain Visitors Bureau, are behind the project. The Brick House is seen as a —northern gateway— to the Poconos, as well as a visitors’ stop to the cultural and natural resources westward, in adjoining Lackawanna County. The two sides of the Moosic Mountain range have a shared heritage, between the mining and moving of anthracite coal.

The Brick House is a principal structural asset identified in the work plan. Most of the focus, however, will be on community activities, said Truscello. The plan also recommends enhancements at the Route 6/296 intersection.
No major street scape improvements were advised. A historic district also may not apply here, Truscello said. There are fleeting remnants of the D&H Gravity Railroad, although a few good examples exist.

Other wonderful assets Truscello pointed out included St. Tikhon’s Monastery, Salvation Army Ladore Lodge & Conference Center, and Spojnia Manor, founded by the Polish National Catholic Church. Views of the Waymart Wind Farm are also an important attraction.

An information kiosk, interpretive panels and other signs are recommended.

Varcoe said that a principal goal is to establish a recreational trail on the former gravity Railroad bed. The first phase of this effort would be to establish a trail connection between the rail bed section behind the Brick House, to the D&H rail bed at Simpson, which is the trail head for Northeast Pa. Rails to Trails. The second phase would be to establish the trail on the rail bed down the mountain to the D&H Gravity Depot on South Street.

Waymart is notable as the location of Bishop Hodur’s “Ustronie,” literally “retreat” or secluded place, the small home he went to on retreat and to write. It was from there that he wrote his “Apocalypse, or, The revelation of the XXth century.” Also in Waymart, the Bishop Hodur Retreat and Recreation Center where the PNCC holds its annual KURS encampment for youth, the Central Diocese’s annual acolyte retreat and other events.

For more information visit the Pa. Route 6 Heritage Corp and the Waymart Borough.

PNCC,

Corrections…

to the [Roman] Catholic Answers Forum on the subject of the PNCC.

I do not post in forums, learned my lessons in that regard long long ago. To break this down and to correct a few of the misleading statements posted there:

  • The Roman Church considers the PNCC to be schismatic, not heretical (for those who care about such things. 99.9% of PNCC members don’t — they don’t even think about it).
  • The PNCC has not changed its name — it is still the Polish National Catholic Church (no you don’t have to be Polish to join™).
  • The PNCC does indeed allow its priests to marry. We do not see marriage as an impediment to the priesthood or priesthood as an impediment to marriage.
  • As with any Church we hold talks with the Roman Church. That doesn’t mean reconciliation is immanent. Just like Orthodoxy, that won’t happen unless Rome changes its view of the papacy.
PNCC,

Congratulations Dominick Costantino

From left, first row: Alvin Celmer, chairman; Felip; Costantino; Agnes Lach, Choir; and Eleanor Kaminski; director. Second row: Bob Swartz, vice chairman; Barbara Swartz, director; Bernadette Truszkowski, recording secretary; and Carol Jean Markowski, Choir.
From left, first row: Alvin Celmer, chairman; Rev. Pawel Filip; Dominick Costantino; Agnes Lach, Choir; and Eleanor Kaminski; director. Second row: Bob Swartz, vice chairman; Barbara Swartz, director; Bernadette Truszkowski, recording secretary; and Carol Jean Markowski, Choir.

From the Times Leader: Dominick Costantino was recently welcomed as the new organist by the Rev. Paul Felip, pastor, and the Parish Committee of Good Shepherd Polish National Catholic Church, 269 E. Main St. Plymouth. Costantino, son of Dominick and Bonnie Costantino of Hanover Township, is a senior at Hanover Area High School.