Our Heart Scene Journey has taken us to many places. None was more enjoyable than our visit to the 26th annual Smoker at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Pittston, PA.

Twenty-four years ago, I taught a seminarian named Gregory Finn. He was a serious minded student from Albany, New York, who, at the tender age of 17, made a decision to enter the priesthood.

Recently, I had a reunion with Fr. Greg Finn, OSJ, at the annual Smoker at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Pittston. What an incredible moment it was.

Joe McCulloch, the president of the Holy Name Society, put the event in context during his welcoming remarks.

The Smoker should be a time of personal reflection for each of us. I believe Fr. Greg summarized it well during a recent retreat for our society. He told us to have faith, do good and walk humbly with the Lord. If we reflect on that advice and try to incorporate those simple steps into our daily lives, we will find ourselves renewed and invigorated in our relationship with Christ. And that is fundamentally what our societies are about - promoting the honor and glory of our Divine God and the personal sanctification of our members through devotion to the most Holy Name of Jesus.

Toastmaster Gavigan became reflective when he talked about the rich tradition of the Smoker in Pittston.

The smoker is designed to bring men together.

It allows the men of the parish to celebrate in the presence of

other men.

It encourages them to renew old friendships.

It strengthens the bonds between fathers, son, uncles, nephews, relatives and neighbors.

Men, Gavigan said, sometimes look for role models in the wrong places… sports, business, politics. We don’t have to look far for examples of good men. They are all around us.

There are many examples here tonight of men of our community going about their lives who don’t see themselves as role models…. but they are. You don’t have to look far. And we should strive to be role models in our own lives, to be more Christ-like.

As I stood there in front of these loyal parishioners and their friends, I thought to myself, what a beautiful sight: Husbands, Fathers, Sons, Grandfathers, Brothers, Fathers-in-Law, Uncles, Friends and Priests joined together in fellowship.

These are the people Bill Gavagan referenced in his remarks.

These are good, decent, hard-working people who love their family, their country and their church.

I was looking at the past, present and future of America, and I could see the power of their dreams in their eyes and the road rashes of their sacrifices on their hands and faces.

In a very real way, I felt the presence of my father and my brother, two of the most powerful influences in my life. I was standing there because of their kindness, understanding and belief in my dream.

I was looking at a room full of gentlemen.

I was looking at the genius of America, and I was humbled to be in their presence.

I was looking at the goodness and the generosity of America, and several times during the evening I was the beneficiary of that kindness.

Upon my arrival I met an impressive young principal, Joe Delucca. He and his father helped me find my way into the banquet hall. As we walked, he told me he read my article, “King’s College Graduates Saved My Life.” He was taken with the definition of a teacher, recorded in that article, and he sent that section of the article to every one of the teachers he supervises.

Once inside the church, I met Fr. Finn and a smiling Lou Degennaro

A friend from another life, Joe Simone, heard about the speech, and he traveled from Nanticoke to be a part of the evening. Three former patients of Dr. Michael Harostock stopped me after the speech to share their sentiments of appreciation and good will for Dr. Harostock.

There were many beautiful and touching moments during my visit to Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, but the highlight of the evening came in the form of a comment made by the person who invited me to be the speaker. At the end of the evening, Fr. Greg Finn said this to his old, retired teacher: “You were a very tough teacher. You expected a lot, but I loved the class. I worked harder in your class than I ever thought I could. I really enjoyed the challenge.”

Just as I was about to leave, Fr. Greg looked me in the eye and with an affirming smile he said: “You lived up to every one of my expectations, and by the way, I earned an A in your class!”

My visit to Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church lived up to every one of my expectations.

It was an evening for sharing, an evening for remembering, an evening for believing, an evening for affirming all that is decent in small town America.

It was personal, genuine, historical and spiritual.

In my opinion, it doesn’t get any better than this.

Thank you Jim Murphy for your hard work.

Thank you Joe McCulloch and Bill Gavigan for your kind words.

Thank you Ed Ackerman for helping me secure the pictures I needed for this article.

Thank you Tony Callaio for sharing your digital pictures with me.

Thank you Fr. Greg for your invitation and your thoughtfulness.

Thank you Dr. Michael Harostock for giving me a second chance at life and the opportunity to experience this special moment.

Thank you Kitch for helping me get closer to the ideal that I saw in the faces of the men who attended this wonderful event.

George Bernard Shaw was right: A gentleman is one who puts more into the world than he takes out.

At our Lady of Mount Carmel Church on a cold March evening, I saw a room full of gentlemen.

Please send feedback to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it