Seniors Nicholas Foster and Max Samarin officiate the Nativity Blessing and Christmas tree lighting at Monsignor Farrell High School in Staten Island, New York. They oversaw live student performances and a large Christmas village featuring food booths, a skating rink, a life-size snow globe, and a petting zoo from their position on a professional concert stage.
On the main stage, students from St. Joseph Hill and Farrell provided entertainment. (Silvestri, Pamela; Staten Island Advance)Silvestri
Tuesday’s Christmas tree lighting and nativity blessing, which featured the amazing performance of our Faithful Men and the amazing young women who joined them on stage, was a thrilling and unforgettable event that perfectly captured the essence of the Farrell Family, according to the school president and alumnus.
Santa was escorted by the FDNY and carried on a ladder to the Oakwood campus. (Pamela Silvestri/Staten Island Advance) Silvestri
According to him, parents, coaches, instructors, staff, alumni, and students gathered to enjoy the holiday season and keep Christ at the center of Christmas.
Tom Barlotta, Dawn Guerrero, a teacher, and Lou Tobacco, a former student and president of Farrell, are pictured from left to right. (Silvestri, Pamela; Staten Island Advance)Silvestri
Dominick the Donkey
As real-deal reindeer broke for meal, Santa himself took center stage, joined by FDNY’s Ladder 85. Tobacco thanked the NYPD for keeping us all safe and the FDNY for providing Santa with a lift. Dominick the Donkey, a placid donkey grazing hay close to the Nativity on exhibit, also received a stern thank-you from the school president.
Employees decorated trees with lights and set up a life-size igloo for everyone to enjoy. (Silvestri, Pamela; Staten Island Advance)Silvestri
According to teacher Dawn Guerriero, “My Speech and Communications class was thrilled to add to the glitz of Farrell’s special tree lighting event and the magic of the Christmas season by performing a lively dance number to Mariah Carey’s classic, All I Want for Christmas Is You, and a spirited reading of Twas the Week before Christmas: Farrell Style.”
At the Christmas presentation, speakers included students, alumni, school administrators, and Borough President Vito Fossella, who is also a graduate of Farrell. (Silvestri, Pamela; Staten Island Advance)Silvestri
Several hundred revelers gathered around the stage, and Borough President Vito Fossella addressed them. He gave sincere remarks about the Christmas spirit and applauded the large-scale production. The Farrell alumnus snarked about the school s drone overhead as not part of the recent mysteriousdrone sightings, a timely topic on whichhe and fellow alumni have been quite outspoken.
(Courtesy of Owen Reiter) Silvestri’s Christmas tree lighting and nativity blessing at Monsignor Farrell H.S.
Jennifer Briscoe, a staff member and event planner, usually starts organizing the school’s spectacular in January. As tradition holds, performances include several numbers by the Monsignor Farrell Players (the school s dramatic society), directed by Melissa Tierney, who additionally orchestrates the show s program.
(Courtesy of Owen Reiter) Silvestri’s Christmas tree lighting and nativity blessing at Monsignor Farrell H.S.
The all-hands-on decked halls included an army of volunteers aka elves in green shirts. The Farrell hockey team supervised a small ice skating rink. Mr. Bilotti and Mr. DiPietro of the Italian department doled out homemade rainbow cookies and freshly-piped cannoli. Fellow teacher Ms. Farley poured hot chocolate.
Food stations included Montalbano’s sausage and peppers, Patrizia’s Italian fare and beverages from Ho’Brah.(Silvestri, Pamela; Staten Island Advance)Silvestri
Performers included the Monsignor Farrell student group Friends of Staten Island (FOSI), also comprised of students from St. Joseph Hill Academy.
This year, food and drink stations were manned by Ho Brah of West Brighton, Patrizia s of Eltingville and Montalbano s of Woodrow.
Farrell decks the halls for the Christmas spirit. (Silvestri, Pamela; Staten Island Advance)Silvestri
The event doubled as a fundraiser to benefit Staten Island University Hospital-Northwell Health.
(Courtesy of Owen Reiter) Silvestri’s Christmas tree lighting and nativity blessing at Monsignor Farrell H.S.
Tobacco concluded, This cherished tradition reflects our mission to form men of faith, aware of their God-given talents and confident in their abilities, while sharing the light and hope of Christ with our community.
(Courtesy of Owen Reiter) Silvestri’s Christmas tree lighting and nativity blessing at Monsignor Farrell H.S.
(Courtesy of Owen Reiter) Silvestri’s Christmas tree lighting and nativity blessing at Monsignor Farrell H.S.
Seniors Nicholas Foster and Max Samarin emceed the Monsignor Farrell High School Christmas Tree Lighting and Nativity Blessing. (Courtesy of Owen Reiter)Silvestri
Senior class helpers and performers at the Christmas celebration before getting on stage. (Courtesy of Monsignor Farrell)Silvestri
(Courtesy of Owen Reiter) Silvestri’s Christmas tree lighting and nativity blessing at Monsignor Farrell H.S.
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