Event Photographs by: Kitch Loftus-Mussari

"Love and Work are the cornerstones of our humanness." Sigmund Freud

The Art Deco theater that sits proudly on Public Square is a masterpiece of architectural design. It is a cornerstone of our community. Constructed in 1928 as a monument to Michael Comeford, its 1,830 seats were usually filled by families like mine.

When I was a youngster, an evening at the Comeford Theater was a grand event. When I was a teenager, the theater was purchased and renamed, the Paramount. In 1977, it closed, and, shamefully, a number of its treasures were removed and sold.

In 1985-86, Al Boscov and a group of public-spirited citizens including Msgr. Andrew J. McGowan saved this community treasure from the wrecker’s ball. They restored it and renamed it the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts. Their vision ushered in a new era in local entertainment.

On this night, the Kirby was host to an evening of greatness, the second annual Monsignor McGowan Cornerstone Award.

It was a beautiful event, a community event, and a family event. People from all over Northeastern Pennsylvania filled the lobby of this historic building with the sounds of celebration, conversation, friendship and reunion.

Sister Peg O’Connor set the tone for the evening when she said: “I’m here to celebrate the Rosenn’s prolific philanthropy to the community.”

Sister Jean Devaney came to honor her friend from East End, Msgr. Andrew McGowan.

Sister Regina Kiel created the Cornerstone Award, a sculpture that, in her words, describes Msgr. McGowan and his life: "His was a giving heart and he reached out to others."

Sister Jeanne d’Arc came to see and hear Mark Russell perform.

After a brief reunion with these wonderful Sisters of Mercy, Kitch and I met Joe Van Jura who was most eloquent in his praise of the honorees, Sallyanne and Harold Rosenn: "They are terrific pillars of the community.  They have contributed so much to the community.  They have been extraordinarily generous to charitable organizations."

Former Wilkes-Barre Police Chief, Joe Coyne and his friend, St. Mary’s graduate, Joe O’Hara, added a touch of humor when I asked them why there were at the Kirby:

"The door was open and we saw a lot of food so we came in,” said Coyne with a broad smile on his face.

Speaking over the Chief’s words, O’Hara added, “There was no security at the door."

Both agreed, it was a wonderful evening.

Fr. Tom O’Hara, President of King’s College, a place I called home for 41 years,
called it a great community gathering to honor the Rosenns, to remember Msgr. McGowan and to help college students.

When asked to recall a special McGowan moment, Fr. O’Hara replied: "There are thousands of them.” Becoming reflective, he spoke about Msgr. McGowan the board member at King’s College:  “Msgr. McGowan was a man who would always come out with some deep Irish wit. For him, jokes came easily, but they were always designed to make a point. He told stories that made people relax so that he could present an issue in a new way.”

According to O’Hara, Harold Rosenn is a man with a huge heart that transcends all of the characteristics that sometimes divide us: race, religion and economic status.  Harold’s gift: “He sees through all of that, and just loves people."

Across the room I saw Sister Adrian Barrett, I.H.M. sitting with friends.  Known affectionately as Sister Sneakers and reverentially as the Mother Teresa of Scranton, Sister Adrian is a person who knows the poor and the dispossessed in special ways.  She has spent a lifetime relieving their pain.

“I came here to honor a great, great gentleman and a great priest who loved all the people and whose life was a life dedicated to loving and serving people of every faith and especially young people,” she told us.

Sister Adrian was especially pleased that the money raised at this event will fund scholarships for many students studying at the eight colleges served by Msgr. McGowan as a board member.

“What a wonderful way to honor Msgr. McGowan. His life and his goodness will live on. He was a grand leader,” she said.

Sitting to Sr. Adrian’s right were Dr.& Mrs James Burne. For more than two decades they have been distributing food baskets at Thanksgiving.  Last year their Family to Family group distributed 2,500 food baskets.

Mary Lou Burne captured the spirit I felt with these words: "The people at this table are wonderful givers to the people of Scranton.  This gives us a chance to gather and say thank you to everyone who helps our community with the poor and now our students receiving scholarships."

Her friend Goldye Weinberger, a woman with a big heart and a smile to match, was equally enthusiastic about the event and the evening: “It’s a wonderful, wonderful occasion, a happy time to get together and celebrate.”

Dorothy Marsh lives at Harveys Lake. Her daughter-in-law works for Catholic Social Services in Kansas City. She expressed the sentiments of everyone at the table: “This kind of gathering of people from all over the community is just a wonderful thing.”

In April, Mr. & Mrs. Allan Farias attended the Max Rosenn Lecture at Wilkes University. Kitch and I sat with them during dinner. On this evening they were at the Kirby to honor their dear friends, Sallyanne and Harold Rosenn, people Allan called: ”wonderful sources of encouragement and support for our community.”

Max Bartikowsky and I have something in common.  We have heart disease, and both of us have been given a second chance at life by Dr. Michael Harostock and the nurses and doctors at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. If truth be told we share our medical problem with Msgr. McGowan and his brother Bill. In some ways we are more fortunate than they in that we are alive.

In that context, the words Max used to describe the evening took on special significance for me: “I am so happy to be able to be here. I think the honor is well deserved.”

When I asked Max what this event meant to our town, he was quick to reply: “It looks like the town is alive and doing well. Being a businessman in the downtown, I am thrilled.”

Msgr. Joe Rauscher, pastor at St. Nicholas Church in Wilkes-Barre and a classmate of mine from King’s College, was representing Msgr. McGowan’s alma mater, Mount St. Mary’s in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He was with Sister Jayne Pruitt when I bumped him with my camera.  I apologized.

He smiled and said: “It’s a beautiful night.  We are honoring a great man and his wife, and we are remembering Msgr. McGowan.”

I met Msgr. Joe Quinn many years ago when we were young, resilient, and oblivious of any danger.  Together we volunteered for the March of Dimes. Much has happened in both of our lives since those glory days including the fact that Joe gave up a successful career to enter the priesthood.

One thing has not changed and that is Msgr. Quinn’s good humor.  Mimicking his hero, Msgr. McGowan, he said: “The question is, would Msgr. McGowan come to an event like this? This is the kind of a thing that he would have left his coat in the car and stayed close to the door.”

We laughed. Kitch and Msgr. Quinn embraced and exchanged pleasantries. It was a wonderful moment.

Atty. Joe Cosgrove is one of our favorite people.  I have known him since his high school days at St. John's in Pittston.  His youthful exuberance and welcoming smile have never changed.  Joe is a man who is dedicated to causes that make our community and our world a better place. His friendship with Martin Sheen is well known.  In fact, Sheen tells everyone: “Joe is my attorney.”

Standing in the crowded lobby of the Kirby, Joe shared his thoughts about the Cornerstone Award and what it means to Northeastern Pennsylvania.

”To honor great people like the Rosenns and Msgr. McGowan, and to be a part of that is an honor in itself.  These are some of the most important people in our community…they are great, towering figures.”

He added, “We just don’t celebrate ourselves enough. We have an awful lot to offer not only to one another, but to the world.  This is a special place and the people that we share our lives with…they are the ones that we should be celebrating every day and this is a little way to do that.”

When I turned to find Kitch, I saw her standing with another one of our favorite people, Judy Ellis. Judy defines what community service is all about, and it was so appropriate that she be there to celebrate the moment. She and Steve Brown were joined by Charles Barber, the President of the Luzerne Foundation.

Charles was quick to point out that Msgr. McGowan was a guiding light for the Luzerne Foundation.  The evening was a collaborative effort to honor his memory, renew old friendships and celebrate the Rosenns and the eight scholarship winners.

Our dear friend, Joe Devizia, echoed Barber’s sentiments adding this thoughtful observation: ”The people honored here tonight are role models for all of us.”

The excitement intensified as people made their way to the entrance of the theater. Once inside they were greeted with a beautiful benediction delivered by Rabbi Larry Kaplan.  His words were peaceful, thoughtful and humbling. He encouraged all of us to emulate what Msgr. McGowan did throughout his life to provide cornerstones to help support those who need a bump up. “May his memory be a blessing and may we always be strengthened by his legacy.”

Sandy Insalaco reminded us that Msgr. McGowan’s leadership and positive impact lives on in the scholarships to be awarded to eight deserving students. According to Insalaco, these scholarships most reflect McGowan’s interests.

Sue Gin McGowan described her brother-in law as a man who faithfully and enthusiastically served his God, his Church, his family and his community.

Monsignor McGowan’s sister, Lee Rosica was not able to attend the Cornerstone Award Ceremony so her daughter, Kathryn, read an eloquent, from the heart commentary written by her mother.  The words were beautiful and poignant. She described her brother’s friendship with Harold and Sallyanne with words that were heartwarming, "together they fought to make change happen. For them making a difference was as natural, necessary and effortless as taking a breath."

Then it happened.

Overcome by the beauty of the words her mother composed, the memory of her uncle, and the significance of the moment, Kathryn Rosica put her hand over her heart as her voice cracked with emotion. She took a deep breath, paused and spoke the line of the evening:

“Harold and Sallyanne, you were a cherished gift to my brother and to my family. You were compatriots, co-conspirators and a driving force in the wheel of change.”

Those 28 words touched the hearts of everyone in the theater, and they neatly framed the importance of the moment and the significance of the evening.

Charles Barber presented the scholarship award winners. Watching the students walk to the stage and take their place under the bright theatrical lights with smiles of accomplishment and satisfaction was the Kodak moment of the evening.

Then Atty. Joseph Savitz, a man of great dignity and class, walked to the podium to tell Harold’s and Sallyanne’s story, a beautiful story of love.  As he spoke, I thought to myself how fortunate we are to have these people in our town, in our life, in our history.

With characteristic humility and wit, the Rosenns accepted the award.

Sallyanne spoke first. Always gracious, and always grateful, this woman who is about to celebrate her 60th wedding anniversary ended her remarks with a line that filled this grand old theater with laughter: “This is the only time Harold will have the last word.”

Harold returned in kind with an opening line that was vintage Harold: “If Joe Savitz liked Sallyanne so much in high school, I wonder why he didn’t marry her.”

Two very appropriate examples of the wit and humor of the man for whom their award is named. Fr. Andrew J McGowan, Spiritual Moderator of St. Mary’s High School, class of 1959, as I knew him, and Msgr. Andrew J. McGowan, agent of change, philanthropist and community leader as most of the people in the theater knew him would have been very pleased.  It was a McGowan moment.

When the Rosenns left the stage, the theater was filled with the affirming sound of a standing ovation.

The lights dimmed. Mark Russell, comedian, political satirist and pianist entered stage left, and the house filled with laughter.

As Kitch and I packed our gear, I thought of my special McGowan moment.  It happened in 1959 in front of St, Mary’s High School on South Washington Street. I was 17 years old,and, by any standard, I was having a very bad day with my high school principal.

To my good fortune, I met Fr. McGowan as I was leaving the school.  He sensed something was wrong, and in his caring way, he listened while I explained what happened as only a teenager can with urgency and hyperbole. He looked at me, and he saw beyond the obvious.

On that day, in front of that grand old school building, he said and did something that changed my life. Putting his hand in his coat pocket he took out some change and he said: “Tony, here’s some money. Go to the movies. I’ll take care of the problem inside. Everything will be OK.”

I went to the Paramount Theater on Fr. McGowan’s dime, while he worked his magic with my principal. It was one of the most beautiful and lasting teaching moments of my life. He taught me in action what he would explain to me later in life, the priest as reconciler.

Almost half a century later, the memory of that moment and the impact of that lesson are as vivid as they were that day. It was a cornerstone moment in my life. I saw and never forgot the kindness of his understanding heart.

As Kitch and I were leaving the theater, I looked up to the balcony where I first attended a movie with my parents. As my eyes searched for the seats and the row where we sat, I am positive I saw The Honorable Max Rosenn sitting there with a broad smile on his face causing me to think about the words he shared with so many people during his lifetime, words that perfectly describe the people celebrated and remembered on this evening of greatness:

“Character is everything."

(Additional information about Msgr. Andrew J. McGowan and Judge Max Rosenn can be found in the Now Playing Section of the Windsor Park Theater)

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