If there is anything that unites the diversity in Woodhaven, it’s the Catholic faith. At around eight o’clock in the morning, people of all ages and ethnicities gather in St. Thomas the Apostle church to attend the Sunday Mass. Reverend John Francis is one the pastoral staff that witnesses this gathering.
I had met Rev. Francis a few times in the past when he made visits at home to administer the Eucharist for my grandparents. He’s roughly fifty-years-old and he’s been a part of the local parish for a very long time, long enough to gain a perspective of the neighborhood and the diverse people that makes it up.
During the interview, I will be asking him about his experiences of meeting families who just moved in the neighborhood, senior citizens—like my grandparents—who have been living there all their lives, and of course, the young students in the local Catholic school of the same name. What led him to devote his life to priesthood? I’m also curious about his knowledge of the history of Woodhaven and how he perceives the changes within the community. I’ll also be asking how the St. Thomas Parish helps unite the diverse Woodhaven community and how they accommodate the increasing number of Latin American ethnic groups in the neighborhood. This raises questions of how the church is dealing with budget issues within the parish, as well as within the school.
Additional sources that I will be interviewing are the head pastor of St. Thomas church, Rev. Frank Tumino, the school principal, Joseph Carpenter, and the altar children. I will be asking them about their personal experiences with Rev. Francis during the many years he had served the parish.
