FRANK S. CAVA: MAY 24, 1916 - MAY 6, 2009

I first met Frank Cava in the summer of 2001 when I began working in the parish.

He was a pistol.

A member of the Fighting 69th he had many medals as proof of his courage. He brought some in one day to proudly show me. He was also proud of the movie they made about his battalion.

Every Sunday, Frank opened the church for the 9 o'clock Mass. He would get in around 7 - 7:30 AM and sit in the Fellowship Area waiting patiently for the rest of us. I think this was his quiet time with the Lord.

Every First Communion and every Confirmation Frank was at his post at the center doors of the church kibitzing with people about tickets. Whenever I would walk through for this or that last minute detail, he would put up his hand for me to Stop and say, "Ticket, please!" I would always grab his hand or high five it and tell him "I don't have one, guess I have to go home...you're in charge."

This past Saturday, was the first time in 8 years that Frank was not at his post. It wasn't the same at lunch in between celebrations without Frank's jovial demeanor.

As a dedicated, long term member of the Knights of Columbus, Frank would be there early every first Wednesday, with cake and cookies, to make the coffee for the other Knights. I remember one hot summer night, he mixed it up a little and brought ice cream and fixings to make sundaes for his brother knights. Another time, he came with a spaghetti dinner. He would always say he had to do something to get the guys to come to meetings.

I guess his motto could have been, "If you feed them, they will come!"

Frank would always talk about his days at Madison Square Garden and the different celebrities and people he had met there in his security post.

Frank always had great stories.

But, nothing meant more to him than his family and his wife, Susie.

A mutual friend told me a story about how he would ask her to call Susie to make sure she was okay. He worried about her so, but didn't want to be a nuisance. The friend called Susie and told her that Frank asked her to call. Susie told her Frank worried too much.

Such a cute man, such a beautiful wife, such a loving couple and wonderful family....Frank Cava will be sorely missed by his parish family.

Frank, may you rest in peace in the comfort of Christ's loving arms.

We love you!