BOSTON — The friars of St. Anthony Shrine shared their style last month in their second annual “Kick the Habit Fashion Show,” a successful fundraiser for the downtown ministry center.
In a fashion show described as hilarious, more than a dozen friars good-naturedly walked the red carpet dressed in both serious and whimsical attire, some expressing their personalities or alter-egos as golfers, sportsmen, Yankee/Red Sox fans, and the studious professor. The friars were dressed in more than $10,000 of clothing provided by Macy’s.
Participating friars included first Ronald Stark, OFM, dressed in a bathrobe complete with a Teddy bear; followed by Raymond Selker, OFM, in beachwear; Brian Cullinane, OFM, in Yankee jersey with a Red Sox shirt and jeans; James Czerwinski, OFM, in sportswear; Mario Gomez, OFM, hip casual wear; Barry Langley, OFM, in biker garb; James McIntosh, OFM, as a hippie; Raymond Mann, OFM, as a tourist; John Hogan, OFM, in nautical attire; Joseph Quinn, OFM, in golfwear; Daniel Murray, OFM, in a whimsical outfit; Hugh Hines, OFM, in argyle; John Maganzini, OFM, in a dapper sports coat; Gene Pistacchio, OFM, in a cool patchwork jacket; Thomas Donovan, OFM, in a suit; and guardian James Kelly, OFM, in a red and white striped sweater and jacket.
Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and his wife, Angela, were the honorary co-chairs of the April 10 event that benefitted the shrine’s 19 ministries. Money in the annual event came from the $175 per ticket sales, corporate sponsorships and an auction, according to Jim McIntosh, the shrine’s communications director.
The event took place at the Boston Opera House, which donated security and crowd-control, as well as sound system, dress rehearsal support, and coat check services. Approximately 200 people attended.
Music was provided by Ramifications, an award-winning a capella group from Suffolk University in Boston. The mayor, who was the auctioneer, pounded the gavel on auction items that included tickets to shows, Red Sox games, resorts, jewelry and more.
What made the event so successful, according to Jim, was the dedicated steering committee of 30 Boston-area professionals who held luncheon meetings every other week from January to April, using their wide range of contacts to obtain all donated goods and services for the event.
Wendy Healy, a freelance writer based in Connecticut, is a frequent contributor to this newsletter.
Editor’s note: A list of donors can be seen in a separate document. Photos are available on the shrine’s Facebook page.