Sorry, were you having a nice day…?
The impending sale of an empty, 2 ½ -story convent in Midland Beach owned by St. Margaret Mary’s R.C. Church has neighbors angry and afraid because the purchaser is an Islamic organization they know little about. (…)
Residents in attendance last night were not happy about what they heard. One proposed a petition drive to remove Father Fennessy from his post, and the idea received sustained applause. (…)
“September 11 left scars on this neighborhood that will last for the rest of our lives,” he added, noting that part of the convent fronts Freeborn Street, which was renamed for FDNY Capt. Martin Egan, 36, who was killed in the terrorist attacks. (…)
“It’s a shame,” said Deborah O’Keefe, a resident since 1964, who graduated from the parish school. “Every time someone speaks to Father Fennessy about this, he accuses them of being bigots or racists. The only intolerance being shown here is his intolerance to the sensitivities of the community. There are people here who pledged and gave money to build this convent 60 years ago.”
“My parents made monthly pledges for the convent,” said Doris Reddy, a resident for 50 years whose eight children are graduates of the school.
