Florida Catholic | ‘Thanks, Annie!’

‘Thanks, Annie!’

St. Sebastian parishioners pay tribute to Annie Gardner, a longtime church worker who helped care for their late pastor.

MARLENE QUARONI | FLORIDA CATHOLIC CORRESPONDENT

Published: 02.08.08

St. Sebastian pastoral assistant Annie Gardner was completely surprised by the “thank you” bash parishioners threw for her Jan. 25. She had been the “hands and feet” of the late pastor, Msgr. Patrick McDonnell, and has devoted her life to church work.
MARLENE QUARONI | FC

FORT LAUDERDALE | Annie Gardner did not expect it: St. Sebastian parishioners applauding as she entered the darkened Msgr. Patrick McDonnell parish hall.

“I was dumbfounded,” said the parish’s pastoral assistant. “When I opened the door, I was wondering why cameras were pointed at me. I was told this was a birthday party for friends of our pastor, Father Liam Quinn. I figured I’d make an appearance. I’d just pop in and pop out.”

It was quite a surprise as the hall, filled with about 300 people, broke out into, “Hello, Annie,” sung to the tune of “Hello, Dolly.” Someone turned the lights on, exposing festively decorated tables complete with colorful balloons, an abundant potluck buffet and “Thanks, Annie!” in huge letters hanging on each side of the hall’s stage. Father Quinn led the stunned guest of honor to the head table.

Gardner, 51, has been around church administration since she was a child. Her mother, Theresa, worked as a secretary at St. Timothy Parish in Miami and Gardner often hung around the office. Following her mother’s example, Gardner attended Barry University in Miami Shores, where she received a bachelor’s degree in religious studies. She followed that up by being the first woman to graduate from St. Vincent de Paul Seminary in Boynton Beach with a master’s degree in theology.

When a job for director of religious education opened up in 1978 at St. Clement Parish in Fort Lauderdale, Gardner jumped at it. She worked for Father McDonnell there and came along with him when he transferred to St. Sebastian in 1995.

She took care of him as he lost both feet and his right hand to diabetes, had a kidney transplant and several heart-bypass surgeries. While at St. Sebastian, he received the title of monsignor.

“Annie was Msgr. McDonnell’s hands and feet until his death in November 2006,” said Mary Kennedy, who emceed the appreciation dinner. “She kept him with us as long as possible. Annie truly illustrates a layman’s faithfulness to the church.”

Keeping the dinner a secret was a challenge, said parishioner Barbara Porter.

“We sent out 400 invitations,” she said. “We almost sent an invitation to Annie. Luckily, we spotted the invitation before it hit the mail.’’

Gardner, whose mother died at age 47 from cancer, lives in Oakland Park with her 86-year-old aunt, Sister Mary Rowley, a Sister of Charity, and another member of the order, Sister Marguerite McGilley, also elderly. Both work with Gardner at St. Sebastian. On the day of the appreciation dinner, Father Quinn took the trio out to lunch while parishioners set up the parish hall.

“Father Quinn was so tricky and the sisters were such good liars,” said Porter. “It’s a miracle that we kept this event a secret.”

Thanks to Gardner and Msgr. McDonnell, St. Sebastian was able to re-establish its religious education program. The church in the Harbor View area of Fort Lauderdale is made up mostly of retirees. But when Gardner saw school buses from non-Catholic schools dropping off kids in the neighborhood, she decided to send out letters to parish families seeking kids for a religious education program.

“In September 1996, a religious education class began with seven students,” Gardner said. “Although few in number, we were able to have first Communions once again in the parish.”

Auxiliary Bishop John Noonan, who was on hand for the dinner, applauded Gardner.

“Annie, you were a great help to Msgr. McDonnell,” he said. “Wherever he went, you went. There’s a saying, ‘You can’t give without loving and you can’t love without giving.’ Thanks, Annie, for your giving.”

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