GREAT HOMES
_____________ ROCKVILLE CENTRE ____________
HERALD St. Baldrick’s returns to village
Spring Forth: Resetting The Market
Page 14
• Open house strategies results • Seasonal maintenance yields • Upgrades to boost curb appeal
Vol. 37 No. 16
APRIl 16 - 22, 2026
$1.00
Diocese bids farewell to Bishop Murphy By BRIAN KACHARABA bkacharaba@liherald.com
Courtesy Gerard Norton
Communities across Long island rallied to support the nortons — gerald and Kaitlin — as they deal with their daughter Madeline’s pKan diagnosis and help fund the search for a cure.
Community rallies for Madeline
Roman Catholics from Rockville Centre and beyond gathered at St. Agnes Cathedral for the funeral rites of Bishop Emeritus William F. Murphy, who died on March 26 at the age of 85. The Diocese of Rockville Centre marked his passing with two days of prayer, remembrance, and liturgical celebration honoring the longtime bishop’s life and ministry. Murphy served as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Centre from 2001 until his retirement in 2017, leading one of the largest Catholic dioceses in the United States. The last diocesan funeral for a bishop at St. Agnes Cathedral before
Murphy was for Bishop James T. McHugh, who died on Dec. 10, 2000. The funeral observances be gan on April 6 with the reception of the body in the morning, followed by a public viewing that continued into the afternoon and evening, and the Mass of Transferral that night. The following day included a final public viewing before the community gathered in the after noon for the Mass of Christian Burial, the concluding liturgy of farewell before his burial at Queen of Peace Cemetery in Old Westbury. Mur phy’s body lay in a slightly angled open casket at the foot of the altar during both services, which were led by Bishop John O. Barres, who Continued on page 2
Over $28K raised for cop’s daughter at Spring Fest By AlYSSA R. GRIFFIN agriffin@liherald.com
A powerful show of community support filled St. Agnes Parish Center — and delivered hope — as the Rockville Centre Police Benevolent Association rallied behind one of its own last week. The PBA’s Madeline’s Mission Spring Fest raised more than $28,000 on April 11 to support a village police officer’s infant daughter, who is battling a rare neurological disease, bringing the family one step closer to a potential life-saving treatment. “This event is huge for us, for Madeline and her family,” the PBA president, Officer Mike Rollo, said. “And hopefully it brings the community together and helps support them
with this gene therapy.” Dozens of residents turned out for the fundraiser, filling the parish center with energy and support. Guests circulated among vendor tables and activity areas as volunteers and organizers kept the event running seamlessly. “It’s an absolutely beautiful event,” Officer Gerard Norton, Madeline’s 32-year-old father, said. “Madeline is having a great time. All the hard work that everybody has put in is absolutely amazing.” Local breweries and restaurants offered food and drinks, while live music from Fred Maloney added to the festive mood. Families enjoyed attractions including a petting zoo and bounce houses, as well as raffles and Continued on page 15
Bill Kelly/Herald
pallbearers placed the casket of Bishop William F. Murphy into a hearse outside St. agnes Cathedral on april 7.