By Katie Vasquez
St. Clare Church has been a safe haven for parishioner Allison Attong-Rogers for nearly 40 years. The Rosedale parish became a source of hope when she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in 2016.
“I had a mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, and then reconstruction,” said Attong-Rogers. She was volunteering in the rectory when she got the call from her doctor after a routine mammogram. At that moment, Father Andrew Struzzieri, known as Father Andy, walked in.
“I call him my living angel,” she said. “He prayed with me and was deeply involved in my spiritual life.”
The office manager, Dianne Sealy-Soon, recalled how unusual it was for the priest to be there at that time.
“It felt like divine intervention,” said Sealy-Soon. “He was there for her during such an emotional moment.”
Father Andy passed away in 2020 after his own battle with cancer, but Attong-Rogers said his support never wavered.
“Even when I saw him struggling at Mass, his faith inspired me to keep going,” she said.
Now cancer-free, Attong-Rogers helps raise funds for the American Cancer Society and encourages others to get regular screenings.
“Ladies, get your mammogram. And men, you’re not exempt. If you feel something, go to the doctor,” she urged.
Though Father Andy is gone, she said his presence remains in her heart.
“Losing him was hard for me and the entire parish,” she said. “But St. Clare Church is truly a family, and we continue to support one another.”