Pope Announces Resignation, Keeping the North End Drug-Free

On Monday, we learned Pope Benedict XVI will resign on February 28. A North End clergyman immediately responded to the news.

Father Antonio of St. Leonard-Port Maurice Parish will miss Benedict.

“I think he’s been a great pope and a great thinker,” Father Antonio said. “He’s been an excellent leader of the church and, by resigning, he proves what the Church always teaches – that authority is service and not power in the Church.”

Father Antonio said the Pope is a reasonable human being and realizes his physical strength is no longer there “to help him carry the load of work that his office demands.”

As for the future, Father Antonio knows exactly what he wants to see in Benedict’s successor.

“In a new pope, the first quality I would like to see is that he leads by example and not just by word as the previous popes in the last century have done.”

Businesses are flourishing

Sandy Russo, owner of Lulu’s Sweet Shoppe on Salem Street, told us she opened her shop on Valentine’s Day in 2010.

“I started Lulu’s Sweet Shoppe in 2003 on Hanover Street and then I moved here to 57 Salem Street,” she said. The Salem Street shop was the first gourmet cupcake shop “This is the first gourmet cupcake shop to open in Boston.”

Sandy sells “pure, home-made” cupcakes, cookies and cakes.

“All are baked daily,” she said.

Her signature cupcake is called “The Lulu Cream Filled” which is chocolate based with vanilla cream.

“Soon, I’ll be making on-site, homemade ice cream,” Sandy said.

Originally from Boston, Sandy has lived in the North End for 30 years.

Community service

This is a neighborhood where people care deeply for their family, friends and neighbors.

Members of North End Against Drugs of people show that commitment by what they say and do.

At the recent monthly NEAD meeting at the Nazzaro Center, board members discussed what type of fundraising methods to use so they can continue to keep children out of trouble and promote family interaction. Part of that discussion included an overview of a student project that will help NEAD further its mission.

President Debra DeChristoforo, who was running the meeting for the first time, introduced students from Suffolk University who will be looking at ways to help the 501 (c) (3) organization be more efficient as part of a management course they are taking.

“Their project is us and will be completed by the end of March,” she said. “Anything they can do to help us is a great idea.”

Other board members were curious to hear about the students’ plan and if they would work alone or in partnership with NEAD.

Andrew Leighton, a sophomore at Suffolk, explained he and his classmates are looking for other students to help them.

“We’re taking one class for credit,” Andrew said. “It’s more of a project than a collaboration. Students are coming up with ideas to help NEAD.”

Deb thinks the project is a good plan.

“We were looking for someone at the universities to give us ideas,” she said.  “We will help them and they will help us.”