Hide Article Text (OCR)
By Dianna Marder Calkins Nowenanpys a as A non-profit fund-raising arm of the Venerable Anna Catherina Emmerick Academy in Feaster ville, thought dissolved by town ship officials, has been reinstat ed, according to a spokesman from the New Jersey Department of State. The reinstatement of the Mari an Foundation is seen by town ship officials and move by associates of Edward F. Heffernan to resume operations at the academy. ‘Lower Southampton Township officials discovered 1,000 pounds of deteriorated dynamite stored at the school on Street Road in June 1983 and ordered it closed. The Rev. Marian Palandrana, who started the foundation, was a priest at the academy until 1983, when he had a failing out with Heffernan over procedures there. Palandrana filed papers to dissolve the Marian Foundation in March, when Heffernan was sentenced to prison for storing the explosives at the Roman Catholic school, which is not affiliated with the Philadelphia Archdiocese. Also in March, the Pennsylva nia attorney general's office was suing to dissolve the Marian Foundation on grounds it did not keep proper financial records. Two months later, attorney Jeffrey Rosenthal of the Trenton law firm of Stark and Stark, asked the New Jersey Depart ment of State to investigate Palandrano‘s attempt to dissolve the foundation, claiming it was done without the consent of the group's other officers. The other officers of the foundation are listed in the arti cles of incorporation as Charre V. Bamberski, Heffernan’s former secretary, and Patricia Byron, a former student at Emmerick Academy. Because Palandrano lives in Red Bank, N.J., the organization was Incorporated in that state. In a telephone interview Mon day, Rosenthal said he was re tained by “the Marian Founda ion itself, but not by Rev. Palandrano. ’ Robert Gentzel, spokesman for the attorney general's office, said that in October, Palandrano and other members of the foundation signed papers In Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court, agreeing to abide by state laws regulating charities. Despite the reinstatement of the foundation, the attorney gen eral's office will not pursue the case, Gentzel and, unless asked to do so by the state Commission on Charities. A spokesman for the commission was unavailable for comment late Monday. Records show Palandrano id the Film Founda tion In 1957 to make religious films and in 1962 the group's purpose was changed to building 8m educational and medical insti tution in the Catholic Diocese of Zacapa, Guatemala, Central America. In 1971, the Marian Founda tion's purpose charged again, this time to operate the Emmerick Academy. The foundation's records were last amended in September 1980 when Bambersk! and Byron were named as secretary-treasurer and vice president, respectively. Palandrano remained president. The papers were notarized by Heffernan’s son, Patrick. According to township smerulage Chairman Mharina © Raudenbush Jr., this latest move by Heffernan does not change the township’s position that “the school is closed and will remain closed.” The on-again, off-again exist ence of the Marian Foundation is not the first example of the mixed messages residents of Lower Southampton have had about Heffernan’s intentions. In July, Heffernan, through his attorney, negotiated an agree ment to sell the Street Road prop erty if the township would agree to drop a pending civil suit. But a few weeks later, Heffernan turned down an offer of $200,000, the appraised value of the proper ty and later he refused to sign the negotiated agreement. In November, Heffernan asked township officials to reinstate the use and occupancy permit for the Street Road site, prompting fear among residents that the school would be reopen ed. Later, Heffernan said he had given up hope of reopening because of “adverse publicity” and that he had again listed the property for sale. Lower Southampton officials, under pressure from residents, have asked Bucks County District Attorney Michael J. Kane to initiate a grand jury investigation of Heffernan. Kane declined to comment on that request Monday. Without a full scale Investiga tion, said Harry Zambelli of the West Feasterville Civic Associa tion, “‘the residents will have this monster right back in their laps.' Heffernan, who is serving a six to 24-month sentence in Bucks County Prison, is in the prison's work release program and is eli gible for parole. A decision on Heffernan's request for parole was expected late Monday, said Joseph Long, a spokesman for the parole board.
Newspaper Details
Doylestown Intelligencer
Doylestown, Pennsylvania, US
Wed, Dec 12, 1984
Page 57
Full Page
Clipped by
Jennifer H.
USA 16 Jun 2026
Other Publications Near Doylestown, Pennsylvania
Doylestown Intelligencer
Intelligencer
Doylestown Daily Intelligencer
