Celebrating a saint

Sussex county - The inch or so of snow that Sussex County woke up to on Saturday morning didn't stop the 400-plus participants in the Second Annual Sussex County St. Patrick's Day parade, which wound its way through Franklin. The morning began at 7.30 with a concelebrated Mass at Immaculate Conception Church led by the Rev. Martin Glynn, followed by a traditional Irish breakfast. The parade began at 10 at Immaculate Conception Church and proceeded on Main Street and across Route 23 to end at Legion Road. This year's grand marshal was freeholder Steve Oroho, who marched with his wife Rita and more than 60 groups, ranging from the Franklin Band to various pipe bands from as far away as Bergen and Passaic counties. "We were a little concerned about the weather, but during the Mass, while a young boy -John Christiano - was singing, the sun came out, beams of sunlight came through the stained glass window, and we saw it as a sign of a good morning ahead," said Denis Harrington, chairman of the St. Patrick's Day committee. After the parade, the Franklin Firehouse hosted a corned beef and cabbage dinner.