——-<\/p>\n
For those who know even a little bit about youth gangs from the 1950s, if asked to name some gangs, they might throw out “Bishops” and “Chaplains.”\u00a0 These two groups were arch enemies and the quintessential Hatfield\/McCoy’s of New York City youth gangs.\u00a0 Time and again their name comes up in my research.\u00a0 But there were others.<\/p>\n
Enter the Hellburners and Phantom Lords from Williamsburg.\u00a0 So often in my research I encounter both these gangs who hated each other with a passion, constantly fighting and yes, killing each other.\u00a0 And it wasn’t just these gangs that made Williamsburg such a dangerous neighborhood. In addition to the Burners and Lords, there were the\u00a0 Jackson Jents, El Quintos, Jesters, Mighty Midgets and other smaller gangs that oozed between the cracks, taking up smaller turfs.<\/p>\n
Living in the middle of Hellburner and Phantom Lord turf was hazardous to one’s health.\u00a0 For those who were not in either gang, they had to dodge war parties from both sides.\u00a0 Those who were not in gangs were called coolies.\u00a0 Coolies were supposed to announce themselves and it was generally understood they were not to be bothered.\u00a0 One day, a neighborhood boy and former gang member named Albert Ortero and several friends finally became sick and tired of the beatings, fear and threats of constant gang warfare.\u00a0\u00a0 But they needed help to do something to stand against the violence.\u00a0 This is where Father Bryan Karvelis came into the picture.<\/p>\n
![\"father-bryan-j-karvelis-ordination-photo-1956\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newyorkcitygangs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Father-Bryan-J.-Karvelis-ordination-photo-1956.jpg?resize=245%2C320&ssl=1\")
<\/a>Father Bryan Karvelis Ordination 1956<\/p><\/div>\n
In 1956, Father Bryan Karvelis was assigned to Transfiguration Roman Catholic Church on 263 Marcy Avenue.\u00a0 He was only 26 years at the time, and he became one of the most beloved priests in the parish.\u00a0 He was someone who cared.\u00a0 Truly cared.\u00a0 When opportunities came for him to move to different parishes, he stayed put, which was unusual.\u00a0 For nearly fifty years he served Transfiguration Church and made a huge impact on countless people.\u00a0 One man who came from a broken home and desperately needed a Dad, said\u00a0 Karvelis was like a father to him, a surrogate father.\u00a0 Another man donated his kidney to the priest.<\/p>\n
Eager to help fight the raging gang problem in his neighborhood, Karvelis stepped in to work with Ortero and his friends to start a social group of boys who would resolutely refuse to partake in gang fighting.\u00a0 They modeled the group off the Christian principle of non-violence and named themselves the Corinthians, after the book in the New Testament.<\/p>\n
Some of Albert’s friends that also got involved were Mario Serrano, who became the Vice President and was very good friends with Albert Ortero, Calixto O’Neill as Counselor, Jose Lugo as Judge and Louis Jiminez as Treasurer.<\/p>\n
I have the privilege of being friends with Mario Serrano, who is alive and well and more than happy to share his experiences of what it was like being the Vice President of a social club in the middle of gang territory.\u00a0 Mario, who is in his 70s now, loves life and it’s not too much of a stretch to see how he would be involved in a venture like this.\u00a0 He wanted peace and was more interested in music and beautiful girls than gang fights.<\/p>\n It takes guts to not fight, but that’s exactly what was expected of anybody who wanted to join the Corinthians.\u00a0 If a Corinthian was hit by somebody, they did not run for help, but stood on his own.\u00a0 As Albert said it, “we won’t fight for you, but we’ll go to your funeral.”\u00a0 Some might call it naive, especially when this went against the gang code of revenge.\u00a0 But it worked for them.\u00a0 Being a Corinthian wasn’t for the faint of heart.\u00a0 To be a member, there was a probationary period where Father Karvelis and the leadership of the Corinthians carefully watched to see if the prospective member had really given up jitterbugging.<\/p>\n After joining the Corinthians, it was expected that they would attend church and take Communion.\u00a0 Meetings were conducted at Transfiguration church on Tuesday nights.\u00a0 Around 60 members ranging from the ages of 13-21 became members.<\/p>\n Today Mario has fond memories of the Corinthians.\u00a0 He recalls that in 1958 he used to borrow the keys to the Transfiguration Church from Karvelis on Friday evenings.\u00a0 There, whoever wanted to join in fun activities could hang out.\u00a0 Mario saw it as his duty to keep the boys and girls safe and out of trouble.\u00a0 Plus it was easier for him to keep an eye on the pretty girls he had his eye on.\u00a0 Mario recalled one day when Father Karvelis said to him that he only saw him at church on Friday evenings.\u00a0 He wanted Mario to attend church services and Communion too.\u00a0 Quickly Mario responded, “Yes, but look at all the kids I’m keeping out of trouble!”\u00a0 Karvelis smiled and winked in return.<\/p>\n Transfiguration Church 1924<\/p><\/div>\n It wasn’t all roses for Mario.\u00a0 He was in a tough situation.\u00a0 He lived smack dab in Phantom Lord turf, but also knew many of the Hellburners and went to school with them.\u00a0 But he was able to gain their trust and respect.\u00a0 Unfortunately, it didn’t always work like that for the other Corinthians.\u00a0 One time some of them were roughed up by a gang, so Ortero stepped in and told the attackers that the Corinthians weren’t going to be provoked and they were not a fighting gang.\u00a0 Mario did his part too and told the Phantom Lords and Hellburners that the Corinthians were a social club and not part of the gang scene.\u00a0 Generally this approach worked, and both the Lords and Burners respected the Corinthians and the coolie concept.<\/p>\n Today Mario is considering pulling together a Corinthians reunion, complete with their original sweaters which was a hunter green cardigan with an embroidered large Roman “C” in Gold.\u00a0 If you want to get in touch with Mario, please send me an email at newyorkcitygangs@mail.com<\/strong> and I will put you in touch with Mario.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Before you get to the article… On February 23, 2018, my book on the Mau Maus and Sand Street Angels, who were two Brooklyn youth gangs from the 1950s, has been completed.\u00a0 It took 15 years of research and writing … Continue reading ![\"Albert](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newyorkcitygangs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Albert-Ortero.jpg?resize=158%2C273&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Transfiguration](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newyorkcitygangs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Transfiguration-Church-Williamsburg-1924.jpg?resize=640%2C454&ssl=1\")
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