Beaten priest back at pulpit

A South Ozone Park priest was back at the pulpit at St. Anthony of Padua Church on Sunday, March 4 - only eight days after he was allegedly beaten by a suspect who set fire to the same church in 1999.
The suspect, Calvin Bostick, was arraigned on Saturday, February 24 for allegedly attacking Father Christopher Ezeoke with a walking cane in the church rectory.
According to the Queens County District Attorney’s office, Bostick, who had “intent to harm physically . . . with a dangerous instrument,” struck Ezeoke on the head from behind and continued to hit him on the head and arms. The 44-year-old priest held his attacker until police arrived.
This was not the first episode involving Bostick, 48, and the parish.
In February of 1999, Bostick pleaded guilty to arson by admitting to setting the church’s curtains on fire after failing to make any money panhandling outside the house of worship.
After spending eight years in prison for that crime, Bostick was out for a little more than a week before his alleged assault on Ezeoke, who declined to speak about the incident.
Bostick is being held on $100,000 bail. He faces up to 15 years in prison on charges of burglary in the second degree, assault in the second degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree. His next court date is set for March 7.