OUR PARISH HISTORY

Although the Italian immigrants of Montclair had been served by priests from Immaculate Conception Church, they wanted a parish of their own. They petitioned Bishop John J. O’Connor of Newark to begin a parish. He brought Father Paolo Lisa from Italy to build a church. The title of “Our Lady of Mount Carmel” was chosen because of the mutual aid society of that name. The first Mass was celebrated on Sunday, September 8, 1907, in the yet to be completed church, which held three hundred people. Father Lisa was living in a house on Greenwood Avenue at the time. Father Vito Ciccone was assigned as the first assistant pastor.

   Father Lisa remained until 1915, when he was succeeded by Father Alfonso De Santolo. That year, the parish was officially incorporated under the laws of incorporation of the State of New Jersey. Antonio Branca and Vincenzo Codella were chosen as the first lay trustees. During Father De Santolo’s pastorate a small rectory was built.

   In 1925, Father Francesco Castellano succeeded Father DeSantolo as pastor. He reported to Bishop O’Connor that the rectory was now dilapidated and inadequate for him and his assistant, Father Ferdinando DePadova. Parish life continued to grow, with several societies organized to serve the spiritual and social needs of the parishioners. The religious education was formally organized in 1918. By 1929, there were 450 students registered in the program, and in 1932, there were 296 children for Confirmation.

   The parish was growing by leaps and bounds. Father Castellano hoped to build a new church and hall, but the Depression of 1929 made it impossible. He died on December 30, 1931. Fathers Ruggiero and Viccaro served as pastors successively, and in October, 1933, Father Salvatore Midaglia came as pastor. Although the Depression continued, Father Midaglia got permission from Bishop Walsh of Newark to take out a loan to pay the parish’s unpaid bills. The people of the parish felt the need to replace the small church with a new facility. Father Midaglia pleaded their case to the bishop, who gave his consent to the pastor by the end of 1937 to build a new church, hall, and rectory. The cornerstone was laid, and the new church was dedicated on January 8, 1939. Built in the Italian Gothic style, its outside is reminiscent of the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi. The church holds about five hundred people. The church hall below can hold three hundred. The rectory can accommodate three priests.

   Father Midaglia remained as pastor until his death on December 2, 1942. Father Bove served as temporary administrator until the following December, when Father Luigi Bosio was appointed pastor. After World War II, the parish set itself to the task of paying off the debt, including the construction of the church. The Religious Sisters Filippini arrived in the parish in 1939, and were housed in the former rectory until 1961, when 102 Pine Street was purchased for a convent. They did a lot of work in the parish.

   By the parish’s fiftieth anniversary in 1957, the parish debt was eradicated. In October, 1961, the parish purchased the former George Washington School on Baldwin Street for use as a parish school. Renovations were begun, but Father Bosio did not live to see the opening of the school. He died on December 15, 1963.

   Father Joseph Cevetello served as temporary adminstrator until the appointment of Father Annunziato Crescenti as adminsitrator in June, 1964. Father Crescenti did all he could to keep the school going, and managed to reduce the debt incurred in its purchase. During his tenure, the Second Vatican Council initiated its reforms. Mass was celebrated in English instead of Latin. A portable altar was installed which faced the people. The liturgical reforms were in full swing. Many more non-Italian Catholics joined the congregation.

   Father Emmanuel Capozzelli came to the parish in 1968 as assistant pastor and took over as pastor when Father Crescenti died in 1969. The sisters were having their own difficulties, and in June, 1971, withdrew from the parish and school. The school could no longer continue to function and was closed when the sisters withdrew.

   Father Capozzelli renovated the church and installed a permanent marble altar of sacrifice, in keeping with the liturgical changes of 1970. A new two manual pipe organ was installed. Lectors and lay ministers of the Eucharist were commissioned and mandated. The Parish Council was initiated, and there were two permanent deacons assigned to the parish. In 1986, Father Capozzelli was named a monsignor.

   Monsignor Capozzelli retired in 1994. His successor, Father Thomas Petrillo undertook another renovation to celebrate the ninetieth anniversary of the parish in 1997. He had the bell tower refurbished and a carillon installed in 2002. Father Petrillo retired on July 1, 2004, and was succeeded by Father Anthony Lionelli, who was installed as the eleventh pastor on September 26, 2004.

   In October, 2005, the region around the church was declared a historic district, which made a grant possible. The outside of the church building was restored, thanks to a state grant for historic restorations. This was very timely, because in September, 2007, the parish will celebrate its one hundredth anniversary. We are in the midst of monthly celebrations, culminating with a Solemn Mass of Anniversary and Thanksgiving, with Archbishop John J. Myers as principal celebrant, on September 8, the actual anniversary of the first Mass.

   In September, 2006, a new mural was put into the apse of the church, with completion of further enhancement in January, 2007. An external lift, attached to the side of the church, was added, enabling the handicapped and the elderly to get into the church via the front porch. The installation was done in time for Christmas weekend, 2006.

   A parish is nothing if it is not a praying community. In November, 2005, we began to celebrate morning prayer every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during Advent and Lent. On April 11, we celebrated our first Christian adaptation of the Seder Supper, as a praying and teaching vehicle to instruct about the connection between the Passover meal and the Last Supper. There are also Scripture study sessions in Lent.

   The New Energies Program of the Archdiocese of Newark has begun in ernest. The goal of the program is to have parishes cooperate with one another, so as to better utilize resources–human, structural, and financial. We have been partnered with Immaculate Conception and St. Peter Claver, our neighbors in Montclair. We have already built up a rapport with these parishes, and the future looks very promising.

   Our parish is small, but it has heart and it has courage. Threatened a few years ago with financial difficulty, it is now on a better financial footing. We are looking forward to the next one hundred years.