Third Oldest Italian-Catholic Church in New Jersey.
Sunday, August 21, 1955 went down as the greatest day in the history of Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish, for on that day, the hopes and dreams of the past twenty five years of faithful parishioners came true in the opening of the new Mt. Carmel Church. The first church actually built by the parish, since the Old Church had been purchased from the Reformed (Presbyterian) Church.
The drama that unfolded was the result of work spread over a period of 65 years, with four priests, namely Rev. Conrad M. Schottfer, Rev. Ernesto D’Aquila, Rev. Leonardo Viccaro and Rev. Richard J. Calligaro, taking the leading roles according to their times set by Divine Providence.
In the year 1890, there were two pressing problems confronting the then Bishop of the Diocese of Newark, His Excellency the Most Rev. Venantius M. Wigger. The first was the rapidly increasing Italian population of the Ironbound section of Newark that needed spiritual guidance and succor. Secondly there was the serious lack of Italian priests. The Dutch Reformed Protestant Church, whose construction dates back to 1848 was purchased and with this building serving as the Catholic Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the Italians now had a national church of their own, a source of spiritual strength. The Rev. Conrad M. Schottfer, who fully understood the Italians and possessed profound Italian culture became the first pastor. At that time the entire area surrounding the church on Ferry Street was a densely populated Italian section, and therefore the site of the church was most appropriate.
In 1894, His Excellency, Bishop Wigger was able to appoint as pastor an Italian priest in the person of Rev. Ernest D’Aquila, who had just arrived in America from his native Vinchiatura, Campobasso, Italy. The pastorate of Father D’Aquila continued for thirty nine years of fruitful labor, both religious and social. It is to him that we owe the foundation of the first parochial school in an Italian parish in the Diocese of Newark. The school was opened in 1899. Father D’Aquila had the providential occasion to entrust the school to that zealous apostle of religion and patriotism Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini, whose sanctity and labors merited for her the privilege of sainthood in the Church. The first school building was located on Commerce and Market Streets and is no longer existent. In 1928, Divine Providence sent His Excellency the Most Rev. Thomas J. Walsh, then Bishop of Trenton, to govern the Diocese. Bishop Walsh, following the example of Christ, had a special love for children, and promoted the foundation of parochial schools. Father D’Aquila was the first to comply with the orders of the Bishop. Realizing, however even then, that the area surrounding the church was fast developing into an industrial section and that the faithful were moving towards the interior of the Ironbound section, he successfully transacted the purchase of the edifice at 269-271 Oliver Street because it was more suitable and centrally located to serve as a school for the children of Italian descent. For the convenience of the Italians in the vicinity he utilized the last floor of the building as a chapel, and provided for the celebration of two Masses every Sunday. The days of pastoral labor were soon drawing to a close, however, and on the eighth of May, 1933, God called His faithful servant. The office of pastor was briefly filled by the Rev. Gaetano Ruggiero, who on the twenty first of the following October was assigned to St. Lucy’s Newark and Rev. Leonardo Viccaro became the new pastor of Mt.Carmel.
Under the energetic and enthusiastic guidance of the new pastor, a new revival of moral and spiritual life became evident. The societies and their activities increased, Masses were better attended, the Sacraments more frequently received; all this necessitated the addition of three more Masses to the usual number, one at the church and two more at the chapel. The number of children attending the school, under the zealous tutelage of the Maestre Pie Filippini, increased in large numbers. Father Viccaro, recognizing the influx of the faithful not only from the Ferry Street section to the Oliver Street section, but also from other parts of the diocese to the Oliver Street section, wisely petitioned the Archbishop in 1940 for permission to purchase property in the rear of the school. The property was bought at a cost of $17,000.00.
Upon the appointment of Father Viccaro as pastor of Holy Rosary Church in Jersey City on December 4, 1943, the Rev. Richard J. Calligaro, who had come to the parish in 1938 as curate, became administrator and spiritual leader of the parish. No one realized the dire need of a church on Oliver Street more than Father Calligaro. The chapel had become much to small to accommodate the parishioners even though there were now five scheduled Masses on every Sunday. To attend Mass, the faithful had to climb two long flights of stairs to the third floor of the building. It was evident from the records of the church that our parishioners were now living in the area surrounding our school. There was no doubt in the mind of Father Calligaro that the center of the parish was no longer Ferry Street, but Oliver Street. Accordingly he set before the Archbishop the needs for a new church, recreational center and rectory. In 1947 the Most Rev. Archbishop Walsh granted permission to Father Calligaro to effect the purchase of five more lots of the ground adjacent at the school. However, before the building program could be put into effect, the Archdiocese was saddened by the Archbishop’s death. It was not until His Excellency the Most Rev. Thomas A Boland became spiritual head of the See of Newark that permission was granted and ground breaking took place on August 23rd 1953.
The will of the people was mirrored in the enthusiasm with which they rallied behind Father Calligaro in raising funds for the new church. It was to be built at a cost of $350,000.00. Although the minimum campaign fund was set at $150,000.00, the parishioners threw themselves into the work of raising money with such zeal that by the time the campaign was through ten weeks later, $260,000.00 in memorials and pledges had been brought in. Even though these memorials and pledges were payable over a time of two years, the faithful manifested their spirit of sacrifice for the sake of the new house of God and within 15 months, 70% of the money promised had been paid. 
The building of the new Church was not the end of Father Calligaro’s contribution to the people of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, but rather the beginning of his direction and spiritual guidance. As a sign of his love and affection for the people of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and his undying gratitude to Our Lady for all he had been able to accomplish, Fr. Calligaro donated the monumental statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel that dominates the Sanctuary of our church. This he did as he did all else without counting the cost.
Another of his contributions was his personal involvement in the school. Always a welcomed visitor, Father Calligaro was most warmly greeted when he arrived as Santa Claus. The children showed their love for Santa by singing his favorite song, “Tu Scendi Dalle Stelle”, as he shared with them Santa’s goodies.
In 1949 a young energetic priest was sent to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. His name was Father Francis N. Di Giorgio. Working along with Father Calligaro, they built Our Lady of Mount Carmel’s reputation among parishes of the Archdiocese of Newark as a model for all that represented stability and strength.
Upon Father Calligaro’s retirement in 1968, Father Di Giorgio was named Administrator of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish. Four years later, on June 24, 1972, Father Di Giorgio was appointed pastor.
On December 15, 1979 Rev. Donald Di Pasquale was appointed Pastor to the people of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish. Fr. Di Pasquale came to Our Lady of Mount Carmel during troubled times. The mortgage on the church property was never completely paid. Many old time parishioners had moved away and some drifted to other area parishes. Father lost no time in doing all he could to eliminate the heavy burden. In his own quiet, prayerful and hardworking manner he devised the “75” club. 75 parishioners lent the parish $1,000.00 each, at no interest, the mortgage was paid, eliminating the monthly payment with interest and within a year Our Lady of Mount Carmel was debt free!
The people of Our Lady of Mount Carmel are most proud of their parish because of the real difference it has made in their lives and in the lives of their children. Among those children, we proudly number the Most Rev. Arthur J. Serratelli, V.G. the Auxiliary Bishop of Newark. We count ourselves fortunate to have had the priestly services of the late Bishop McHugh, a great defender of life, as a newly ordained priest and to have had as our Pastor, the Most Rev. Nicholas DiMarzio, now Bishop of Camden. With Bishop DiMarzio as Pastor and Fr. Ambrosio as administrator the Capital Campaign “A Mother’s Love” was initiated. The New Church was no longer new and years of poor maintenance necessitated some very large projects to restore the physical and spiritual integrity of the Parish. A goal of $250,00.00 was set and the people of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, with their characteristic love and Devotion and their parish doubled the amount! allowing almost everything to be repaired and renewed.
Under the spiritual leadership of Rev.Msgr. Joseph F. Ambrosio, present Pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, we take Our Lady’s hand and walk bravely into the future.
Years and years of dreams and desires of the parishioners are still being fulfilled today. Through the intercession of the Blessed Mother of God, under whose loving care the parish has always been, there has risen a new temple in which to honor and worship the One True God through the Sacrifice of his Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Savior. God has been good to us. God has been munificent towards us. The faithful of Mount Carmel parish gratefully acknowledge and give thanks to God for all the graces he has so generously given to them for over 130 years. Most of all we thank Jesus, Our Lord and Savior for 130 years of permanence and love remaining in our tabernacle, the heart of our Church.
The parish is overjoyed in the privilege it has of continuing its existence under the patronage of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. She has always had a special place in our hearts and such is our tremendous love, faith and devotion that we can sincerely say that what we have accomplished we have accomplished only because she made it possible, only because her love quickened us. It is fitting therefore that we manifest this love, faith and devotion in something tangent, even though with deep humility we realize that whatever we do would fall far short of the true sentiments of our hearts. We can truly say we have done our best in the best way we know and therefore it is with good reason that our new church has affectionately come to be known as “The Little Cathedral of Down Neck”.