Under the pastorate of Monsignor Ernest D'Aquila, the need was apparent to educate the children of working Italian immigrants. A true reality of this time even saw that some children were orphaned at a young age. In 1899, Monsignor D'Aquila came into contact with none other than Mother Frances Xaivier Cabrini who began the parochial school first in the basement of the old church at Ferry and McWhorter streets and later moved the school to two adjoining store fronts. 

Taken from the book Mother Cabrini: Italian Immigrant of the Century : “Fr. Ernesto D’Aquila, pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish in Newark, New Jersey asked Mother Cabrini to provide teachers for the growing number of Italian children in his neighborhood. After sizing up the situation for herself she gladly accepted.”
The following is taken from Mother Cabrini’s own words : “ Everything was lacking, there were no comforts of any kind, but there were Italian sisters who spoke their language. The children sensed that they were loved by them and were happy and faithful to their poor classrooms. Soon attendance rose to 200, then 300, then 400. Many had no desks, no chairs, but it wasn’t important, they (the children) were at the school of the Italian sisters and this was enough for them”