I I I I I I I I i I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I .la.o ()_()-.c)~ HISTORY OF OUR LADY OF MT. CARMEL An old and wise man of God once said, ICYou can determine the degree ofreligion and civilization of any city by the number of church spires contained therein. " As one enters the city of Youngstown, so wealthy in ethnicity, one cannot help but be awed by the number of churches that compliment its citizens. Outstanding among these churches is the only remaining original Italian church in the Diocese of Youngstown, which is comprised of six counties--Ashtabula, Columbiana, Mahoning, . Portage, Stark and Trumbull. The mission-like appearance of this humble little church is a beckoning sight. As one nears the center of to wn, rising up to the sky is the dome of our Church, which atfirst sight sings to us not only the Sacred Hymn of the Father but also compliments this prayer with the patriotic hymn of a people. This church, a symbol of the Italo-American people, stands on a hill by the name of Via Mt. Carmel (formerly Summit A venue). And around this hill 75 years ago were concentrated the ·aspirations of our pioneers who, by titanic efforts, surrounded their pastor to begin to make a dream into reality. In 1908, the Reverend Emmanuel Stabile arrived from the Diocese of Newark, New Jersey to conceive Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church. This young Italian priest was from southern Italy, around the area of Naples. Educated in Florence, Italy and ordained in Naples, Father was a professor of Greek, Latin and philosophy as well as being a doctor of Canon Law. He spoke five languages: Italian, French, German, Spanish, and English. Father Stabile came to America as an Apostolic Missionary. Spirited by hisflock, under the leadership of Luigi Adovasio and Frank Zarlenga, Father initiated thefirst excavation in 1908 with a 79-foot long basement rising about seven feet fr.o m the I ground and roofed for church use. While the church structure was takingform, the early : community of this parish worshipped in St. Columba's Cathedral; then, they moved to Sts. Cyril and Methodius before worshipping in a basement church of their own. Due to a serious illness, Father Stabile died in 1911. It is not my intention to trace here the particulars oft*is eventful period, for I would have to rely on tradition, and I know that tradition is always a dangerous collaborator to be elastic, like the small balloon of a child at a picnic. On May II, 1911, the outstanding Monsignor Vito Franco accepted the shepherd's staff to lead and guide theflock of Mt. Carmel. The then Father Franco camefrom Niles, Ohio, where he had spent five years organizing and building Our Lady of Mt. Carmel there. The son of Gioachino and Rosina (Del Priore) Franco, he was born in the village of Bella in the provin ce of Potenza, Italy. He was ordained a priest in Naples, and scarcely two years had gone by after ordination when he was sent to Niles as an Apostolic Missionary to organize and build a church. )-(~() / °1 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I J ~o I I i i i i i i t I I I I I I i I I I I I I I I I i I i I After his arrival in Youngstown and after a two-year orientation, Monsignor called a meeting of the outstanding leaders in the Italian community. Some of those present were: Luigi Adovasio, Antonio Onorato, F. A. Maddas, Andrea Colucci, James Colucci, Dr. Rocco Montani, Raffaele Parilla, Gregorio Silvestri, Luigi Agnone, Atty. James Modarelli, Gabrielo Masi, Francesco Pascarella, and many others. A leader was elected by unanimous vote--Mr. Antonio Onorato. With the help of such zealous workers, the existing basement church roof was opened, and work on the new church was started on July 20, 1913. The vision of the new, beautiful church was radiant before the eyes of the immigrant community. Meeting followed meeting with a growing enthusiasm, adding on new workers of iron wills and inj7exible principles who were blessed with assiduousness and Franciscan perseverance--such men as Marco Antonelli, Michael and Daniel Parish, Frank Mancini, D. Ferreri, Antonio Cafaro, E. Diana, M. Ricci, John Rondinella, N. Sebastiano, G. Capuzella, B. Vitullo, V. Fortunato, Vito Agostino, James Tisone, E. Porfilio, R. Marinelli, P. Gentile, J. Liga, Mrs. Melito, and others. Projects and contracts were analyzed until the ecstasy of reality was entered, and, as swift as an eagle, we soared into the sky with a sublime Roman dome which domineers over the imper ishable monument of the Italian colony of Youngstown. The church was completed and dedicated on November 4, 1916. And so, a monument to an immigrant frontier settlement in this land of opportunity and betterment, which the parish family deeply loved, was erected. Like the Roman empire of old, the United States of America has become a melting pot of civilizations and nation alities, a mixture of cultures and races, and a blending of roots which now need to be protected and monumentalized for posterity. Built of red brick in Romanesque design, with its Beaux Arts period mixtures of Italian Baroque and Georgian Revivalforms, the church complimentarily united Italian and Colonial cultures. The Michaelangelo-stylefrescos are original and priceless today. They were first painted by the studio of Pizzi-Pascarella of Pittsburgh, Pa. The bell in the tower was importedfrom Italy. Made of silver, brass and bronze, the bell is a replica of the one used in the village church of Bella, Potenza, Italy. The Terra Cotta frame around the main entrance, agail;1, was a labor of love in peasant artistry in a new land offreedom. The original stained glass windows were brought in from Germany. Thejoy of this Italian village church was short-lived due to a tragic fire of unknown origin on June 12, 1923. Among the scars of this destructivefire was the loss of the diamond of the pipe organs, a Holkamp Pipe Organ, which was donated, in part, by the millionaire Carnegie and in part by thefaithful people. In all, the damage totaled $20,000. Gutted and destroyed were the artistic windows, pews, 10 statues, three altars--one totally--the carpeting, thej7oor, the expensive candelabra, the brass chandeliers, and many other church articles. ()-()-()~) 1 I I i I i j i i i I I I t I I i i i I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I i I I I I I t j 1 I , I I I t t t, -3 - 0 ...... 0 ..... 0 ().-...()~() ()~(}~)~() However, the wake of this melancholic tragedy caused by thefire spurred the parish to emerge stronger and more united. On December 16, 1923, the restored church was dedicated. The Bishop andfaithful were led into the triumphant church by the Societa Duca degli Abruzzi and by the Pious Union of the Mothers of the CrucifIX, along with other local societies. As time passed, the flock of Mt. Carmel grew in grace, wisdom, and strength under the watchful eye of its pastor. Together, with the rest of the community, the parish family suffered the heartaches of two World Wars, along with the joys of victory and peace. The return of war veterans brought a new heartache to this little church after the Second World War. The Italian quarter was being evacuated by the parishoners as they moved to suburbia. The vacant areas soon fell into decay and slum; yet, this titanic church forged on and blossomed, nourished by the strong loyalty of its members. After fruitful years of labor with and for his Italian people and having joyfully celebrated his 50th anniversary ofpriesthood, the aged Monsignor Franco died in 1961. The new pastor, Reverend Henry Fabrizio, wasfaced with the tremendous task of rebuilding. A former assistant of Monsignor Franco, Father Fabrizio was born in Wilburton, Oklahoma, the son of Samuel and Pepin a (Massaro) Fabrizio. Father was a graduate of Ursuline High School and had studied at St. Charles College in Maryland and St. Mary's Seminary in Cleveland before being ordained in Youngsto wn on April 29, 1950. Under his able leadership, the Italian community, now intermixed with other nationalities via marriages, entered a second phase of building. Protecting the vererable old structure, the new generation, along with the remainder of the older members, bought parcels of property in what was considered a dead, run-down, inner-city slum and resurrected it into a beautiful setting for its diamond--Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church. With the persevering vigor of Father Fabrizio and with the very generous help of his flock, a new rectory and a large social hall, with classrooms for religious and cultural education, were built and completed in 1963. Father Fabrizio ushered hisflock into new horizons of growth and community leadership. The last addition to this beautiful setting was a shrine garden in honor of St. Anthony in 1971 to memorialize the deceased of the parish. Due to illness, Father Fabrizio wasforced to retirefrom active ministry after many untiring labors of love-service to the parish and to the entire community. ~ On July 3, 1973, the present pastor, Father Joseph Leo lati, accepted the shepherd's staff. The son of Paolo and Brigida (Suraci) lati who immigrated to Can ada from Reggio Calabria, Italy, Father was born in North Bay, Ontario, Canada and came to Youngstown to complete his studies. Father lati studied at Youngstown State University, John Carroll University in Cleveland, St. Gregory's and Mt. St. Mary's of the West Seminaries in Cincinnati. He speaksfour languages: English, Italian, French, and Spanish. He was ordained in Youngstown on May 30, 1959. 0 ...... 0 O_ O! I I I I I I I I I t I I I I I I I I I I I t I I I , I I I - I I I j j I I I I I I I 1 ·1 I I I I I I t I j j I I I I I ; .. 0 01,' (~('..-,..() .... ()~() 0 .... 0 "-,,- ,,-,, ()...--.C) The new pastor, with hisflock, embraced a new effort of restoration and maintenance. Immediately the work began to seek out, restore, and protect the priceless works of art within the church. The historic street on which the church shares residence with its people took on a new appearance by a change of name from Summit Avenue to Via Mt. Carmel. The ethnic search for roots by the younger generation brought in a new wave of interest and sharing. A plaque was donated to the church by the deceased Paul Yetty of Herkimer, New York. This plaque, from the original Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Italy, is believed to be the work of one of Michaelangelo's students. This plaque is housed in the church sacristry. Quickly the church went into a complete restoration. The original altars of hand-carved woodfrom Italy, still bearing the scars of the tragicjire of 1923, were stripped and restored in 1978. Thefrescos were restored and tdtally redone by artist Albert Rozzi of Youngstown, one of the last sun'iving artists of this Michaelangelo school of painting. Some of the statues within the church were importedfrom Italy, while others are the works of a domestic sculptor, Mr. Del Prato. The moldsfor the casting of these statues were destroyed after the Second Vatican Council. As a result of this tragic misunderstanding, we have lost our source of domestic statues in America since new statues in thefuture must be imported. One of our own artists, Mrs. Rose (Monaco) Gaffney, has totally restored our statues. 771e electric organ was replaced by a Mellor pipe organ donated by William and John Cafaro. The organ, originally located in a Baptist church in West Virginia, was re-assembled in its new home in August 1973 and has been increased to an II-rank pipe organ with chimes; here, it is maintained and held in high respect. The hand-carved pews were totally stripped, re-glued, and assembled in place by the local artistry of Steve Santha. A statue of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel was imported and placed in thefront of the church into ajitting niche to complete the original plannedfacade of the church. The parish family was totally energized with a special joy as the effects of the second Vatican Council in new Lituart tookform in the appearance offruitwood nestled in the warm and colorful arms of the old law. , Indeed, many are the treasures of art within this little village church, which is an active volcano of adoration and praise to a Mighty God through the patronage of Our Lady of Mt. Cannel. The labor of restoration took almost two years, and in November 1979, the completed diamond was dedicated in a provided setting equal to none. The ecstasy of this magic moment was increased by a sense of freedom in the security of knov.. ing that the parish debt and the total restoration costs were paid, in addition to a small security in savings. 1 I I I I I j j I j I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ,j :J I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I C,_C) _ C) _ C) _ C) Many came to our help: Mr. Edward De Bartolo andfamily, Carmen and Rose Ambrosio, and State Senator Harry Meshel, who personally assisted us so that on May 23, 1979, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church was crowned with the honor of being declared and listed as a Historical Monument by the U. S. Department of the Interior. This year we celebrate 75 years of religious gro wth and praise to the One True Living God. What a privilege it isfor us, the children of America, to be able to live with and use today--to our great awe, joy, and pride--the monuments that memorialize our roots, which are rich in ethnic culture. May we always maintain our heritage of the past, and may God bless the people of this parish and this great nation. This brief history of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church has been accumulated by Father Joseph Iati. Somefactual in/onnation was obtainedfrom a program book, written in Italian by Monsignor Vito Franco, to memorialize the dedication of the restored church after the fire of 1923. Part of this history of Mt. Carmel Church is from a series of personal interviews of the older membes of the parish, many of whom are now deceased. These accounts of our history were common to thefacts collectedfrom many people who were witnesses to these events; therefore, they are true. May we grow in an awareness and appreciation of our glorious ethnic monumentsfor the posterity of our America. Otherwise we risk becoming a nation without roots, void of heritage, ignorant of traditions and the valuable contributions of varied ethnic cultures that have made and continue to make us the great nation that we are. We commend to you, 0 Mary the Mother of God, our prayers and our love. Be an open refuge to all who come to partake in this holy family. Guide and protect us through our exiled journey of life, as you have led our forefathers, until }{ e are all one before the vision of the t1lmighty. Yet stay with us a while, "0 Gran Signora." Hear the cries of your people and all who come to this temple in joy, in sorrow, in trouble, in anxiety, in praise, in thanksgiving, in delusion, infrustration, in weakness or confusion, and grant us our petitions. Take our Adoration to God our Father and sanctify Your people of Mt. Carmel with His miracles of healing through your powerful intercession. ()~() •••••••••••••••• • Dalle pralle l engono trium/i From trials come triumphs Non c 'e rosa senza spina There is no happiness or joy without some sorrow or frustration Per ogni avversita, Dio manda un angelo Whatever the adversity, God sends his ministering angel Nulla sifa senza volonta Without a strong will, nothing is accomplished ()~) -s °l I I I I I t I I I I I I I j I I I I I I I I t t I I t I j ,-"-"-"-"-"-"--"-"-"-"-"-"-"-'-"-"-"-'" = I , - = I , - = I ! i , - = I , - = I ! i I History I I if - = 0 I ! i I Our Lady I ! i ! 0* i ! ~ i ! Mt. Carmel Church i ! i ! i ! Youngstown, Ohio i ! i ! i I = I I = I I - = I I _ = I , - = I ! i I = I I i t i I i __ ()"-'C' ___ ('~t) .... ()..-.t)""I}""('''''('''''I)''''()''''()''''()''''()~>'-'().-.c.)""()",,,,~i HISTORY OF OUR LADY OF MT. CARMEL An old and wise man of God once said, "You can determine the degree of religion and civilization of any city by the number of church spires contained therein. " As one enters the city of Youngstown, so wealthy in ethnicity, one cannot help but be awed by the number of churches that compliment its citizens. Outstanding among these churches is the only remaining original Italian church in the Diocese of Youngstown, which is comprised of six counties--Ashtabula, Columbiana, Mahoning, Portage, Stark and Trumbull. The mission-like appearance of this humble lillIe church is a beckoning sight. As one nears the center of town, rising up to the sky is the dome of our Church, which at first sight sings to us not only the Sacred Hymn of the Father but also compliments this prayer with the patriotic hymn of a people. This church, a symbol of the ltalo-American people, stands on a hill by the name of Via Mt. Carmel (formerly Summit Avenue). And around this hill 75 years ago were concentrated the aspirations of our pioneers who, by titanic efforts, surrounded their pastor to begin to make a dream into reality. In 1908, the Reverend Emmanuel Stabile arrived from the Diocese of Newark, New Jersey to conceive Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church. This young Italian priest was from southern Italy, around the area of Naples. Educated in Florence, Italy and ordained in Naples, Father was a professor of Greek, Latin and philosophy as well as being a doctor of Canon Law. He spoke five languages: Italian, French, German, Spanish, and English. Father Stabile came to America as an Apostolic Missionary. Spirited by his flock, under the leadership of Luigi Adovasio and Frank Zarlenga, Father initiated thefirst excavation in 1908 with a 79-footlong basement rising about seven feet from the ground and roofed for church use. While the church structure was taking form, the early community of this parish worshipped in St. Columba's Cathedral; then, they moved to Sts. Cyril and Methodius before worshipping in a basement church -of their own. Due to a serious illness, Father Stabile died in 1911. It is not my intention to trace here the particulars of this eventful period, for 1 would have to rely on tradition, and 1 know that tradition is always a dangerous collaborator to be elastic, like the small balloon of a child at a picnic. On May 11, 1911, the outstanding Monsignor Vito Franco accepted the shepherd's staff to lead and guide the flock of Mt. Carmel. The then Father Franco camefrom Niles, Ohio, where he had spent five years organizing and building Our Lady of Mt. Carmel there. The son of Gioachino and Rosina (Del Priore) Franco, he was born in the village of Bella in the province of Potenza, Italy. He was ordained a priest in Naples, and scarcely two years had gone by after ordination when he was sent to Niles as an Apostolic Missionary to organize and build a church. After his arrival in Youngstown and after a two-year orientation, Monsignor called a meeting of the outstanding leaders in the Italian community. Some of those present were: Luigi Adovasio, Antonio Onorato, F. A . Maddas, Andrea Colucci, James Colucci, Dr. Rocco Montani, Raffaele Parilla, Gregorio Silvestri, Luigi Agnone, Ally. James Modarelli, Gabrielo Masi, Francesco Pascarella, and many others. A leader was elected by unanimous vote--Mr. Antonio Onorato. With the help of such zealous workers, the existing basement church roof was opened, and work on the new church was started on July 20, 1913. The vision of the new, beautiful church was radiant before the eyes of the immigrant community. Meeting followed meeting with a growing enthusiasm, adding on new workers of iron wills and inflexible principles who were blessed with assiduousness and Franciscan perseverance--such men as Marco Antonelli, Michael and Daniel Parish, Frank Mancini, D. Ferreri, Antonio Cafaro, E. Diana, M . Ricci, John Rondinella, N. Sebastiano, G. Capuzella, B. Vitullo, V. Fortunato, Vito Agostino, James Tisone, E. Porfilio, R. Marinelli, P. Gentile, J. Liga, Mrs. Melito, and others. ~~~()~~(~()~()~(>"-'()~() ___ ()"-'( J ___ () ___ (~() ___ ()~() ___ () ___ (l Projects and contracts were analyzed until the ecstasy of reality was entered, and, as swift as an eagle, we soared into the sky with a sublime Roman dome which domineers over the imper ishable monument of the Italian colony of Youngstown. The church was completed and dedicated on November 4, 1916. And so, a monument to an immigrant frontier settlement in this land of opportunity and betterment, which the parishfamity deeply loved, was erected. Like the Roman empire of old, the United States of America has become a melting pot of civilizations and nation alities, a mixture of cultures and races, and a blending of roots which now need to be protected and monumentalized for posterity. Built of red brick in Romanesque design, with its Beaux Arts period mixtures of Italian Baroque and Georgian Revivalforms, the church complimentarily united Italian and Colonial cultures. The Michaelangelo-style frescos are original and priceless today. They were first painted by the studio of Pizzi-Pascarella of Pittsburgh, Pa. The bell in the tower was imported from Italy. Made of silver, brass and bronze, the bell is a replica of the one used in the village church of Bella, Potenza, Italy. The Terra Cotta frame around the main entrance, again, was a labor of love in peasant artistry in a new land of freedom. The original stained glass windows were brought infrom Germany. The joy of this Italian village church was short-lived due to a tragic fire of unknown origin on June 12, 1923. Among the scars of this destructive fire was the loss of the diamond of the pipe organs, a Holkamp Pipe Organ, which was donated, in part, by the millionaire Carnegie and in part by the faithful people. In all, the damage totaled $20,000. Gutted and destroyed were the artistic windows, pews, 10 statues, three altars--one totally--the carpeting, the floor, the expensive candelabra, the brass chandeliers, and many other church articles. However, the wake of this melancholic tragedy caused by the fire spurred the parish to emerge stronger and more united. On December 16, 1923, the restored church was dedicated. The Bishop andfaithful were led into the triumphant church by the Societa Duca degli Abruzzi and by the Pious Union of the Mothers of the Crucifix, along with other local societies. As time passed, the flock of Mt. Carmel grew in grace, wisdom, and strength under the watchful eye of its pastor. Together, with the rest of the community, the parishfamity suffered the heartaches of two World Wars, along with the joys of victory and peace. The return of war veterans brought a new heartache to this little church after the Second World War. The Italian quarter was being evacuated by the parishoners as they moved to suburbia. The vacant areas soon fell into decay and slum; yet, this titanic church forged on and blossomed, nourished by the strong loyalty of its members. After fruitful years of labor with and for his Italian people and having joyfully celebrated his 50th anniversary of priesthood, the aged Monsignor Franco died in 1961. The new pastor, Reverend Henry Fabrizio, wasfaced with the tremendous task of rebuilding. A former assistant of Monsignor Franco, Father Fabrizio was born in Wilburton, Oklahoma, the son of Samuel and Pepina (Massaro) Fabrizio. Father was a graduate of Ursuline High &hool and had studied at St. Charles College in Maryland and St. Mary's Seminary in Cleveland before being ordained in Youngstown on April 29, 1950. Under his able leadership, the Italian community, now intermixed with other nationalities via marriages, entered a second phase of building. Protecting the vererable qld structure, the new generation, along with the remainder of the older members, bought parcels of property in what was considered a dead, run-down, inner-city slum and resurrected it into a beautiful setting for its diamond--Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church. With the persevering vigor of Father Fabrizio and with the very generous help of his flock, a new rectory and a large social hall, with classrooms for religious and cultural education, were built and completed in 1963. Father Fabrizio ushered his flock into new horizons of growth and community leadership. The last addition to this beautiful setting was a shrine garden in honor of St. Anthony in 1971 to memorialize the deceased of the parish. Due to illness, Father Fabrizio ..-.()~().-.(} ..... ()~().-.()..-.('.-.()~(~()~(}.-.()..-.() .... (}..-.(~() .... () .... C) .... ( , .... ( was forced to retire from active ministry after many untiring labors of love-service to the parish and to the entire community. On July 3, 1973, the present pastor, Father Joseph Leo lati, accepted the shepherd's staff The son of Paolo and Brigida (Suraci) lati who immigrated to Canada from Reggio Calabria, Italy, Father was born in North Bay, Ontario, Canada and came to Youngstown to complete his studies. Father lati studied at Youngstown State University, John Carroll University in Cleveland, St. Gregory's and Mt. St. Mary's of the West Seminaries in Cincinnati. He speaks four languages: English, Italian, French, and Spanish. He was ordained in Youngstown on May 30, 1959. The new pastor, with his flock, embraced a new effort of restoration and maintenance. Immediately the work began to seek out, restore, and protect the priceless works of art within the church. The historic street on which the church shares residence with its people took on a new appearance by a change of name from Summit A venue to Via Mt. Carmel. The ethnic search for roots by the younger generation brought in a new wave of interest and sharing. A plaque was donated to the church by the deceased Paul Yetty of Herkimer, New York. This plaque, from the original Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Italy, is believed to be the work of one of Michaelangelo's students. This plaque is housed in the church sacristry. Quickly the church went into a complete restoration. The original altars of hand-carved wood from Italy, still bearing the scars of the tragicfire of 1923, were stripped and restored in 1978. Thefrescos were restored and totally redone by artist Albert Rozzi of Youngstown, one of the last surviving artists of this Michaelangelo school of painting. Some of the statues within the church were imported from Italy, while others are the works of a domestic sculptor, Mr. Del Prato. The molds for the casting of these statues were destroyed after the Second Vatican Council. As a result of this tragic misunderstanding, we have lost our source of domestic statues in America since new statues in the future must be imported. One of our own artists, Mrs. Rose (Monaco) Gaffney, has totally restored our statues. The electric organ was replaced by a Mellor pipe organ donated by William and John Cafaro. The organ, originally located in a Baptist church in West Virginia, was re-assembled in its new home in August 1973 and has been increased to an II-rank pipe organ with chimes; here, it is maintained and held in high respect. The hand-carved pews were totally stripped, re-glued, and assembled in place by the local artistry of Steve Santha. A statue of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel was imported and placed in the front of the church into afitting niche to complete the original plannedfacade of the church. The parish family was totally energized with a special joy as the effects of the second Vatican Council in new Lituart took form in the appearance of fruitwood nestled in the warm and colorful arms of the old law. Indeed, many are the treasures of art within this little village church, which is an active volcano of adoration and praise to a Mighty God through the patronage of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. The labor of restoration took almost two years, and in November 1979, the completed diamond was dedicated in a provided setting equal to none. The ecstasy of this magic moment was increased by a sense of freedom in the security of knowing that the parish debt and the total restoration costs were paid, in addition to a small security in savings. Many came to our help: Mr. Edward De Bartolo andfamily, Carmen and Rose Ambrosio, and State Senator Harry Meshel, who personally assisted us so that on May 23, 1979, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church was crowned with the honor of being declared and listed as a Historical Monument by the U. S. Department of the Interior. This year we celebrate 75 years of religious growth and praise to the One True Living God. What a privilege it isfor us, the children of America, to be able to live with and use today--to our great awe, joy, and pride--the monuments that memorialize our roots, which are rich in ethnic )~("-'()~)'-'C'~()~)--")'-'C)'-'()'-'()~()'-'C)'-'(I ___ ()"-'().-.c'~)~~C~ I~()'-'{)'-'{)'-'()~{)"""()"""()--'()'-'()""'(~("'-'{""(~~(~""("-'()~ culture. May we always maintain our heritage of the past, and may God bless the people of this parish and this great nation. This brief history of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church has been accumulated by Father Joseph lati. Some factual information was obtained from a program book, written in Italian by Monsignor Vito Franco, to memorialize the dedication of the restored church after the fire of 1923. Part of this history of Mt. Carmel Church is from a series of personal interviews of the older membes of the parish, many of whom are now deceased. These accounts of our history were common to the facts collected from many people who were witnesses to these events; therefore, they are true. May we grow in an awareness and appreciation of our glorious ethnic monuments for the posterity of our America. Otherwise we risk becoming a nation without roots, void of heritage, ignorant of traditions and the valuable contributions of varied ethnic cultures that have made and continue to make us the great nation that we are. We commend to you, 0 Mary the Mother of God, our prayers and our love. Be an open refuge to all who come to partake in this holy family. Guide and protect us through our exiled journey of life, as you have led our forefathers, until we are all one before the vision of the Almighty. Yet stay with us a while, "0 Gran Signora." Hear the cries of your people and all who come to this temple in joy, in sorrow, in trouble, in anxiety, in praise, in thanksgiving, in delusion, in frustration, in weakness or confusion, and grant us our petitions. Take our Adoration to God our Father and sanctify Your people of Mt. Carmel with His miracles of healing through your powerfUl intercession . ••••••••••••••••• c') 1/ -'" .~ r J (. U 11 ) L. / ,1 . ~ I "' -7' · > 1); B~~ .~~ .~ ~ \ . , I I ,I~ ~"YL s~ YhJ1 ~ ret ~Ct ~ - --- \ (f ~/&Lr~ ~ ~~ t;j-,~ ~ ~~~ }~6 -~ CO; The Mafioning Valley Historical Society The Arms MusQum & Library 648 Wick Avenue • Youngstown, Ohio 44502-121}9 • Telephone: (216) 743-2589 Rev. Joseph L. Iati Pastor Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church 343 via Mt. Carmel Youngstown, Ohio 44505 Dear Rev. Iati, March 22, 1984 Your hospitality yesterday towards The Mahoning Valley Historical Society was heartfelt. We enjoyed your Italian lunch, but rrore particularly your description of your Chapel. I must say I was very impressed and felt the warmth of your Sanctuary. Interestingly enough, I have been a life-long member of The First Presbyterian Church on the corner of Wick Avenue and Wood Street and never knew where your church was located until yesterday. These visits where we get acquainted with each other are important, and we want you to know that you and your congregation would be very welcome at The Mahoning Valley Historical Society located at 648 Wick Avenue. We established a Cultural History Ccmnittee there a couple of years ago headed, as you know, by Hildegard Schnuttgen. We want the cultural background of the Italian and other ethnic groups in the Valley incorporated into the history of our Society. CBS: js cc: Hildegard Schnuttgen .; Sincerely, ~B.S~n~ Charles B. Schafr' President The Mahoning Valley Historical Society The Arms Museum 648 Wick Avenue Youngstown, Ohio 44502 Telephone (216) 743-2589 , Org."i:u4 Sr/J/rmbe, 10, "71 -1,.corpo,..t,J Febr.", I. ,,0, July 28, 1983 Father Joseph Iati Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church 343 Via Mt. Carmel Avenue Yo ungstown, OH 44505 Dear Father Iati, I so much enjoyed meeting you and listening to your interpretation of the remarkable history of your church. It is important for the Mahoning Valley Historical Society (The Arms Museum) to have an account of this history in its files for future researchers. I am pleased that you also took the time to explain the artwork to me. And your little garden is perfectly charming, and so are your (German-style) flower boxes! Ma y I purchase 2 copies of your forthcoming Jubilee publication. Debbie Beronja is willing to be the messenger. Let me thank you--also in the name of the Mahoning Valley Historical Society (The Arms Museum)--for giving us so generously of your time and knowledge. Arrivederci and Auf Wiedersehen! HI')' ~ j J ~ -Ai r-1 Hild~a~'d ~hnuttgen Trustee P.S. The Italian bread and the pizza fritta are simply delicious. v ./ ChurchM.ar 7; 5 th ' ~-.... -:-... .. - , . ( , yersary. M~ Cannel, through the effo.;ts o! a group ' of !lI"ea: Itali~n 'I Cath'olics, was~ foUnded in 1908 with Father Em,panuele Stabile, a ~oung . ItaIi~~bdrn pries~ as ' paS- " tor. I " T1jat year, excavation be~" gan for the church. MasS for '. the parishioners was cele brated first at Sl Columba: Cathedral aild later at\Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church until the basement wasc;>pened. Father Stabile 1911 and he .was suc:ceedE!d by Msgr. Vito was to serve 50 years. Msgr. . come to the United froni Italy several earlier to serve at Mt. mel Church, Niles. During Msgr • . early years as . forts to complete began.'Work w!lS July 20, 1913, and church' was dedicated 4, 1916 • . , l red-brick cnu.rcn .walS, .' ',~ • 1 VY~UN.r..;:'Utl.~t l Un..I. ....... , ... _ _ _ ,,_ _ " , that is' almost unthinkable for a Wlde s~trum, from the ladies who trom a .38-caliber revolver toun11 1 n e p~nshlOhners are erasmg Fl:lther Iati statement he had issued after the priest, and spent fro~ a fierce, un- gather' In the, kitchen of'the social his hand. " >,' (rom t elr m,:mones. On the con- suicide in which he praised Father ,-============- successful battle to block Father Ia-h~1 on Mond~y nights to make the Father Cariglio, a 42- ear-old na- trary - he, stIll has an almost pal- Iati. He also said the transfer of land ti's impending transfer to a church pIzza the pansh sells, to the promi- tive of Ravenna has ~n a"':p ' t pable presence at Our Lady of into his name, to be held in trust for in Lowellville, easily could have nent S:;afaro fa":lily •. which has paid 16 years and hu served since r:- M?unt Carn;tel. , . the parish, is standard diocesan given up. ' to buIld and mmntam a shrine to St. (ore Fatlier Iati's death on:1ne -di- __ You,don ~ b~ry ,'I ~!y: melllber p~~~~rge'the physI'cal changes un- But by a number of accounts, Our Anthony next to the church. ocesan tribunal, a church court that and torget hIm, saId L.oulS R. Fus,Il- ;~~n~d ~yOu:;p?r~~!t hha:s ~p~ F!lu! pastors preceded Father rules on annulments and other mat-~, ":,,ho ~w Fa~het': latialmost dmly r~:p~~"ngb~f ~ap~~ru;gm;:rri~c~~ Cangho; the second - Msgr. Vito ters. He was not unknown at Our unng e ,pnes s , years at Our the predominantly ltalian-Ameri- Franco _ was in charge for 50 Lady of Mount Carmel 'havin ' ~dr of M0l!nt C~el bec~use Fu- the street from the church on land can church not only alive but ro- years. Their administrations have helped Father Iati w'th 'h t h g slllo s catenng busmess IS liead- the'Vestibule Club had acquired. bust during the almost complete left a clear demarcation of the become a one-man I ti w a as quartered in the social'haiL "He will The'project symbolically buried a erosion of its former neighborhood church's history. opera on. never be ,f~rgotten." , dream of Father Iati's to build hous- base. The Rev. Henry E. Fabrizio, pas_ Internal battle ~he swclde left deep wounds. Dr. ing for ,the parish~s senior citizens The new pastor, the Rev. Michael tor from 1961-73, was a builder Altinger, who has' a sketch and on the site, a dream that apparently J. Cariglio, appears to be affixing his presiding over, construction of th~ He had a tough act to follow, as ~mall framed ,snapsh?t of Father Iati was not finanCially feasible. Father own stamp to the church by mod- social hall and rectory Father Iati many church members made a m hIS office at YSU s Cushwa Hall', Cariglio appealed to the parishio ernizing some of its practices and who followed after a short term ~ point of reminding him, but he be- said 'he ll~d his wife, ~arie, who ners for the,$40,OOO !Ieeded for the adding to a physical renovation be- an assistant, supervised an era of lieves he has been accepted liy the often cooked for the pnest, could work, 'and they came up with gun, by his predecessor. renovation, including a restoration people at Our Lady of Mount Car- not bear returnIng, to Our Lady of $38,000; , At first, "no matter what we of the sanctuary that added sym- mel. "I've never seen so ' \nuch Mount Carmel until about a month Father Cariglio thinks Father Ia- were d9ing, [Father laWs] name metry while preserving Old World love," he said. "They're an amazing ago. ti's suicide was motivated by a might come up," said Sister Rita character. group. .. . They've been marvel- But Dr. Altinger had jOined the combination of. "stresses" he said DeChello, who came to Our Lady of ous." church, only ,about seven years, ear- were aggravated by the priest's Mount Carmel from St. Nicholas in Fought to keep him For ' Father Carigilio, the more lier. Most: born-and-bred members neglect of his own welfare. "He al- Struthers at Father Cariglio's re- difficult battle for acceptance IS one appear to have s,tayed the course. ' ways was ready to help other peo- quest to serve as an assistant But more than the physical that he has waged internall/fl over Still, the suicide is a touchy sub- pie, but I don't know if we was ever A year later, the church members changes he initiated, Father rati, Father Iati's death. ject., Dominic Saulino, a' retired helping himself with his deep are "beginning fo appreciate- new who -was '55 'when he died, is re- "Traumatized" by his first ,!\irect Youngstown police ", officer 'who needs," Father Cariglio said. things," she said. "I get a good im- , membereo tor the feelings 'he experience with suicide, he said he serves,as president of the 40-mem- Lear,ning to cope pression. They're not going to sit stirred. His style almost inv,ariably, responded with a chain of emotions. ber parish council, natly refuses to back:and say it's over. They think is described as both charismatic and Initially, he refused to 'face i~ later, Fusillo had to be coaxed Our Lady, of Mount ,Carmel will of the past lovingly, but they're down-to-earth; he bridged the gap he felt and ' ., about Father Iati. remember Father Iati with looking to tha future .. ..,ith a !ct of b~tween pulpit and pew and made But explanations for -.the Mass "for the de .. hope." people feel special. forh-a~;~~~~~.~~~~:~r:fe~~t:~;;;::;~~~~~~~~~~~:~~~~~~:~~~~~~ Betty Locicero, president of the "I regarded him as my best "My has been of .. more one person, include ored him by starting a ' church's 125-member senior citi- friend, barring none," said Dr. Jo- Certain aspects of my faith, I " I head injuries that Father Iati suf- fund for college-bound high zen5 group, said parishioners are seph Altinger, an associate profes· took for granted" beforeh3Jl.9, Fa- fered in two car accidents. seniors. 'Three initial $1,000 fighting to go on. "I feel we sort of sor of matbematicsa l Yoiingstown ther Cariglio said. ," ' , Like others, Dolores Good, the have to accept things as they State ,University, who visited with Sister DeChello said Fathi!r Car- director of Our Lady of Mount Car come," she' said before gaveling a Father Iati only hours before he iglio has nudged a churctU!sed to mel'~ preschool, said Father Iati had noisy group .to order at a recent killed himself. "If you talk to a num- some old 'ways into contemporary reSigned himself to the trllnsfer to meeting in the church social hall. ber of people, they will tell you the practices, ~uch as the Rite of Chris- Holy Rosary Church in Lowellville "It's going ,to be hard for a little same thing." tian Initiation of Adults, a PrOCess and had urged parishioners to ac- Sincere thanks to all of YfJU who were so caring during by absence. while.!' Parishioners lobbied intensely in by which adults can convert to Ca- cept it. But he was unhappy, she Sirong-:-ties to church an attempt- to--persuade Bishop tholicism. But he has done so,~gent-saId. It is my pleasure to announce that I am resuming my practice of family medi cine. Before going any fu'rther, outsid ers need a little church history. , Opened in 1908, Our Lady of Mount Cannel has watched from its , hilltop perch on Via Mount Carmel venue, formerly Summit A venue, on ortheast fringe of down town Youn --"wn, as the church's .. T. James W. Malone to exempt their ly," said the nun of 53 years,..:'l Trouble suspected beloved priest from a diocesan "All of a sudden, it's the~, and - transfer policy, adopted in 1977, they like it," said Sister DeCHello, a "He had found a home here ... that limited pastors to two,six-year former director of pupil personnel something more than a home," she terms at a church unless they were for the diocese. ' ' said. , Gratefully, close to age 65. A few took their John S. Occhipinti, a longtime Bishop Malone had moved before A" h ' appeals all the way to the Vatican. member of the church who now Father Iati's death to ensure that ,y/e o,as J. Gal'ritano Their failure left resentment that lives in Struthers, offered i'.favor- land the Vestibule Club,' a parish . , ~~_SO~in~~~~~~~~~f~un~d~-~r~a~is~in~g~~~O~u~p~es~t~a~b~~~h~ed~~u~n~_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~M~.~D~.~~~~~~~~ .~--- THE YOUNGSTOWN DAILY VINDICATOR r ~ ~ -:;~H ;- . The '. ;1£ ,- ,FATIMA STATUE - Sister CbJarina Antoauectof:tbe - w Oblate Sisters of the S!cre4 Heart recites p~yen~ . .:'.' th U . fore the Internati •• al Pilgrim Virgin Statue., of Our cr d Lady of Fatima' at VIIILMarie Teresa Convent; ;5!J th 8 Wanier Road, Hubbard. Tbe statue will also be' dis- e played at special services at several cburcbesaDCI Ii tl . sbrine tbrougb Aug.2l. ' . -. . ' ba "On this Day, Oh beautiful Mother" ... OUR LADY OF MT. CARMEL CHURCH Restored - Dedicated August, 1977 - November, 1978 Through the Generous Spirit 0/ Her Members and Bene/actors Words will never suffice to express the mutual feelings of gratitude we share in presenting this history of our beloved church. This titanic little church under the protective mantle of its "Madonnina" has survived many heartaches and hardships to enjoy the sweet taste of success, in renewal and evangelization; in renovation and restoration. We commend to Our Lady of Mount Carmel's magnanimous blessings her many generous benefactors who by their prayers; sacrifices and generous donations have made this monumentous temple possible. We commend to you - 0 Mary the Mother of God, our prayers and our love. Be an open refuge to all who come to partake in this holy family. Guide and protect us through our exiled journey of life, as you have led our forefathers, until we are all one before the vision of the Almighty. Yet stay with us a while "0 Gran Signora" - hear the cries of your people and all who come to this temple in joy; in sorrow; in trouble; in anxiety; in praise; in thanksgiving; in delusion; in frustration; in weakness or confusion and grant us our petitions. Take our adoration to God our Father and sanctify your people of Mt. Carmel with His miracles of healing through your powerful intercession. History of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church . An old and wise man of God once said, "You can determine the degree of religion and civilization of any city by the number of church spires contained there-in." As one enters the city of Youngstown, so wealthy in ethinicity, one cannot help but be awed by the number of churches that compliment its citizens. Outstanding among these churches is the only remaining original Italian church in the diocese of Youngstown compromised of six counties -Mahoning; Columbiana; Stark; Portage; Trumbull and Ashtabula. Through the efforts of a group of Italian Catholics under the leadership of Messrs. Louis Adovasio and Frank Zarlenga the parish of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel was organized in.....l.2QB.. While the church structure was taking form the early community of thi;parish worshipped in St. Anthony's church, then they moved to St. Columba's Cathedral and later they moved to St. Cyril and Methodius Church before moving into a basement church of their own. Co-operating in this work was the first pastor, the Reverend Emmanuele Stabile, who served his people in the forementioned churches and supervised the building of the basement church. After laying the foundation for the church the pastor was re-assigned. On May 11, 1911, the outstanding Monsignor Vito Franco accepted the shepherds staff to lead and guide the flock of Mt. Carmel. Under the guidance of Monsignor's excellent taste this temple of adoration took the form of its Italian children and their cultural background. The existing basement church roof was opened and work on the new church started on July 20,1913. The ~hurch was completed and dedicated on November 4 1916. And so, a monument to an Immigrant frontier settlement in this · land Of opportunity .;'nd betterment, which they deeply loved was erected. Like the Roman empire of old the United States of America has become a melting pot of civilizations and nationalities; a mixture of cultures and races; a blending of roots which need now to be protected and monumentalized for posterity. Built of red brick in Romanes ue with its Beaux Arts period mixture of Italian Bar ue - an vivai forms and details, the church c an 9--unt a Ian an oonial cultures. The Michaelangelo frescos within the church continue to serve and minister to her children. The bell in the tower was imported from Italy, made of silver, brass and bronze. It is a replica of the bell used in an Italian village church. The statue overlooking the front entrance is another import from Italy. The terra cotta frame around the.me,in e~;qQ~t:gain was a love of labor of pee t artjstl}'.in a new land of freedorri:The in~nor auty of the church which uP\i the Splrtt of man into a oneness with God, our Father, reflects this Holy Communion. The original frescos, priceless today, were painted by great artists of that time -Messrs. Vio Pizza of Pittsburgh, Pa. and Frank Pascarella of Youngstown, Ohio. The original . ined · laSs wind~s were • rut' from Germ . The craftsmanship oft ese Win OwS IS t ay a eaa art. ThiS ost artistrYof color combination renders these windows priceless -another reason for protecting this monumental treasure of national heritage. The statues within the church are again imports from Italy and some are the works of a domestic sculptor, Mr. Del Prato. The molds for the casting of these The Sacred Heart Altar had just been returned for Christmas 1977 after having all the old finish removed. It was dried out and given a coat of primer in preparation for its restoration finish . View of the sanctuary with a new face of plaster, in preparation for the fresco. Notice the pews before being restored. ' ~ .. ~ Christmas 1977, in our church. The manger was set·up at St. Anthony's altar while the altar is being restored. Notice the old floar and carpet. These steps are not new, they are the original steps designed by Msgr. Franco that we uncovered. The original Mission crucifix with a new background in glorified simplicity and beckoning faith. .~, I. r -l .t , statues were destroyed after the Second Vatican Council. As a result of this tragic loss we have lost our source of domestic statues in America and new statues in the future must be imported. As tragic as this loss is to our national heritage it has rendered what remains of this sculptor's works priceless gems to be added to our roots and background. The eight rank Mell~.pmi~ organ.Qonated by Messrs. ~lIiam and John Cafaro, bellows its adorafi'on a praises wltH ffie 1amily of Mt~armel. The organ was originally located in a Baptist church in West Virginia. It was re-assembled in its new home in August 1973 where it is maintained and held in high respect. The furnishings of the church are all original and have been restored in this era. For, they too are works of lost arts that we must maintain and treasure if we are to know our roots and share the pride of frontier America. Harsh and difficult an age as it was, the American frontier was enriched and refined with national cultures. The joy of this Italian village church was short lived due to a tragic fire on June , 1923, which gutted the interior of the church. The scars of this destructive fire caused by the then feared Klu Klux Klan still remain to remind us of the hardships of our immigrant parents and grandparents. With great sadness the church suffered the destruction by fire of the original Holkamp pipe organ donated by the millionaire - Carnegie; 10 of the statues which adorned the church and the brass chandeliers throughout the church. The wake of this melancholy tragedy caused by the fire forced the parish to emerge stronger and more united. On December 16, 1923, the restored church which cost the people $20,000.00 was dedicated. The flock of Mt. Carmel grew in grace, wisdom and strength under the watchful e ~of its pastor. Together with the rest of the community they suffered the heartaches of two world wars along with the joys of victory and peace. The return of the war veterans brought a new heartache to this little church after the Second World War. The Italian quarter was being evacuated by the parishioners as they moved to suburbia. The vacant ~rea soon fell into decay and slum, yet this titanic church forged on and blossomed, nourished by the strong loyalty of its members. After years of fruitful labor with and for his Italian people, the aged Monsignor Vito Franco died in 1961. The new pastor Reverend Henry Fabrizio was faced with the tremendous task of rebuilding. Under his leadership the Italian community, now inter-mixed with other nationalities via marriages, entered a second phase of building. Protecting the old structure, the new generation with what remained of the older members bought parcels of properties in what was considered a dead, run-down, inner city slum and resurrected it into a beautiful setting for its diamond - Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church. Under Father Fabrizio's leadership, a new rectory and a large social hall with classrooms for religous and cultural education were built in 1963. The social hall has become a center for this family as it gathers and breaks bread in traditional Italian gourmet banquets. The last addition to this beautiful setting was a shrine garden in honor of St. Anthony in 1971, to memorialize the deceased. Due to illness, Father Fabrizio was forced to retire from active ministry after many untiring labors of love-serive to the parish. On July 3, 1973, the present pastor, Reverend Joseph L. Iati accepted the Easter 1978, with the base of the main altar just restored which can hardly be seen behind the altar of sacrifice. Notice the fresco in the process of creation. St. Anthony's altar restored and gold-leafed. Notice the different background. Mass being said in the midst of restoration. St. Anthony's altar restored and primed for restoration. Notice the restored statue of the Saint. Note also the background of the arch and how it has been changed to its present artistry. shepherd's staff leading the flock of Mt. Carmel into new pastures. A new effort of restoration and maintenance began immediately to protect and restore the priceless works of art within the church. The historic street on which the church shared residence with its people took on a new appearance by a change of name from Summit Avenue to Via Mt. Carmel. The ethnic search for roots by the younger generation brought in a new wave of interest and sharing. Recently a plaque was donated to the church by the deceased Paul Yetty of Herkimer, New York. This plaque came from the original Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Italy. It is believed that this plaque is the work of one of the students of Michaelangelo. This plaque is housed in the church sacristy. The original altars are of hand·carved wood from Italy, scarred by the fire of 1923, they have been totally restored this year (1978). The frescos have been restored bw Mr. Albert Rozzi, now 72 years of age, the last surviving artist of this Michaelangelo scnool of pamtmg, now almost a dead talent. The statues have been restored by an artist of the new generation, Mrs. Rose (Monaco) Gaffney. Moved by her dedicated love of heritage, the statues now look better than new. Mrs. Gaffney and her family spent six months in dedicated love-labor. They magnanimously donated their time and incurred expenses to our restoration program. The~of the church is of pure oa ar uet tile and carpeting, donated by Mr. and M William M. Cafaro famil and Mr. a always been e outs tan mg hospitality and generosity. The original pews of hand carved oak; the altars and major hand cabinet carpentery were skillfully and artistically restored by Mr. Steve Santha. another local talent that is almost lost. Many are the treasures of art within this little village church, which is an active volcano of adoration and praise to a Mighty God, through the hands of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. What a privilege it is for us the children of America to be able to live with and use today, to our great joy and pride, the monuments that memorialize our roots, wealthy in ethnic culture. May we always maintain our heritage of the past and may God bless the people of this parish and this great nation. This brief history of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church has been accummulated by Father Joseph Iati. Some factual information was obtained from a program book, written in Italian....l by Monsignor Vito Franco to memorialize the dedication ceremony of the restored church after the fire of 1923. The major part of this history of Mt. Carmel Church is from a series of personal interviews of the older members of the parish - many of whom are now deceased. These facts of our history were common to the facts collected from many people who were witnesses to these events and they are true. May we then grow in an awareness and appreciation of our glorious ethnic monuments for the posterity of our America. Otherwise, we risk becoming a nation without roots, void of heritage; ignorant of traditions and the valuable contributions of varied ethnic cultures, that have made and continue to make us the great nation we are. "Viva" Our Lady of Mount Carmel! "Viva" i parrocchiani di Monte Carmine! der at the fresco. Take a gon . ? Two cherubs Anything. m'dsslngt so as not to were palnte au clutter the Madonna. in altar restored and gold The dThe Madonna statue totally leafe -d d notice how the fresco restore an is taking shape. I d f sco Notice Almost camp ete h rbe bou' t to be h h oaledc eru a . t e c arc th bottom nght. painted 'n on e " OUR LADY OF MT. CARMEL CHURCH 343 VIA MT, CARMEL • YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO 44505 THE ORIGIN OF THE BROWN SCAPULAR OF OUR LADY OF MT. CARMEL It is no exaggeration to say that the Scapular devotion is as universal as the Church. It would be difficult to find a Catholic who has not at least heard of it ,for, as Pius XII says, it is in the "first rank" of popular devotions to the Blessed Mother. And yet how many there are who know little or nothing about the origin of the Scapular. Like many good and holy things that have come down to us from the past, the Scapular (to be under stood properly) has to be seen in the light of its historical setting; to take it away from the century of it s origin is to deprive it of a great deal of its signifi cance and to rob it of its value as a religious symbol. Since the rise of monasticism a Scapular, con s isting of two pieces of cloth joined at the shoulders and hanging down back and breast, has been a part of the monastic Habit. The fact that it hung down from the shoulders immediately suggested a spiritual meaning, for Christ spoke of the faith in terms of a burden to be carried. "My yoke, " He said, "is sweet and my burden light." As the monk rose in the morning to begin a new day, the putting on of the Scapular re~ minded him that he had taken the sweet burden of divine service upon him and that the day ahead was to be all for God. When one is acquainted with the desire of the Church that we put our faith into our daily lives and sanctify even the little things of life, one can easily see how the wearing of a Scapular could be a strong incentive to faithful and generous service in the vine yard of the Master. Even the sight of it could be a reminder of a promise made but easily forgotten by the ordinary person. The birth and ascendancy of the Mendicant Orders served to strengthen the spiritual significance of the religious Habit of which the Scapular was the principal part. Coming as it did in the thirteenth century, the Friar Movement was bound to be affected by the feudal system which was then at its height. The Friars were, by profession if not by origin, poor men who identified themselves wit h the poorer classes and work ed among them. Their Habit, even though similar to that of the monk, was that of the common folk. It was inevitable that the relation of vassal to lord that dominated the whole economic, social and political life of the Middle Ages would affect their religious outlook and that the timeless relation of creature to Creator would be expressed in terms of it. Living as we do in all ~ge very different from that of the Middle Ages, we find it hard to visualise the depend ence of the vassal upon his lord. While Feudalism held sway, it was a matter of life and death to belong to a lord. Before the ris e of towns, commerce and industry, land was the only means of livelihood; and since it belonged t o t he lord, one had to have the right to till it in order to live. The vassal's act of homage gave him the right as well as that of protection, which was as important then as it is now. Knowing how much faith and actual living were one in the Middle Ages, one can see how feudal ideas influenced religious ideas and practices and how the Habit , of which t he Scapular is the principal part, took on a new meaning. Being a man of God, the Friar was keenly aware that God is our one and only Master but , after the manner of the time, he pres ented hims elf before his Divine Master as the vassal presented himself before his lord "to pay his homage" and to receive the investiture from his hands. The religious ceremony of receiving the Habit, although different in meaning, was the same as that of feudal investiture. Just as the vassal placed his hands in or between his lord's and pronounced his oath of fealty or homage, so did the friar present himself before a Superior, who took the place of God, to make his vows. The Scapu lar, hanging from the shoulders, was an outward sign that the friar was "God's man, " that he belonged entirely to Him and that he would pay Him the homage of his whole life. It is in this medieval setting that one must see the brown Scapular that is the Habit of the Carmelite Friars in miniature form. Before they entered the European scene, the Carmelites were a group of hermits living on Mt. Carmel in Palestine. They believed themselves to be the spiritual sons of Elias the Prophet, and the life they led on Mt. Carmel was patterned on his life of -2- contemplation. The Elian tradition, however, was not the only one t o influ'ence them, for, long before they came to Europe, they were known for their devotion to God's Mother. So devoted were they t o Her that they became known as "The Brothers of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel," a title they cherished and defended down through the years. The earliest documents we have bear eloquent witness to their love for Mary; for in Her they found the fulfillment of the Elian ideal. She, too, kept all the things that God sa id to Her, pondering them in her heart and making her life their incarnation; and it was by following Her that they made their profession, they vowed their lives to God and to Her, and it was in Her honour that the homage of their lives of contemplation was offered to their Lord. Mary was the Queen and Mistress of the holy Mount; Carmel was her land, her vineyard, where they worked in the hope of her guidance and protection. As a result of the Saracen invasion the Carmelites finally decided to leave Mt. Carmel. It was a difficult decision to make for their ancient home had many mem- . ories for them. An old tradition" holds that before their departure Our Lady appeared to them as they were singing the Salve Regina and promised to be their Star of the Sea. Fortunately they found staunch friends among the Crusaders who brought them with them on their return journey to Europe. Some settled in Cyprus, others in Italy, while others continued their journey to France and England. The English group found a benefactor in Lord de Grey, who gave them Ay lesford in Kent. Although the Carmelites found many favourably dis posed to them in the West, they also encountered much opposition, so much so that, about the middle of the 13th century, it seemed as if their days were numbered as an Order. However, in 1246, at a Chapter held in Aylesford, they elected Simon Stock as their General. As he saw the waves of opposition mounting higher and higher, Simon realized that Our Lady was his only hope. The Habit he wore spoke for itself for it was in her honour he had taken it. It had always reminded him that he was Hers, and the long years of his life were an act of homage to Her. Carmel was not his but Hers; and how that it was in danger of being destroyed for ever, he went to Her as the vassal would go to his lord and asked Her to give it her protection. Saluting Her as the Flower of Carmel and the star of the Sea, he -3- appearing between Carmel and the world. Pious people living in the world became anxious to live its Mari- form life and t o share in its spiritual treasury of prayer and good works; and as a visible sign of their affiliation to the Order they were given the Scapular. This was the begin ning of the Third Order of Carmel and of the Confraternity. These good people were often generous benefactors and in return for their help the Order granted them a share in all its masses, prayers and good works. With the lapse of time this participation was given without any financial assistance. Here we find the two essential elements of the Scapular Devotion, Consecration to Mary in Carmel and participation in the spiritual life of the Order. In a comparatively short time the wearing of the Scapular spread to the whole Church and became the unmis takable mark of the good Catholic. Popes, kings, princes, nobles and humble folk alike lived and died in the hope of the promise made to st. Simon, and the Scapular devotion grew to be one of the leading devotions to the Mother of God. As a Marian devotion it has stood the test of time, and the seven cent uries that have elapsed since the Vision have served to reveal its beauty. It has kept generation after generation aware of its duty to call Mary blessed, and in the homage paid to Her, countles s saints have come to realize that to find Her is to find life in her Son and to draw salvation from Him. To know the spiritual value of the Scapular one must see it not only in its historical setting but also in the light of the Marian life of the Order to which it belongs. When isolated from the inner life of Carmel, the Scapular loses much of its spiritual significance, for it is much more than a sacramental of the Church. This is exactly what has happened today. Millions are enrolled in it and wear it without ever knowing what it should mean to them in their daily lives. We hope that a present ation of its spiritual significance will bring more of the faithful to recognize it as the traditional sign of a life live in, through, and with Mary. It is evident that the Blessed Mother wishes to call our attention to the Scapular, for Lucy, now Sister Mary of the Immaculate Heart, assures us that when She appeared to her at Fatima, She wore on one occasion the Carmelite -5- asked Her for the "privilegium, " that is, the protection a lord would give his vassals. In answer to his fervent prayer She appeared to him, and giving him the Scapular of his Order She said: "This shall be a s ign to you and to all Carmelites: whosoever dies wearing this shall not suffer eternal fire." The Promise Mary attached to the Scapular went far beyond Simon's expectations. It saved the Order, confirmed its Marian character and made Mary more a Mother than a Queen to it. One has merely to glance at the history of the Order from the 13th century down to the present to see how the Scapular Vision served to strengthen its devotion to Mary. And the external sign of that love and devotion through the years has been the Brown Scapular. Some people are inclined to exaggerate the importance of visions and private revelations and in assessing the spiritual value of the Scapular Devot ion one must keep in mind the teaching of the Church regarding them. It is the constant teaching and practice of the Church that devotions must be founded on revealed truth and that visions and pri vate revelations have relative value only; they serve to focus attention on some truth God has revealed and must be interpreted in the light of it. The popular devotion to the Sacred Heart is not based on the revelations to st. Margaret Mary but on the Incarnation of the Word. The same must be said about the Lourdes and Fatima devotions. The visions of Our Lady called attention to her role in the econ omy of Redemption and to the old Christian doctrine of prayer and penance. It is in this context that one must see the Scapular Devotion. It is based on the spiritual Motherhood of Mary in the setting of Carmelite history. The total dedication to the Order to Her made the Scapular a Sign of Consecration to Her. And what more fitting sign could one find of her spiritual motherhood than a garment. When She brought forth her Firstborn She wrapped Him up in swaddling clothes and it was She who wove the seamless Garment by which He was known. The Carmelite Habit has always drawn minds and hearts to Her and been a Sign of her loving protection. For a long time the Habit was the exclusive property of the ::Order, a sign of profession in it and of the life totally consecrated to Her but in the 14th century we find a bridge -4- appearing between Carmel and the world. Pious people living in the world became anxious to live its Mari - form life and to share in its spiritual treasury of prayer and good works; and as a visible sign of their affiliation to the Order they were given the Scapular. This was the begin ning of the Third Order of Carmel and of the Confraternity. These good people were often generous benefactors and in return for their help the Order granted them a share in all its masses, prayers and good works. With the lapse of time this participation was given without any financial assistance. Here we find the two essential elements of the Scapular Devotion, Consecration to Mary in Carmel and participation in the spiritual life of the Order. In a comparatively short time the wearing of the Scapular spread to the whole Church and became the unmis takable mark of the good Catholic. Popes, kings, princes, nobles and humble folk alike lived and died in the hope of the promise made to st. Simon, and the Scapular devotion grew to be one of the leading devotions to the Mother of God. As a Marian devotion it has stood the test of time, and the seven cent uries that have elapsed since the Vision have served to reveal its beauty. It has kept generation after generation aware of its duty to call Mary blessed, and in the homage paid to Her, countles s saints have come to realize that to find Her is to find life in her Son and to draw salvation from Him. To know the spiritual value of the Scapular one must see it not only in its historical setting but also in the light of the Marian life of the Order to which it belongs. When isolated from the inner life of Carmel, the Scapular loses much of its spiritual significance, for it is much more than a sacramental of the Church. This is exactly what has happened today. Millions are enrolled in it and wear it without ever knowing what it should mean to them in their daily lives. We hope that a present ation of its spiritual significance will bring more of the faithful to recognize it as the traditional sign of a life live in, through, and with Mary. It is evident that the Blessed Mother wishes to call our attention to the Scapular, for Lucy, now Sister Mary of the Immaculate Heart, assures us that when She appeared to her at Fatima, She wore on one occasion the Carmelite -5- Habit and held the Scapular in her hand. Sister Mary of the Immaculate Heart also tells us that Mary was never so beautiful as She was on that occasion. This: latest expres sion of love for the Habit of Car mel should focus the atten tion of the faithful upoh it and being all true lovers of Mary to wear it worthily 0 From the beginning, the God who dwells in light in accessible has been pleased to accommodate Himself to our ways of thinking and acting. He spoke to Adam as man would speak to man, and taught him to see the supernatural in the ordinary things of life. The voic~ of nature is the language of heaven, and the invisible things of God are made known to us through the things we see, hear, taste, touch and smell. In all his dealings with us, particularly under the Old and New Laws, we find God making use of a beautiful sym bolism. The chosen people were educated to read the signs of his love and anger and to find his graces and blessings hidden in the humble things of nature. The spiritual significance of a simple garment is per haps as old as human society itself. A garment has always signified something more important than itself. After the Fall God clothed our first parents, and the garments He gave them were the sign of his forgiveness. Jacob made a coat of divers colours for his favourite son, Joseph, and Anna also made a coat for her son, Samuel. A garment was also the mark of that extraordinary friendship which knit the souls of Jonathon and David: "And Jonathon strip ped himself of the coat with which he was clothed and gave it to David" (IK 18:4). The priestly vestments designed by God were an oiltward sign of the high office entrusted to the priests of the Old Law. From the time of Elias, the prophet'i a garment has had tremendous significance in Carmel. When the time came for the great prophet to retire from the spiritual combat of his day, God sent him to anoint Eliseus to be prophet in his place. And when Elias came to him, he cast his,irlant!e .upon him. -Eliseus immediately understood the significance of the gesture for the sacred text adds, "and rising up he went away, followed Elias and ministered to him" (3K 19:21). -6- And when the time came for t he ascent of Elias in the fiery chariot. his s uccessor asked him to leave him his double spirit . Elias informed him that he had asked for a very difficult thing but promised it would be his; and as he ascended into the clouds his mantle fell upon Eliseus , bring ing him the double spirit of his master. St. Paul does not hesitate to call the human nature of Christ a Habit. The Redeemer Himself compared grace to a wedding garment, and the Apostle of the Gentiles loved to use the same metaphor of a garment when exhorting us to put on Christ and to clothe ourselves with his virtues. The garment, perhaps, that has the greatest signifi cance for us is the one made by the Blessed Mother for the Infant Jesus. We can easily imagine our Blessed Mother making the swaddling clothes in preparation for the birth of her Son; and when she set out for Bethlehem she made sure to bring them with her, that She might wrap Him up and lay Him in the manger. Later, during the quiet hours of Naza reth, She prepared the seamless garment He wore to Calvary. She was always mindful of her duty to clothe her Child, and we may be sure that Christ's eye never fell upon the garments his Mother made for Him that He did not think of the love and the solicitude She had for Him. Our Blessed Lady's motherhood extends to all the redeemed. She is the Mother of the "whole Christ, " that is, of the whole mystical body. The active part which her Son gave Her in our regeneration made Her the Mother of the life of grace that is in our souls. Before He died on the Cross Christ proclaimed Her our Mother; and one would almost expect Her to have a Garment for us. For long years before She appeared to sto Simon, the Habit was a sign of devotion t o Her. It was worn by the Brothers of the Order of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, who were known for their devotion to Her. The Marian charac ter of the Habit was known to all and recognized by several popes in official documents. The Scapular itself is the simplest thing on earth; it is just two pieces of cloth worn over the shoulders. The mantle of Elias must have had a similar simplicity about it, but when it fell upon the shoulders of Eliseus it brought him the double spirit of his master. It was not the mantle Eliseus coveted but the spirit it brought him. The same may be said - 7- of the mantle of our Lady; in itself is is worth no more than is the dr op of water or the morsel of bread; its whole value consist s in what it repres ent s. Seven centuries of Chris tian devotion have helped to reveal the hidden treasure of the Scapular. Saints have meditated upon it and scholars have studied it, but they have not revealed all its spiritual value. The Scapular is a sign of our special adoption by the Mother of God. The first and the greatest privilege it brings is that it envelops us in the special love of our Blessed Mother. It makes us "Hers" in a very special way. She repeats to us the words of the prophet Ezechiel: "And I passed by thee and saw thee: and behold thy time was the time of lovers: and I spread my garment over thee and covered they ignominy. And I swore to thee, and I entered into a covenant with thee •. • and thou becamest mine. " (Ez. 16:8). All who were reborn on Calvary are the child ren of her love and She is the Mother of grace to all of them, but what mother is there t hat does not have her favourites? As Fr. LeJeune says: "Mary's love is boundless and her mercy extends to all. Nevertheles s, She has her favourites. There is no one in the world for whom she prays more readily than for the religious of Mt. Carmel and all who are affiliated to them , because She has a particular tenderness for them. The r eason is that the religious of Carmel were the fir s t t o consecrate themselves to Her. They are her eldest. " The special adoption by which, as the preface of the Scapular Mass says, we became "the sons of her choice " is the foundation of all the spir itual value the Scapular possesses . . And what a privilege this is ! "And thou becamest m ine o " These words spring from the very depths of her tender Mother's hearto She brought us forth into the life of grace, wrapped us up in the garment s of her special love and we became He r s for ever. We can easily understand the love that led our Lady to wrap her firstborn Son in the swaddling clothes , but that She should cover the ignomity of our spiritual nakedness is something that only her most merci ful love can explain. The thought that, from the moment She spreads her garment over us , her special love envelops our whole being should be the greatest force for good in our daily liveso It should inspire us with the profoundest s entiments of love and gratitude and br ing us to dedicate ourselves to Her in tim e -8- , and in eternity . Life itself is all too s hort t o thank Her. Her special 10 e is like a ray of shinning light which shows us her face in the m idst of the heartles s world of our banishment from God. Surely we can address Her in the words of Eter nal Wisdomg "Her ways are beaut iful ways: and all her paths are peaceable" (Prov . 3:17). A mother's love is the most practical thing in existence. It is never satisfied with words but is always pouring itself out on someone. Mother-love is als o capable of the greatest sacrifices; is is born in suffering and time serves only to increase its generosity and service. If this is true of the mother- love we have all experienced, what must be said of the love of Her who became the Mother of Sorrows and the Queen of Martyrs for love of us? When we see Her with the sword of Simeon plunged deeply into her heart, how can we ever doubt that her love for mankind is as practical as that of her Divine Son? Since She became the Mother of men, She has never ceased to show Herself a mother to all who have gone to Her for help. He who is mighty has done great things to Her; and She in turn, who is mighty through the power of her divine motherhood, has done great things for those who have sought her intercession. She has been the cause of our joy and will continue to be to the end of time. Our Lady is the Virgin Most Faithful; She will keep her promise and, since She is heard because of the great rever ence due to Her as Mother, her Son is bound to hear the prayers which She pours forth in our behalf. Her love for us is invincible for it was cradled in the Sacred Hear t of her Son. It is s tronger than death itself, and the water s of con tr adiction and ingratitude can never extinguish it . She knows us better than we know ourselves. She sees us tossed, with out any comfort, on the billows of life , and , in her great and tender m er cy, She has stooped down to bring us the peace, the eternal peace, of her Scapular promise. The spiritual alliance of the Scapular puts our lives and our s ouls in the safe keeping of our Lady. Her over shadowing love draws us into her bosom and we find protec tion from all our enem ies in her Lnvincible str ength. When Abraham found himself in the strange and dangerous land of Egypt , he sa id to h is wife: "Say that thou art my sister and I m ay be well used for thee and that my s oul may live for thy - 9- sake" (Gen. 12:13). Abraham feared that since Sara was beautiful the Egyptians might kill him to take her, so he found safety in calling her his s ister. Through the alliance ·of the Scapular our Lady has called us the "sons of her choice," that our souls may live and we may be well used for her sake. The dazzling splen dour of her holiness makes Her the terror of demons. She is "terrible as an army in battle array" against all the forces of evil that would molest us or attempt to snatch us from under the mantle of her maternal protection. And as Queen I of Angels she can summon legions of heavenly hosts to our defence. When the king of Syria sent his forces to capture Eliseus, the prophet told his servant to "fear not for there are more with us than with them. And Eliseus prayed, and said, Lord open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the servant and he saw: and behold, the mountain was full of horses, and chariots of fire round about Eliseus " (4K. 6 :16 , 17). The Queen of the Angels repeats those words to those who are clothes in her Habit: "Fear not, for there are more with us than with them." She can summon legions of angels to our side and surround us with the power of heaven. As Daughter of the Eternal Father, Mother of the Word, and Spouse of the Holy Ghost, her prayer is infinitely more power ful than that of any prophet. Even the mention of her name is enough t o confound the powers of darkness. When the Lord opened the eyes of the s ervant he saw that his master was not alone. Neither are the "sons of her choice" alone in the battle of life. The alliance of the Scapular brings us the strength of heaven; while we are clothed in the Habit of our Lady, we are surrounded by the forces at her command. "All who see them shall know that they are the seed the Lord hath blessed" (Is. 61:9). As long as we live our lives and finish our course under the sweet protection of her mantle, we have nothing to fear. Our path to heaven is made easy by Her who crushed the ser pent's head and shared in the glorious victory of her Risen Son. Our Lady is the Gate of Heaven particularly to those whom She has clothed in the garment s of her love: "Whithersoever thou shalt go, I will go; and where thou shalt dwell I also will dwell" (Ruth 1:16). - 10- Genesis tells US, how Jacob lov d Joseph above all hOs other sons and, as a sign of his pecial love, he made a coat of divers colours for him. This particular affection which the father had for his favourite son aroused the jealousy of his brethren. They determined to do away with him and when the opportunity presented itself, they stripped him of his coat, . dipped it in blood and sent it back to his father who immediate ly recognized it as his son's. Could the eye of Jacob have followed his beloved son into the fields and had his arm been long enough to save qim from his enemies, his love would have prevented Joseph from being sold into Egypt. The ever viligant eye of our Blessed Mother is always upon those who wear her Habit9 and where her :eye is there is the love of her Heart to save and defend us. The might of her love follows us and whithersoever we go and wherever we dwell it is about us. The place of our adoption is Carmel which is totally dedicated to Her. It is a Land of great spiritual riches, a home where the prayers and good works of each are the spiritual inheritance of all. It is the glorious privilege of lay people to become a part of this spiritual family, to enter the blessed Land where one comes to know Mary as our life, our sweetness and our hope and to participate in its interior life of dedication to Her. -11- LITANY OF THE BLESSED VffiGIN Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ; hear us. Christ, graciously hear us . God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us. God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us. God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us. Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us. Holy Mary, pray for us. Holy Mother of God, Holy Virgin of virgins, Mother of Christ, Mother of divine grace, Mother most pure, Mother most chaste, Mother inviolate, Mother undefiled, Mot her most amiable, Mother most admirable, Mother of good counsel, Mother of our Creator, Mother of our Savior, Virgin most prudent, Virgin most venerable, Virgin most renowned, Vir gin most powerful, Virgin most merciful, Virgin most faithful, Mirror of justice, Seat of wisdom, Cause of our joy, Spiritual vessel, Vessel of honor, Vessel of singular devotion, Mystical rose, Tower of David, Tower of ivory, House of gold, Ark of the covenant, Gate of heaven, Morning star, Health of the sick, Refuge of sinners, - 12- Comforter of the afflicted, Help of Christians, Queen of angels, Queen of Patriarchs, Queen of Prophets, Queen of Apostles, Queen of Martyrs, Queen of Confessors, Queen of Virgins, Queen of all Saints, Queen conceived without original sin, Queen assumed into heaven, Queen of the most holy rosary, Queen of peace, Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, 0 Lord. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, 0 Lord. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. V. Pray for us, 0 holy Mother of God. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. LET US PRAY Grant, we beseech you, 0 Lord God, that we, your servants, may enjoy perpetual health of soul and body; and by the glorious intercession of blessed Mary, ever Virgin, may be delivered from present sorrows and rejoice in eternal happiness. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen. -13- IMMACOLATA Immacolata, Vergine Bella, Di Nostra Vita Tu Sei La Stella: Fra Le Tempeste, Tu Guidi II Core Di Chi Ti Chiama, stella D'Amore, Siam Peccatori, Ma Figli Tuoi Immacolata, Prega Per Noi. Tu Che Nel Cielo Siedi Regina, A Noi Pietosa Lo Sguardo China: Pel Divin Figlio, Che Stringi Al Petto Deh, Non Privarchi Del Tuo Affetto. Siam Peccatori, Ma Figli Tuoi Immacolata, Prega Per Noi. La Tua Preghiera E Onnipotente Innanzi Al Trono Di Dio Clemente: Sotto II Tuo Scettro Iddio S'inchina: Deh, Non Sdegnarci, 0 Gran Regina. Siam Peccatori, Ma Figli Tuoi, Immacolata, Prega Per Noi. -14- IMMACOLATA Immacolata, Beautiful Virgin~ You are the guiding star of all mankind. You gu ide the hearts of men Through the tempests of life. For those who call on you, You're the star of Love. For we are sinners and exiled children, Immacolata, do pray for us. You reign in heaven - Queen of mankind. Upon your faithful, look down in pity. Upon your breast of love, Our God would rest. Do not deprive us then of your affection. For we are s inners and exiled children, Immacolata, do pray for us. Your maternal prayers, are healing and powerful. Before the throne of - Our mer ciful God. Your beloved presence, Our God endears, Do not abandon us, 0 holy Queen. For we are s inners and exiled children, Immacolata , do pray for us. ,-15- HISTORY •• • Courtesy of Reverend Joseph L. Iati, Pastor, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, Youngstown. -16-