Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church

PARISH HISTORY     

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, presently located at 237 William Street, Pittston, Pennsylvania was founded in the year 1904. The parish has always been under the direction of the Diocese of Scranton. The majority of parishioners trace their origins to southern Italy (Naples-Salerno-Bari), a minority from central Italy (Umbria).

The first church was a wooden frame building at 131 William Street. This church was completely destroyed by fire on Sunday, January 14, 1940. The Blessed Sacrament was saved through the heroic efforts of Father Giovetto & Father Lombardi. The parish temporarily used the lower church of St. John the Evangelist Church, Pittston, while the new church was being built where it presently stands today.

The parish from 1904 to 1929 was administered by priests of the Diocese of Scranton. The first Pastor was Rev. William Gislon. Priests from St. Mary's Church, Old Forge, PA, would travel by horseback to celebrate Mass for the people at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Pittston. In 1929, seeing the need to minister to the Italian-speaking immigrants of the Pittston area, the late Bishop Thomas C. O'Reilly journeyed to Italy and invited a small religious congregation known as the Oblates of Saint Joseph to come to America and work in the Diocese of Scranton. This invitation was graciously accepted and the first Oblate Fathers arrived by ship at the New York Port on February 15, 1929. The Oblate Fathers assumed spiritual leadership of three Italian parishes in the Greater Pittston area: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel & St. Rocco's in Pittston and St. Anthony of Padua, Exeter. The first Oblates of St. Joseph Pastor to serve Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church was Rev. Eugene Gherlone, OSJ, who previously served as a missionary in the Philippines since 1915. Other Oblate priests serving as Pastors were the following:

Rev. Enrico Giovetto, OSJ: 1939 - 1946

Rev. Rudolph Borgogno, OSJ: 1946 - 1975

Rev. Paul Pavese, OSJ: 1975 - 1979

Rev. Julio Serra, OSJ: 1979 - 1986

Rev. Joseph Sibilano, OSJ: 1986 - 1990

Rev. Paul Pavese, OSJ: 1990 - 1997

Rev. Paul McDonnell, O.S.J. Pastor 1997-2006 

Rev. Gregory Finn, O.S.J., Pastor 2006-2009 

Rev. Daniel Schwebs, O.S.J., Pastor/Administrator/P.T. 2009-2010   

Rev. Philip Massetti, OSJ. Pastor/Administrator - Current

Various other Oblate priests served as assistant pastors over the past 70 years coming from different countries of origin: United States, Italy, India & the Philippines.

Also serving Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church were the Religious Sisters of Saint Lucy Filippini (Motherhouse at Morristown, NJ). They arrived in 1946 and were forced to leave in 1992 due to a lack of vocations.

Today, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church serves as the home parish to over 1,250 families in the Greater Pittston area. It seeks to serve its members by being faithful to the message of the Gospel and make welcome those who have strayed from their spiritual roots. As we enter the Third Millennium, the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish Community is proud of its rich history and accepts the challenge to meet the spiritual needs and challenges for generations to come.