History

The story of Holy Family parish in Nutley reads like a rags-to-riches, Horatio-Alger-type ecclesiastical novel. From an insignificant beginning among poor people of Italian immigrant stock Holy Family has grown to a position of prominence and influence in the Belleville-Nutley area. Its scattered handful of adherents of 1909 have become the active, enterprising church community today of some 4,300 families. And the old frame church that cost $2,000, that later gave place to the $160,000 yellow-face brick building accommodating 500, now is replaced by a modern edifice to seat 1120 persons and costing approximately a million dollars.

The parish began in 1909, when the Reverend Father Alfonso De Santola, who had worked in Paterson and Lyndhurst, started parochial work among the Italians in the Belleville-Nutley area. Masses were offered at first in private homes in the area. For several months Father De Santola offered Mass in the homes of Michael Stefanelli at Passaic Avenue and Mitchell Street in Belleville and of Ciriaco Jannarone at 14 Harrison Street, Nutley.
The first permanent Church structure, still standing and currently in use as a residence after its being remodeled, was built on a 30 by 100 foot plot at 115 Harrison Street, Nutley. A frame building, it measured 20 by 50 feet and seated perhaps 140 persons. Its cornerstone was laid by Father James P. Smith of St. Peter’s in Belleville in 1911. Father De Santola was assisted by the late Dominick Ciccone in raising funds. A rectory adjoining was built about 1915.

Other pastors who led the parish during its early years were Reverend Michael Leggieri, 1916 to 1919, Reverend Joseph Monastero, 1919 to 1929, Reverend Salvatore Midaglia, 1929 to 1933, and Monsignor Anthony Di Luca, the pastor, who began his administration in 1933.

Assistant pastors have been the Reverend Joseph T. O’Connor, Francis J. Blake, Raymond A. Murray, Anthony T. Benti, Francis R. Lo Bianco, Matthew M. Pesaniello, Henry M. Naddeo, Salvatore T. Malanga, Michael a. Saltarelli, and Robert P. Cozzini.
After five years of labor and census-taking in house-to-house canvassing in the parish’s Nutley-Belleville area, the then Father Di Luca, who had come from a parish in West New York, sought and received permission from the late Bishop Thomas J. Walsh to build a new Church and Rectory on nearby Brookline Avenue. The Church on Brookline Avenue was formally dedicated on July 4, 1938, with Bishop Walsh presiding. Of yellow-face brick, and with a large auditorium and stage in its basement, it was designed by architect Anthony J. De Pace.

The old Church and Rectory were converted at the same time to a convent and chapel for the use of 4 sisters of the Religious Teachers Filippini, who came to Nutley in the same year to work among the children and to conduct a day nursery.

In 1947 a brick veneer building known as the Italian Community House, located at 147 Franklin Avenue, was acquired by purchase from the Italian Community House Association. It was converted into a Youth Center and served the Catholic Your Organization of the growing parish for several years. Still in existence, the building within the last few years was donated to the Franciscan Sisters of St. Elizabeth, completely renovated and remodeled, and put into service as the Holy Family Day Nursery. Headed by Mother Justina, its first superior, the nursery has grown and has become quite successful.

About the same time, land was purchased adjoining the church property on Brookline Avenue and extending on Harrison Street for the erection of a parochial school. Ground was broken for the parish’s school in 1949, and the structure was completed in 1950. Right Reverend Monsignor William F. Lawlor, acting for Archbishop Walsh, solemnly blessed it on September 10. At this same time, a shrine in honor of the Blessed Virgin was also constructed adjacent to the rectory.

In 1951 a convent to house the Sisters of the Filippini Order was built. Subsequently it was enlarged, as was the Rectory.

The new structure, which is the third Church, fittingly is built on higher ground than its predecessors and towers over all the family of buildings that go to make up the physical assets of Holy Family Church. It is the largest Church in this area as their generation’s monument for posterity. On August 28, 1965, the new Church building was blessed by the Most Reverend Thomas A. Boland, the then Archbishop of Newark.

Since this parish has been established a number of priests have served this local church. At present, there are three priests serving the parish, namely: Msgr. Paul Bochicchio, Pastor, Rev. Giovanni Rizzo, Associate Pastor, and Rev. Paciano Alexander Barbieto, Adjunct Priest.  Rev. Dante DiGirolamo is a weekend associate.

The progress of this parish, however, has not merely been one of adding new and beautiful buildings. What is even more important is that it has grown tremendously in the number of souls cared for and in the variety of works being done for the spiritual good of the people.

The church building manifest beyond all doubt that here is this building God truly dwells among His People and here God is truly worshiped. The moment the parishioners and attendees of Holy Family Church approach this edifice, they will be struck by the soaring beauty of the bell tower, enhanced by the detailed features: a huge stained-glass window framed by granite faced pillars soaring upwards framing the sculptured figure of the youthful Christ adored by lateral figure of Mary and Joseph.