1925: EARLY FAMILY NAMES AT ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA HAMILTON

As I was reading this interesting column relating to the early years of St. Anthony parish, I found names that were very familiar to those of us who lived within the boundary of one of the first Roman Catholic parishes in Hamilton. St. Anthony has been on that South Olden Avenue location since its founding in 1921. (94 years!)

2014: THE PHOTO IN TODAY'S "SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY" TRENTON TIMES COLUMN

Unfortunately, space is at a premium in newspapers today. My sentimental journey to St.Anthony's church column today had this photo of my singing group, "Wings of Song" as we sang for the prayer group at Our Lady of Sorrows back in the 90's. Our music was really Biblical scripture put to music, and we really made beautifully spiritual and uplifting musical moments. The photo was too small to include the identity of those wonderful singers.  

1949: THE NEW ST. ANTHONY CHURCH

I posted this on Facebook, and am re-posting it here so that those visitors to Facebook can read the text. Facebook does not allow for full size graphics.

2013: REMEMBERING "THE IRON MIKE"

Those of us who knew him, loved him. He was the epitome of a saintly Priest in the Roman Catholic faith. I wrote this eulogy at his passing in December, 1990. His legacy should be preserved and I invite comments from any visitors who recall this holy man of God. 

1989:A MEMORABLE ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARADE

When you get to the ripe old age of 75 to 80 and above, you find that you have countless memories of persons, places, and things of the past. It is a known fact that the older one gets, the more he or she treasures those memories, whether pleasant or sometimes sad. I hasten to add that I didn't fit into the 75 to 80 category referred to above. There are quite a number of us who became aware of our past at a much earlier age. In my case, it was in the 1960's, when Judy and I started a family and felt compelled to pass on to our children and grandchildren "The Way We Were" in our younger years. They also tell me that as one ages, he or she develops a certain wisdom. I do believe that to be the truth. One of my lasting memories is found in my many years of service at St. Anthony's Church in Hamilton. I have been entertaining the idea of writing an article on my years at that great old church on South Olden Avenue. Some of my most memorable years were spent as a very active parishioner in that parish, having served as Lector, singer, Eucharistic Minister, President of the Holy Name Society as well as being the first male President of the St. Anthony Grammar School PTA, carnival worker, lawn mower and clean up worker in an impossibly littered environment. The graphic above is just one very small memory of the many I have garnered over the years. I still remember when an aging "Iron Mike," Monsignor McCorristin rode shotgun with me in that kelly green 1961 Rambler. He really relished the ride from St. Anthony's to Immaculate Conception Church on Chestnut Avenue. The love the people had for the man as we rode slowly along Olden Avenue to Hamilton was a thrilling experience for me. I will never forget the cheers from the spectators as Monsignor, cigar clenched firmly in his teeth, waved to all those admirers. Memories are made of this, my dear visitors!

1949: CONSTRUCTION TO BEGIN ON NEW ST. ANTHONY CHURCH

Let me see.....I started out as a parishioner at St. Paul's P.E. on Centre Street church way back in 1939. Then it was on to St. James P.E. Church on Greenwood Avenue until the mid 1940's. Then, I was attracted to that little church on Liberty and Wesley in Hamilton where I stayed for a year or so and left after I felt that then Pastor Rev. Graham was rabidly anti-Catholic and stopped going there. Then, in the early 1950's when I married into an Irish Catholic family., I became a convert to the Roman Catholic faith. The Britton family's youngest daughter Judy became my wife and with the Brittons being among the first parishioners at St. Anthony's, I was impressed with their steadfast devotion to devotion and took "instructions" with then Father Leonard Toomey, the man who should have been a Bishop. Unfortunately, shabby treatment of our singing group "Wings of Song" led to our family moving on to Sacred Heart, which fittingly is the oldest parish in the state of New Jersey.

1949: THE NEW ST. ANTHONY CHURCH

A move from the Anglican church of my youth and my conversion to the Roman Catholic Church under the tutelage of my favorite Priest, then Father Leonard Toomey, took place in this parish in the early 1960's. I found the Liturgy to remarkably similar the the Anglican 1928 Book of Prayer. Vatican II came along and all the music I knew as an Angilcan became part of the new church music repertoire, and I ended up helping with the music to a parish that had been accustomed to Latin chants and heavy music. Gone was the very difficult to understand Latin Mass, to be replaced with common sense English. As it turned out, my conversion led to an incredible faith journey that is with me to this year of 2012. From a 20 year old kid who had to be married at the altar rail in April, 1954, to the mid 1980's when a ministerial conflict led me to follow my wife to Sacred Heart Church in Trenton, I have been on an incredible faith journey "working in the vineyards of the Lord."

Kenneth J. Wolfe said...

I am surprised you, as a historian, do not appreciate the traditional Latin Mass. After all, it was the normative liturgy of the Church from around the 5th or 6th century up until the late 1960s. Thankfully Saint Anthony's (where I was baptized, made First Confession and received First Communion) is one of the churches where the traditional Latin Mass is offered:

http://latinmasstrenton.org/lmt/About%20Us/

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Hi Kenneth; thank you for your somewhat critical comment: You surprise me when you say that as an historian I do not appreciate the "traditional" Latin Mass. The operating words here are "traditional" and "preferred." I'm surprised that you seem to feel that my preference is somehow inferior to the traditional Latin liturgy. Why be surprised that I as an historian prefer the Mass in English? I am fully aware of the Latin Mass. It is wonderful for those "traditionalists" who feel more comfortable with it. If I'm not mistaken, the English liturgy was in the early 1960's with the advent of Vatican II. Dominus Vobiscum.

Tom Glover

Tom:

You are right on, it was in the 1960's that they got rid of the altar, put the table up front, and we began to sing Protestant Hymns at St. George's in Washington Crossing. It was an Irish weekend priest from Bayonne that started it (albeit a bit prematurely) and J. Connor French resented his Latin Mass being taken away. French an old time lawyer and Millionaire got hold of Bishop Ahr and threatened to take his support across the river to the diocese of Philadelphia. They got rid of the table fast, and back to Latin in a few weeks.
Talk about Zealots. Heck you got off easy. Thank Goodness you had the good sense to segue over to my home parish of Sacred Heart, where all are welcomed. The family is spread all over the country,and still consider Fr. Dennis our pastor!
Tell your critic that if he wants Latin, come on down. There is a church just outside of Smithfield that offers it.

Regards, and good wishes

Mike Kuzma

Thursday, April 26, 2012

2012: WOW, WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DECADE OR SO MAKES!

Back in the 1960's through the 1980's, I was very very active in St. Anthony Parish. I was a Lector, Music guy, Eucharistic Minister, PTA president, Holy Name Society president, and spent many summer hours as a volunteer trying to keep the very disorganized rectory yard as neat as possible during Msgr. McCorristin's time there. I just dug this photo from 2007 when I made a trip to the church basement at St. Anthony's church. The hall that I and my contemporaries experienced immediately came to mind. The original hall had old warn asphalt tiles that were impossible to keep clean and shiny looking. If any of my old time St. Anthony friends are into computing and see this photo of the basement as it looks today, they will also be amazed at how beautiful that room is today. While I was PTA president, I formed a team of fellow male members and we called ourselves "men of action." Bud Foley, Larry Allen, Freddie Allen, Alan Volk, Ken Warner, and a number of us worked like slaves to bring that hall up to a shine for one of our fund raising events. Ahh, those memories! I could write a book.....in fact, maybe I will when I retire completely.

2007: MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS

Obviously, one's personal faith is a matter of choice. Mine happens to revolve around the photo above. It would be impossible for me to count the number of times I walked up those steps in my many years at Trenton's St. Anthony of Padua parish. When I took this photo 5 years ago, memories of my conversion to the faith back in 1962 came rushing to the fore. I recalled the countless Sundays I escorted my mother and father in law there during my early marriage; it was these steps I trod when Judy and I brought our three children for baptism, confirmation, and their first Holy Communion. Precious memories that I am sure each visitor to this page has stored in their deepest and most precious memories.

RALPH LUCARELLLA said...

HI TOM....IT'S OBVIOUS YOU ARE A LOYAL CHURCH GOER FROM WAY BACK AND ACTIVE IN THE AFFAIRS OF ST. ANTHONY. I WATCHED THAT PARISH GROW FROM JUST A FEW IN THE 20'S TO WHAT IT IS TODAY. I HAVE ALWAYS REGRETED I WAS NOT A REGULAR MEMBER BUT KNEW OF MY MANY FRIENDS IN VILLA PARK WHO WERE VERY ACTIVE THERE. I MAY NOT BE ONE OF THE BETTER CATHOLICS BUT PRAISED THOSE WHO WERE LOYAL TO ST. JOACHIM'S AND ST. ANTHONY'S ALL THROUGH THEIR LIFE. BEST REGARDS

Friday, February 24, 2012

I did indeed remain loyal through "thick and thin" through most of my earlier years at St. Anthony, Ralph. Unfortunately, the "18 to 49" demographic did me in.

2007: ST. ANTHONY PARISH COMMUNITY ROOM

When I retire completely, I intend to write a book. It probably will be of interest only to "locals" but one of the chapters in the book will be devoted to the countless hours I spent as a parishioner, Lector, Music provider, Eucharistic Minister, Holy Name Society President, PTA President. I will be sure to include detailed stories relating my favorite "men of the cloth" at St. Anthony during my years there, the "Iron Mike," Monsignor Michael P. McCorristin, and then-Father Leonard Toomey, Father Liam Minogue, Father Danny Cahill, and my favorite Nun, Sister Dolora, who was instrumental in organizing my "Wings of Song" scriptural music singers.
My PTA and Holy Name Society tenure brings to mind the beautifully restored "church basement" we see in the photo above. Back in the 1960's when my 3 children attended St. Anthony Grammar School, the basement was in very poor condition with hard to clean asphalt tile flooring, water-stained walls, and dilapidated furniture. It was in this room that we hosted countless PTA and Holy Name Society events. Those who are my contemporaries will recall that the mirror finish on that floor and the beautiful NEW tables were not part of our experience. Indeed, a number of our tables collapsed while events were in progress. You'll have to wait for my book for the detailed stories, but I have a million of them, including the demise of our wonderful guitar singing group, Wings of Song" which was formed to entice the younger generation to Mass.

1938: ST. ANTHONY PARISHIONERS PREPARE FOR A BENEFIT PARTY

Things are much different today. Back when I was President of the St. Anthony PTA, we had only a few stalwart supporters who were always ready to help with our fund raisers and support of the PTA. Just a decade earlier, the parishioners went out of their way to give whole hearted support to the church and school. Unfortunately those days are gone forever. The names in the article show just how much support was forthcoming from those loyal parishioners. Many of those names are still relatives and members of that great old church on South Olden Avenue.

Ruby Claire said...
after seeing this pic and reading this article, you reminded me old saying ...old is gold.

1944: MY FRIEND, THE LATE IDA DUMONT

Whenever I go through the newspapers and find a name with which I am familiar, I scan it and include it on the Hamilton Library Local History Collection digital database. With the hundreds of Sunday Times pages devoted to many hundred WWII veterans, you can see that it would be an impossible task to digitize each one. Accordingly, I scanned this graphic which has a photo of the husband of a very old friend of mine from my St. Anthony parish years, Ida Dumont. Ida was the wife of PFC Fred Dumont. She was one of our more active "movers and shakers" at St. Anthony when I was the president of the grammar school PTA, and also President of the St. Anthony Holy Name Society. If we had a fund raiser, Ida would probably have been the organizer. She had a natural gift for getting sponsors from the commercial organizations in the area. Additionally she was one of the many parishioners at St. Anthony I could call a true friend. She was missed when she passed away.

1990's: Tom Glover Sr. and Jr's "WINGS OF SONG!"

How I miss my "WINGS OF SONG" singers! For a while back there in the 1980's 90's while the Reverend Monsignors Jim McManimon, and Joseph Ferrante were at the helm of St. Anthony Parish in Hamilton, our talented singers were assigned the task of trying to bring a younger segment of the local community in to church. It worked! For a number of years we provided the music for the Saturday afternoon 5:30 Mass. However, musical tastes change, and the new Pastor and his sidekick decided our music was not their music, and "Wings of Song" was no more! But we did make beautiful music right from the scriptures! Ask any old timer who attended those Saturday services. I am still met by folks from my years at St. Anthony who tell me how much they missed the beautiful and sacred music we sang.

THE PHOTO ABOVE WAS TAKEN AT ONE OF THE PRAYER SERVICES AT OUR LADY OF SORROWS CHURCH.

1935: St. Anthony Awards

As an ex-St. Anthony Parishioner, I am always interested in the past of the late, lamented St. Anthony Grammar School. Back in the days when the sisters wore "habits," and one could tell a Sister from a "civilian."