St. Lucy's Parish in Newark NJ

January 2010

My dear friends of the Italian community of St. Lucy,

As the new administrator-pastor of St. Lucy, I greet all of you from the bottom of my heart.

* On October the 4th Msgr. Joe Granato opened the doors of St. Lucy’s and welcomed me into the community. I appreciate your generosity and love in receiving me as a brother.

* I understand that St. Lucy’s is a very special community with a long and rich history and tradition. We cannot understand the Italian history of the region without St. Lucy’s. She is the essence of the definition and identity of the Italian community. Please, allow me to be part of your “glorious” history.

* I have come to help, to serve your community. In these few months all my efforts have gone into understanding where I am and assuming that reality. St. Lucy’s is yours and I will do my best to make it possible to be assimilated into your family. I am the new driver of the Italian train singing “sul mare luccica” at the same time as “la montanara” so as to continue the living traditions of St. Lucy’s.

* I realize that, financially, St. Lucy’s depends on the support of the Italian community. You have the power, and privilege to keep St. Lucy alive. In this moment of our financial crisis, I am working in making your offerings the most effective possible for the good of St. Lucy and the Shrine of St. Gerard.

* Fr. Nativo, in the ‘50’s, went into the streets to recruit the children of the area for the choir members and the guard of honor. Since that time, the neighborhood has changed. In the same spirit, I am going into the streets to find people to join to St. Lucy and St. Gerard to keep this sacred place an attraction for people looking for peace, protection, meaning and strength.

* Fr. Joe is my big brother. I need him. I did not merely invite him back to celebrate at St. Lucy’s. I respect and appreciate the work he did, the spirituality he built. I hope he feels comfortable to come any time and feel that his work was valid and that I am following the same path.

* The door of my heart and the door of the rectory is always open. It is not my rectory, it is your rectory. It’s not my church, but your church; and, since the 4th of October 2009, I belong to you.

With sincere appreciation and love,
Fr. Luigi Zanotto