Monsignor Emilio Cardelia, Saint Joachims Church, The Burg
From The Diocese of Trenton Website:
In 1941 Bishop William E. Griffin appointed Rev Emilio A.
Cardelia as the 5th pastor of St. Joachim's. For the next
40 years Father Cardelia served as pastor of the church where
he had been baptized. During his pastorate many properties
near the church and school were purchased and demolished to
make room for a school playground and parking lot for the ever
growing parish. There were over 350O families and there was a
need to alleviate the over-crowded conditions at Sunday Mass.
In 1957 Father Cardelia built a new chapel beneath the upper
church to accommodate more people. There were nine masses every
Sunday. At this time the upper church was completely renovated
with the addition of marble altars and marble wainscoting
throughout. He commissioned the execution of a beautiful Boehm
crucifix for the main altar, the only other copy of which was
presented to Pope John xxiii and is now in the Vatican. Hand
carved wooden statues from Italy together with new stained
glass windows completed the newly restored edifice. A central
air condition was also installed.
While Father Cardelia was pastor, St Joachim's Choir became
renowned throughout the area as did the annual Parish Fair
which drew hundreds of people who came to enjoy the delicious
Italian food. Father Cardelia was named a Monsignor in 1960
and retired in 1981 after having served his home parish for
40 years. He had truly become a legend in the annals of St.
Joachim Church and Chambersburg.
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