History of St.Peter's

The history of the first 50 years of our parish comes from the St. Peter's Church 50th Jubilee booklet dated August 17, 1979.

1929 Through 1979
"TEMPLUM DEI ESTIS, ET SPIRITUS DEI HABITAT IN VOBIS.
TEMPLUM DEI SANCTUM EST, QUOD ESTIS VOS."

(You are the Temple of God, the Spirit of God dwells in you. The Temple of God is sacred as are you.) With these words Bishop John Gregory Murray, on August 17, 1929, dedicated the new Church of St. Peter. This consecration was the fulfillment of a dream come true for the Italian-American community of our city.

The real beginning of our parish took root with the coming of the first family from Italy to settle in Portland Maine. We can trace the presence of the first family back to April 16, 1882, and they were registered in the Cathedral parish. This first family was soon joined by other Italians, and these families were meshed into a close knit society and Portland was growing. The labor force required workers, and the Italians kept up correspondence with the "old country" recruiting workers with promises of good jobs and good pay.

By the turn of the century the number of Italians living in Portland increased greatly. They ran stores and businesses on Fore St and each store advertised the standard formula of the time: "Italian Labor Furnished For All Kinds of Work." A special attraction, in 1900, was a job on the railroad, as a laborer, for 10 cents and ten hours per day. And so they came from various parts of Italy to settle in cities like Portland all over the United States. With them they brought their heritage which would blend beautifully into the "melting pot."

Because of the language barrier the Italian immigrants tended to live together in the same neighborhood, and these "new Americans" practiced their Christian duties by attending services at the Cathedral which was in the neighborhood. While they struggled learning the English language they longed to hear the word of God in their native tongue. Bishop James A. Healy let this small band of people use one of the upper rooms in the Cathedral School for their separate services. In 1903 an Italian priest, Father Bartolomeo Montrucchio, was assigned to serve the Italian-American group, and he baptized several children during his tour from 1903 to 1905. While most of the newcomers settles in the penninsula, others attended mass at St. Dominic's, St. Joseph's, Sacred Heart, St. Patrick's or across the bridge at Holy Cross and St. John's.

There is no recorded evidence of just what efforts Bishop Walsh made to provide for the spiritual care of his Italian speaking flock. We do know that a Father Antonio Petillo was doing missionary work in the east, and be baptized many children from December 7, 1907 until July 5, 1908.

From 1908 to 1909 the Italian community had the services of Father Antonio Miele, who was an assistant at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

Following Father Miele there is much evidence that Portland's Italian community took a Father James Clary to their heart. He adopted this small band of people as his own. Being able to use the Italian language quickly solidified him as their spiritual leader. Father Clary conducted services, in Italian, at the Cathedral, and later at Sacred Heart. For a time he said mass in the Church World building.

After a 10 month absence the name of another Italian priest, Father Agnello Santagnello, appears in the records (July 1, 1910). Father Santagnello became very interested in the Italian colony and requested that Bishop Louis S. Walsh form an "ethnic parish." Although this request was not granted, the Bishop did authorize this priest to help the Italians find a suitable place for a formal church. After reviewing several locations they finally approved, on February 20, 1911, the property belonging to the Chase Transfer Company located on Federal St. This barn, or stable, was converted into a chapel by the F.W. Cunningham Co., which employed many Italians. This renovation, costing $2799.00, was completed December 22, 1911. This is the date of the official beginning of St. Peter's Parish.

The Press Herald, on October 17, 1911, reported the following: "a meeting of St. Peter's congregation, the first Italian Catholic congregation in this city, was held last evening at the Kavanagh School hall, having been called by the Rev. Father Santagnello, the Italian pastor. About 75 men were present. After the opening of the meeting the by-laws, which had been prepared, were approved and the following officers elected: President, Ralph A. Urbano; Treasurer, J. DiBendetto; Secretary, James Ivone; Trustees, George Serapino, W. Tracchio, and Rocco Trenzillo." In his remarks the president said, :Now it is up to us good Catholics to show the people of Portland that we have a little life left in us."

The Bishop suggested the chapel be named St. Peter, and Father Santagnello celebrated the first Christmas mass in front of a large group o proud and devout Italians.

The local newspaper, Eastern Argus on 12/25/11 reported "Sunday was a great day for the Italians of Portland for their new church on Federal Street was dedicated with solemn and appropriate ceremonies. The weather was delightful and nothing was left undone to make it a success. There was a parade early in the forenoon consisting of a platoon of police. The came Chandler's Artillery Band followed by the Italian Military Company, the St. Peter's Society, the St. Anthony Society and the Court Italy of Group Foresters. All the bodies carried American and Italian flags and one had the Papal flag. It was reported that over 500 men took part in this procession that marched up Middle St., around Monument Square down Congress St. to the Episcopal residence, where there was a barouche with white horses awaiting the Bishop."

The highlight was received in the forenoon. SS. Rome, Dec. 24, 1911, Portland Maine, Holy Father sends special blessing dedication first Italian Catholic Church of Maine. Card. Merry Del Val.

Now the Italians had their own home and Father Santagnello would prove equal to the task. He rounded up volunteers, and the Holy Name Society was formed in our church in 1912. Father Santagnello still operated from the Cathedral Rectory, and he found this position most disagreeable.

The Eastern Argus on December 19, 1913 reported that rumor had it that this beloved pastor would soon leave Portland. On December 22, 1913 Eastern Argus reported "an unusual demonstration, spontaneous expression of friendship and appreciation tendered to Rev Fr. Santagnello Yesterday. Escorted to Union Station by large crowd and band." The people of St. Peter's escorted him to Union Station with a full brass band parading down Congress St. It was a most solemn farewell and when Father Santagnello left, a quietness fell over St. Peter's.

To complete the record for this period, the schedule for Sunday was: Low Mass at 8 am, high Mass at 10 am, Sunday School at 2:00 pm, Rosary-Instruction in Italian and Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament at 7:30 pm.

The same Rev Father James Clary (and other priests from Cathedral) filled in admirably after Father Santagnello's departure.

On August 1, 1914 Father Antonio Petillo returned to Portland and was assigned to St. Peter's Parish, a post he held until 1925. He was welcomed with open hearts, and he took special care of the children. He organized picnics, took the youngsters to the circus and trained a fine group of altar boys. Father Petillo was so popular that the pople from all over the city crammed into our small chapel. More than once Bishop Walsh would walk over to St. Peter's and remind the non-Italians that their duty was to attend services at Cathedral. The Irish contingent (from Cathedral) continued to attend Father Petillo's services and supported our church with devotion and contributions. Father Petillo ran an active parish and started the Perpetual Novena to St. Anthony, which continues today. It was also during this time frame that our church was put into active competition with other sects currying the favor of the Italian speaking people of the neighborhood. A Methodist Church and House of God, with houses of worship on Federal St. were the chief rivals.

Counter this threat Father Petillo did and in 1925 the parish census showed that we had nearly 1000 families closely knit and meshed around our little chapel. Prior to his departure from Portland, due to ill health, Father Petillo succeeded in retiring the entire church debt. He returned to his native Italy. Father Petillo returned to the USA five years later and was interested in taking over a Portland mission, but it was already provided for so he settled in Newark NJ where he died in 1938.

Father Petillo's departure left the Italian community sad and, in a spiritual sense, orphaned. Bishop Murray tried hard to find an Italian priest and in the interim he assigned a Father Gerald Burke to minister to the needs of St. Peter's. Father Burke was also sent to New York to seek a successor for Father Petillo. Although Father Burke's stay at St. Peter's was short, he left his legacy-the formation of the Sodality of the Sacred Heart and the first grand bazaar.

During a visit to New York, Father Burke stopped at the Italian parish in Port Chester and spoke to the pastor, Father Focacci, who promised that he would obtain an Italian priest for our parish. He immediately contacted Father Teresio DiMingo, who was serving in Capitola-by-the-Sea, California. Father DiMingo agreed to man St. Peter's and he arrived in Portland on May 19, 1927. (Official Chancery records indicate May 1, 1927 as the date Father DiMingo took the reins of our parish.)

Another era for St. Peter's parish began with the arrival of this saintly priest. Father DiMingo set himself the goal of organizing the Italians into a vital and enthusiastic community. He went personally from house to house soliciting funds for the building of a church large enough to house our growing Italian-American community. The response from the parishioners was gratifying, but the stock market crash and the Big Depression of 1929 reduced the necessary contributions and much money had to be returned to those who needed it. Doggedly and stubbornly, Father DiMingo continued the construction of the church using his own savings to make payments on demand. The construction bid was awarded to C. Galli & Sons, the architect was M. J. Mastrangelo and a loan of $60,000.00 was granted by the Maine Savings Bank. The church was dedicated by Bishop John Gregory Murray on Sunday August 17, 1929. Among the celebrities attending were the governor of Maine, William T. Gardiner, Judge Max Pinanski, the Honorable Ottavio D'Amato, Italian Consul from Boston and the speaker was Monsignor Anthony Bove. The dedication dinner at the Falmouth Hotel attracted more than 200 people. The festivities continued into the evening with a large fireworks display on the Eastern Promenade.

The new church, Father DiMingo said in his sermon, was built through the efforts of the adults of today and will serve them through their lives but that primarily it must stand as an inspiration to youth. Rivaling the dedication of the new church was the blessing of the cross made from fragments of the cross on which Christ died. Father DiMingo had received documentary evidence from the Cardinal of Milan that the cross which he had was made from a piece of the true cross. It is believed to be one of the few such crosses in the United States and was obtained by Father DiMingo, for St. Peter's Parish, at great personal sacrifice. One of the workmen reported that Father DiMingo placed an envelope behind the cornerstone of the church. Could this contain the documentary evidence attesting that this is indeed a relic of the original cross of Christ?

When next you enter the center door of St. Peter's Church, look up and you will see the letters "L & L". This is testimony, according to Monsignor DiMingo, that St. Peter's was designed for the family as these letters stand for the Latin equivalent meaning "Him and Her".

With our new church there was increased regular attendance for Sunday worship, novena to St. Anthony and St. Theresa on Tuesdays, St. Joseph on Wednesday and the Sacred Heart on Fridays. The church, during World War II, was filled as the people devoutly prayed for peace and for their loved ones in the service of the US or still living in Italy.

There was a succession of assistants to Father DiMingo. They included Father Ralph Corbeil (1937-1938), Father Rene J. Caouette (1938-1939), Father Maurice V. Goan (1939), Father Gelardo Palladino (1939-1943), Father R. A. Martineau, (1943-1944), Father Charles Ledoux (1945), and on March 15, 1945 Father DiMingo welcomed Father Joseph Romani to St. Peter's to stay in the parish on a temporary basis.

In October 1946, Bishop Joseph E. McCarthy incardinated Father Romani in the Diocese. As the workload grew, many activities were on-going in the field of religious education, the CCD program, discussion clubs, the Sodality of St. Theresa, and the Children of Mary. The Sacred Heart Sodality and the Holy Name Society flourished.

Father Mario Romani served as an assistant from July 1955 until 1958. Father Lawrence Sabatino, a native of Portland and of St. Peter's Parish, served as an assistant as well.

In 1954 the Holy Father, Pope Pius XII, recognized Father DiMingo as a commendable pastor and made him a Domestic Prelate with the title of Monsignor. This was also the year when Monsignor DiMingo launched his special apostolate of devotion to Jesus and Mary for the purpose of saving souls. His leaflet, "Jesus, Mary, I Love You; Save Souls," reached countless people all over the world.

In March 1960 fire damaged the St. Peter's Chapel. A Portland Press Herald picture appeared showing Father Romani carrying out the altar stone and other religious articles. Soon the chapel was repaired and devotions were going on as usual.

The year 1963 saw the completion of the new rectory. This was the second major construction project undertaken by Monsignor DiMingo. This time, he was able to call on Father Romani for assistance. The George DiMatteo Company was the contractor for the new rectory.

In 1967, after 40 years as pastor, Monsignor DiMingo retired due to age and failing health. Father Joseph Romani assumed the mantel of command on March 19, 1967. Monsignor DiMingo continued to reside at St. Peter's rectory.

St. Peter's continued to prosper under Father Romani. St. Peter's was fortunate to have this adaptable man at the helm when the Second Vatican Council decreed a series of changes in the Roman Catholic Church throughout the world.

In 1968 Father Romani directed the waterproofing and painting of the Church and in 1969 the Sanctuary was completely remodeled and the church interior redecorated. By 1974 time had taken its toll on the old Chapel and the church council, led by Father Romani, drew plans to raze the chapel and build a new hall. The demolition of the old chapel was done by Santino Viola and the George DiMatteo Co. constructed the new CCD facility. The hall was to be named after Monsignor Teresio DiMingo.

Unfortunately Monsignor DiMingo did not live to see the hall completed. On January 8, 1975 Monsignor DiMingo went to his reward and the entire parish mourned. Members of the Holy Name Society stood in quiet vigil as the parishioners viewed our beloved spiritual leader as he lay in state in the church he built. The funeral eulogy, delivered by Monsignor Cunneen, was a sterling tribute to Monsignor DiMingo.

After taking time out for the funeral, the construction of the new hall continued and on May 15, 1975 the new hall was dedicated by Bishop Edward C. O'Leary. The cost of the new hall was $122,257. Monsignor DiMingo had contributed $40,000 towards the project.

Much has happened here at St. Peter's in the years since 1979. There have been four new pastors and there has been numerous improvements to the Church itself. We are working on documenting this history. It will be recorded here when its completed and we ask you to check back to this site soon.