Buon anniversario!
March 18, 1894 — Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church is founded.
Fr. Mariano Lepore
In 1891, Michele Notary and Giacomo DiGiacomo founded the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Society, Denver’s first Italian-Catholic organization. With the society’s help, Father Mariano Felice Lepore was able to buy land on Palmer Avenue (now Navajo Street) between 35th and 36th Avenues. There they built the first Mount Carmel Church. The first church burned down 4 years later; however, the community was not discouraged. They would build a bigger, grander church and dedicate it in 1904.
On the first page of the first book of baptismal records, in Father Lepore’s own handwriting, it reads: “Dedicata la chiesa Italiana il giorno delle Palme, 18 Marzo, 1894.” The Italian Church dedicated on Palm Sunday, March 18, 1894.
A little over a month prior to the first dedication, the newspaper Colorado Catholic published an article describing the Italian colony’s progress. The following is excerpted from that article:
For many years the conditions of the Italian colony of Denver, upwards of 3,000 in number, has not been a cause of edification from the standpoint of Catholicism. Neither has their condition been such as to obtain for themselves as great a degree of respect as, under other conditions, they might hope to obtain. Spiritually, the Italians have been utterly neglected, and naturally the result has been deplorable …
… The Colorado Catholic has maintained its belief that whenever an intelligent and sincere effort would be made to bring the 3,000 Italians of this city back to the church, the attempt would be crowned with success.
It is therefore a great satisfaction to record that the work of Father Lapore [sic] among his Italian fellow countrymen is being crowned with a rich and abundant harvest…The Italian people have flocked about him, listened to his voice, and during a two weeks’ mission which he conducted among them at St. Patrick’s church was filled to overflowing and hundreds of Italians received the sacraments, joyous and glad that, after many years, a priest had come among them who sought only the salvation of their souls.
Already a new church has been begun for these people and there is no doubt that with the elevation of their spiritual life they will be quickly elevated to the social respect to which, in common with all American citizens, they are entitled in this community.Colorado Catholic, February 15, 1894
Read the full article here (page 4).
Grazie di cuore a tutti! We look forward to many more years serving Denver’s Catholic community.