SAINT LUCY
Feast Day: December 13
Dates: 283 - 304
Patron Saint of blindness
An early Christian martyr who died under the emperor Diocletian's persecution, Lucy's name derives from the Latin word "lux" meaning "light." Little is known about her for certain, but there are many legends. One is that she was a wealthy young woman who refused a pagan suitor who denounced her and plucked out her eyes.
St. Lucy is one of the women commemorated in the Canon of the Mass.
OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL ORATORY, CLEVELAND, 1936
Established in 1936 to serve the growing Italian-Catholic community in Luna Park District of Cleveland, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church initially was a vision of St. Marian Parish. The community, then secured property on East 110th Street Ingersoll Road (now Mount Carmel Road) on which it hoped to erect its campus. In 1938, at the request of the Federal Housing Authority, the community abandoned work on the project and sold the property. Securing a nearby plot at Garfield Avenue and Ingersoll Road (now Notre Dame Avenue and Mount Carmel Road), the community began work on an English-Gothic Church, in which it celebrated its first Mass at midnight on Christmas, 1939. To lead the community, Bishop Joseph Schrembs appointed Father William O'Donnell, D., a graduate of the Athenaeum Urbanum in Rome, first pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish. During the early years, Father O'Donnell was supported by assistant pastor, Father William Sullivan and four Sisters of the Most Holy Trinity, who maintained the church building and taught catechism classes.
Saint Lucy
After enduring the difficult years of the Second World War, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish looked forward to an extended period of growth. Tragedy struck the parish, however, in June 1949, when a fire severely damaged the church. Rallying together, its members spearheaded a campaign which culminated in the rededication of the church in 1950 - an event which coincided with the opening of Our Lady of Mount Carmel School under the action of the Sisters of Notre Dame. In 1961, Father O'Donnell left the parish and was succeeded by Monsignor Francis Cacciacarro. While the arch's two large bells remained in storage, falling membership and financial considerations forced the community to postpone the construction a new belfry. In the late-1960s, the project finally was abandoned. After six us of leading the parish through myriad struggles, Monsignor Cacciacarro turned over its administration to Father Nazareno D'Angelis on July 1, 1967. During the 1970s, the parish's pastors Father James V. Ragnoni (1973-1974) and Father Frank C. LaRocca (1974-1977) continued to struggle with the problem of shrinking parish membership.
While the parish made preparations to welcome its last pastor, Father Thomas J. Luckay, it undertook the difficult task of closing its school. Over the next twelve years, a small, committed group of parishioners struggled to preserve the traditions and heritage of the community in the face of mounting financial difficulties. In 1990, Bishop Anthony M. Pilla recognized their dedication and appointed long time parishioner, Mrs. Rose M. Criniti, parish administrator. Following Fr. Luckay's departure in February 1990, rumors surfaced regarding the parish's closure. In 1991, the community prevented any further plans to close the church, receiving special diocesan designation as an oratory. While it must secure the services of visiting priests, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Oratory keeps alive the traditions of its Italian-Catholic founders, celebrating Mass every Sunday and sponsoring a variety of social functions.