A Look at Our Grand Tour of the Church of St. Rita in Staten Island, New York (Part 1)

Large Crucifix above the main altar

The Church of St. Rita

Recently invited to the Church of St. Rita in Staten Island, New York, we were warmly welcomed by members of the congregation and given a personal tour of the church and rectory by Father Eugene J. Carrella. A vital sanctuary for rescued religious statuary, with an emphasis on Italian American devotional sculpture, the rectory has been transformed by Father Carrella into a veritable museum and ossuary abounding with his private collection of sacred artifacts.

Father Carrella with the statue
of the Madonna degli Angeli

In addition to the statues, Father Carrella has also assembled one of the largest collections of saints’ relics I’ve seen in North America. Vying in size with the itinerant Treasures of the Church exposition, the awe-inspiring collection is possibly second only to the incomparable St. Anthony Chapel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

As with any large-scale exhibit of quality and importance, a day was not enough time to adequately take it all in. For example, we did not get to see his vast collection of vintage holy cards; however, we will take Father up on his gracious offer to come back again for a more in-depth look.

A perfect conclusion to our visit, we joined parishioners in the Adoration Chapel for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction. The church offers the Rite of Eucharistic Exposition and Benediction from Monday to Friday after the 9:00 am Mass to 5:00 pm.

We cannot thank Father Carrella enough for the unique opportunity to view in person these hallowed treasures, as well as venerate our glorious saints and worship our Lord Jesus Christ. May Santa Rita, Santa Lucia and Sant'Eugenio watch over him.

See Part 2: Father's Residence

See Part 3: The Rectory

(L) Santi Cosma e Damiano. (R) Madonna del Carmine

Cristo Morto

(L) Santa Rita da Cascia. (R) Sant'Anna

Adoration Chapel 

(L) Madonna del Soccorso. (R) Our Lady of Vailankanni 

(L) San Camillo de Lellis. (R) San Giuseppe Moscati

San Michele Arcangelo

Basement

(L) Cristo Re. (R) Santa Caterina da Siena

(L) St. Emeric of Hungary. (L) St. Mariana de Jesús de Paredes

The Hall of Saints

(L) San Giuliano Martire. (R) San Marziale Martire

(L) Madonna degli Angeli. (R) San Giorgio Martire

(L) Madonna dell'Arco. (R) Sant'Erasmo Martire

(L) San Giovanni da Capistrano. (R) Olot statue of the Madonna dei Martiri

Before and After: Father had the weathered statue of San Gennaro restored

(L-R) San Gregorio Magno, San Biagio Martire and Sant'Alfonso de Liguori

(L) San Donato di Arezzo. (R) Papier-mâché statue of San Ciro di Alessandria

(L) Santa Rosalia. (R) San Pietro

Santa Benedetta Martire, protettrice di Monacilioni

(L) Holy Name of Jesus. (L) Unknown Saint

Madonna del Carmine above the flames of Purgatory.
(R) Beato Giacomo da Bitetto

(L) San Sebastiano. (R) San Bartolomeo

(L) San Giovanni Battista. (R) Sant'Irene di Tessalonica

(L) Madonna dell'Altomare. (R) Picture of San Placido 

(L) Holy Archangels icon. (R) Santa Maria di Costantinopoli