Preserving Southern Italian Religious Art at St. Rita’s Church in Staten Island, New York

Our Lady of Purgatory 

I can’t begin to tell you how happy I was to learn that Fr. Eugene J. Carrella, Pastor of St. Rita’s Church (281 Bradley Ave.) in Staten Island, New York, was able to save the statues of Our Lady of Purgatory and St. Michael the Archangel from obscurity. Once part of the extraordinary collection of statues that once graced now-closed St. Joseph’s Church in Chinatown, New York, the two works of sacred art were among my favorites to pray before (due to my devotions to the Poor and Forgotten Souls in Purgatory and the Prince of the Heavenly Host) whenever I attended Mass there. In fact, I purposely sat beneath the statue of St. Michael during my very first Mass at that church.

St. Michael the Archangel

Unlike the incredibly beautiful statues of San Rocco, San Vincenzo, San Giovanni Battista, the Madonna delle Grazie and the Madonna della Stella, who were relocated in 2015 to Most Precious Blood Church in Little Italy, and St. Anthony of Padua Church in the South Village, New York, the two were safely stored in a church warehouse on Staten Island.* Afraid they would be forgotten like so many others, I often wondered what would become of them [and the statue of St. Jude, which remains a mystery].

Now that I know they have a new home, I look forward to visiting them again soon and praying for the rejection of heresies within the church and in reparation for church closings and the insults and blasphemies against Our Lord Jesus Christ.

God Bless Fr. Carrella and his mission to preserve and promote Southern Italian devotional art. Anyone interested in viewing Father’s awe-inspiring collection of religious artifacts and relics should reach out to him. You will not be disappointed.

(Above & below) The statues are prepared for the move

(Above & below) Our Lady of Purgatory at St. Joseph's Church

(Above & below) St. Michael at St. Joseph's Church

[*] In 2023 the statues of San Giovanni Battista and the Madonna della Stella were moved from St. Anthony of Padua Church to Most Precious Blood Church.

Also see:

• A Look at Our Grand Tour of the Church of St. Rita in Staten Island, New York (Part 1)
• Bittersweet Move: The Translation of the Relic of San Vincenzo and Society Statues to Most Precious Blood Church in Little Italy, New York