History of Saint Anthony of Padua Parish in SoHo, NYC

The origins of our parish can be traced back to a request made by the Bishop of New York, His Excellency the Most Reverend John McCloskey, to the Franciscan Friars of the St. Anthony of Padua Custody in Buffalo, New York, represented by their Custos, Fr. Panfilo of Magliano, O.F.M.
This request came in response to the large influx of Italian immigrants arriving through the ports of New York City. The Franciscans were therefore asked to establish a church where pastoral care could be provided to the newly arrived Italian immigrants, many of whom were settling in Lower Manhattan. The Franciscans responded to this request by sending Fr. Leo Pacilio, O.F.M., who became the first pastor of the parish. He undertook the task of organizing the new faith community by renting an abandoned Methodist church located on Sullivan Street and adapting it for Catholic rites.

On April 10, 1866, the church was blessed and officially opened under the patronage of Saint Anthony of Padua. It became the first parish in the United States established specifically to serve Italian immigrants. From its earliest days, however, the parish also included a significant Irish population, and therefore it was a diverse and multicultural community from the very beginning.

By 1874, the parish had established a school where instruction was offered in both English and Italian. The Franciscan Sisters of Allegany were invited to staff the school, and for decades they served the children and families of the parish with dedication and commitment.

The 1880s brought extraordinary growth to Saint Anthony of Padua Parish. This growth led the pastor at the time, Fr. Anacletus De Angelis, O.F.M., to purchase an old brewery located between Sullivan and Thompson Streets, immediately adjacent to the original church. His vision was to construct a larger and more suitable church that
could respond to the growing pastoral needs of the community. The architect commissioned for the project was Arthur Crooks, who designed numerous churches in New York and Connecticut. The new church was built in a
modified Romanesque style, which was very popular in Italy at the time. The building was designed with three naves, including a central nave.

The construction of the new church was made possible in large part through the efforts of the parishioners themselves. They formed a true partnership of collaboration and sacrifice, working together not only to build the new church but
also to strengthen their community of faith. The new church was solemnly dedicated on June 10, 1888. Throughout the years, the parish continued to grow in its life of faith, charity, and education. By the 1920s, Saint Anthony of Padua Parish had a remarkable number of lay associations and confraternities, including the Venerable Third Order of Saint Francis, the Confraternity of the Cord, the Daughters of Mary, the Temperance Confraternity for the Irish parishioners, the Italian Benevolent Society, the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, the Explorers Society, the Purgatorial Society, the Holy Name Society, the Saint Anthony Recreation Society, the Holy Rosary Society, the Catholic Knights Society, and the Sodality of the Guardian Angels. Among these organizations, the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul deserves special
recognition for its extraordinary service to families in need.
For decades, these groups lived out their faith within our church, sharing together in hope, faith, and charity. Through their witness, a vibrant community was built in Lower Manhattan—a spiritual home where the Franciscan spirit of fraternity and humility could be experienced and lived.

Our parish also preserves the inspiring witness of priests such as Fr. Richard Fagan, O.F.M. In 1838, when the friary caught fire, he was moved by charity and gave his life while attempting to save the lives of his brother friars who were living there. More than 5,000 people attended his funeral. Years later, a park was established in his memory just a few blocks from our parish, at Sixth Avenue and Prince Street.
In the years that followed, our parish was continually blessed by the pastoral ministry of generations of Franciscan Friars of the St. Anthony of Padua Province of New York. With energy, dedication, and creativity, these friars served and guided the faith community of our beloved parish. Throughout its history, Saint Anthony of Padua Parish has sought to remain faithful to its mission in three fundamental ways:
 Serving in Faith: through the celebration of the Sacraments, spiritual life, and the human and integral formation of our parishioners.
 Serving in Charity: through service to the poor, the vulnerable, and those in need throughout our city.
 Being a Place of Communion: a welcoming home where all are received as brothers and sisters in faith

Pastors of Saint Anthony of Padua Parish
1. Fr. Leo Pacilio, O.F.M.
2. Fr. Gilbert Nuonno, O.F.M.
3. Fr. Joachim Guernini, O.F.M.
4. Fr. James Titta, O.F.M.
5. Fr. Anacletus De Angelis, O.F.M.
6. Fr. Julius Arcese, O.F.M.
7. Fr. Athanasius Butelli, O.F.M.
8. Fr. Anacletus De Angelis, O.F.M.
9. Fr. Ubaldus Maravalle, O.F.M.
10. Fr. Ubaldus Pandolfi, O.F.M.
11. Fr. Ubaldus Maravalle, O.F.M. (again)
12. Fr. Cherubino Viola, O.F.M.
13. Fr. Ludovic Foppiano, O.F.M.
14. Fr. Cherubino Viola, O.F.M.
15. Fr. Aniceto Silvioni, O.F.M.
16. Fr. James Merighi, O.F.M.
17. Fr. Sixtus Lagorio, O.F.M.
18. Fr. Romano Simoni, O.F.M.
19. Fr. Sixtus Brambilla, O.F.M.
20. Fr. Aniceto Silvioni, O.F.M.
21. Fr. Virgil Liucci, O.F.M.
22. Fr. Thomas DeLuca, O.F.M.
23. Fr. Vincent Mele, O.F.M.
24. Fr. Arthur Lattanzi, O.F.M.
25. Fr. Thomas Nicastro, O.F.M.
26. Fr. Roderick Crispo, O.F.M.
27. Fr. Felician Napoli, O.F.M.
28. Fr. Paul Rotondi, O.F.M.
29. Fr. Patrick Boyle, O.F.M.
30. Fr. Daniel Morey, O.F.M.
31. Fr. Simeone Di Stefano, O.F.M.
32. Fr. Joseph Lorenzo O.F.M
33. Fr. Mario Julian, O.F.M.
34. Fr. Michael Corcione, O.F.M. — Present Pastor

Today, 160 years after the founding of our parish, Saint Anthony of Padua Church in SoHo, NYC, remains a vibrant faith community seeking to respond to the invitation that Jesus gave to Saint Francis of Assisi at St Damiano Church in Assisi: “Rebuild My Church.”

Gathered together around the altar, we give thanks to God and seek to serve others with unconditional love—the same love with which God loves each and every one of
us. After 160 years, our parish continues to be a place of faith, fraternity, charity, and welcome. 

Rooted in its Franciscan heritage and enriched by generations of immigrants (Italian, Irish, Portuguese) and parishioners, Saint Anthony of Padua remains a spiritual home in the heart of Lower Manhattan, continuing its mission to proclaim the Gospel, celebrate the Sacraments, serve those in need, and welcome all as brothers and sisters in Christ.