Fr. John G. Masiello, SDB (1929-2020)
 |
| At the province jubilees celebration in 2008 |
Fr. John George Masiello, SDB, died at Seasons Hospice in Tampa on Saturday afternoon, October 24. He was 91 and had several medical ailments, including most recently a positive Covid test. He had been a professed Salesian for 72 years and a priest for 62 years.
John Masiello was born in Grantwood, N.J., on June
19, 1929, to Pasquale and Maria Costanza Giorgio Masiello. He was baptized at
Epiphany Church in Grantwood on June 15, 1930. The family later settled in St.
Albans, Queens, where John was confirmed at St. Catherine of Sienna Church in
1940. He was an altar boy as a teenager.
After his high school graduation, John entered the
Salesian seminary at Don Bosco College in Newton, N.J., in 1946, entered the
novitiate in 1947 at Newton, professed religious vows on September 8, 1948. Three
years of philosophy studies followed, and he was awarded his B.A. degree in
1951.
Bro. John did his practical training by teaching,
coaching, and assisting the pupils at Mary Help of Christians School in Tampa
in 1951-1953 and at Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, N.J., in 1953-1954. He made his
perpetual vows at Newton in 1954.
He studied theology at the Salesian Pontifical Athenaeum in Turin for one year and at Salesian College in Aptos, Calif., from 1955 to 1958. He was ordained in Newton on June 13, 1958.
 |
| This pic of the newly ordained Fr. John seems to have been in Father's personal collection; it was used at a jubilee celebration in Tampa. |
Fr. John earned a master of library science degree
in 1964 from St. John’s University (Queens, N.Y.) and a master of pastoral
counseling degree in 1978 from Iona College (New Rochelle, N.Y.).
Many years of Salesian ministry in schools followed. Fr. John was prefect of studies for a year at Don Bosco Juniorate in Haverstraw (1958-1959), then catechist (campus minister) and teacher at Mary Help in Tampa for five years (1959-1964). The Salesians provided Sunday Masses at various parishes in the Tampa area, and in Brandon Fr. John became a close friend of your humble blogger’s family. Our home was a couple of hundred yards down the street from the church, and we’d often have him over for lunch after the 2d parish Mass. (We hosted all the visiting priests—the pastor lived in Plant City, so there wasn’t a rectory—Salesians, Redemptorists, and Benedictines at various times.) There was also a connection with Fr. John because Dad was from Rosedale, Queens, close by St. Albans. As I was an altar boy, I often, happily, served Fr. John’s Masses, which in later years he was happy to brag about. He also began “recruiting” me for the junior seminary in Goshen. When Dad put the kibosh on my going so far away in 1962, Fr. John hurriedly got me enrolled at Mary Help of Christians for 9th grade. We all developed closer relationships with the Salesians thru that experience. And off to Goshen I sent for 10th grade.
 |
| Your humble blogger and Fr. John, 2008 |
From Tampa Fr. John moved on to Don Bosco Tech in
Boston for two years (1964-1966), still as catechist and teacher. In 1966 he
was appointed director of Salesian High School in New Rochelle, where he served
for six years, also teaching and mentoring many young Salesians. He oversaw the
enlargement of the school with the addition of two classroom floors above the
chapel and the rise in enrollment to nearly 500 boys.
In his 15 years as a middle school and high school
teacher, at different times Fr. John taught religion, English, history, and
Latin; coached tennis and basketball; handled the library. His schoolwork
continued for one more year (1972-1973) with an appointment as the province’s delegate
for religious education in the schools while residing at the Marian Shrine in
Haverstraw.
Fr. John remained at Haverstraw for six more years
(1973-1979), becoming the second coordinator of the new Don Bosco Retreat House,
specializing in youth retreats.
With his pastoral counseling degree in hand, in
1979 Fr. John took on a new “career” as a parish priest; it would last 28 years
and take him to four of the province’s parishes. He served as pastor of Corpus
Christi in Port Chester, N.Y., twice (1979-1988 and 1991-1994); at Immaculate
Heart of Mary in Mahwah, N.J. (1999-2002); and at St. Kieran in Miami
(2002-2005), where he was also director of the Miami Salesian community. He was
assistant pastor thrice at St. Anthony Church in Elizabeth, N.J. (1988-1991,
1994-1999, and 2005-2007). He found parochial ministry very fulfilling, and his
parishioners truly appreciated him.
In Port Chester he had the challenge of filling
the shoes of the venerable Fr. Peter Rinaldi upon his retirement after 29
years, and (according to parishioner James Gambino) he did so with “enduring
fortitude, wisdom, dedication, and love for the people.” He expanded religious
and social programs in the parish, involved the youths of the parish in liturgy
and other forms of prayer as well as in social activities, and coordinated the
parish’s demographics as the village’s population changed due to new patterns
of immigration.
At age 78 came another change: back to Tampa as
part of the community of semi-retired confreres at St. Philip the Apostle
Residence. Fr. John remained active for several years by assisting with parish
Masses, preaching retreats, and hearing confessions. Eventually health problems
put an end to that.
One former Salesian, Kevin Brophy, sent this note:
“I didn’t know him personally but
his reputation was impeccable.”
Well into his senior years, Fr. John retained his
enthusiasm: “The Salesian vocation has been the best! Fifty years of priesthood [as of 2008] have
passed quickly and with a variety of priestly experiences. It was never
boring!”
Survivors included his brother Gerard and various cousins, nieces, and nephews.
No comments:
Post a Comment