Parish History
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TITLE AND DATE OF ORIGIN
St. Anthony's Parish was established in 1904 by Bishop Charles H. Colto of Buffalo. The church property was acquired from Mr. & Mrs. Salvatore Muscarelli and Charles Johnt. The church was named after the beloved patron of Italy, St. Anthony of Padua because of the sizeable number of Italian immigrants settling in the area near the turn of the century.
The official name and address is "Saint Anthony's Roman Catholic Church Society" of Farnham, New York .
St. Anthony's was founded from the Catholic population of Most Precious Blood living in this area. It's pastor, Rev. Richard Burke, organized Catholic families in Farnham who vigorously supported him in the construction of the parish church and rectory which were started March 29, 1904. The property was purchased for $2100.00.TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENTSaint Anthony's Parish was originally formed from the Most Precious Blood Parish of Angola, New York . Its original boundaries were Lake Erie , Cattaraugus Creek, Southwestern Boulevard, and Cain Road . There have been no additions made to the original boundaries. There have been no transfers of territory from the parish.
The parish at Silver Creek was attended from Farnham from 1904-1908.CHURCH PROPERTYShortly after 1900 a number of Italian families came to Farnham. The Reverend Richard, Burke, who was then Pastor at Angola , organized them as a parish in 1904. He built a Church and Rectory, and was the first one to say Mass there.
The property is located at Commercial and Perry Streets. It was originally purchased from Salvatore Muscarelli at cost of $2100.00. The construction of the buildings began March 29, 1904 under the Stokes Brothers. The architect was Albert A. Post. The construction of the wooden Church cost $2500.00.
The first Rectory at Farnham , New York was built in 1904, the same time as the Church. The construction of the first Rectory in 1904 was under the Stokes Brothers, with Albert A. Post as the architect. In 1925 a disastrous fire occurred which reduced the Church, Convent and Rectory to ruins. Father Patrick Rogers rebuilt the Church and Rectory at a cost of about $25,000.00. In 1934, Father Edward Fitzhenry added a second story to the Rectory at a cost of $6,000.00.CATHOLIC POPULATIONThere were originally 75 families in the parish. The predominant nationality is Italian. The outstanding lay pioneers associated with the early history, of the parish are as follows: Cristenzio MeliJoseph FadaleFrank CaccamiseAlphonso LucerkTony VillaPetro VillaPizzolantiOrazio QuaglianoMangusoSalvatore LeoneJames DeMarcoCosimo MsscarellaFrancis VacanteParmelo MortoranoJames DispenceMichael KennyJoseph GeraceJoseph FalzoneFrancis CelluffoThomas MarshallJohn De MarcoAntonio QuaglianoJames SpratzGus MangusoFrank FallettaFrank DiPasqualeSalvatore MuscarellaJoseph ChristopherNunzio ChristopherIgnatio CristanteSalvatore BorizilleriMichael ChristopherRosalino LettoJrazio LeoneLouis GiambroaeJames SorceJames Spratz -
About our Patron saint
Anthony was born in 1195 near Lisbon, and given the name Ferdinand. He was sent to the cathedral school in Lisbon, but at the age of 15 joined the Canons Regular of St. Augustine. He moved to Coimbra, near Lisbon, and over the next eight years he devoted himself to study of theology and scripture.
After a group of Franciscan martyrs whom Ferdinand had briefly met were returned to Coimbra as martyrs, Ferdinand was determined to become a missionary and a martyr. He left the Augustinians to join the Franciscan Order. He received permission to go to Morocco as a missionary, but was forced by illness to return home. He was stationed in a small hermitage in Italy, where he prayed, studied, and performed menial duties.
One day, the preacher at an ordination ceremony failed to appear. No one else was prepared to speak, and the duty was given to Ferdinand, now known as Anthony. Those gathered where astonished by Anthony's knowledge of scripture and theology and his skill as a speaker. He was soon appointed as a traveling preacher. In years to come he travelled throughout Italy and France. A major aspect of his preaching was to combat the heresies of the day. He also criticized weakness and corruption in the clergy and greed and tyranny in society. Anthony also became the first friar to teach theology to the other friars.
During Lent in 1231, Anthony was preaching in Padua. After Easter, Anthony set out with two companions for a friend's estate near the city. On the way, they made Anthony a cell in a walnut tree by binding the branches together. Later that spring he died, on the way back to Padua.
Anthony should be the patron of those who find their lives completely uprooted and sent in a new and unexpected direction. Like all saints, he is a perfect example of turning one's life completely over to Christ. God did with Anthony as he pleased - and what he pleased was a life of spiritual power and brilliance that still attracts admiration today. He, whom popular devotion has nominated as finder of lost objects, found himself by losing himself totally to the providence of God.
-- Leonard Foley, O.F.M.
Feast Day: June 13th
