The Our Lady of Mount Carmel Festival turns 150

This is the first in a series of articles leading up to the 150th anniversary of the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Hammonton.

By Joseph F. Berenato

Special Contributor

HAMMONTON – On July 16, 1875, more than a decade before the town had its own Catholic parish, Italian immigrants in Hammonton met at the home of Antonio Capelli to pray to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, giving thanks for safe passage to the United States, for a successful harvest and for good fortune in the years to come.

On July 16, 2025, the town of Hammonton will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the longest-running Italian religious festival in the nation, which regularly draws tens of thousands of visitors and faithful alike.

The Our Lady of Mount Carmel Society (OLMC), established as an independent organization in 1905 to perpetuate the devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel and to ensure the continuation of the feast, has long partnered with the town’s parishes – consolidated into the Saint Mary of Mount Carmel Parish in 2010 – to ensure a successful Feast Week.

This year, both the parish and the OLMC have a slate of activities to celebrate the 150th anniversary.

In anticipation of the anniversary, the parish petitioned the Vatican to bestow upon Hammonton’s Our Lady of Mount Carmel statue the Canonical Coronation by a papal decree. The petition was granted earlier this month. Also known as Pontifical Coronation, this is a coronation of the venerated Marian image in the name and by authority of Pope Francis. In the case of Hammonton’s statue, the crown will be placed on the head of the child Jesus.

“It’s a sign of unity between Hammonton and the Holy Father, and a recognition of our devotion,” said Father David Rivera, pastor of Saint Mary of Mount Carmel Parish.

Additionally, the parish has commissioned Kathleen Pluth to write a new hymn for Our Lady of Mount Carmel, as well as Catholic composer Frank La Rocca to compose a Mass for the parish, as well as accompaniment for the hymn. The debut date will be determined.

The OLMC’s celebration kicked off March 8 at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Festival 150th Anniversary Celebration Dinner in Winslow Township.

The parish is hosting monthly devotionals in honor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, including “Carmelite Spirituality: Igniting the Fire Within,” with Father Peter Gallagher on March 18; “Carmelite Saints: Elizabeth of the Trinity,” with Father Cesar Pirateque on April 8; “Carmelite Saints: The Carmelite Martyrs of Compiègne,” with Father Stephen Robbins on May 13, and “Our Lady of Mount Carmel for Our Times,” with Father Logan Nilsen on June 10. Each of these will be held at 7 p.m. at Saint Anthony of Padua Church, 285 Route 206.

The OLMC will continue the gear-up to Feast Week at their hall, located at 1 Mount Carmel Lane, with a spring concert May 17 to commemorate the 150th anniversary, featuring Dick Fox’s The Golden Boys, starring Frankie Avalon, Fabian and Tommy Cono.

On May 30, the parish will host the Choir of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception for a Marian concert at Saint Joseph’s Church, 226 French St.

A Solemn Novena will begin at Saint Joseph’s Church on July 7, concluding July 15. This will feature guest priests Father Anthony J. Manuppella from Saint Gianna Beretta Molla Parish, Northfield; Father Jeffrey Kirby from Our Lady of Grace Parish in Indian Land, S.C., and Father Joseph Carola, SJ, from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

“Each of them will preach for three nights of the Solemn Novena,” Father Rivera said.

On June 28, the OLMC will hold a private Mass at the monument erected in 1975 at the site of the first celebration on Pine Road.

On July 13 at 4 p.m., the OLMC will take part in the second annual Running of the Sandwiches, featuring mascot characters of Sausage and Peppers, Meatballs, Red Roast Beef, and Roast Pork and Broccoli Rabe competing in a footrace, to be held at the Sons of Italy Giuseppe Garibaldi Lodge 1658, located at 427 N. Third St.

That evening, beginning at 8:30 p.m., there will be a drone show – featuring 300 drones chronicling the story of the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel – and a fireworks display at Hammonton High School, 566 Old Forks Road.

The Feast Week itself will run from July 14-19, with daily festivities, starting at 5 p.m. each night, at both the Mount Carmel Grounds and Saint Joseph’s Church. There will be food, live entertainment and midway rides and games.

For the Feast Day on July 16, there will be Masses at Saint Joseph’s Church throughout the day, including a Mass for OLMC members at 8 a.m., a Mass in Italian at 10 a.m., a Mass in Spanish at noon and a Mass in English at 2 p.m.

The OLMC will begin its day with a private gathering at the Pine Road monument, then process to several locations throughout the town – including Hammonton Town Hall for the raising of the Italian flag – before getting ready for the centerpiece of the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the Procession of the Saints.

The procession will begin at 4 p.m. at Saint Joseph’s Church; there will be a Mass following its conclusion at 6:30 p.m. The day will conclude with a fireworks display later that evening.

The Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel will conclude July 19 with a third fireworks display to close out the 150th anniversary celebration.

“We’ve been planning this for six years. It’s going to be a feast like you’ve never seen,” said Frank Italiano, OLMC vice president.

For more information, visit OLMC150.com.