The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-07-20
WHY MAZLOT9A LEFT
Serious Charges Against
the Late Pastor of Our
Lady of Carmel.
REMOVED BY BISHOP WlGGER.
The Church Stripped Of its VaIua-
bles = Collection Money
Absorbed Where is Hep
REMOVED BY BISHOP wlGGER

The sudden aud somewhat mysterious
exit from the city few days ago of th 9 |
Rev. Father Mazziotta. Pastor of the |
Italian Catholic Church of the Holy |
Rosary on Sixth street, has given rise to |
much speculation as to the cause Of his |
leaving.
The reason which has been generally |
accepted up to this time was that there
was an Indebtedness upon the church of |
$4,000, and having unsuccessfuly ex-
hausted every effort to raise the money |
TO pay even the interest on the mort |
cages and seeming no beJter prospect for |
the future, he had become discouraged
Later developments place the reverend |
gentleman and his Disappearance in |
different light IL is now said ne left the |
city by order of Bishop Wigger--and for
good cause. The manner OF his going |
was peculiar. Though he had been
Pastor of the Italian Church for six
years, he never said word of
farewell to a single one of the parishiou-
ers. Having employed men to strip the
rectory in which he lived of nearly all its
furniture and household good which, 1t
Is alleged. belonged to the church, he
had them carted away in the night, even
taking from; the church the articles used
in the sacred ceremonies, statuary and
other things of value, necessitatiug the
borrowing from St. Bridget's Church for
last MONDAYS services, during the feast
OF Our Lady of Mount Carmel, many
requirements for the masses.
A PARIsHIoNER'S STATEMENT
The above charges were yesterday made
to a reporter of The JERSEY CITY NEWS
by leading member and officer of the
church and can be relied upon as authen-
tic. This person has been undoubtedly
the most liberal contributor the church
hn Tau ant of
current expenses, but In presenting
valuable articles for It's adornment. He
has also loaned money for its relief in
cases of emergency. He added 10 the
above facts avery startling statement.
He said the church indebtedness was
not believed to be $4,000, but only about
$4,000. Father MazziotCa never COM
planned TO the churcn officers, he said, In
regard to the Indebtedness or his in
ability to raise the money to pay il. He
assumed full control in all matters per-
tanning to the church. especially that of
the finances, of which he took the
utmost care, taking all for himself and
the church deriving no benefit from its
income.
mo wonder" said THE NEWS inform
ant, 'the church was III debt, for not a
cent was devoted to the payment of it's |
obligations. The father took all the
collections, which amounted to from $40 |
to $50 on Sundays, as we'll as very cou- |
siderable income from marriages, which |
We're not few. he officiating at no less
than three or four every Sunday during !
the winter months. The christening con- |
trtbutiuns came in continually, TOO.
Besides these which together pro-
vided him with plenty OF means he had I
another and very strange source of in |
come Working upon the confidence !
and respect his people reposed |
in him he required them when /
cOmOalla6 fnenF funQral
to pay over their money to him on the |
plea that he could have the required |
services rendered for far less money than
would De charged them. l now hear |
many charges that he kept the whole of |
the monev, aud certain undertaken, |
whom he employed in such cases. is
sufferer through his failure to pay over
what he had received, TO the amount of
over one thousand dollars"
HIGH LIVING.
The reporters informant further
stated that Father MazziotLa was high
liver, indulging In all the Injuries on-
tainable, and his household expenses |
were large, af he kept about him half a
dozen OF more attendants, both male and |
female for whose support and |
payment he provined. 1t is
also asserted that during his SIX
years control of this church be sent TO
Italy $1,000 for the purchase of property
there, which together with his other ex-
penses, made more Of a drain upon him |
than he could stand from any legitimate
ptrsonal income he had.
The report that the sparted priest has I
left this country and is on his way to
Italy, is stated by those most familiar
with his doiugs. 10 be untrue. Both he |
and the furniture ana other church |
property removed, have, it Is said, been |
traced to New York where he is said |
to be living. One of the attendants whom
he emploved ut the rectory here is said 60
be living with him. Interested parties |
are daily endeavoring to locate HIM. with
the intention. it his whereabouts are dis /
covered, of appealing to the law.
The church is now In the hands of |
Sheriff Stanton. who allows the holding
OF the usual services. The Rev. Father
Mooney of st. Mary's Church Is in charge
having been placed there by the Bishop |
temporarily. The Sheriff has advertised |
the church building to be sold on
August II to secure the payment of judg- |
menis issued against it for the benefit Of |
the creditors but an effort win be made |
by the church officers to pay or compro- |
mise the claims and retain it in their |
possession.
One leading member some time ago |
presented to the church statuary costing |
$3.50. with the understanding that at any
time he severed his connection with IL |
he would be at liberty to take with him |
that which he had put in. He is taking
steps to secure this property before the
sale OF the building.
FATHER MONEYS STATEMENT.
Father Mooney, when Interviewed con-
cerning the above statements at noon +
to day by a JERSEY CITY NEWS reporter,
said:
ut is true that Father Mszziotta did
not leave the church OF his own volition
He receive notice on Tuesday from the l
Bishop In letter which be showed to
me that because OF his failure to manage
successfully the finances of the church
he must leave the premises on the
day following. The dismissal was
purely for Mismanagement of the
money affairs OF the church. There was |
no charge whatever of crimipal indul-
gences. II is indeed true that some OF
the furniture of the rectory was |
carted away. But l have since re-
ceived word from Father MazEiotta that
this was done without his command.
As TO whether he was q high liver,
pocketed the funds OF the church, and
other questions which you ask me, cam
not answer. as have no personal know
ledge In that direction.
1.-The statement that the church IS In
the hands OF the Sheriff may be techpi-
cally true, but that II will be- sold by i
pubic auction Is by no means probable
The Bishop will certainly provide for
the emergency. 1he statement
that the debt resting upon
the church property Ia only $4,000, / am
ann 81 Ia fnnnnrAat Rafhar Naaotn,x. |