UNITED STATES/PHILLIPPINES DELEGATION
Adorno Fathers Foundation for the
United States & Philippines Delegation
(A Brief History)
In 2012 the U.S. and Philippines Delegation elected Fr. Teodoro Kalaw their newest Superior Delegate, it now being his responsibility for this growing segment of the Adorno Fathers.
When assuming this new responsibility, Fr Ted expressed his concern for the financial well being of the Delegation to a couple of Parishioners from Jesus Our Risen Savior Catholic Church in Spartanburg, SC. Those parishioners were Jim Painter and Ed Hedbloom.
At that time the Delegation was responsible for the following Parishes: St Joseph’s Lodi, NJ – Immaculate Conception Goose Creek, SC and Jesus Our Risen Savior Spartanburg, SC. (In 2015 St. Anne & St. Jude in Sumter, SC were added). The Seminary in Ramsey, NJ, the Seminary in Vinzons Philippines and the Theology House Lipa Philippines also fell under his capable direction.
The question of how best to materially help the Adorno US & Philippine Delegation was answered with the decision to form a Foundation. Through the Foundation we hoped to be able to assist both the retired Adorno priests and the Seminarians.
With guidance and legal direction from Mr. Michael Pack of the law firm Dennis, Shaw & Drennan, LLC in Spartanburg, SC the Adorno Fathers Foundation was incorporated and received its non-profit status from the State of South Carolina (April 2013) and the Internal Revenue Service (501(c) 3) (September 2013).
The fledgling Foundation was soon asked for help with the rebuilding of the recently constructed Theology House in Lipa Philippines due to its significant destruction by Typhoon Glenda in July 2014. The Foundation was able to contribute $70,000 for reconstruction thanks to the grace of God and the extreme generosity of many parishioners and other friends of the Adorno Fathers.
Other recent significant grants to the Adorno US and Philippine Delegation have been made by the Foundation as well.
In August of 2016 a grant was made in the amount of $35,000 to cover the costs of room additions and bathroom facilities for additional retired priests and fire escape construction necessary to bring the Seminary building in Ramsey, NJ to proper conditions and building codes.
St Michaels House of Formation in Ramsey was found to be in need of extensive repairs in September of 2017. These included but were not limited to mold remediation, additional bed rooms and bathrooms to house more incoming seminarians, replacing carpet in the chapel and repairs in the kitchen area, both of which see significant use. Since the building is over 40 years old and is heavily used the grant was approved in the amount of $45,000.
The dedicated works of the Foundation members has resulted in several fundraisers (Benefit Movie Nights and 5K Benefit run/walks). Of most significance however are the regular contributions from the many generous parishioners and others that allow us to continue our efforts.
“For the greater glory of the Risen Christ”
The Adorno Fathers’
United States/Philippines Delegation has a history going back to the early 1930s when the first Clerics Regular Minor (Adorno Fathers) came to the United States of America.
Because of the great distance from Rome and because of the cultural/economic differences between Italy and the United States, the priests in America have always enjoyed a certain amount of freedom to expand the Order, to acquire land, or to alienate it. This was true when it came to their availability for ministry in 1936 (Morristown, Newark, Lodi in New Jersey), or when they bought property in Washington Township (1954) and sold it, or when they bought another piece of land in Ramsey (1960) and transformed it into the American Mother House that it is today. This was especially so in 1989 when the priests in the United States expressed unanimous consent that they be allowed to expand beyond New Jersey and go to South Carolina. The Superior General at the time, Father Mario Salon, and his Consulta in Rome trusted that those who were in America knew better and would do what redounded to the good of the Order.
Thus, in April 1989, Father Nicholas Capetola, the newly elected Procurator General, returned to the United States as “…the representative of the Superior General” (Cf. Letter of Father Mario Salon, February 2, 1989), was able to call a general meeting to register the opinions of the Fathers, to act on their wish, and to obtain the go ahead from the Superior General to offer our availability to the Bishop of Charleston, South Carolina, for a CRM Foundation in his Diocese.
With the election of the new General, Father Nello Morrea, in 1994, and the prospect of a foundation in the Philippines, the task of calling regional meetings and reporting to Rome was given to Father Americo Salvi, and then to Father Hector Di Nardo, who held the Office of Delegate for several years. Afterward, a Statute of the Delegation was written and approved by the General Chapter of 2006. The Statute became the document of reference for elections, appointments and responsibilities within the Delegation up to the present. In 2012 the religious members in America and the Philippines voted their preferences and the current Superior General, Father Raffaele Mandolesi, appointed Father Teodoro Kalaw the new Delegate.
Thus, the history of the Delegation begins with the chaplaincy to the Filippini Sisters in Morristown (1930), continues with the first parish assignment in Lodi (1936), with the opening of our American seminary in Ramsey (1962), with the move to Immaculate Conception Parish in Goose Creek, South Carolina (1989), with the expansion to the Labo/Vinzons seminary in the Philippines (2002), with the parish of Jesus Our Risen Savior in Spartanburg (2009), with the theological seminary in Lipa, Batangas, (2014), and with the parish of St. Ann and St. Jude in Sumter, South Carolina (2015).
The Delegation, which began with 1 priest in 1930, has grown through the years with 27 priests, 4 parishes, 3 seminaries, 2 transitional deacons, 7 novices and 26 seminarians still in ongoing formation. We are grateful for the Delegation’s growth, look forward to even greater progress in the years ahead, and appreciate the interest and the support of our friends and benefactors.