Correspondent photo / Nancilynn Gatta
The Very Rev. Msgr. Michael Carriglio Jr. sits in the chapel of Villa Maria Teresa in front of the statue of the foundress of the Oblate Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Blessed Maria Teresa Casini. The facility in Hubbard is his retirement home. He was pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Youngstown for 39 years.

HUBBARD — Much of Msgr. Michael J. Cariglio Jr.’s secular life and sacred life has revolved around his Italian heritage.

Cariglio retired earlier this month after 39 years as the pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Youngstown, which later became the Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St. Anthony of Padua Church. The Roman Catholic parish is known for its Italian heritage festival and continuing the Italian traditions of its parishioners.

“Both of my parents were born in Italy. My mother is from Abruzzo and my father is from Puglia,” Cariglio said.

He grew up in Ravenna, and attended Mass at Immaculate Conception Church and went to elementary and junior high at Immaculate Conception School. The ethnic background of the downtown Ravenna parish included a group of Italian-Americans.

As a junior high student, he felt his calling to the priesthood.

“It was Christmas Day after our beautiful Sunday dinner. I took my dog, Tony, and we went to church to see the stable. In those days, you could leave the church unlocked. I sat down for quiet reflection and prayer. In my little quiet prayer as a seventh grader, I said, ‘I would like to do something special for you, Jesus.’ It was the moment I dedicated my life to the priesthood,” he said.

After completing eighth grade, Cariglio left the area for high school.

“I went to Seminary High School like our Pope,” he said.

The director of vocations for the Youngstown Diocese talked to his parents and suggested that since there was not a Catholic high school near him, Cariglio should go to school in Cincinnati at the minor seminary.

“I was homesick for the first six months. It wasn’t an impossible situation, but it was a little stressful,” Cariglio said.

He stayed in Cincinnati and received a bachelor’s degree from St. Gregory’s Seminary and spent a year at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary & School of Theology to get his master’s in philosophy.

“Then, (former) Bishop Malone asked me if I would consider going to Rome for my remaining four years of studies. My mother wasn’t too thrilled about it, but my dad said, ‘If you say no, you might kick yourself in the butt later on.’ I was there from 1966 to 1971,” he said.

While in Rome, Cariglio was ordained a priest on Dec. 18, 1970, at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.

“I was ordained at the beautiful alabaster altar of the Holy Spirit with 43 others from the United States,” he said.

After he received his certificate in theology, he came back to the United States and the Youngstown Diocese.

“I loved Rome. I told Bishop Malone that I would be happy to stay there. He said, ‘I’ll be happy to have you back,'” Cariglio said.

While in Rome, he learned to speak Italian. When he was growing up, immigrant parents wanted to learn English and did not typically teach their children their native language.

“Since I was good in Italian, the rector at the North American College, where I stayed, asked me to give a talk to Pope Paul VI — he’s now a saint — on behalf of the college to him in Italian,” he said.

His first assignment upon his return was St. Patrick Parish in Kent as an associate pastor. This was much closer to his home and he thinks that Bishop Malone did this so he was closer to his family.

“After only one year at St. Patrick’s, Bishop Malone asked me to teach high school. I was six years at Catholic high schools — St. Thomas Aquinas in Canton, Cardinal Mooney and JFK. I taught theology,” he said.

Though he found teaching interesting and the young people good, he did not believe teaching was his calling.

For two years after that, he attended Catholic University in Washington, D.C.

“Bishop Malone asked me to get my degree in canon law,” he said.

From 1980 to 1986, he worked a full-time position at the tribunal dealing with canon law for the Diocese of Youngstown. He ensured that church laws were followed and he worked with annulments and other issues.

“During my yearly review, I told the bishop that I would like to become a pastor,” Cariglio said. “Our Lady of Mount Carmel had an opening and Bishop Malone asked me to fill that position.”

He also continued his position with the tribunal.

“Because of the shortage of priests, St. Anthony of Padua Church merged with Our Lady of Mount Carmel 14 years ago,” he said.

During his tenure as pastor, he started the Festival Italiano, which is celebrating 25 years this July 24-27, began selling Our Lady of Mount Carmel Basilica Pasta Sauce with all the money donated to the poor and published “Pilgrims of Hope,” a cookbook with recipes from the Oblate Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in observance of the Jubilee Year 2025, which was designated by Pope Francis.

Eleven years ago, Pope Francis designated Our Lady of Mount Carmel / St. Anthony of Padua a minor basilica.

This designation was granted for its historical and architectural significance, and because it is an active parish.

“I brought up the idea to Bishop Murry. I said, ‘Would you pray to the Pope for this becoming a minor papal basilica, and will you reflect on that? He said ‘I had just prayed and I just reflected. Do it.'”

Cariglio wanted the church to become a basilica because of the papal relationship and being a church recognized by the Holy Father.

“Two years ago, Mount Carmel became attached to Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, the major church of the Blessed Mother in the world. So, we got special honors,” Cariglio said.

Although he is now retired as pastor, Cariglio’s involvement with his former church continues. He was invited by the Cardinal of the Major Basilica in Rome to receive a brick from that church and return it to the Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel / St. Anthony of Padua Parish. He will travel there in September as the parish representative.