Ring the bell, for it has been found!

Mt. Carmel church bell returns decades later

Courtesy photos

Pictured: Robert Affenita, Fr. Henry Reid, Linda Locantore, Richard Romeo, Patchogue mayor Paul Pontieri and Roy Monaco stand in front of the old bell, now found.

Robert Affenita, with the help of friend Roy Monaco (not pictured), has successfully returned the bell to its rightful owner, the Mt. Carmel Church. Also pictured is Patchogue mayor Paul Pontieri, who is ecstatic to see its return after his family and his uncle Richard Romeo, have been questioning its whereabouts since the demolition of the original chapel on Montauk Highway.

Posted Thursday, September 2, 2021 12:00 am

History of Mt. Carmel

Italians built Mt. Carmel Church at their own expense under the direction of Fr. Cioffi. In 1922, the church was built where the current Walgreens stands on Montauk Highway in Patchogue Village. By 1923, the Italian community began their annual feast and celebration of St. Liberata. To make room for an expanding community, a new church was built in 1968.

Nicole Fuentes

What has been lost is now found.

For years, the 800-pound bronze Mt. Carmel church bell sat in a Patchogue garage, unknown to the members of the community and church. But it found no better a time to be found than near this year’s resurrection of St. Liberata, the Italian Festival, after last year’s cancellation due to COVID.

The over 100-year-old bell will make its debut in the Sept. 18 parade before reaching its final destination at the “new” Mt. Carmel Church on North Ocean Avenue.

The bell was originally purchased from the St. Rosalia Church in Brooklyn in the early ‘20s by the Mt. Carmel Church under the direction of Frank Romeo, who provided the transportation. The bell sat in the tower and rung on special occasions for years, until the church was eventually demolished in 1968 after the new church was resurrected on North Ocean Avenue. The bell itself was cast in Troy, N.Y.

“That bell was always referred to as ‘Papa’s bell,’ ” Richard Romeo said endearingly, excited to witness its return. His father would be proud.

The story goes: A demolition crew came in to take the building down and were given salvage rights, claiming the bell for eventual scrap. Roy Monaco’s father took possession of it, and there it sat in his grandfather’s West Avenue garage ever since, eventually making its way to Monaco’s Bellport garage after he died (about 20 years ago). Over the years, Monaco said, the bell was to be sold several times; even a local celebrity had their eyes on it—Estee Lauder’s son, who purchased a house out east.

Earlier this year, Robert Affenita, All County Block & Supply business owner and longtime family friend, visited Monaco’s home and took notice of the bell. Knowing he was fond of it and never having been able to sell it, Monaco offered him the bell for eventual placement in his Bayport backyard, for decorative purposes.

Affenita then paid a random visit to Patchogue mayor Paul Pontieri to chat with him about his daughter Natalie and her fiancé Eric Moosebrugger, who had recently and coincidentally purchased Pontieri’s mother’s old Cedar Avenue house. In passing, the bell came up. Floored by the revelation of a found bell, Pontieri pried, asking questions about it and eventually making the connection to the missing Mt. Carmel church bell. Pontieri—who is also Romeo’s nephew—said that the missing bell was a topic of conversation at every family holiday.

“I can’t tell you how many times we asked what happened to it,” Pontieri said. “We are absolutely happy to see it again. This is important to the Italian community and the church.”

The bell will now be on display at the church in a specially crafted and donated monument made by All County Block & Supply, for all those who visit the North Ocean Avenue location to appreciate. The current pastor, Fr. Henry Reid, said he was happy to welcome the bell home.

“It’s not our bell, it’s Mt. Carmel’s bell,” Affenita said. “It’s part of that community.”

“It’s another great piece of our history returning,” Romeo added.