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St. Joseph's jubilee year comes to a close

| 24 Sep 2015 | 01:51
    Photos provided Here are some of the items buried in the 250th anniversary time capsule, to be opened 25 years from now in 2040. The West Milford Messenger made it in!
    Photos provided Here are some of the items buried in the 250th anniversary time capsule, to be opened 25 years from now in 2040. The West Milford Messenger made it in!
    Jubilee committee member Paula Korinko and other parishioners view the 250th time capsule as Fr. Steven Shadwell is about to give the blessing.
    Jubilee committee member Paula Korinko and other parishioners view the 250th time capsule as Fr. Steven Shadwell is about to give the blessing.
    The 250th Jubilee Committee Members are: kneeling, from left, Mary Beth Ferriola and Robert G. Sautter Sr. Standing from left, Fr. Steven Shadwell (Pastor), Eileen Frew, Debbie Lastro (front), Antonietta Dellapi (back), Roy De Franco, Hans Niederstrasser, Robert G. Kochka, Mary Kochka, Paula Korinko and Robert Kochka, Sr. Not pictured: Christine Alessio, Dolly Galanaugh, Paul Kiel, Nick and Pat Mattera, Oskar Niederstrasser and Richard Williams.
    The 250th Jubilee Committee Members are: kneeling, from left, Mary Beth Ferriola and Robert G. Sautter Sr. Standing from left, Fr. Steven Shadwell (Pastor), Eileen Frew, Debbie Lastro (front), Antonietta Dellapi (back), Roy De Franco, Hans Niederstrasser, Robert G. Kochka, Mary Kochka, Paula Korinko and Robert Kochka, Sr. Not pictured: Christine Alessio, Dolly Galanaugh, Paul Kiel, Nick and Pat Mattera, Oskar Niederstrasser and Richard Williams.
    Twenty five years ago, in 1990, the 225th capsule committee buried their time capsule. Pictured here is the committee, including  Father Boniface Hanley, OFM, Vera Shemanski, Earl Struble holding the 225th time capsule, and Mary and Bob Kochka.  The capsule was buried on Oct. 4, 1991.
    Twenty five years ago, in 1990, the 225th capsule committee buried their time capsule. Pictured here is the committee, including  Father Boniface Hanley, OFM, Vera Shemanski, Earl Struble holding the 225th time capsule, and Mary and Bob Kochka.  The capsule was buried on Oct. 4, 1991.
    St. Joseph's jubilee year comes to a close

BY GINNY PRIVITAR
WEST MILFORD — St. Joseph’s Church, the oldest Catholic community in New Jersey, capped off its 250th anniversary year in fine style on Sunday, Sept. 20. During a parish picnic, a time capsule containing items from the jubilee year was buried near the cemetery under the crucifix. It will be opened in the year 2040.

Although the actual jubilee year ran from March 2014 through March 2015, the Jubilee Committee, organized to oversee the year’s events and the composition of the time capsule, waited until the year was over to assemble everything they wished to include. Committee members Mary Beth Ferriola and Hans Niederstrasse spent a year gathering memorabilia and keepsakes for the capsule, including a commemorative journal given out at the gala, an 18-month calendar with all church events from the year, the history of the church, bulletins, newspapers with articles about the church, including The West Milford Messenger and The AIM, a Christmas ornament, a lapel pin designed by Paula Korinko with the church’s logo, a cookbook prepared by Dolly Galanaugh for the anniversary, a list of predictions for 2014 written by parishioners and a computer flash drive with all of the event photos from the year. The committee members also wrote a letter to the future for 2040, expressing their hopes and wishes, hoping the parish will still be here in 25 years.

Celebrating with a picnicThe congregation held a celebratory picnic. The Knights of Columbus barbecued hot dogs and hamburgers and many of the parishioners brought side dishes. During the event, all of the church’s volunteers were thanked for their service and presented with gift sets of boxed pens. The last of several handmade rosaries, made of semi-precious stones by Donna Capano, was raffled off during the picnic.

Past, present, future There was a break during the picnic when the congregation moved over to the cemetery to bury the time capsule. Bob Sautter dug the opening and Paula Korinko placed the capsule in the ground. Rev. Steve Shadwell said a blessing.

Everyone applauded afterwards and walked back to the picnic area for dessert including ice cream and cake.

An earlier time capsule, buried in 1990, was unearthed in September, 2014. Among those items were VCR tapes, which, thankfully, were able to be viewed.

“We hope people can access the flash drive in 25 years!" said Ferriola, business manager and cemetery administrator, who, along with Niederstrasse, organized the picnic.

A perfect dayAnd the day was simply spectacular for a picnic.

“It was a beautiful day weather-wise and a good crowd at the picnic; most of committee was there," Ferriola added. "And it was just a nice culmination of our anniversary year. The members of the committee felt good about everything we accomplished with the parish; the social events held during year and the history of the church, which was thoroughly researched and compiled during jubilee year. We’re glad to have all that information in the time capsule to share with future parishioners. We hope they will enjoy looking at the items."

Committee member and director of volunteers Antonietta Dellapi summed up her feelings on the day:

“It was a beautiful day from start to finish," she said. "Everybody was happy and joy-filled with lots of spirit. It was such a fun day, everybody had such a great time being together.”

Editor's note: Looking forward just one week, there will be a blessing of animals at the 10:30 a.m. Mass in the outdoor chapel on Sunday, Oct. 4. In case of rain, the Mass will be held in the Parish Center.

Do you have any thoughts you'd like to share about the St. Joseph 250th Jubilee? Go to westmilfordmessenger.com and tell us.