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Father Luigi Zanotto, the pastor of St. Lucy's Church in Newark, was honored by the North Ward Center at its annual Monsignor Geno Baroni Awards Luncheon.
Zanotto was presented the award by Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo and Stephen N. Adubato, the founder of The North Ward Center.
Adrianne Davis, co-founder of The North Ward Center, said the award is given every year in honor of Monsignor Geno Baroni to someone who has contributed to the community. The event held Tuesday, Nov. 23 in a room at The North Ward Center named after the Monsignor marked the 25th year that the award has been given out.
The award includes a statue of two immigrants from Italy created by Patrick Morelli, a local artist who created the Essex County 9-11 Memorial at Eagle Rock Reservation.
Adubato said Baroni helped launch The North Ward Center more than 40 years ago by convincing him to leave his job as a teacher with Newark Public Schools and by securing a grant from the Ford Foundation. Baroni, who died in 1984, was director of the Urban Taskforce of the U.S. Catholic Conference when he first worked with Adubato.
"Monsignor Baroni was a man of the people," Adubato said. "I am so pleased to give this award in the Monsignor's honor to Father Luigi, another man of the people. It is well deserved."
Zanotto, only the fourth pastor at St. Lucy's since the church was founded in 1891, replaced Pastor Joseph Granato, who served at the church for 54 years until his retirement last year. Though the vast majority of Italian-Americans who grew up around the church moved out of Newark, many still attend the church services on Sunday and return for the Feast of St. Gerard every October.
Zanotto said he feels a kinship with Monsignor Baroni because they share a similar spirituality.
"Our spirituality moves from the church into the streets, from God into the political, social and economic dimensions of society," Zanotto said. "Monsignor Baroni lived a spirituality that understood salvation flows not only from the church, but emerges from economic and political life and the life in the streets. I pledge my service so that the economy benefits the community and politics serves the indigent."
Zanotto said he wanted Saint Lucy's Church to play a significant role in the rebirth of Newark.
"Peace and development flourish when religion and faith are in dialogue with the political, social and economic realities of life," Zanotto said. "Let's agree today to a covenant to help each other in collaboration so that a better future may dawn for the people of Newark and New Jersey."
