Antonio Perrotta

Antonio Perrotta was born on 10 October 1888 in San Felice, Caserta, emigrated to New York City at age 16 in 1904. In later years, his father was noted as living in Cancello, Caserta, north-east of Naples. While living in Brooklyn with a relative, Perrotta chanced upon an Italian language open-air Baptist mission meeting. Perrotta maintained contact with the Italian Protestants and met, among others, Antonio Mangano, who invited him to join the Colgate Seminary program. He started in 1909. “His prior education in Italy, his natural affinity for languages and abstract thought, and his keenness for evangelical argument and persuading the proselyte enabled him to impress his instructors and to move smoothly through the three-year curriculum.” (La Sorte 1991)

This program had been founded at Colgate Seminary in 1905 (first in Brooklyn, NY until 1921 then in Hamilton, NY, and finally in Rochester NY from 1927 when it merged with Rochester Theological Seminary) to train Italians who were in sympathy with "Baptist views and Christian truth." The period of study was two years, with a preparatory year for unprepared students. In 1912 Perrotta graduated from the Colgate program alongside Pascal Arpaio (who founded the First Italian Baptist Church in Oklahoma); Giustino Basile (missionary to Oneonta, NY); and Vito Cordo (first to Trenton, NJ, then to Cleveland).

Few in number, the group considered themselves an elite body who formed a close-knit subculture. They needed that sense of calling as drive, as they would have to operate in the marginal spaces between American and Italian communities, while not being fully accepted by either. Evangelism among Italians was not for those faint of heart. As Mangano noted, "Open acknowledgement of conversion to Jesus Christ is a serious step to the Italian. He knows he will meet opposition from kinsfolk and friends and neighbors. Scorn and ridicule, to which an Italian is keenly sensitive, are heaped upon him. Only the bravest and most truly convinced dare undertake it." (Mangano, quoted in La Sorte 1991)

On 7 Oct 1912 in Kings, New York, Perrotta married Paolina nee Carlo (1893-1982), the Brooklyn-born daughter of Rafaele and Maggi Carlo. “A large, ebullient woman with a booming voice”, and a talented organ player, his wife stood by her husband's side at every turn. In addition to supervising the Sunday school at the church also gave vocal and piano lessons and established the church choir. There were no children.

On 19 September 1912, Perrotta was ordained in the textile city of Utica, NY, where from 1912 to 1922 he served as pastor of the First Italian Baptist Church (first known as East Utica Baptist Church) in a small building before, in 1920, Perrotta built the larger facility at 930 Bleecker St. From 1919-1920 he took a sabbatical to study towards a Bachelor of Divinity degree at Yale University. As was typical of Italian protestant ministers, his wife worked as organist, choir leader and Sunday school teacher, all without compensation. They were cultural as well as religious leaders: when 'an enthusiastic meeting' was held in Southington to raise funds to support Gabriele D'Annunzio's military adventure in Fiume, Perrotta (referred to as 'Professor') appeared alongside other speakers, including some from Yale and Rev. Mr. Parella from Meriden. It was later claimed that he had met D'Annunzio in his youth, a memory to which he maintained a faithful appreciation despite the fact that he and D'Annunzio differed considerably in their politics (Perrotta twice ran for Mayoral positions on the Socialist ticket, and was deeply involved in social justice causes, such as [through his chairmanship of the Rochester Housing Council] affordable and safe housing). He was a published poet and essayist, educated beyond the typical immigrant or second-generation Italian of that era, authoring numbers of plays and the libretto for the opera Witch of Salem, music composed by Michael Annunziata, a noted Utica composer, violin and piano teacher. The event was staged at the Italian Baptist Church on Nov. 23, 1930, before an audience of about 200. For all of these virtues, he commanded respect even among Italian Catholics and the anticlerical members of the Italian community. In 1921, he was the featured speaker at Italian national day (20th September) celebrations at Kossuth St Baptist Church in Bridgeport, Connecticut, a celebration which gained in importance for those who desired to maintain the Liberal tradition in the face of Italy's rising Fascist government. Perrotta's anti-fascist activities, through the Mazzini Society, and through Italian community organizations such as that which sought to clear Columbus's name of accusations of Fascism, grew more strident over the years. He was then called to Newark, NJ to as editor to save the ailing periodical L'Aurora, before returning (by 1930) to his beloved Utica community. (La Sorte 1991) He was active in the Italian Baptist Association of the United States, at various times serving on the committee, as Vice-President and several terms as President (such as 1933-34). He and Paolina were also often to be seen as local organizers for Federal Council and World Council of Churches events.

When, in late 1937, the pastor of First Italian Baptist Church of Rochester (Vittorio Aghetto) died unexpectedly, his place was taken pro tem by Frank Parisi. After "much controversy" and the involvement of Albert DeMott at the Baptist Union, Perrotta was then called to become the new pastor of the church at 64 Niagara Street, Rochester, which he soon renamed “St. Mark’s”, and the Italian Mission run by Lake Avenue Baptist Church. He had big shoes to fill, as Aghetto, the founding pastor, had been a widely respected figure in the neighborhood. His polished Italian and intellectual preparation marked him apart from the mass of his membership, most of whom came from the less educated south. The Agnello, Bellavia, Sanzotta, Caragrotti, and the Argento families were the mainstays of the congregation. He succeeded in proving himself: “by 1942 membership was up to an impressive 125 adults, the $5,000 church mortgage was being paid off in regular installments, the church budget was substantial”, and a new parsonage had been built at 167 Thorndyke Road. Perrotta rarely sat still, running campaigns with the Volunteers of America and other evangelistic organizations. Membership later peaked at 154. (La Sorte 1991) Growth was such that a fundraiser was launched to expand the building, resulting in extended facilities opened with much fan-fare. In 1946, Perrotta represented the Baptist Union on a three month fact finding tour of Italy to assess post-War reconstruction aid needs.

In 1951, as Perrotta approached retirement age (he would turn sixty-five on 10 October 1953), LaSorte indicates that he was burdened by concerns over his future financial welfare and the declining health of his wife. His decision to sell the Parsonage to contribute to his retirement funds sparked a crisis of confidence, particularly with the influential chair of the Board, Joseph Agnello. Albert DeMott, the executive secretary of the Baptist Union of Rochester and Monroe County, was called in to negotiate Perrotta's terms of retirement as well as attempt to placate the congregation, and Nicholas Sileo, who was on the faculty of the Colgate Rochester Divinity School (and had been locum at a local universalist church), was also involved. It was the start of an extended legal disagreement which was not fully concluded by the Baptist Union until early 1954 when the legal fees were settled. The Church Board was embarrassed by the Baptist Union’s direct action, without reference to them, and what they took as implicit racism: ‘It was further evidence that those hyperactive Italians could not manage their own affairs without constant in-fighting.’ The longstanding view of the American Baptist Home Mission had never been complimentary to Italians. They were "children," the "little aliens from over the seas," who needed shepherding. From the American side, the ambivalence of Perrotta’s position as an employee of the Home Mission department of the Baptist Union of Rochester and Monroe County left issues to be resolved which were not within the responsibility of the Church. Perrotta moved to an interim appointment as pastor of the Fellowship Church until his pension commenced in late 1953, and then retired. His final sermon at St. Mark on 30 April 1952, to a scattered few left in the small church after many had departed during the disputes. (La Sorte 1991)

The Committee on Local Missions declared its intention of phasing out financial support for St. Mark’s between 1952 and 1957. Since 1940 no new missionary enterprises had been undertaken and some of the older ones were being reduced or were being closed out. The need had been satisfied. Mass immigration had ended. There were no new immigrants to be served. In 1957, St. Mark’s closed its doors forever, having accepted the official merger with the Norton Street Waring Baptist Church.

LaSorte's account loses sight of Perrotta when he left St Mark's, and his later career suggests that Perrotta had other motivations than those suggested by the oral memory at St Mark's. Perrotta was energetically involved in American Labor Party politics, speaking on radio and in public events, and joining the ALP's executive. In 1948, he had campaigned for George Wallace in the American Independent Party's tilt at the American Presidency, and was Chairman for the Committee on Industrial Peace. Disagreements over this may have played a part. Though retiring from the Baptist Union, Perrotta claimed that he still hoped to carry out his spiritual leadership among the poor of Rochester, and to 'be a friend to the working man'. (Democrat and Chronicle, 21 Apr 1952: 15) Perrotta may also have sought to take his church in the direction which he followed after he left St Mark's - at the Christ Fellowship Church, which he founded and ran for several years, the emphasis was on pacifism and egalitarian social justice positions. When the Rosenbergs were sentenced to death for treason, Perrotta and his colleague at Christ Fellowship George Russell Kingsley, wrote in protest to the local paper. The disputes over his retirement funds and payout from St Mark's made their way up to the state Supreme Court, which dismissed Perrotta's claim against the Baptist Union and redirected the claim as more properly against the Church itself. Christ Fellowship Church did not long survive the settlement which Perrotta then won against St Mark's: its numbers (which had been at 70 when Perrotta founded it), shrank across this period, and it was eventually forced to disband and sell the building they had bought at East Avenue and Prince Street. As Norman Whitney, the pacifist academic from the University of Syracuse, had warned at the Church's founding, members of a peace church 'never would be popular and never would be rich if they truly worked for peace.' (Democrat and Chronicle, 2 March 1953: 14)

After St Mark's, the Perrottas moved to 63 Crossman Terrace, and shortly after retirement, the Perrottas moved to New Haven, CT. The indefatigable pastor was not one to rest on his laurels, founding the St John the Divine Baptist Church there.

It was in New Haven that Perrotta died on 7 Jun 1972. Paolina died on 25 March 1982 at the Masonic Home and Hospital in Wallingford. Both are buried at Pinelawn Memorial Park and Arboretum, East Farmingdale. The church building for St John the Divine was sold, and in 1985 the funds placed into a scholarship fund at Yale University. The Fund continues under the name of The Reverend Antonio Perrotta Scholarship Fund.

Perrotta's published works included The Modernist Movement in Italy (1929), a privately published study on Giuseppe Mazzini (1948), a book of poetry and reflections (Voci D'Aprile, 1941), and several poems, including a tone Poem on the passing of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, My Song of Peace, Let Freedom Ring, Sacred Symphony, and In Memorium, also published privately. Copies of the poems can be found at the ABHS library.

Sources

Ancestry.com

La Sorte, Michael, 'Rev. Antonio Perrotta and the Rochester, NY Italian Baptist Mission', Italian Americana 9.2 (Spring/Summer 1991): 230-244

Newspapers.com

Observer-Dispatch, 'Pastor was prolific writer, thinker', Observer-Dispatch 26 May 2008

Perrotta, Antonio, The Modernist Movement in Italy (Boston: Gorham Press, 1929)