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waves, but we will focus on the Roman Catholic Albanians, who arrive in the United States primarily from northern Albania, Montenegro and Kosova. The church in America kept the Albanian community together and helped preserve not only the religious but also cultural traditions.
It is a long and detailed history, so for easier reference, I have listed below some bullet points — the key moments in the church’s history: The Albanian American Catholic League is founded in 1962 by Father Joseph Oroshi and Father Andrew Nargaj, both Albanian priests, with a small group of Albanian Roman Catholics, with weekly services held at St. Cyril church in NYC. The Albanian community rallies together and purchases their own church in the Bronx, at 4221 Park Avenue (near Fordham University). First mass celebrated there is Christmas Eve 1969, with Father Joseph Oroshi as celebrant. Terence Cardinal Cooke, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of New York, officially names Father Joseph Oroshi as the administrator of Our Lady of Good Counsel Albanian American Center on August 19, 1973. Father Rrok Mirdita, another Albanian priest, joins Our Lady of Good Counsel Center in 1973. The Albanians build a new, larger church, at the same location, and Cardinal Cooke dedicates it on January 14, 1979 as Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, (within St. Joseph’s Parish). Father Peter Popaj becomes the first Albanian to become ordained a priest in the NY archdiocese on November 16, 1985. In 1986, Father Oroshi, now with the title Monsignor Oroshi, retires. The first Albanian Deacon in the United States is Marash Shkreli. Father Andrew Nargaj, who had gone to teach in Maine, returns for a number of years to Our Lady of Good Counsel, along with Father Mirdita and Father Popaj. Over the years, a small group of Albanian Americans had been attending mass at St. Peter and Paul and later at Holy Rosary in the Bronx, led by Father Lazer Sheldija. On February 28, 1987 the two groups of Albanians came together into one church, and Our Lady of Shkodra was formed, along with the Mother Teresa Center. As the Albanian population in America grew, and increasingly Albanians lived in the suburbs, 12 acres of property was purchased on September 26, 1989 in Hartsdale, NY, with the archdiocese’s approval. A multi-million dollar fundraising campaign is started to pay for the construction of a new church on the site. On September 28, 1989, John Cardinal O’Connor recognizes Our Lady
KORRIK
- DHJETOR 2005
of Shkodra as its own Parish within the archdiocese, with Father Mirdita as its first pastor. On April 25, 1993, with the fall of communism in Albania having occurred, Pope John Paul II visits Shkodra, Albania (along with Mother Teresa), and names new archbishops for the newly open Albania. Father Rrok Mirdita is selected by the Holy Father to serve as Archbishop of Durres-Tirane, and he leaves Our Lady of Shkodra in NY to go rebuild the church in Albania. (Durres-Tirane are two cities in Albania: Tirane is the capital of Albania, and Durres is a major port city, at which it is believed St. Paul visited). Mirdita is still archbishop and maintains a close relationship with the church in NY, as does the catholic community in Shkodra, a northern Albanian city. On December 3, 1995, construction of the new church in Hartsdale begins, with Father Peter Popaj, Father Andrew Nargaj and Deacon Marash Shkreli as the religious in attendance. Father John Gibson also joins the parish for a short while afterwards. On December 17, 1998 Cardinal O’Connor names Father Peter Popaj as Pastor of Our Lady of Shkodra. On December 25, 1998, the first mass in the new church is celebrated by Father Peter Popaj. On April 25, 1999 Cardinal O’Connor dedicates the new church. In May 1999, Nikolin Pergjini is ordained a priest, serves several parishes in the Bronx, and is now at Our lady of Shkodra. Father Pergjini is the first Albanian priest from Albania itself ordained in America after the fall of communism. Current clergy at Our Lady of Shkodra are Father Peter Popaj and Father Nikolin Pergjini. Father Victor Dedaj is also currently on an extended visit to the parish as well.
Our Lady of Shkodra Parish Activities In addition to religious responsibilities, Our Lady of Shkodra also preserves the Albanian heritage through the Mother Teresa Center. Activities include (these are just a few from a long list of activities that take place): Annual Albanian Festival, attended by over 3,000 people each year, as well as other social activities, dinners, etc. Publication of the Albanian and English Language quarterly “Jeta Katolike”, (The Catholic Life) Seminars and lectures on important historical figures in Albania’s history Rozafati – Albanian choir, dance and theater group Trips to places of religious significance, the Holy Land, Italy, Lourdes, Fatima, etc. Active Youth Group Albanian language classes, in addition to religious classes Medical days for parishioners (flu shots etc) Fundraisers for Albanian churches being rebuilt in the Balkans, and for refugees of the Balkan wars of the last decade. CONCLUSION In Albanian, a favorite expression is “per fe dhe atdhe”, which means, “For God and Country”. And that is what Our Lady of Shkodra sees as its mission. First and foremost to do God’s work, especially among a people who have seen their faith attacked by the Ottomans, and then the Communists. But also to serve the Albanian people, who preserved their culture specifically because of their strong Catholic faith, and who seek to preserve those morals and traditions here in the United States. The Our Lady of Shkodra church in New York is vibrant, it is growing, and the best indicator of where it’s going – it’s youth – shows that the church will be alive for years to come.