Father Anthony Calandri, C.P., St. Paul of the Cross Province (1817-1878)

Born in Lisio, Sardinia, Italy on May 25, 1817, he professed his Passionist vows on July 19, 1837 and was ordained at Recannati, Italy on March 27, 1840 as a member of the Presentation Province of the Passionists. He was a founder of the Passionist mission to the United States. He was the superior. He and Fathers Stanislaus Parczkyi, Albinus Magno and Brother Lawrence DiGiacomo left Rome on October 10, 1852. After encountering some financial difficulties by way of their sponsor, Bishop Michael O’Connor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the group arrived on November 13, 1852 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Calandri first went to Baltimore with Bishop O’Connor and on November 19, 1852 left that city by train and arrived in Pittsburgh on November 20, 1852. Brother DiGiacomo also made the trip. The other two priests remained in Philadelphia and eventually came to Pittsburgh by mid-December 1852. Calandri desired to quest money for the new Passionist foundation but found it difficult to get permission from the bishop. Eventually a compromise was reached and a monastery cornerstone was dedicated on August 7, 1853. In July 1854 Calandri was relieved of his superiorship which was given to newly arrived Father John Dominic Tralattini, C.P. Calandri became master of novices. From August through September 1854 Father Calandri cared for those in Pittsburgh with the cholera epidemic. He was slow to learn English but was preaching by 1856. From November 29, 1857 until December 20, Calandri and Father Gaudentius Rossi, C.P. gave a parish mission at St. Joseph’s Church, Brooklyn, New York. It was the first mission outside the Pittsburgh diocese. In 1858 Calandri concentrated on care for the novices. In December 1858 he gave a mission at St. Patrick’s Church, St. Louis, Missouri. Later he was in Erie, Pennsylvania among several other locations. 1859 proved busy as well. He also served as rector, second consultor and second provincial from 1866 until 1869. He died in 1878 and is buried in St. Michael’s Monastery crypt in Pittsburgh.