About Our Lady of Mount Carmel · Dunmore, Pennsylvania
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish is a Roman Catholic community in Dunmore, Pennsylvania, part of the Diocese of Scranton. The parish was formed in 2009 through the consolidation of Saint Mary of Mount Carmel, All Saints, and Saint Casimir's parishes, and it worships primarily at Saint Mary of Mount Carmel Church on Chestnut Street—the oldest Catholic church in Dunmore. With roots that reach back to 1852 when the area was first served as a mission, the parish carries a 170-year story of Italian, Slavic, and other immigrant Catholic families who built, expanded, and lovingly restored this brick Gothic-style church and its parish school. It is currently led by Rev. David P. Cappelloni, V.F., and is linked with neighboring SS. Anthony and Rocco Parish, scheduled to merge in 2026 into a new parish dedicated to Saint John Paul II.
- Established
- 2009 (parish consolidated); roots to 1852 (mission) and 1856 (parish under Bishop Neumann)
- Patron
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel)
- Rector
- Reverend David P. Cappelloni, V.F.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Scranton
Why belong here
Our Lady of Mount Carmel welcomes anyone seeking a historic, family-oriented Catholic community in the heart of Dunmore. Parishioners worship in Saint Mary of Mount Carmel Church—a beautifully restored 1874 brick landmark with a tall steeple, Italian-marble altar, and Gothic ceiling—and gather in the modern Parish Center (the renovated All Saints Hall) for faith formation, CCD religious education for children, youth and young-adult ministry, Bible studies, Confirmation preparation, and parish missions. With daily and weekend Mass, Saturday confessions, a morning prayer service led by Deacon Andy Fazio, and a roster of beloved ministries, OLMC offers a clear path to grow in faith at every stage of life.
Mass times at Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:15 PM – 3:45 PM
Parish History
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish is the heir to 170 years of Catholic faith in Dunmore. It traces its origins to 1852, when the area received mission status and was served by visiting priests. In 1856 Bishop Saint John Nepomucene Neumann formally established the parish, and in 1857 he dedicated the first church—then known as Saints Simon and Jude. The present Saint Mary of Mount Carmel Church was built beginning in 1874, when a stately brick church with a tall steeple replaced the original wooden structure.
- 1852 — Catholic mission status granted; Mass celebrated in private homes by visiting priests.
- 1855 — Parishioners buy land from pioneer Charles Potter and build a 350-seat wooden church.
- 1856 — Bishop St. John Nepomucene Neumann formally creates the parish.
- July 26, 1857 — Bishop Neumann dedicates the church as Saints Simon and Jude.
- 1874 — Cornerstone laid for the present brick church, renamed Saint Mary of Mount Carmel; cornerstone plate preserved in the vestibule.
- 1936 (May 3) — School and convent dedicated during the pastorate of Father Michael Loftus.
- 1995 — Father John A. Doris becomes pastor; begins the largest renovation in parish history.
- 2009 — Consolidation of St. Mary of Mount Carmel, All Saints, and St. Casimir's parishes into Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish.
- 2023 — Parish linked with SS. Anthony and Rocco Parish under Fr. David Cappelloni, V.F.
- July 1, 2026 — Scheduled merger into St. John Paul II Parish.
Clergy and Staff
The parish is currently served by a pastor, a pastor emeritus, an assistant pastor, and a deacon. The Rectory Office is staffed Monday–Thursday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM and Friday 9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon.
- Reverend David P. Cappelloni, V.F. — Pastor
- Reverend John A. Doris — Pastor Emeritus
- Reverend Thomas J. Dzwonczyk — Assistant Pastor
- Deacon Andrew A. Fazio, Sr.
Worship Sites
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish shares worship and pastoral life with its linked partner SS. Anthony and Rocco Parish. Together the two communities offer a coordinated schedule of Masses across multiple historic churches in Dunmore.
- St. Mary of Mount Carmel Church (primary worship site, 322 Chestnut Street) — Saturday Vigil 4:00 PM; Sunday 10:00 AM; daily Mass Monday–Friday 12:00 PM.
- SS. Anthony and Rocco Church (linked partner parish) — Saturday Vigil 5:15 PM; Sunday 8:30 AM and 11:15 AM; daily Mass 8:00 AM.
Faith Formation and Religious Education
The parish runs an active CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) program for the religious education of children, located at the 322 Chestnut Street campus. Looking ahead, a new Director of Evangelization—shared with SS. Anthony and Rocco Parish—is being hired to expand youth and young-adult ministry, Bible studies, adult faith formation, and Confirmation small-group programming in preparation for the 2026 merger into St. John Paul II Parish.
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel CCD Program — religious education for children
- Youth and Young Adult ministry (in development)
- Bible studies and adult education experiences
- Confirmation small-group programming (led by the assistant pastor)
- Annual Parish Mission experiences
- Hallow App used as a catechetical resource for parishioners
Architecture and Historic Building
Saint Mary of Mount Carmel Church is a stately 1874 brick church whose tall steeple has been a Dunmore landmark for a century and a half. Major work in the 1990s—completed under Father John Doris and funded largely by parishioner donations—preserved and beautified the building. The 124-year-old brick walls were completely repointed, a new roof was installed, the steeple and crosses were restored, and the bell tower was illuminated. Inside, marble floors were added to the sanctuary and center aisle, the Gothic ceiling was accentuated, a new pipe organ was installed, and a new altar and baptismal font—both imported from Italy—became the focal points of the sanctuary.
- 1874 brick Gothic-style church with a tall steeple
- Repointed brick walls and new roof (1990s renovation)
- Illuminated bell tower
- Italian-marble altar and baptismal font
- New pipe organ
- 1874 cornerstone plate ('B.V.M. de Mont. Carmelo, 1874') preserved in glass in the vestibule
Parish Center and Community Life
The Parish Center—the modernized former All Saints Hall—is one of the most popular community venues in the Dunmore area. Its rebirth was financed by the sale of All Saints Rectory and St. Casimir's Church and a $430,000 capital campaign, and it now hosts weddings, receptions, dances, post-funeral gatherings, parish meetings, and a wide range of community events. Together with Saint Mary of Mount Carmel Church, it forms the heart of parish life.
- Parish Center (renovated All Saints Hall) for weddings, receptions, dances, and meetings
- Saint Mary of Mount Carmel School — (570) 346-4429
- Parish cemetery on the original Potter family land
Future: St. John Paul II Parish (2026)
On July 1, 2026, the Diocese of Scranton will formally consolidate Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish and SS. Anthony and Rocco Parish into a single new parish to be named St. John Paul II Parish. Bishop Joseph C. Bambera signed the decree after noting a 37 percent decline in registered parishioners and a 34 percent decline in Mass attendance between 2018 and 2025. The new parish will use St. Anthony of Padua Church as its principal worship site, with St. Mary of Mount Carmel and St. Rocco churches continuing as secondary sites, and the current Mass schedule will not change at the transition.
- Effective July 1, 2026 — merger into St. John Paul II Parish
- Principal worship site: St. Anthony of Padua Church
- Secondary sites: St. Mary of Mount Carmel and St. Rocco churches
- Pastoral vision: shared ministries, youth and young-adult outreach, evangelization
Visiting and Contact
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone at (570) 346-7429, by fax at (570) 346-0523, or by email at [email protected]. The Rectory Office is open Monday–Thursday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM and Friday 9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon. The parish's primary church, Saint Mary of Mount Carmel, stands at 322 Chestnut Street in Dunmore, Pennsylvania 18512.
- Rectory Office: Monday–Thursday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM; Friday 9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon
- Phone: (570) 346-7429
- Fax: (570) 346-0523
- Email: [email protected]
- School: (570) 346-4429
- Address: 322 Chestnut Street, Dunmore, PA 18512
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Edmund W. Fitzmaurice1856–1870
First pastor of the parish founded by Saint John Nepomucene Neumann.
- Father Michael Loftus
During the Great Depression, oversaw construction of the parish school and convent, dedicated May 3, 1936, at a cost of $150,000.
- Monsignor Joseph G. Quinn12th pastor; died January 5, 1974
Launched the centennial-year remodeling and school modernization in 1974 but died before completing it.
- Monsignor Charles W. Heid
Succeeded Msgr. Quinn and completed what was then the largest renovation in the church's history.
- Reverend John A. Doris1995–retirement (2023)
Undertook the largest renovation in parish history ($1,020,000); consolidated All Saints and St. Casimir's into the parish; oversaw sale/renovation of All Saints Hall into the Parish Center. Now Pastor Emeritus.
- Reverend David P. Cappelloni, V.F.2023–present (16th pastor)
Became pastor when Fr. Doris retired; currently leads OLMC and the linked SS. Anthony and Rocco Parish, soon to be merged into St. John Paul II Parish.