Skip to main content
'God was very patient with me': St. Mary pastor had a long journey before answering the call
FacebookTwitterEmail
The Rev. John Antonelle, pastor of St. Mary Church in Portland with his — and the parish’s — dog, Patsy.Contributed photo
PORTLAND — John Antonelle got his calling late in life, though he always felt drawn to the church, even at an early age.
The grandson of Italian immigrants, Antonelle grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y., became a well-regarded graphic artist at a New York advertising firm and, then, in his mid-40s, became a Catholic priest.
Formerly chaplain at the University of Connecticut,Antonelle is the newly installed pastor of St. Mary Church in Portland, which he oversees in the company of Patsy, his pet Boxer.