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Father John Masiello, S.D.B., who twice was pastor of Corpus Christi parish in Port Chester and also was principal at Salesian High School in New Rochelle, died Oct. 24 at Seasons Hospice in Tampa, Fla. He was 91.
He served as pastor of Corpus Christi, 1991-1994 and 1979-1988. He expanded religious and social programs in the parish, involved parish youths in liturgy and other forms of prayer, and coordinated the parish’s changing demographics as the village’s population experienced new patterns of immigration.
He was director of the Salesian community in Port Chester, which also included Holy Rosary parish, 1979 to 1982. He served as the province’s superintendent of religious education in the schools, 1972-1973.
He was director and principal of Salesian High School, 1966-1972, and taught and mentored many young Salesians throughout their practical training there. He oversaw the school’s expansion with the addition of two classroom floors above the chapel and a rise in enrollment to nearly 500 boys.
He was coordinator of the Don Bosco Retreat House in Haverstraw, 1963-1969, specializing in youth retreats. He was prefect of studies at Don Bosco Juniorate in Haverstraw, 1958-1959.
He also served in New Jersey, Massachusetts and Florida.
Born in Grantwood, N.J., he was also raised in St. Albans, Queens. He entered the Salesian seminary in 1946 and made final vows in 1954. He was ordained in 1958.
He earned a master’s degree in library science from St. John’s University in Queens, a master’s in pastoral counseling from Iona College in New Rochelle and a bachelor’s in philosophy from Don Bosco College in Newton, N.J. He studied theology at the Salesian Pontifical Athenaeum in Turin and Salesian College in Aptos, Calif.
He is survived by a brother, Gerard.
A Funeral Mass was offered Oct. 30 at Salesian High School in New Rochelle by the provincial, Father Timothy Zak, S.D.B. Burial was in the Salesian Cemetery in Goshen.
