Obituary of Thomas J Coletta

Coletta, Rev. Msgr. Thomas J. was born in Paterson and was graduated from the former St. Mary High School there and Seton Hall University, South Orange. He completed his priesthood studies at the former Immaculate Conception Seminary in Darlington. Msgr. Coletta was ordained to the priesthood at St. John Cathedral in Paterson on May 25, 1963. His first assignment was at Blessed Sacrament in Paterson. He also served at St. Margaret, Morristown; Our Lady of Consolation, Wayne, St. Joseph and St. Michael, both in Paterson. He served as chaplain of Morristown Rehabilitation Center and then was appointed to the faculty of the former Pope Pius XII High School, Passaic. In 1971, he was named director of the former Bayley-Ellard High School, Madison. He served there until 1975, when he was named assistant director of Mount Carmel Guild, Paterson. He also served on the faculty of the former Paul VI High School in Clifton (1977-81). He was then appointed pastoral care director of Straight and Narrow, Inc., an agency of diocesan Catholic Charities, in Paterson. In 1986, he was named pastor of Our Lady of Victories Parish in Paterson. In 1993, St. Pope John Paul II named him an honorary prelate with the title of monsignor. In 2006, he was appointed to a five-year term on the diocesan Clergy Personnel Board. That same year, he was presented with the 2006 Caritas Award for Convening by diocesan Catholic Charities at its annual Caritas Gala. In 2012, he was named administrator of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Paterson in addition to serving as pastor of Our Lady of Victories. He retired in 2013. His parents, Marie and Thomas; a brother, Vincent, and a sister, Helen, predeceased him. The Rite of Reception for Msgr. Coletta will be Wednesday, October 7, 2015 at 5:00 PM at St. Philip the Apostle R.C. Church, 797 Valley Road, Clifton, NJ. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at the church, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 7:00 PM with Bishop Arthur J. Serratelli as the Principal Celebrant. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations to Catholic Charities 777 Valley Road, Clifton, NJ 07013 would be appreciated. Arrangements are by Festa Memorial Funeral Home 111 Union Blvd., Totowa, NJ. For more information, go to www.festmemorial.com