Joseph Clement Della Penta, O.P., Death, 1999-08-28
![Joseph Clement Della Penta, O.P.](http://archives.opcentral.org/assets/PF/Penta.png)
Scope and Contents
This collection contains personal materials relating to friars after they have left the order, passed away, or transferred to another province. Each friar's file contents are mostly limited to their novitiate records, canonical assignments, historically important correspondence, and a small number of personal items if desired upon their passing. Within the broader collection, each Friar is sorted as a series.
Friars with particuarly substantial historically important papers or items outside of the scope of the Personal Files are placed within a dedicated collection under their name.
This collection is a work in progress and any use of these files requires the explicit permission of the Provincial. Contact the Archivist to discuss access or inquire about friars that may not been cataloged yet.
Dates
- Creation: Death, 1999-08-28
Conditions Governing Access
Requires explicit permission from Provincial to access any records. Contact the Archivist for more information.
Conditions Governing Use
Can only be accessed upon written permission of the Provincial. Contact the Archivist for further details.
Biographical / Historical
Joseph John Della Penta was born on December 15, 1910, in Buffalo, New York, being the sixth of seven children of Marco Onofrio Della Penta and Luisa Picciano. His early education was in a public grammar school of the City of Buffalo and later in St. Lucy Grammar School, his home parish. After attending Hutchinson Central High School in Buffalo, he spent two years at Providence College, Providence, Rhode Island (1926-28).
In August of 1928 he entered the novitiate of the Province of St. Joseph at Springfield, Kentucky, and was given the religious name Clement. Having made his first profession there on August 16, 1929, he was sent to the Dominican House of Studies, River Forest, Illinois, for his philosophical studies. In the summer of 1932 he was sent to St. Joseph Priory, Somerset, Ohio, for his first year of theological studies and made his solemn profession there on August 16, 1932. A year later he was assigned to the Dominican House of Studies, Washington, D.C., for the remainder of his theological studies, earning the degree Lector of Sacred Theology. Concurrently with his theological studies he studied at the Catholic University of America and earned a Master of Arts degree in philosophy. He was ordained a priest at St. Dominic's Church, Washington, D.C., on June 13,1935.
In 1936 for Father Della Penta's first assignment he was sent on loan to the Province of
the Most Holy Name to serve as professor of philosophy and sacred eloquence at the College of St. Albert the Great, Oakland, California. For most of his life teaching was to be his ministry. After two years in California he was sent to Siena Heights College, Adria n, Michigan, as a professor of philosophy and theology (1938-40). For the next two years he pursued graduate studies at the Catholic University of America, earning a doctor's degree in philosophy in 1942. Upon completion of his graduate studies Father Della Penta returned to St. Joseph Priory, Somerset, Ohio, to teach theology in the same priory where he had begun his own theological studies. In 1945 he was transferred to St. Rose Priory, Springfield, Kentucky, where he served as instructor in Latin and sacred music for the novices of St. Joseph's Province. In 1948 he was assigned to Independence, Louisiana, in the Province of St. Albert the Great where he assisted his brother, Father Daniel Mark Della Penta, O.P., who was pastor of Mater Dolorosa Parish. In 1950 Father Edward Hughes, O.P., Prior Provincial of the Province of St. Albert the Great, asked Father Della Penta to come north to Chicago and teach at De Paul University. Thus began a teaching career at De Paul University which was to continue until his retirement in 1981, thirty-one years of teaching philosophy, theology and courses on Dante's Divine Comedy, a particular love of his life. In 1977 Father Della Penta formally petitioned for transfer to the Province of St. Albert the Great in which he had labored for nearly thirty years and the Master of the Order granted his transfiliation.
During his years as a college teacher Father Joe pursued other personal interests, playing banjo, mandolin, guitar, bass and mandala in several bands, including the Zither Club of Chicago. For 44 years he was a member and chaplain of the Columbian Club of Chicago and was chaplain of the Sheridan-Carroll Council #537 of the Knights of Columbus, being the cook for many of their spaghetti fund-raising dinners. From 1981 when he retired from De Paul University until his death, he was assigned to limited service in the Province, although he was far from idle. He returned to Louisiana and resided in Tickfaw, where he assisted local clergy as a supply priest, taught children in the area to play stringed instruments, played in bands, and offered lectures on the work of his beloved Dante. In 1998 he became chaplain of Our Lady of Pompeii Council #11060 of the Knights of Columbus at Tickfaw.
Late in August 1999, he suffered a fall from which he did not recover. His health rapidly declined, and he died on August 28, 1999, at the age of 88 years. Funeral services were held at Our Lady of Pompeii Parish, Tickfaw, Louisiana, on August 31st with burial in the Dominican Friars Plot at Rosaryville, Louisiana. On September 2, 1999, a memorial Mass was celebrated at St. Thomas Aquinas Priory, River Forest, Illinois, for his many Chicago friends.
Extent
From the Collection: 1 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
From the Collection: Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Archives of the Province of St. Albert the Great, U.S.A. Repository
1910 S. Ashland Ave
Chicago Illinois 60608 United States
3122430011
archivist@opcentral.org