Rev. Msgr. Emmanuel M. Capozzelli, 98, of Caldwell formerly of Montclair passed away on Saturday, December 23rd, 2017. He will lie in repose on Thursday, December 28th from 4-7pm at St. Aloysius Church ,219 Bloomfield Ave, Caldwell with a vigil to begin at 7:30pm. A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Friday, December 29th, at Queen of Heaven Parish in Hazelton, Pennsylvania. There will be a brief viewing before the mass from 9:30-10am. Interment at Calvary Cemetery and Drums Pennsylvania. Please visit his book of memories at caggianomemorial.com.
Msgr. Capozzelli received his BA from Seton Hall College, then received his degree of Master of Divinity at Immaculate Conception Seminary in Darlington, New Jersey. Following his ordination on June 11th, 1949, he was appointed Associate Pastor at Saint Anthony’s Church in Union City until 1956. His next assignment was to Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Jersey City. In June of 1968 he was assigned as assistant at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Montclair. One year later he became the administrator and then served as Pastor from 1974-1994. Msgr. Capozzelli was involved in many aspects of serving the community, to name a few, he served as Chaplain to The Saint Sebastian and Saint Vito Societies, Fire Department of Montclair and The Police Department of Montclair. He was deeply involved in Unico and was elected President of the Verona Chapter in 1985. He was one of the founders and treasurer of The Association of Blind Athletes. He was the President of the Cystinosis Foundation New Jersey Chapter and a Board Member of the International Chapter. He was President of the Montclair Lions Club.
Amongst some of the awards that he received over his lifetime, Msgr. Capozzelli was the first recipient of the Margo and Studer Award from Montclair State University, the Montclair Police Department Award in 1979, the Governor’s Special Olympics Award in 1978, selected Grand Marshall for the Montclair July 4th Parade in 1980, honored by Governor Thomas Keene for outstanding contributions to the New Jersey Blind and Visually Impaired Community in 1985. He was chosen for the Freeholder Humanitarian Award in 1989, Verona Unico National Man of the Year in 1986. He received the Cystinosis Foundation Humanitarian Award. He received Outstanding Citizen of the Year Award from the Township of Montclair. Msgr. Capozzelli was named prelate of honor March 17th, 1986, by Pope John Paul II.

Msgr. Capozzelli is survived by 19 nieces and nephews, 24 great nieces and nephews, and a sister-n-law Amelia. He was predeceased by his parents Anthony and Grace Maria DiGirolamo Capozzelli, his sisters Jennie and Angeline, Sister Mary, and his brothers Eli, Ciriaco, Daniel, John, Leonard, Joseph, David and Anthony.