Nazzareno Formosa

Rev. Nazzareno Formosa was born in the village of Għarb, Gozo, Malta, on 29 March 1901 to Nikola Formosa and Maria Caruana, the last to be born of 8 children. He studied in Italy and was ordained a priest on August 2, 1925. In 1927 he emigrated to the United States to minister to the growing Maltese population in New York City. He became a naturalized American citizen and was incardinated as a priest of the Archdiocese of New York. He was then assigned to the parish of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary as curate to Monsignor Joseph Congedo.

For the next ten years Reverend Formosa ministered to both the parishioners of Sacred Hearts Parish and to the Maltese community in Manhattan and Astoria, Queens. He served as the chaplain to numerous associations formed within the Maltese community in New York.[1] Nazzareno died in Columbus Hospital on 22 July 1937, at the age of 36, as a result of appendicitis. His funeral was held at the Church of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary which was attended by almost 800 people. He was buried in St John Cemetery in Queens.[2]