Mourners celebrate life of monsignor

More than 1,000 people, including more than 100 members of the clergy, crowded into the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi in Metuchen for the funeral of Monsignor Michael J. Alliegro on Friday, Aug. 21. He died Aug. 17 at Saint Peter's UniversityHospital, New Brunswick, at the age of 62 after a 12-year battle with leukemia.

ERIC SUCAR staff TPallbearers move the casket of the late Reverend Monsignor Michael J. Alliegro after the funeral service held at Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi in Metuchen on Aug. 21. Msgr. Alliegro passed away on Aug. 17 at the age of 62 after a decade-long battle with leukemia. Monsignor William Benwell gave the funeral homily and spoke about Monsignor Alliegro as a prayer leader, administrator and teacher, among his many other roles in the priesthood.

"Of those three, I think Michael most relished the role of teacher," Monsignor Benwell said, and evoked some laughter as he continued, "He loved to preach — his deacons will tell you how reluctant he was to give up preaching at Masses.

"Monsignor touched the hearts of the people he served," he added. "Michael understood the importance of the ministry of presence."

ERIC SUCAR staff Bishop Paul G. Bootkoski (l) blesses the casket. Right: Priests from parishes throughout New Jersey pay their respects. Monsignor Benwell then described how Monsignor Alliegro always made time in his day to visit the sick, and that one of Monsignor Alliegro's greatest regrets was that as he grew sicker, he could not be there for others.

Bishop Paul G. Bootkoski echoed that sentiment as he, too, spoke about a conversation he'd had with Monsignor Alliegro.

"I went to see him the week before he died, and I told him he was going to have to go on administrative leave," the bishop recalled. "He said, 'It's my life … I have a wedding next week.' "

But the bishop said that as he and the monsignor continued to talk for another 90 minutes, Monsignor Alliegro realized he needed to step down.

The bishop said he heard many good things about the priest and, as the bishop pointed to the casket, he said he hoped similar things would be said of him when it's his turn in "that box there."

"Last night at his Eucharist, we had a student of his who said Michael turned [the student's] life around," the bishop said.

Almost as many people attended a Mass at the cathedral the evening before. At that Mass, the Rev. Robert Medley served as homilist and told those in attendance that Monsignor Alliegro served as his mentor and friend for more than 25 years. Father Medley talked about a time when he and Monsignor Alliegro and a third priest traveled to France. The monsignor, who had relatives there and had been there before, began serving as a tour guide.

"Soon after we arrived, it became apparent that Michael wasn't very good at directions," Father Medley said, noting how the trio frequently got lost as they tried to find their way around. But Monsignor Alliegro had been the one to show Medley the way to the priesthood when Medley was exploring his relationship with the church and religion while in college. The two had met while on a church retreat.

"He was actually very good at directions and showing me, us, the way," Father Medley said. "He understood what was true in life."

Mourners signing the guest book included parishioners of St. Francis Parish, where Monsignor Alliegro had been the rector for two years, and at least 10 other religious institutions. He also served as executive director of the Department of Worship and Liturgical Formation for the Diocese of Metuchen.

"He was my good friend for 17 years," said Rabbi Eric Milgrom, spiritual leader of Temple B'nai Shalom in East Brunswick. Rabbi Milgrom spoke to the Sentinel after the funeral.

"We met through the East Brunswick clergy association and became close friends," the rabbi said. … "We spoke in each other's pulpits and at adult education classes. I remember one program he sponsored titled 'Three Great Jewish Men Who Affected the World.' I spoke about Moses, he spoke about Jesus, and another speaker discussed [famed psychoanalyst Sigmund] Freud."

Rabbi Milgrom said of his friend, "When you would see him, he would exude love. He was definitely a man of God."

Monsignor Alliegro was born Jan. 24, 1947, in Brooklyn, N.Y. He attended Our Lady of Peace School, Fords, and Mother of Our Savior Seminary High School, Blackwood, before graduating cum laude from Seton Hall University in 1969 with a bachelor's degree in classical languages. He earned a master's degree in systematic theology from Immaculate Conception Seminary, Mahwah.

He was ordained a priest by Bishop George W. Ahr at St. Mary's Cathedral, Trenton, on May 19, 1973. He also did post-graduate work in church history at Princeton Theological Seminary, medieval studies at Fordham University, and homiletics at Drew University. In addition, he received certification in secondary school administration from Seton Hall University.

During his career with the church, MonsignorAlliegro served as associate pastor of Our Lady of Peace Parish, Fords, and administrator of St. Elizabeth/St. Brigid Parish, Far Hills/Peapack. He also served as pastor of St. Joseph Church, Bound Brook, and St. Bartholomew Church, East Brunswick, where he led the congregation from 1990 to 2007.

Monsignor Alliegro would pepper his homilies with stories about his mother and his youth.

"He talked about the mischief he and his brothers got into," said Anne Marie Kimball, of Metuchen. Kimball has been with St. Francis Parish for 31 years and remembers when Monsignor Alliegro served as secretary to then- Bishop Theodore E. McCarrick in 1981 for what was then the newly formed Diocese of Metuchen.

"There was one time he had a private chat with one of my daughters, and then I saw him walking by and I could see he was contemplating something. He then said, 'Happy anniversary' to me, and I could tell he was wondering about saying it without violating my daughter's trust in her privacy."

Monsignor Alliegro also held the positions of vice principal at St. John Vianney High School, Holmdel, and principal of St. Thomas Aquinas (now Bishop Ahr) High School, Edison, during the 1970s. In 1980 he was named chairman of the Department of Pastoral Theology, Immaculate Conception Seminary, teach- ing homiletics and ecclesiology. Later, he was appointed diocesan vicar for pastoral life by Bishop Emeritus Edward T. Hughes before being named a prelate of honor with the title monsignor by Pope John Paul II on Oct. 8, 1993.

He is survived by his brothers John, Anthony, Richard, Gabriel and Philip; his sisters Jacqueline and Collette; many nieces and nephews, and one great-niece and one greatnephew.