St. Cecilia Parish and St. Timothy Parish will each offer Masses on the Feast of the Holy Innocents for the happy repose of the Soul of Joseph Augustus Zarelli.
Joseph was formerly known as the Boy in the Box and America’s Unknown Child. His body was dumped unceremoniously in a JC Penney box on Susquehanna Road, a little west of Verree Road, in Fox Chase in 1957. Police announced earlier this month that modern forensics enabled them to identify Joseph, who was 4 when he was killed.
The Rev. Christopher Walsh, pastor at St. Cecilia, will be the celebrant and homilist at a memorial Mass at noon at 535 Rhawn St.
The Rev. Michael Olivere, pastor at St. Timothy, will be the celebrant and homilist at a Mass at 7 p.m. in the upper church at 3001 Levick St.
The Masses will give thanks to police officers, detectives and those who supported them to identify Joseph.
The Mass at St. Timothy will be in collaboration with the St. Michael the Archangel Ministry, which provides multi-denominational pastoral care, crisis ministry and spiritual enrichment opportunities to the 14,000 active and retired members of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 as well as families.
