Rev William A Crotti, pastor of Mt Carmel Catholic Church, Carbondale, ranks high among the influential citizens of Lackawanna County. He was born at Dorno, in the province of Pavia, Italy, and is the son of Dominick and Marie (Carnavalie) Crotti.
Dominick Crotti emigrated to this country from Italy many years ago with his family and settled at Olyphant, PA, where he has engaged in business for a quarter of a century. Mr and Mrs Crotti had eight children, five of whom survive: Joseph, a merchant, lives at Olyphant; Lena, at home; William A, the subject of this sketch; Mary, at home; and Raymond, who was graduated from the Dental School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1927.
William A Crotti was two years old when his family settled at Olyphant. He attended St Patrick's High School at that place and is a graduate of St Thomas College, Scranton, and St Bonaventure's College, Allegheny, NY. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1925 and was the first Italian ordained to the priesthood by the Rt Rev Bishop Hoban in 27 years. He served as assistant to Rev Valverde at Dunmore, PA. He was shortly afterward given his present charge as pastor of Mount Carmel Church, Carbondale.