Fr Isaias Gerard Capaldi, S.J. 1963 - 1992
Father Capaldi was born in Glasgow in 1910, into a large Scottish-Italian family. His parents who were married in Picinisco in Italy were first-generation immigrants who earned their living from their confectionary business in Glasgow. They later moved to Edinburgh. At the age of 18, Fr. Capaldi decided to apply to join the Society of Jesus, and was accepted into the Province of Naples, the area from which his parents had emigrated.
Fr Isaias Gerard Capaldi, S.J. was appointed to Stornoway in 1963. This was to be his major Apostolate to serve a period of 29 years as the parish priest in the town.The building was originally built during the years of the second World War as a canteen facility at Stornoway Airport.It was then moved to Stornoway to be the printing works and offices of the local newspaper, the “Stornoway Gazette”, after it has served a term as a NAAFI hut on North Beach Street. Despite its well worn condition, the building served the congregation well.
In the meantime, however, Fr, Capaldi moved both heaven and earth to have a new Church of Our Holy Redeemer build to replace the aged wooden building. His ambition was finally achieved on 7th May 1991 with the opening of a handsome structure on Scotland Street.
The new Church was more than welcomed by the congregation, some of whom could remember the time when Fr. J. Ryland Whittaker first said Mass in te old building on June 11th 1961. The celebratory week was presided over by the Right Reverend Roderick Wright, Bishop of Argyll and the Isles. Many people from the Uists and Barra attended the opening ceremony, pleased that the former congregation in Lewis and Harris had risen from 50 in 1961 to over 300 when the Church of Our Holy Redeemer was dedicated in 1991. For Fr. Capaldi, the occasion was the fulfilment of a dream and his prime achievement over his period of 29 years in Stornoway.
In September 1992 Fr. Capaldi left his beloved Stornoway for Edinburgh. His death occurred on the 13th June 2002.
