New London - While many Catholic parishes are watching their Mass attendance and financial support dwindle and are struggling to keep their schools open, St. Joseph's Church on Squire Street seems like a step back in time.

Masses are packed, the congregation numbers 3,000 families and its endowment is so healthy that it gives $2,000-a-year scholarships to all students who graduate from its parish school, go on to attend St. Bernard School in Uncasville and then to college.

But today, the pastor who has overseen the diocese's largest parish for the past 36 years, the Rev. Joseph Castaldi, will retire.

"I've had it," said the 75-year-old Castaldi, who is known for his straight talk and passion for Catholic education, when asked about his decision to retire. "I've spent half my life here, and before I get completely burned out, I hope the Lord will keep me healthy for a few more years so I can go back to Italy and visit."

That's where the native of Providence's Federal Hill neighborhood spent his first 17 years as a priest, working at the Vatican. It's a time he speaks of fondly.

Today, more than 600 people, including the bishop of Norwich, the Most Rev. Michael Cote, will attend a retirement party for Castaldi at Ocean Beach Park. Next week, Castaldi will head off for a vacation with his family in Florida and then move to Newport, R.I., to live with his brother and help out at a local church.

For St. Joe's parishioners, Castaldi's departure will bring a big change. He worked long hours juggling his duties at the church, school and Lawrence & Memorial Hospital. He's been so dedicated to the parish that he has taken only one vacation. That was last year, when he spent five days in Florida.

"He's just handled it all and done it well for years and years," said Lou Camerota, the president of the parish council. "We've been so fortunate to have him for all the time that we did."

"No one wants to see him retire but no one wants to see him die here, either," added local funeral home owner Chris Neilan, a lifelong parishioner. "We want him to see him enjoy himself."

Castaldi is known for his speedy 7 a.m. Sunday Masses.

"He'll give you salvation in 27 minutes," said Camerota, who reads the Scripture readings at the Mass. "You feel like your tank is full and you're ready for the day."

Earlier this week, while he sat at a large table in the church rectory, Castaldi said he will not miss the long work days and presiding over funerals. But he will miss the people.

"I'm among people from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Once I retire, that will be the big change. It could be a lonely life but I'm going to try and not let that happen," he said.

"I've been here so long that I've baptized kids, did their first communion and confirmation, and then married them. Now I'm baptizing their kids," he said.

Castaldi went to Rome in 1958 to study at Pontifical Gregorian University. In 1963, he was ordained and celebrated his first Mass at St. Peter's Basilica. The next week, he celebrated Mass in the small Italian town where his grandparents had lived before immigrating to the United States in 1905. He went on to earn his master's degree in church canon law and worked in the Vatican office for refugees and immigrants.

"For a priest, living in Rome is a wonderful daily experience, being that close to the center of the church," he said.

He returned to the United States in 1975 to spend more time with his family. That's when the former bishop of Norwich, Daniel Reilly, who had known Castaldi from his childhood, asked him to come to the diocese and be assigned to St. Joe's.

He eventually replaced Monsignor Paul St. Onge, who also had been an institution at the church.

Change comes slowly

In his free time, Castaldi likes to cook Italian dishes, grow vegetables in a small garden and tend a pigeon coop behind the rectory. And when something breaks at the parish, it's not unusual for him to make the repairs.

Parishioners said that while Castaldi may sometimes seem to have a tough exterior, that's an illusion.

Camerota described him as having a "milk chocolate center."

"He's a very kind and compassionate man. He has a very caring heart," Neilan said. "He's told us that any Catholic who wants a funeral Mass gets one, even if they haven't attended church or married a non-Catholic. He's very accepting of people."

Castaldi is also known as a strong proponent of the value of Catholic education.

In a city with a growing population of immigrants, many of whom attend his church, Castaldi said, there have been changes in the parish school. When he started, the classes were staffed entirely by nuns. Now the nuns are gone and the teachers are Catholic lay people.

The school is fully enrolled at 200 students, some of whom travel in from surrounding towns because their parents attended Catholic school and believe in its importance, Castaldi said.

"He's been a great steward of Catholic education," Camerota said.

As he departs, Castaldi said two issues pose significant challenges for the church - the lack of men entering the priesthood and the pedophilia scandal.

"It will be centuries before the scandal is wiped from the minds of the faithful," Castaldi said.

One result, he said, is that some parents no longer want their sons to enter the priesthood.

As for the lack of vocations, Castaldi said, the United States church is in dire need of priests and has begun importing them from India, Poland and Africa. He said differences in culture and language can make it difficult to relate to American parishioners.

While the Catholic Church has begun allowing married Episcopal priests to become Catholic priests and welcoming entire Episcopal congregations, Castaldi said he thinks the time is coming when Catholic priests will be allowed to marry. That would boost the number of priests.

"Slowly, things are changing," he said.

He added, though, that he does not foresee women being allowed to become priests because of Catholic doctrine.

Castaldi said he leaves the parish in good shape for his replacement, the Rev. Mark O'Donnell, who has been at St. Agnes Church in East Lyme.

"There's a wonderful spirit here. There are no divisions of any kind and the endowment is large. If he keeps the 11th commandment, 'Thou shall not touch the principle,' he'll be OK," he quipped.

In recent weeks, some parishioners have been wondering what they will do without their longtime pastor.

"My answer is, we'll do what he would want us to do. We'll bid him farewell and embrace our new pastor," Camerota said.

Neilan said that while a lot of people fear change, he believes O'Donnell will be a good fit for the parish. "But everyone is saying the same thing: They can't remember St. Joe's without Father Castaldi," he said.

j.wojtas@theday.com