“DiCarlo is a family that is deeply rooted in religious tradition and wishes to share that and has dedicated their lives to that service,” said Fr. Vito Marziliano, who has known the DiCarlos for as long as they’ve been in the business.

Marziliano says he enjoys the excellent quality of their supplies, mostly imported from Europe, and appreciates the warm and welcoming setting.

“The client is not only welcomed but led through the various choices and possibilities and if what they are searching for is not available, they really do their best to provide it for them,” he said.

Co-owner Salvatore DiCarlo has been working in religious supplies for the past 20 years. With his parents, he opened a religious supply store in Hamilton in 2002. The Hamilton location, which they still operate on Barton Street, caters more to the general public, offering a wider selection of religious books and giftware.

At the newest location in Toronto, DiCarlo uses the showroom to provide displays that show how the items would look set up in a church. He said he and his father have tried to create a storefront where priests don’t feel secluded and can be sure they are buying religious articles made by the experts. They can also sit down to go through their options.

“If they’re looking for a vestment, or they’re looking for a statue... we have an area for the clergy or a committee to sit down and discuss projects or things they would want to buy. It’s still geared to the public but we wanted the priests to feel like they have their own space.”

With clients from coast to coast, DiCarlo recently expanded its distribution of sales to the United States.

Visitors to the store can take a look at the business’ antique section, which DiCarlo hopes to turn into a little museum some day.

But a more important project in the works is the establishment of the “La Vita” foundation in honour of his mother, Vita, who passed away last year as they were just beginning to work on the new location.

DiCarlo plans to have the La Vita foundation in place by 2010, whereby a percentage of sales will go towards the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

Visit www.dicarlo-rsc.com or call (416) 744-7404.