by Rich Fisher, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Rich Fisher

Trenton, NJ — Joe DiDonato spends his life at The Meadows Racetrack outside of Pittsburgh, and makes one daily bet.

The same bet, day in and day out.

“I always say, ‘Bet on God to Win, Place and Show — Everyday!’” he said.

Perhaps we should explain. DiDonato is actually known as Pastor Joe to his followers, as he is the official chaplain for The Meadows community and ministers to hundreds of families throughout the society.

To say that he jumped at the opportunity when it was offered would be, uh, stretching the truth somewhat.

“My initial reaction was, ‘You want me to do what? Where?…I’m not interested!’” DiDonato said. “I thought the chaplain did things like counsel people who lost money gambling. I also thought it was a crazy place to have a ministry.”

MSOA photo

Pastor Joe DiDonato is the official chaplain for The Meadows community and ministers to hundreds of families throughout the society.

If that’s the case, then Pastor Joe — who probably spun a few Paul Simon records in his day — is still crazy after all these years. He arrived in August 1993 for what he thought would be a temporary gig and 22 years later is still there providing strength and comfort.

“Whether an individual attends services or not, most consider me and call me their pastor,” DiDonato said. “I am called upon to deal with everything that a minister in a local church would be asked to handle and beyond.”

Those duties include the often-emotional home, hospital and nursing home visits along with presiding over funerals. There are also the happy celebrations such as weddings, parishioner achievements, births and baptisms. Considering the size of his flock, weekends from May through September are usually booked for weddings.

“I always have numerous funeral services too,” DiDonato said. “We always personalize both wedding ceremonies and memorial services. I give my Cliff Notes version of a couple’s love story at all weddings and we celebrate the life of anyone who has died and focus on how they lived and how that particular life touched each of ours.”

There are numerous programs and outings for children along with get-togethers for the entire track population. They include baseball and football games; holiday parties; vacation Bible school; free breakfasts, lunches, dinners; and visits to the Science Center, Pittsburgh Zoo and movies.

“The list goes on and on,” Pastor Joe said. “You name it, we have done it.”

How did this happen? How did a journalism and communications major from Point Park College in Pittsburgh — who spent most of his waking hours living in the WWPJ radio station playing 1970s rock ‘n roll — become the non-denominational missionary for an entire Standardbred community?

It took a while.

After graduating college in the mid-1970s, DiDonato worked in various capacities — including disc jockey — at radio stations in West Virginia and western Pennsylvania. It was during that time he felt a call to God.

He became a youth minister in inner city Philadelphia before moving back to the Pittsburgh area and working at his hometown church, a mile from The Meadows. While he was teaching adult Bible studies at the Christian School, The Meadows race secretary began attending classes. When the track began looking for someone to take over the ministry fulltime, the race secretary recommended DiDonato.

A city boy at heart, Pastor Joe had no background with horses or gambling.

“Obviously, it did seem like an odd offer,” he said.

But he took a look, saw that two ministers prior to him were sharing duties “and started a good thing. I did not want to see it end.”

He decided to come to The Meadows for a few hours each day “until the right person that God has called comes to take over the ministry.”

That wait has lasted more than 22 years as Pastor Joe left his home church a year later and made The Meadows a home for himself; his wife of 37 years, Marcy; son, Joe, who also works at The Meadows; son, David, also a minister, and his wife, Kristen; and son, Andrew, the new head football coach at Grove City College, and his wife Andrea. There are three grandchildren in the brood.

“I have become just part of the overall family,” Pastor Joe said. “I have watched my kids grow up and graduate from high school and college, get married, standing before me reciting their vows, and then take their children to our kids programs and get-togethers. We have a separate children’s church on Sundays for the younger kids.”

In his unique position, Pastor Joe understands the life of a career Standardbred person is slightly different than a 9-to-5 office worker.

“Our folks work seven days a week and have an extremely busy schedule that leaves little time for much else, let alone church,” he said. “The scripture our ministry is based upon is Mark 16:15. Jesus tells us to ‘Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature, or every person.’ Wouldn’t that include those at our racetracks throughout our country and around the world?”

Pastor Joe is also a member of the local ministerium in the area and part of a Friday morning prayer breakfast, which keeps him in touch with other pastors, priests and ministry leaders.

“We work close with the local church and outreaches in our area that has led to receiving assistance for our people at the track in many different ways,” he said. “I have also ministered alongside local ministers and priests on many different occasions.”

Unlike a church pastor, who deals with his particular members, Pastor Joe is touching lives outside the normal church walls.

There are on-site chapel services, however, which began shortly after he took over. They started in an old tack room and the facility “expanded” by knocking out a wall and using two tack rooms. Five years later, a new chapel was erected.

“Eventually, we were packed into that chapel like a bunch of sardines,” Pastor Joe said.

A suggestion was made to build a new facility and track announcer Roger Huston ran an on-air auction for collectables that netted $9,500. The horsemen ran a golf outing that raised another $5,000, and it took off from there. The Meadows management maintenance crew offered to do the labor for free as long as Pastor Joe could raise money for the materials.

“They also told me I could have a spot right smack in the middle of the backside across from the main parking lot,” Pastor Joe said. “Again, God was at work!”

Construction was completed in the fall of 1998, with a facility that features a kitchen, office, children’s room, storage area, two bathrooms and, of course, sanctuary.

“We’ve had to re-paint and fix a few things over the years,” Pastor Joe said. “But people are still amazed at the beautiful chapel we have right in the middle of the track.”

Although he never wagers on races, DiDonato obviously has a rooting interest in the principle characters.

“I root for all my Meadows folks,” he said. “I want to see everyone do well and be able to provide for their families.”

He calls the experience “extremely rewarding” as the ministry has touched more lives in more ways than the pastor can even explain.

“This past week alone is a great example of the lives that this ministry has touched and the lives that have touched and encouraged me too,” said Pastor Joe before settling in to watch his beloved Steelers beat the Broncos on Sunday. “I have already received countless Christmas cards and letters from individuals and families who have been gone from The Meadows for years, yet they still keep in touch.

“Many remind me of the help and love they were shown and how they still can not thank me enough. Then they update me on things. Several choose to call, and not just during the holidays. I hear from many of our former Meadows folks quite often. Sometimes for encouragement, sometimes they need help in a certain area and didn’t know who else to call.”

Pastor Joe takes no credit, however, saying, “I very humbly share these facts, knowing it is only by the grace of God that I am in this position and able to experience these things.”

What DiDonato, and others like him, have accomplished has been deemed worth duplicating.

The Race Track Chaplaincy of America and the Christian Harness Horsemen’s Association, of which the Meadows is affiliated, is hoping to see a chaplain at every track in the nation.

“We have a number of chaplains at tracks all over the U.S. and beyond, but most are at Thoroughbred tracks,” DiDonato said. “Unfortunately, there are very few Standardbred chaplains. I have many folks who leave The Meadows and go to a track where there is no chaplain. They call me saying it is not the same without a chaplain here. Then they’ll usually ask, ‘Could you arrange for someone to come here?’ I wish I could!

“Hopefully more ministers will sense the call to handle racetrack ministry and there will be more of us out there. In the meantime, I’ll just keep on keepin’ on at The Meadows.”

And for that a lot of people will feel very blessed.