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Evviva Santa Rita!
Photos by New York Scugnizzo
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Tuesday evening, I had the great pleasure of joining nearly 100 devotees at Saint Athanasius Church in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, for the annual Feast of Santa Rita da Cascia and Tuesday Devotion to Sant’Antonio da Padova. Sponsored by the Associazione Culturale Pugliese Figli Maria SS. Addolorata, attendees celebrated Mass, venerated the relic of Sant’Antonio, and processed in prayer around the parish with the statue of St. Rita. Festivities concluded with the distribution of blessed loaves of bread, some refreshments, and fellowship in the church auditorium.
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| (Above & below) Religious articles and roses were available for purchase |
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Arriving early, I was able to offer reparation and venerate the saints.
(L-R) SS. Crocifiso di Ciminna and Santa Fara di Cinisi |
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Before Mass, we participated in the weekly
Thirteen Tuesday devotion to Sant’Antonio da Padova |
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| Lucrezia Nardulli led the evening’s novena prayer to Santa Rita |
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Members of the Associazione Culturale Pugliese Figli Maria SS. Addolorata
show their devotion to Santa Rita |
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| Msgr. David Cassato celebrated Mass in English and Italian |
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| (Above & below) Msgr. Cassato blesses the roses and baskets of bread |
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| (L-R) After Mass, Lucrezia and Josephine led the procession from the church |
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| (Above & below) The procession wends its way through the neighborhood |
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| (Above & below) The ladies take turns carrying our beloved patroness |
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| Circling the parish, the procession saunters back to St. Athanasius |
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| Members pose for a commemorative photo |
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| The blessed bread is distributed to the participants |
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| Afterward, partygoers continued the celebration in the auditorium |
