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| Shrine to Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii inside St. Finbar Church |
O August Queen of Victories, O Sovereign of Heaven and Earth, at whose name the heavens rejoice and the abyss trembles. O Glorious Queen of the Rosary, we, your devoted children, assembled on this solemn day, pour out the affection of our hearts and with filial confidence express our miseries to You. ~ excerpt from the Supplica
Sunday afternoon, we attended the monthly Traditional Latin Mass at St. Finbar Church (138 Bay 20th St.) in Bath Beach, Brooklyn for the External Solemnity of the Feast of the Madonna del Rosario di Pompei (Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii). Some fifty people attended the High Mass sung by Fr. Rafael Perez, parochial vicar at Divine Mercy Parish. In his homily, Fr. Perez spoke at length about the importance of the Holy Rosary and the crucial role the devotion played at the Battle of Lepanto and the defense of Western Christendom.
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(L) The recently restored sanctuary inside St. Finbar.
(R) Outdoor shrine to St. Louis IX, King of France
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In an attempt to breathe new life into another revered and important devotion to Our Lady, at the end of Mass Fr. Perez led the congregation in praying the Supplica, a powerful petition for the Blessed Mother’s intercession, under the title of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii, traditionally invoked on May 8th and the first Sunday in October.
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Our Lady's image on display at the restaurant
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The Cordi family
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Before leaving for our group luncheon, we circled the nave and visited the church’s many saints, including of course its beautiful image of the Madonna del Rosario di Pompei. Devotees offered flowers and prayed, but unfortunately no votive candles were available at the church.
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(Above & below) Always a pleasure to see happy
families celebrating their faith and culture
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On a sad note, we learned of the passing of the Very Rev. Msgr. Joseph Francis Ambrosio, beloved Knight Official of Ecclesiastical Grace of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George and pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Newark, New Jersey. We offered prayers for the happy repose of his soul at the foot of the shrine to Madonna del Rosario di Pompei, one of the co-patrons of the Order. In your charity, please pray for his soul.
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(Above & below) A great time was had by all
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While it was nice to see the scaffolding removed and the restoration work completed inside St. Finbar, the cordoned-off pews and “do not touch” signs affixed to virtually everything was a real eyesore. The church was sterile and felt more like a museum than a house of worship. I understand the reasons for it (even if I don’t agree), but when you see so many non-essential public places not subjected to the same draconian safeguards and restrictions one cannot help but get angry (to put it mildly). I assure you, these affronts will not be forgotten.
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Our pals James and Joy
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Returning to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, we gathered at Amunì Ristorante (7217 3rd Avenue) for the Second Annual Madonna del Rosario di Pompei Luncheon organized by devoted parishioners (who wish to be kept anonymous) from the Shrine Church of St. Bernadette (8201 13th Ave.) in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn.
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(Above & below) Some group photos between courses
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Closed to the public, partygoers settled into the Sicilian eatery’s cozy backyard dining area for another fantastic multi-course repast à la Chef Vincent Dardanello. Amunì’s crack staff kept the beer and wine flowing freely as trays of delicious Southern Italian fare kept arriving at the tables.
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While discussing Charles A. Coulombe's new book Blessed Charles of Austria: A Holy Emperor and His Legacy James shows us his holy cards with relic
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Between courses, guests mingled and, in some cases, reunited for the first time since the Coronavirus lockdowns. While conversation was mostly lighthearted (amazingly, people hardly discussed the insanity currently gripping the country), I was happy to hear how well-loved Msgr. Ambrosio was among the attendees, as many shared heartwarming stories about him. Personally, I have several, but I’ll never forget that he was the Celebrant at my first Traditional Latin Mass, which forever changed my life. Requiéscat in pace. Madonna del Rosario di Pompei, prega per noi.
~ Giovanni di Napoli, October 6th, the Feasts of San Bruno di Colonia and Santa Maria Francesca delle Cinque Piaghe
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| Affettati e formaggio |
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| Arancini |
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(Above & below) Panelle served on a toasted roll
with fresh ricotta, caciocavallo and topped with lemon zest |
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| Pasta al forno and Rigatoni all’Amatriciana |
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| Pollo alla Milanese |
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| Homemade cannoli with crushed pistachios and sfogliatelle |
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(Above & below) As always, we ended the night with a few
pictures with the flag of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
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