April 30, 2021

Celebrating the 100th Wedding Anniversary of Filomena Breglio and Giuseppe Maria Toscano

Celebrants outside Most Precious Blood Church in Little Italy, New York
Photo courtesy of Tony Montemuro
Today [Tuesday, April 27th], we commemorate the 100th wedding anniversary of Filomena Breglio and Giuseppe Maria Toscano—our maternal grandparents. 

It’s an American Story...made in Italy! 

Joe came to American in 1899 under permission of the King of Italy- Umberto I, to what he expected were “streets paved in gold” -- together with his mother Maria Antonia, dad Giovanni, sister Angelina and brother Domenico. 

Approximately 5 years later, Giovanni was killed during a workers’ organization protest on the docks of the lower east side. While it made Nonna question America and why they were here (wearing black for the rest of her life—over 50 years later), it made Joe determined to do and be more. 

Filomena and Giuseppe Toscano
Joe dropped out of school at age 14 to provide for his family. First, he worked at Eisner’s Clothing factory—leaving nights to go to the public library to read newspapers and teach himself English. By the way, he had NO accent. 

Later in 1918, Joe served his country (not his former country) in WWI. He shared with me when the government asked him if he had any problem fighting against his country. He replied, “I’m fighting for MY country when I serve.” They immediately enlisted him. 

Thereafter in 1920, he met Filomena Breglio at a local pharmacy after which they began a courtship...part of which was a deal. It was a “three-fer”—when you marry me, you get me, my mother and my little brother too! “Minny” (as he called her) lovingly agreed and continued to care for them and her own children for years after. She was, after all, used to a crowd—being one of 18 children. 

Together Joe and Minny had 4 children—Frances who is currently 99, and those children now gone, Catherine, Helen and Marie (aka Maria Antonietta—a theme). 

While Minny cared for Nonna, Dom, and her own children, Joe initially worked as a runner on Wall Street and finally at the Post Office—green truck #15119 remaining with the Post Office until retirement. 

They first lived in what is now China Town, then on Avenue B by Tompkins Square, and later at #3 Avenue C in Brooklyn. They spent their final years living with Fran and husband Dan in Jamaica. 

Filomena and Joe had 12 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren by their final ages of 80 and 92. 

Filomena often admonished others: “don’t worship the stars (celebrities), worship the saints.” Who were the saints they appreciated most?—St. Rocco, St. Veronica, St. Francis, St. Joseph, Santa Maria, and San Antonio! (the theme continues). 

Their focus during life was simple—education, faith, family, and love of country—the USA, whose streets weren’t, in fact, paved in gold, but which YOU could YOURSELF pave with industry, hard work, education and determination. “You can become anything you want in America!” they’d often say. 

They might be embarrassed by the attention today, but it is a well-deserved testament to them and their legacies which we now honor. 

With gratitude and thanksgiving for them, their lives, their examples, and the sacrifices they made which have benefitted us all, these 100 years later. 

May God continue to bless them and keep them and their children with a special blessing for Frances on her upcoming 100th birthday! 

Grazie mille ed baccioni per i nostri nonni Filomena e Giuseppe!! Rendiamo grazie a Dio perche e una cosa buona e giusta!

~ Submitted by Tony Montemurro, April 29, Feast of San Severo di Napoli

April 26, 2021

Photo of the Week: Sarcophagus Lid of Unknown Knight in the Cathedral of Salerno

Believed by some to belong to the Norman Duke Ruggero Borsa (1060/61–February 22, 1111), son of Duke Roberto il Guiscardo (c.1015—July 17, 1085)
Photo by Andrew Giordano

April 22, 2021

Masses for the Feast of San Giorgio Being Offered by the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George

San Giorgio, ora pro nobis
On Friday, April 23rd Masses will be celebrated at the following churches for the Solemnity of St. George the Martyr, principal patron of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George. Knights and dames are invited to assist in mantle, and clergy in choir dress.

• Brooklyn, NY: St. Cecilia Chapel (Divine Mercy Parish), 84 Herbert Street. 8:30 am.

• Chicago, IL: Shrine of Christ the King: 6401 S Woodlawn Ave. 11:00 am. (12 pm EST, will be livestreamed here). 

• Houston, TX: Annunciation Church: 1618 Texas Ave. 12:10 pm. 

• New Orleans, LA: Old St. Patrick Church, 724 Camp Street. 11:30 am.

• Roswell, GA: Epiphany of Our Lord Church: 2030 Old Alabama Road. 7:00 pm.

• Sulphur, LA: St. Francis de Sales Oratory, 802 South Huntington Street. 8:00 am. 


Source: Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George American Delegation

April 19, 2021

New Book — Thomas Aquinas and the Civil Economy Tradition: The Mediterranean Spirit of Capitalism

Forthcoming title that may be of interest to our readers. Available at Amazon.com 

• Thomas Aquinas and the Civil Economy Tradition: The Mediterranean Spirit of Capitalism by Paolo Santori


Publisher: Routledge

Publication Date: May 17, 2021

Paperback: $160.00

Language: English

Pages: 174


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Click here to see more books


Listing does not imply endorsement

April 16, 2021

Around the Web: Baroque in Kentucky

The Martyrdom of St. Bartholomew by Mattia Preti
Donated by King Francesco I of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
Reprinted from The Society of St. Hugh of Cluny

New York, Boston, Philadelphia and … Bardstown? Furthermore, what could be the connection between this not-very-well-known Kentucky town and Naples, Italy? And what are its remote links not just with one, but two Catholic chivalric orders?


Bardstown, KY today is a quaint town – population 13,000 – with numerous buildings from the 1770’s onwards. It resembles Litchfield or Farmington, CT, Deerfield or Salem, MA – all localities once important in preindustrial America but subsequently bypassed by economic progress and therefore fortunately preserved. Bardstown, however, has unique Catholic significance. For it was to this region that Catholic settlers came to establish a new community west of the Alleghenies.  These first Catholics, moreover, were in large part descendants of the original English Catholic population of Maryland. Continue reading

April 13, 2021

Announcing the Sons of the Two Sicilies Smoking Pipe Club

Photos courtesy of the Sons of the Two Sicilies Smoking Pipe Club
The Sons of the Two Sicilies Smoking and Pipe Club is a gathering place for the smokers, collectors and creators of tobacco pipes made in the territories of the former Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

For over one hundred and fifty years, the Italian Peninsula has been an important hub for the manufacture of tobacco pipes. From the finest artisans crafting each piece by hand, to some of the world’s best known industrial manufacturers - Italy remains a center for pipe making in the world. Cementing her place in the pipe smoking world, Italy is also one of the foremost producers of briar root - the extremely hard and heat-resistant, wood most favored in the production of smoking pipes.


But while many of the most well known names in pipe making come from the famed centers of production in northern Italy, the incredible artists and artisans creating smoking pipes in the territories of southern Italy and Sicily - the lands that once constituted the ancient Kingdom of the Two Sicilies - are sometimes difficult to identify, and far-too-often completely overlooked.


We’ve set out to catalogue, collect, and circulate the fine works being crafted in the Two Sicilies today, so that pipe smokers, collectors, and connoisseurs from around the world - and those of us with roots in this ancient land - can share in the excellence that is the Southern Italian pipe making tradition.

The Sons of the Two Sicilies Smoking Pipe Club can be found on Facebook and Instagram

April 12, 2021

Photo of the Week: The Incredulity of St. Thomas by Marco da Siena

The Incredulity of St. Thomas by Marco da Siena (c.1525–c.1587).
Altarpiece in the cappella di San Teodoro (St. Theodore chapel) inside the Duomo di Santa Maria Assunta, or Cattedrale di San Gennaro, in Naples

Photo by Andrew Giordano

April 9, 2021

New Music: Sonate a Quattro

New music that may be of interest to our readers.

• Allessandro Scarlatti: Sonate a Quattro by Les Recreations


Label: Ricercar

Release Date: February 18, 2021

Audio CD: $18.99

Number of Discs: 1


Available at Amazon.com


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April 6, 2021

Grazie Easter Bunny!

After Mass, I came home to find a basket full of goodies
As usual, the Easter bunny left me another terrific basket brimming with fruit, nuts and other treats, including Ernst Jünger’s Interwar Articles and a few stamps for my ever-growing philatelic collection. Buona Pasqua!

(L) 1920 stamp from Fiume with portrait of Gabriele D'Annunzio
and (R) 1956 Hungarian stamp with John Hunyadi on horseback
(L) 1913 Albanian stamp with likeness of George Kastrioti (Skanderbeg)
and (R) 1918 stamp from Bosnia & Herzegovina with portrait of Empress Zita
1932 Kingdom of Italy stamp with portrait of Torquato Tasso

Photo of the Week: The Risen Christ in the Basilica Madonna dei Martiri Museum in Molfetta

Photo by Andrew Giordano

April 5, 2021

Pasquetta – Little Easter 2021

Frittata di maccheroni
In remembrance of the risen Christ's meeting and subsequent dinner with his disciples on the road to Emmaus, a small town outside Jerusalem, Duosiciliani (Southern Italians) celebrate Pasquetta, or Little Easter. Traditionally family and friends would pack a lunch and take a short trip to the shore or countryside in commemoration of Christ’s journey, but because Easter Monday is not a national holiday here in the States, and people have to work, it’s not always easy to organize a group outing. As expected, COVID made it more difficult and once again deterred my usual fellow day trippers. Nonetheless, I still try to keep the tradition whenever possible, even if it is by myself. So I packed my picnic basket with Easter leftovers, some frittata di maccheroni and a good book, and found a peaceful location to reflect on my many, many blessings. Buona Pasquetta!

Happy Birthday Princess Camilla di Borbone!

HRH was born in Rome, Italy on April 5, 1971
Photo courtesy of Real Casa di Borbone
Happy Birthday Princess Camilla di Borbone — Two Sicilies, Duchess of Castro and Dame Grand Cross of Justice of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George! May God almighty bless you with a life full of joy and happiness. May you always find favor in His eyes. Peace be upon you. Auguri!

April 3, 2021

Paulaner Bier for San Francesco di Paola

For the second year in a row, we did not celebrate the Feast of San Francesco di Paola with our usual pizza and Paulaner party.
Last year, due to COVID, we did it virtually, but unsurprisingly it just wasn’t the same. This year, for an infinitely better reason, we did not celebrate because the great Calabrian saint’s feast day fell on Good Friday.

Be that as it may, returning from the Three Hours Agony Devotions and the afternoon liturgical service at my parish, I did allow myself to have a “liquid lunch” in his honor. Fasting and abstaining from all meat, eggs and dairy I did not eat any pizza, or anything else for that matter, but I did break in my new stoneware stein with a nice cold Paulaner bier.


For the sake of new readers unfamiliar with our custom, we drink Paulaner because it was originally brewed in Bavaria in 1634 to help support the charitable works of the Minims, a mendicant order of monks founded by St. Francis in the fifteenth-century. The name Paulaner itself is a corruption of Paola, the town in Provincia di Cosenza where St. Francis was born. It also helps that the golden Bavarian elixir taste great. Evviva San Francesco di Paola!

April 1, 2021

Ponderable Quote from "The Ruling Class" by Gaetano Mosca: Causes of Socialism

Gaetano Mosca
April 1, 1858—Nov. 8, 1941
Sicilian jurist and philosopher

An important factor in the progress of socialist propaganda, and one of its most direct and immediate causes, has been the broadening of suffrage, or, more exactly, universal suffrage, which has come to be more and more widely adopted in Europe in deference to the principles of the radical school and to democratic logic. Now the danger in broad based suffrage is not so much that if proletarians get the right to drop their ballots into a box their genuine representatives may come to be in the majority in our political assemblies, as many fear or hope. After all, whatever the election system, control will always remain with the more influential classes, rather than with the more numerous classes. The danger lies rather in the fact that in order to gain an advantage over their rivals most candidates do all they can to pamper popular sentiments and prejudices. That attitude leads to promises and professions of faith that are based on the postulates of socialism. The natural result of the system is that the more honest and energetic people are alienated from public life, compromises and moral reservations become more and more the rule, while the ranks of the so-called conservatives become more and more stultified, both intellectually and morally.

Reprinted from The Ruling Class by Gaetano Mosca, p.310-311, McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1939