Photo of the Week: The Laying of the First Stone of the Palace of Caserta by Gennaro Maldarelli

The Laying of the First Stone of the Palace of Caserta (1844) by Gennaro Maldarelli, ceiling of the throne room in the Reggia di Caserta
Photo by Andrew Giordano

Celebrating the 133rd Annual Feast of San Rocco di Potenza in Little Italy, New York

Devotees carry glorious San Rocco on Mulberry Street, Little Italy

Responsorio a San Rocco

Ave, Roche Santissime
Qui nobili natus sanguine
Crucis signaris schemate
Sinistro tuo latere.

Numinis in praesentia
Nostra nunc serva corpora
Et crucis per praesidia
A peste oppidum libera.

Roche, peregre profectus
Pestifere mortis ictus
Curavisti mirifice
Tangendo salutifere.

Vale, Roche qui angelice
Vocis citatus flamine
Obtinuiste deifice
A cunctis pestem pellere.

Sit Christe Rex piissime
Tibi Patrique gloria
Cum Spiritu Paraclito
Et nunc et in perpetuum.

V. Ora pro nobis, beate Roche.
R. Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi.

Oremus

Populum tuum, quaesumus Domine, continua pietate custodi, et beati Rochi suffragantibus meritis, ab omni fac animae et corporis contagione securum. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

Statue of San Rocco on the 'Guariglia' bye-altar
inside the Shrine Church of the Most Precious Blood

The newly repaired putti

Wax ex-votos

(L) Concelebrants Fr. Robert Campagna and Fr. Jack.
(R) The beautiful high altar behind the table 

Devotees pack into the church for Mass

Fr. Campagna lights the incense inside the censer for the entrance procession

(Above & below) After Mass, the color guard
emerge from the church with flags, standard and cinte

To the delight of the expectant crowd, San Rocco descends
the steps of Most Precious Blood Church with great fanfare 

Steve sang his heartfelt rendition of Appresso al santo

(Above & below) Gold ex-votos are affixed to the statue

Devotees offer generous donations

(L) a money cape and cloak are wrapped around the statue.
(R) Giorgio with San Rocco's faithful pooch

Matt, Peter and Stephen with the cherubim

A good time was had by all

The Lombardi ladies were all smiles

Our dear friends from the St. Joseph Society
of Lodi, New Jersey show their support

The lads enjoying a little homemade grappa

The procession departs from Most Precious Blood Church

Leaving Little Italy for The Church of the Transfiguration in China Town

Giorgio and Peter

Bruno and Matt

Raymond and Angelo

Departing the Church of the Transfiguration
for now-closed St. James Church

Giorgio and Tony De Nonno 

Remembering our roots, we made our way to now-closed St. Joseph's Church

The Mavrianos family showers San Rocco with rose petals

Our pal Phil Arfuso, former President of the San Rocco Society
of Fort Lee, New Jersey, helps carry our glorious patron

The procession wends its way back to Little Italy

The Tocci clan generously offered parched participants
water and wine outside the old Vanilla funeral home

Revelers dance in the streets

The procession stops by our friends at Avella Dairy on Grand Street

Raymond and John outside Di Paolo's Fine Foods on Grand Street

Danny Vecchiano and the Giglio Band

The procession briefly stops by Da Nico's Restaurant
on Mulberry Street for some more water and wine

Returning to the Shrine Church of the Most Precious Blood,
the San Rocco Society of Potenza takes a celebratory photo

Photo of the Week: Statuary Facing the Grand Staircase in the Reggia di Caserta

On the wall facing the Grand Staircase inside the Reggia di Caserta are sculptures representing, from left to right, Merit by Andrea Violani, Royal Majesty by Tommaso Solari, and Truth by Gaetano Salomone
Photo by Andrew Giordano

New Parish Museum in Ripabottoni, Molise Celebrates Local and National History of the Kingdom of Naples through the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies

San Rocco by Paolo Gamba, Chiesa di
S. Maria Assunta, Ripabottoni (CB)

On 16 August 2022, on the occasion of the patronal feast of Saint Rocco in Ripabottoni, at 6:00 pm the “borough of stone” as the town is known, the Parish inaugurated the new Paolo Gamba Museum, housed within the Santa Maria Assunta church. The Museum is named for Ripabottoni native artist Paolo Gamba (1712-1782) who had a flourishing studio there together with this father Giambattista, who spread throughout Molise, Abruzzo and Puglia the style and manner of the great Neapolitan baroque painter Francesco Solimena (1657-1747) of whom he was a student. Ripabottoni was a local commercial center for grain, silk and horse trading in the Kingdom of Naples and thrived under the patronage and leadership of the Francone princes of Ripa who brought many talented people from Naples to Molise to build and decorate public and private property, and who likewise brought a retinue of Ripese talent to Naples to decorate their town houses and other projects. Ripabottoni retains its characteristic stone buildings and is still part of the Diocese of Larino. Paolo Gamba lovingly painted many works still viewable in the church, including canvases depicting a Madonna of the Purgatory, Madonna of the Rosary, St Rocco, a Presentation of the Virgin at the Temple and a number of frescoes such as the Virtue and Prophets in medallions. For the church of Maria della Concezione also in Ripabottoni, he painted an Immaculate Conception, an Assumption of the Virgin, an Annunciation, and medallions with stories of the New Testament.

The Museum is the fruit of Mons. Gabriele Tamilia, the parish priest of Ripabottoni who was aided by art historian Gabriella Paduano and by local volunteers Giuseppe Silvaggi, Leonardo Ciarla and Franco Paduano, who have tirelessly worked to bring together many objects belonging to the parish available for visitors to enjoy. On exhibit are sacred vestments, historic liturgical objects, reliquaries, candelabra, processional crosses, books and objects which document the life of the parish over the centuries. Books by and memorabilia relating to Ripa native and parishioner Cav. Pietro Ramaglia (1802-1875) the Europe-wide famous doctor and professor of medicine who became personal physician to King Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies, are also on display. Mons. Tamilia and Prof. Paduano are also authors of a book on the Francone family and of another on Dr. Ramaglia.

During the ceremony Cav. Giuseppe Mammarella, archivist of the Diocese of Termoli-Larino explained why the Church of Santa Maria Assunta is a national landmark, designed and build by noted Neapolitan architect Ferdinando Sanfelice, of the noble Molisan family and friend of the Francone family. For centuries the church has been the center of devotion also for Saint Crescenzo whose relics rest there and for Saint Rocco, who is figured in a well known painting by Gamba. Prof. Gabriella Paduano illustrated the importance of such small museums of sacred art and history. Mayor Orazio Civetta announced that the Comune of Ripabottoni is donating to the Museum a bronze of Paolo Gamba depicting the urn containing the body of the Martyr Saint Crescenzo. The Museum is the greatest expression of the preserved heritage of the town and region and aims to showcase the history and spirituality of the community.

Votive Mass for Blessed Karl of Austria at Holy Name of Jesus Church in Brooklyn, New York

Ponderable Quote from 'The Three Ages of the Interior Life: Prelude of Eternal Life' by the Rev. Réginald Marie Garrigou-Lagrange

The Rev. R. Garrigou-Lagrange

True Devotion to Mary 

We are not speaking here of an entirely exterior, presumptuous, inconstant, hypocritical, and interested devotion, but of true devotion which St. Thomas defines as “promptness of the will in the service of God.”[1] This promptness of the will, which should subsist despite aridity of the sensible part of the soul, inclines us to render to our Lord and His holy Mother the worship that is due them.[2] As Jesus is our Mediator with His Father, in the same way we should go to our Savior through Mary. The mediation of the Son throws light on that of His holy Mother. 

They are deluded who claim to reach union with God without having continual recourse to our Lord. They will hardly attain to an abstract knowledge of God, and not to that sweet knowledge called wisdom; a lofty knowledge at once practical, living, and experiential, which makes us discover the ways of Providence in the most insignificant things. The quietists were mistaken in holding that Christ’s sacred humanity was a means useful only at the beginning of the spiritual life; they did not sufficiently recognize the universal mediation of our Savior. 

Another error consists in wishing to go to our Lord without passing through Mary. This was one of the errors of the Protestants. And even some Catholics do not see clearly enough how expedient it is to have recourse to the Blessed Virgin in order to enter the intimacy of Christ. As St. Grignion de Montfort says, they know Mary “only in a speculative, dry, fruitless, indifferent manner.…They fear that devotion toward her is abused and that injury is done to our Lord by paying excessive honor to His holy Mother.…If they speak of devotion to Mary, it is less to recommend it than to destroy the abuses of it.”[3] They seem to consider Mary “a hindrance in reaching divine union,”[4] whereas all her influence is exercised in order to lead us to it. It would be just as sensible to say that the holy Curé of Ars was a hindrance to his parishioners in their progress toward God. 

To neglect the Mediators whom God has given us because of our weakness, shows a lack of humility. Intimacy with our Lord in prayer will be greatly facilitated by frequent recourse to Mary. 

Notes:

[1] Summa, IIa IIae, q.82, a.I: “Devotion is apparently nothing else but the will to give oneself readily to things concerning the service of God.” 

[2] A distinction must be made, however, between the worship of latria due to God and the humanity of the Savior personally united to the Word, and the worship of hyperdulia, due to the Blessed Virgin. 

[3] Treatise on the True Devotion to Mary, chap. 2, a.i. 

[4] Ibid., chap. 4, a.6. 

* The Three Ages of the Interior Life: Prelude of Eternal Life by The Rev. R. Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P. translated by Sister M. Timothea Doyle, O.P., TAN Books and Publishers, Inc., P. 265-266

Getty Museum to Return 'The Oracle' by Camillo Miola and Other Objects to Italy

The Oracle, 1880, Camillo Miola (Neapolitan, 1840-1919),
Oil on canvas, 42 1/2 x 56 1/4 in. Getty Museum

On August 11 the Getty Museum announced it will return several objects to Italy, including The Oracle by Camillo Miola (Biacca).

• For more on The Oracle by Camillo Miola click here

• For more on Camillo Miola (Biacca) click here

• For the full press release click here

Feast of Santa Maria Assunta in Cielo

Santa Maria Assunta, ora pro nobis

August 15th is the Feast of Santa Maria Assunta, patroness of Monte di Procida, Naples. In celebration, we’re posting a prayer to Our Lady of the Assumption by Pope St. Pius X. The accompanying photo of the replica statue of Santa Maria Assunta in Cielo from Monte di Procida was taken at the National Centre for Padre Pio in Barto, Pennsylvania. Evviva Maria!

Prayer to Our Lady of the Assumption

O immaculate virgin, mother of God and mother of humanity, we believe with all the fervour of our faith in your triumphal assumption both in body and in soul into heaven where you are acclaimed as queen by all the choirs of angels and all the legions of saints; we unite with them to praise and bless the Lord who has exalted you above all other pure creatures and to offer you the tribute of our devotion and our love.

We know that your gaze, which on earth watched over the humble and suffering humanity of Jesus, in heaven is filled with the vision of that humanity glorified and with the vision of uncreated wisdom, and that the joy of your soul in the direct contemplation of the adorable trinity causes your heart to throb with overwhelming tenderness; and we, poor sinners whose body weights down the flight of the soul, beg you to purify our hearts so that, while we remain below, we may learn to see God and God alone in the beauties of his creatures.

We trust that your merciful eyes may deign to gaze down upon our miseries and anguish, upon our struggles and our weaknesses; that your countenance may smile upon our joys and our victories; that you may hear the voice of Jesus saying to you of each one of us, as he once said to you of his beloved disciple:

"Behold you son," and we who call upon you as our mother, we, like John, take you as the guide, strength and consolation of our mortal life.

We are inspired by the certainty that your eyes, which wept over the earth crimsoned by the blood of Jesus, are yet turned toward this world racked by wars and persecutions, the oppression of the just and the weak. From the shadows of this vale of tears, we seek in your heavenly assistance, tender mercy, comfort for our aching hearts, and help in the trials of Church and country.

We believe finally that in the glory where you reign, clothed with the sun and crowned with stars, you are, after Jesus, the joy and gladness of all the angels and the saints, and from this earth, over which we tread as pilgrims, comforted by our faith in the future resurrection, we look to you our life, our sweetness, our hope; draw us onward with the sweetness of your voice, so that one day, after our exile, you may show us Jesus, the blessed fruit of your womb.

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Amen.

Photo of the Week: Detail of the Marriage of Alexander the Great and Roxana by Mariano Rossi

Detail of The Marriage of Alexander the Great and Roxana (1787) by Mariano Rossi, Alexander's Room, The Reggia of Caserta (Photo by Andrew Giordano)

Getting ready for the 133rd Annual Feast of San Rocco di Potenza in Little Italy, New York

San Rocco was place on the by-altar with new homemade
backdrop generously donated by one of the society members

While preparing for the Feast of San Rocco in Little Italy, NYC last night we discovered one of the papier-mâché putti was damaged. 

We were told the break was clean and could be easily mended

Thankfully our church handyman will have it fixed in time. 

Save the date and help keep the tradition alive!

Evviva San Rocco!