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Relics and reliquaries were really a thing of the Middle Ages. A saint’s bone or two could put your tiny village on the map and quickly transform it into a pilgrimage destination, which also meant something else: money. Hang on, you may say: are we talking about spirituality or cash? Well, both. But let’s take a step at a time and see exactly what...

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Whenever disaster strikes at home or abroad, the Red Cross springs into action. It’s a story many of us learn as school children: Clara Barton, nicknamed the Angel of the Battlefield because of her selfless medical service to Civil War soldiers, established the American Red Cross in 1881 after learning about a similar European movement. What began...

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The story of St. Francis is pretty well known. Yet, sitting in Manhattan’s La MaMa theater watching “God’s Fool,” I wished that, say, Capuchin Friar Remo DiSalvatore, the Franciscans’ provincial based in Union City, was in the next seat connecting the dots for me. But that would miss the genius of Martha Clarke, the creator and director of this non...

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For the last 60 years or so, the streets of Wilmington’s Little Italy have looked quite similar in the middle of each June. The Italian Festival brings food, music and carnival rides and games to thousands of visitors, but that was all missing in 2020 and 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic. It all returned this year, and patrons and volunteer...

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Rooted in a mission of transforming the lives of individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities, the communities of Don Guanella and Divine Providence offer programs worldwide to provide care to those who were lovingly called “good children” by founder St. Luigi Guanella. Luigi Guanella was born in Fraciscio, Italy, on Dec. 19, 1842. He en...

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Fresco Italiano — A Night of the Arts returns to the St. Ann Arts and Cultural Center on Saturday, June 25. The evening will feature an Italian buffet, art exhibits by local artists including some of the rarely seen sketches by Guido Nincheri, live music, tours, and more. This special event was first presented in November of 2019, a couple of month...

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Representatives of several organizations in the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church community have reached out to the archbishop of Newark, pleading their case to schedule more Masses for a congregation that some parishioners argue has long been neglected. The church reopened its doors in late November, for a Saturday Mass celebrating the first Sunday...

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Nicknamed “the Brain of Veneto,” Padua is home to the prestigious university, founded in 1222, that hosted Galileo, Copernicus, Dante, and Petrarch. Pilgrims know this city for the Basilica of St. Anthony, where the faithful assemble to touch his tomb and marvel at his holy relics. It’s a great place to experience Italy: to make some new friends, g...

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On May 15, 2022, Pope Francis canonized 10 saints, including St. Justin Russolillo, founder of the Society of Divine Vocations (Vocationists). The Italian priest founded his new order in 1927, hoping to foster vocations among the faithul. The official website of the order explains his unique mission. "Fr. Justin established the Vocationist Fathers...

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A beautiful Memorial Day weekend brought larger crowds than ever to the I Madonnari chalk-painting festival held in front of Old Mission Santa Barbara. “Everyone was really happy to be back out together in person. It was packed,” said Kai Tepper with a note of awe in her voice, as she sat on the Mission lawn on Tuesday, watching a continuing stream...

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