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“I’ll be there to help you over,If you lose your way, if you lose your faithWhen your time is through my final wish for youIs to count your blessings not your regrets.” – “I Will Pray for You” When Music Director Kara McEachern finished a soaring solo of “I Will Pray for You” at the last Sunday Mass at St. Francis of Assisi Parish on June 22, the n...

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Our Lady of Mount Carmel-Newark will hold its 135th annual feast on the weekend of July 11 to July 13 in front of the church at 259 Oliver Street. The local event has been held in celebration of Italian-American religion and culture since 1890. Here’s what to expect this year, organizers said: “The feast kicks off Friday evening, July 11 with a hea...

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The St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Shrine in the Washington Heights area of Manhattan will host a three-day birthday remembrance in honor of Mother Cabrini, patroness of immigrants, whose birthday falls on July 15.  Mother Cabrini was born Maria Francesca Cabrini 175 years ago – July 15, 1850, in Sant’Angelo Lodigiano (Lombardy region), Italy. Her birt...

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After a yearslong battle over control of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Society Club, a long-standing social group has purchased the building and is hoping to give the 128-year-old organization a new life. “We want to take this into the direction as more of a cultural center,” said Salvatore S. Circosta, who is listed as president of the club.

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The Sons of San Paolino celebrated 20 years of Italian-American tradition with its annual Dancing of the Giglio last Saturday. The event was the highlight of a four-day festival held at West Hempstead’s St. Thomas the Apostle Church. The Dancing of the Giglio has roots in Italian religious traditions. For over 1,000 years, the feast has honored Sai...

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One of the most historic religious and cultural events reaches a momentous milestone this summer, when the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Society hosts its 150th annual festival and procession Sunday through Friday, July 14-19. It is the longest running Italian-American festival in the U.S. honoring the faith and traditions of the region’s Catholic commu...

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The St. Ann’s Feast is returning to Hoboken once again this summer at 704 Jefferson Street. This year’s festival marks its 115th annual celebration, and will take place from Wednesday, July 23rd to Sunday, July 27th, 2025. As per usual, locals can expect the infamous zeppoles, live entertainment, kiddie rides, a beer garden, and much more. The orga...

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 On July 16, 1875, more than a decade before the town had its own Catholic parish, Italian immigrants in Hammonton met at the home of Antonio Capelli to pray to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, giving thanks for safe passage to the United States, for a successful harvest and for good fortune in the years to come. On July 16, 2025, the town of Hammonton wi...

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The canonization of Carlo Acutis, the Catholic Church’s first millennial saint, will take place on September 7, Pope Leo XIV has announced. Acutis, an Italian teenager who died from leukemia in 2006, will be declared a saint by Leo at a ceremony in St. Peter’s Square expected to be attended by thousands of young people. Acutis was just 15 when he d...

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Forget about Turin, Italy’s so-called “city of magic.” Instead, focus on Naples. The intriguing book “Partenope degli spiriti” (Rome: Viella, 2024), edited by Francesco Paolo de Ceglia, persuasively argues that Naples is the heart of Italian miracles, spiritualism, and esotericism. This volume explores the city’s rich spiritual heritage and wonders...

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