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Construction Update
The construction work at Casa Italiana and Holy Rosary Church has finally come to completion.
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The Casa Italiana Language School, which had transferred to a G St. location during the construction period, has moved back home. Until further notice, however, classes are beig held online due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The landscaping along F St. and on the south side of the church, along with new flower beds and fences around the sidewalks and the Christopher Columbus statue is now completed. Paving work on 3rd St. has also finished.
The Holy Rosary Church rectory which was demolished during the construction of the Capital Crossing project is now located behind the church facing the new G St.
The final phase of repairs inside the church has now begun. The plaster of the columns and cracks in the mosaic floor are being repaired. The temporary wall that was built in the Church lower hall to create a storage room during the construction has been dismantled, and now the hall is back to its original layout.
Work on the exhibits for the Robert A. Facchina Italian American Museum in DC is now proceeding at a faster pace. An ar chive room is already in use to house historical documents pertinent to the history of Holy Rosary Church, Casa Italiana, and to
The new building, as seen from behind Holy Rosary and Casa Italiana, will feature a landscaped piazza.
the Washington area Italian-American community. The plan is to create an historical virtual collection accessible to all.
Mi chiamo Danilo De Santi e sono medi co di medicina generale (medico di famiglia o general practitioner nella terminologia an glosassone) e vivo e lavoro a Pesaro che è una piccola città della Regione Marche che si affaccia sul mare Adriatico di circa 90.000 abitanti. Come in tutta Italia e a seguire nella maggior parte dei paesi del mondo dal 26 febbraio è emerso un focolaio di infezione da Coronavirus SARS-COV2 che come uno tsunami ha investito il sistema sanitario del nostro territorio.
Le strutture ospedaliere non si aspet tavano certo una espansione del virus cosi violenta ma neanche noi come medici del territorio siamo stati in grado per diverso tempo di prenderci cura dei nostri pazienti ammalati in casa anche perche’ totalmente privi dei vari dispositivi di protezione individuale. Oltretutto all’inizio della pandemia abbiamo avuto grande difficolta’ ad eseguire i tamponi a tutti i malati o sospetti. A marzo la mortalità complessiva a Pesaro è aumen tata del 260,5% (quinto maggior incremento in un capoluogo di provincia in Italia) a tal punto che sia per l’elevato numero di contagi che di decessi la provincia di Pesaro è stata considerata una RED ZONE.
Coronavirus: Una lettera dallʼItalia
Nella prima fase di lockdown durata fino al 4 maggio il mio lavoro come med ico di famiglia e’ consistito nel seguire i miei pazienti soprattutto telefonicamente con possibilità di trasmettere ricette per farmaci per via telematica. Andare a visitare i pazienti a domicilio sospetti COVID non completamente protetti perchè privi dei dispositivi di protezione individuale (maschere, doppi guanti, occhiali, tute idrorepellenti, face shields) ha causato un contagio di vari medici di medicina generale (anche io sono stato infettato dal COVID-19 ma fortuna tamente sono guarito) con circa 70 colleghi generalisti morti in Italia.
An official opening of the new building will be organized as soon as current restric tions on social distancing are lifted.
Santa Maria di Loreto with pews showing social distance sitting for worship
volte da un radiologo per ecografia polmo nare, che sono dedicate alla cura a domicilio del paziente Covid o sospetto Covid dotati di tutti i dispositivi di protezione necessari e che collaborano giornalmente con noi.
Il 4 maggio alcune attività hanno riaperto. Il 18 maggio è iniziata la seconda fase con apertura. In tale data ha ripreso anche il ritorno in chiesa a messa sempre con dovute precauzioni (mascherine e distanziamento) Ma per Pesaro il 18 maggio è stata una data importante perchè è coincisa con la dimissione dell’ultimo paziente Covid dalla Rianimazione del nostro Ospedale. Anche se ancora in alcune regioni del nord i contagi sono alti aumentano il numero dei guariti e sono diminuiti i decessi e sembra che il virus abbia perso aggressività perche da disturbi piu attenuati.
Con la speranza e la fede che deve vivere nel nostro cuore un caro saluto a tutti voi
--Danilo De Santi Note: Dr. De Santi is a cousin of Voce Italiana contributor Nancy De Santi.
COMMUNITY NEWS Religious Services, Traditions Continue at Holy Rosary Church
Made Available via Live-streaming During Pandemic
At left and top: Sunday Mass is live-streamed on Face- book and the Holy Rosary website. The number of people in the church is limited to ten, including the choir.
Holy Rosary Church Makes Online List of Most Beautiful Churches
Holy Rosary Church appears on an online listing of the most beautiful churches in every state. Holy Rosary is one of twelve on the list for Washington, D.C., confirming what parishioners already knew.
The author writes, "It’s hard to ignore the awe you feel when you step into a beautiful place of worship. They offer ornate architecture, gorgeous details and stunning features. No matter what religion or spiritual belief you practice, you can find a sense of peace in these beautiful structures."
Holy Rosary is in good company. Among others on the D.C. list are: National Cathedral, the Basilica of the National Shrine, St. Patrick's Church, St. John's Episcopal Church, St. Joseph on Capitol Hill, and St. Stephen Martyr. Holy Rosary's "stunning artwork" makes it a popular choice for weddings, according to the online author.
At left: a new life-size statue of Blessed Scalabrini is unveiled in a brief ceremony with Fr. Ezio Marchetto and nine parishioners. (Please see story on page 7. ) Above: Francesca Guzzo crowns the Blessed Virgin Mary in the traditional May crowning ceremony and Supplica.
Funds Available to Help Community Members Impacted by Coronavirus
Casa Italiana Sociocultural Center, Inc. has established a #WeAreOneCommunity Coronavirus Emergency Fund. Contributions will benefit members of the Italian American/Italian community in our metro area who may need financial assistance at this difficult time.
To date, more than $6,000 has been donated. To make a contribution, please donate at the #WeAreOneCom munity GoFundMe account. Or, write a check payable to CISC Inc., indicating its purpose, and mail to: CISC Inc., 595 Third St. NW, Washington DC 20001.
To request assistance, contact the Coronavirus Charity Committee at: dsantoli@ioniallc.com. Confidentially will be strictly maintained.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
June 7, 2020. The Festa della Repubblica Mass at Holy Rosary is live-streamed. October 31, 2020. The Annual National Italian American Foundation Gala. PLEASE NOTE: Until further notice, Mass and
other functions will not be celebrated at Holy Rosary Church or other churches within the Archdiocese. This includes catechism classes and all functions and classes at Casa Italiana.
Founded in 1960 An Italian American Gazette of the Greater Washington D.C. Area
595 Third Street NW, Washington, DC 20001
Editor-in-Chief: Fr. Ezio Marchetto, C.S. Executive Editor: Francesco Isgrò, Esq. Photographer: Marcella Finelli Correspondent: Generoso D'Agnese Contributors: Ciro De Falco, Nancy De Santi, Daniela Enriquez
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Lucia Portanova 202-638-0165
Mailing:
Joan Dodaro, Martha Finelli, Rosa Mayer
Voce Italiana
Religion in the Time of the Virus
It started like any other year: three overcrowded celebrations on Ash Wednesday to begin Lent. inquiries: Can we have a virtual baptism? Can you send me a virtual blessing? Then, unfortunately, “Please Then we went back to our routine, say a mass for a person who died of weekdays mass at noon, prayers during COVID 19.” the day, weekend mass and coffee in Many found different ways to Casa Italiana; chatter about how bad practice their religion: saying prayers the situation was in Italy and how with their families again; following our families were doing. Then all of liturgies through the media; one wrote a sudden, it was among us! No more “I started to read the Bible, and I find church liturgies, no more gatherings, no it comforting.” I also, as a priest, had, more shared coffees. to adjust. It is not easy A scramble began to reschedule weddings, It has been a time of to say daily Mass by myself, but it helps baptisms, memorial rediscovering the to remember people masses and other celebrations. In the beginning there was an attempt to postpone
who asked for prayers. Looking into an empty church, it helps to identify who would be for a few weeks, then a weekly coming together sitting where (usually few months and finally reality dawned: it was going to be a long
that is center of our parish life.
After a few weeks there was a weekly coming together that is center of recurring theme in the messages we our parish life. As we start to plan for received: we are missing our Sunday resuming our liturgies it will be a time masses and gathering in Casa Italiana. of renewal and reimagining. We need For so long we had taken it all for the help and suggestions of everyone in granted. Instead, what was once our order to restore what was there before. community routine, without warning It will not and cannot be the same, but it had come to an end. will be a stronger community knowing
As often happens, it is when we lose that each weekend is a gift that could be something that we realize the value taken away. of what we had. I received panicked --Fr. Ezio Marchetto
people always tend to occupy the same seat). Then came or Sunday while. We hung on to a live-streamed masses few essential celebrations (we had four celebrating devotions and traditions. baptisms since the restrictions began) It has been a time of rediscovering and we started to live-stream our Sunday the importance of our community masses. religious life and longing for that
Pope Francis Tweet, June 3, 2020
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Dear editor,
In response to the article in the last issue, I wanted to present a personal side of Dr. Anthony Fauci, who is now 78 years old.
I got to know Dr. Fauci through noontime jogging at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where I worked. He jogged every day. I did not jog with him but there was a group of joggers who shared the same locker room. I once asked Dr. Fauci where his grandparents were from and he told me they were from Agrigento and Sciacca in Sicily. My maternal grandfather was also from Sicily.
Dr. Fauci attended Regis High School in New York City, where every student re ceives a full Scholarship. He went on to study at Holy Cross College in Worcester, Massachusetts. In the 1980s, he led the successful fight against AIDS and HIV.
Although he was a world-famous scien tist, he took an interest in his fellow joggers and made us feel special. He loves college football and basketball and we talked a lot about sports in the locker room with him.
When I would see him around the NIH campus, he always greeted me by my first name—just as he did several months ago when I saw him in the post office on Wisconsin Ave and Upton St., Washington, D.C.
He is great man and is friendly to everyone -- even those who don't hold high positions. Let us continue to support him with our prayers.
Paul Coppola Washington, D.C.
