March 20, 2013
OnSaturday, March 16th 2013,
theItalian Cultural
Center of St. John’s University celebrated its
15th
Annual “La Tavola di San Giuseppe” (The Table of St. Joseph) on the
Queens campus.Over 245 guests, including St. John’s
students, alumni, faculty, administrators, staff and loyal friends
from the local community gathered together to share in the
festivities celebrating the Feast of St. Joseph. Following a
mass of thanksgiving celebrated in Italian at St. Thomas More
Church by Rev. Eric Fasano, himself a St. John’s graduate, the
guests then gathered in the D’Angelo Center for an evening filled
with ethnic pride, delicious foods, desserts and music.
Participating with a traditional
blessing of the St. Joseph’s Day breads and foods, Rev. Tri M.
Duong, C.M., blessed all present as well. In attendance were
Board members: Prof. Joan D’Andrea, Executive Director of the ICC,
Mary Pelkowski, Prof. Caroline Fuchs and Dr. Florence Russo, all of
whom helped to coordinate the day’s events.
JosephSciame, Vice President for Community
Relations, who serves also as the Chair of the ICC Advisory Board,
highlighted the long-standing traditions of La Tavola di
San Giuseppe, that calls for a religious service in honor of
St. Joseph, the Patron of the Universal Church, to give thanks for
preventing a famine in Sicily during the Middle Ages. According to
legend, there was a severe drought at the time, and the people
prayed for their patron saint to bring them rain. They promised
that if he answered their prayers, they would prepare a large feast
to honor him. The rain did come, and the people of Sicily prepared
a large banquet for their patron saint. Upon a typical St. Joseph's
Day altar, with its three tiers representing the trinity, people
place flowers, limes, candles, wine, fava beans, specially prepared
cakes, breads, and cookies (as well as other meatless
dishes).
Other traditions include the invitation
of the poor as invited guests, with the people choosing a special
room in the house and a display a variety of foods to highlight
their thankfulness for a favor granted. As the tradition was
carried to the Americas, it became the custom to ask for donations
to assist the poor. The funds raised at this year’s program in
Queens were presented to Father Tri to be used for the building of
a home for the poor in Panama. Sciame stated: “It was an
overwhelming successful night of heritage and culture, but in
addition we helped the poor of the poorest by raising sufficient
funds for a small sized home in Panama. This is the spirit of the
St. Joseph’s Day celebration and various tables dedicated in his
name. Our own students
were there to raise these funds and as a result this all becomes a
cultural learning experience for all.”
The Italian Cultural Center, established at St. John's in 1992,
conducts various educational and cultural activities that increase
the awareness of Italian-Americans of their heritage, and strives
to foster a greater appreciation of the significant contributions
of Italians to American culture.
For more information about the Italian Cultural Center, contact
Professor Joan D’Andrea at dandreaj@stjohns.edu
For more information, please contact Elizabeth Reilly, Director of
Media Relations, by calling (718) 990-5789, or by e-mail to reillye@stjohns.edu.