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Weekly Bulletin May 7, 2023
by Terrie Evans
On this 5th Sunday of Easter in the month of May, it is a tradition to dedicate the next 24 days to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. During this month, many schools and churches will honor her with May Crowning’s. May has been the month of Mary since medieval times when April was seen as the end of winter and May was the start of a season; ripe with new growth and a time to show gratitude and devotion. The Blessed Virgin Mary is considered by many to be the greatest of all the Christian Saints. Pope Pius IX once stated: “God has committed to Mary the treasury of all good things, in order that everyone may know that through her are obtained every hope, every grace and all salvation.” Mary is honored as a Spiritual Mother to people of many faiths and is the Patron Saint of all Humanity, Churches, Mothers, Blood Donors and those who work in the Travel Industry.
Around the 18th Century, roses were associated with Mary and became the flowering symbol of the Virgin Birth. In the 6th Century, Rose windows were found in the Basilicas of Ravenna and Syria and when the Rosette or Rose Windows are displayed in the transept ends in one of those windows, they are frequently dedicated to Mary, the Mother of Jesus. The Rose Window that many remember from St. Bonaventure Church before it was demolished is now at Immaculata Church in Mt. Adams. The flowering rose is referenced to the Virgin Mary within the Franciscan Order as they show their love of nature while planting roses in fields and gardens to honor Mary. When May Crowning’s are held, we recognize Mary as the Queen of Heaven and Earth, roses will adorn her crown and, in the bouquets, placed near her statue. San Antonio Church will hold their traditional May Crowning and Mother’s Day Breakfast on Sunday, May 14th. All children are invited to walk in the procession before our 9:00 AM Mass and everyone is welcome in our Hall after Mass for Breakfast.
As we continue our prayers for the Canonization of Rosa Maria Segale, Sr. Blandina, Servant of God, another young Italian woman also went on to do exceptional works within her Italian Community. On this Sunday, May 7th, we celebrate the Feast of St. Rosa Venerini (1656-1728) born in Viterbo, Italy, Beatified on May 4, 1952, and Canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on June 3, 2007. At a young age she vowed to consecrate her life to God when she joined the Dominican women’s community in 1676. She had to leave the Order because of the sudden death of her father Goffredo, brother Domenico, and mother Marzia who died within months of each other. Rosa Maria was guided by the Jesuits who helped her combine an active apostolate and a life of contemplative prayer and by 1685 with the help of her local Bishop, Rosa opened Italy’s 1st free public school for girls. She knew of the need for a good education and went on to establish over 40 schools to uplift the character of young women. She later went on to the Diocese of Montefiascone where she founded 10 schools in two years between 1692-1694. Rosa was then asked to oversee the training of teachers and develop the administration of schools within the Archdiocese. She started a school in Rome in 1713 and on October 24, 1716, Pope Clement XI was so impressed by her work while visiting with his 8 Cardinals, thanked her for her years of dedication stating: “Signora Rosa, you are doing that which we cannot do. With these schools, you will sanctify Rome.” A true testament to her work was that wherever a new school was established, moral improvement could be seen in youth.
After the death of St. Rosa Venerini in 1728, the women who had followed her were given the rank of a Religious Congregation, the Venerini Sisters. They arrived in the United States in 1909 to help with the Italian Immigrants and establish day care centers just as Rosa Maria, Sr. Blandina Segale did when she established the Santa Maria Center for the new wave of immigrant Italians in Cincinnati. The Congregation extended their Apostolic activity to India, Brazil, Cameroon, Romania, Albania, Chile, Venezuela and Nigeria. As we invoke St. Rosa Venerini on her feast day, please pray for the Canonization of Sr. Blandina, Rosa Maria Segale.
San Antonio Church will welcome the next generations from the original early settlers of the Little Italy neighborhood of South Fairmount for the Baptism of Josephine Rose Dunn and Sofia Lynn Jeannet. They are the Great Great Grandchildren of the Delseno and Panaro families who established their homesteads in the Upper Lick Run section of Queen City Avenue in the late 1880’s and are the Great Grandchildren of Linda (Delseno) and Harry Panaro. Their many family members include the Meier, Dunn, Arthur, Macke and Jeannet families. Josephine Rose Dunn was born on November 29, 2022, to parents Lindsay (Meier) and Chuck Dunn, siblings, A.J. and Lee, and to Grandparents Lisa and Ted Arthur. Sofia Lynn Jeannet was born on February 26, 2023, to parents Maria (Macke) and Fred Jeannet, siblings Dominic and Audrey, and to Grandparents Teri and Fred Jeannet and Kristi and Don Macke. The Godparents for the two cousins are their Uncle Anthony Panaro and his sister, their Aunt Stephanie Panaro. Our church community wishes Josephine and Sofia many blessings as they are Baptized in the Catholic Church.