Annual Italian Festival Has Roots In Religious Traditions

James Bailey Brislin
The Carpet City Chronicle

The Enfield Press, July 31, 2008

“Without culture, and the relative freedom it implies, society, even when perfect, is but a jungle. This is why any authentic creation is a gift to the future.”
— Albert Camus

“Culture is the sum of all the forms of art, of love, and of thought, which, in the course of centuries have enabled man to be less enslaved.”
— Andre Malraux

Philosophers have explored the relationship between culture and freedom for millennia. The idea that culture and freedom are interdependent is a thread stretching from the ancient Greeks to the 20th Century philosophy of Joseph Pieper.

The Greek philosopher Aristotle famously differentiated between the “servile arts” and the “liberal arts.” According to Aristotle, the “servile arts” involved the acquisition and application of technical skills purely for the achievement of practical ends. In contrast, the liberal arts found their end in the cultivation of the mind. The term “liberal arts” was used to describe these intellectual pursuits because only free men had the resources to pursue liberal arts in Aristotle’s time.

The advance of Christianity brought leisure to the masses. The commandment to keep holy the Sabbath provided all with time to devote to personal prayer and contemplation of the beatific vision.

Ultimately, culture brings with itself a kind of freedom— freedom from the workaday world of practicalities.

The word “culture” itself is derived from the Latin word “cultus,” which means worship. Indeed, Western Culture has its origins the divine worship of the Church, specifically the Mass. For the glorification of God, the Church commissioned soaring works of art, music, and architecture. These arts pointed the way to divine things— to the gate of heaven and God Himself. Anyone who visits the cathedrals of Europe or hears the Gregorian chants of old appreciates these transcendent qualities.

Thus, it is fair to say that this weekend’s Italian Festival really is a celebration of culture in its fullness. Although The Feast involves fun times, good music, and tasty food, it is a religious celebration of faith in God and devotion to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. This evening, we begin with a rosary procession through the streets of Thompsonville, to which all are most welcome. Throughout the Feast, the chapel is open for personal prayers and private devotions. On Sunday morning, we celebrate Mass as a society, followed by a Marian Procession with the statue of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.

This year’s feast is especially poignant for many Mt. Carmel Society members. Last week, we voted to dedicate it to one of our oldest members, Peter Bellico. On Sunday, Pete turned 100. For a centenarian, Pete has strong mental acuity, is incredibly fit, and continues to drive. Last week while we were setting up for the feast, I watched him pull weeds around the chapel. I saw him very rapidly fill a garbage barrel with weeds that were up to two feet in height.

At last week’s meeting, we celebrated Pete’s birthday with a special dinner and a cake. In the short speech that he delivered, Pete credited his longevity to the Blessed Mother. He is to be congratulated on reaching this milestone.

It seems funny to think about what the world was like one-hundred years ago. There were no televisions, no radios, few automobiles, no Internet. Despite the absence of these technologies, the world was a much more civil place back then.

I invite you to come to The Feast. As usual the food promises to be good and Club President Carl Sferrazza has lined up some promising acts, including The Bronx Wanderers, Undercover, Julius LaRosa, Dr. Lou Competiello’s Neil Diamond Cover Act, The Fabulous Galaxies, and Shirley Alston Revee of The Shirelles.

More importantly, the Feast promises to be a time of real fun, good fellowship, and strong tradition that comes only once a year. I hope that you will come join us for it.