The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Long tradition ‘keeps you close to your roots’
Santa Maria Maddalena Society procession
The Santa Maria Maddalena Society’s procession through the Wooster Square area is all about tradition.
NEW HAVEN >> The annual Santa Maria Maddalena Society’s old-world procession through the Wooster Square area is all about tradition so strongly rooted that at age 96, Gennaro Santore wasn’t going to miss it — he’s been attending since age 10 — and U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro found the time to slip into the crowd just before heading to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.
“It’s a beautiful tradition, I come every year,” said DeLauro, who has attended since childhood. “It keeps you close to your roots. This is my heritage, this is my life.”
As for Santore, a World War II U.S. Army veteran, there was a surprise before the procession that moved him to tears of joy.
This year’s procession in celebration of the society’s 118th year left from St. Michael’s Church in the Wooster Square area, celebrating Saint Maria Maddalena, the patron saint of Atrani, Italy, hometown of many who first settled in the neighborhood. The society was founded in 1898 as a mutual aid society to assist those who came from Atrani.
After a Mass Sunday dedicated to the late members of the society, a small police-led procession formed to include the Wooster Square Marching Band – which played hymns, patriotic classics and even the Italian national anthem – a few dozen parishioners and a statue of Maddalena carried on a platform at its four corners.
Maddalena’s image had paper bills of various denominations attached to her front – even a check, donations that go to support the society and its many charities.
Monsignor Gerard Schmitz, pastor of the church, said Maddalena is an important figure in the Bible, one whose memorial day status was raised to feast by Pope Francis recently. Schmitz said she is right up there near the Apostles. She was a close follower of Jesus, and “the first to announce, ‘Jesus is Risen!’” he said.
The actual Saint Maria Maddalena feast day is July 22, but the procession is held on the closest Sunday, and there are other events around the weekend.
Schmitz, who is not Italian, said it’s a wonderful day and that, “Hopefully we can bring good news to people” in this “very challenging and conflicted world.”
People greeted one another with hugs and said, “Happy feast day.”
“Everybody’s happy on a day like today,” said society President Andrew Consiglio.
Santore, who grew up in the neighborhood, attended St. Michael’s Church, has watched the procession since he was a boy – except for a few years when in the military serving overseas.
“I just had to come,” said Santore, who now lives in Hamden. “I’ve watched it every year.”
As he watched with a broad smile — a proud parent kind of smile — and the players assembled, a society officer quietly bestowed on Santore a green, white and red lanyard holding a picture of Saint Maria Maddalena herself.
Santore is believed to be the oldest person from the area with roots in Atrani, Italy, on his mother’s side.
“It’s wonderful, wonderful,” he said of the honor.
State Senate President Martin Looney said he goes to the celebration every year.
“It’s really a celebration of neighborhood, community,” he said.
For its entire 118 years, the Santa Maria Maddalena Society has celebrated a feast day in honor of Maddalena as a “sign of their love and devotion to her and their strong Atrani-Italian Heritage,” according to a society press release.
The society has evolved to become communityoriented and has donated more than $125,000 to numerous organizations over the years, including their sister society in Atrani, according to a press release. Most recently members donated over $4,000 to the St. Jude Children’s Hospital and the Dinsmore Heart and Hope Foundation.