Local News

Holy Week is central to the spiritual lives of Italians on both sides of the Atlantic. The shrines of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Our Lady of Pompeii and St. Frances Xavier Cabrini will play their parts from Palm Sunday (March 29) to Easter Sunday (April 5). OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL (Melrose Park) will celebrate Mass with the distribution of palms at 7:45 a.m. and noon in English and at 10:30 a.m. in Italian on Palm Sunday; Mass of the Last Supper in English and Italian and the washing of feet at 6 p.m. and adoration of the Altar …

The Italian American Executives of Transportation has gotten a running start on its 54th annual Awards Dinner and Celebration, naming its honorees as the calendar flipped from 2025 to 2026. Accepting this year’s Man of the Year accolade will be John Donato, who has held the position of chief of staff for the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority since 2023. For a decade before that, Donato served as chief of procurement, overseeing contracts for the multibillion-dollar Move Illinois capital program. Efficient tollway operations and vendor outreach have been hallmarks of Donato’s career. The IAET’s 2026 Humanitarian of the Year will …

Casa Italia has launched Sabato Culturale, a series of Saturday morning presentations on Italian and Italian-American history, culture and thought. The series is the brainchild of Dominic Candeloro, curator of the library in the Italian Cultural Center at the Casa. The sessions in April and May are as follows: April 11 — Casa Italia board member Frank Di Piero will present “Saving Our Stories: From Cenetta to Podcasts to Children’s Books.” The host of the podcast “Italian American Life with Frankie D,” Di Piero has written five children’s books promoting Italian culture. April 18 — “Remembering Padre Feccia” will celebrate …

Casa Italia’s popular film series will return in March and April, with screenings taking place at the Casa’s recently renovated Community Center. March 6 — The biopic “Chiara” explores the life of St. Clare, who rebelled against her aristocratic family to follow in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi. March 13 — Re-creating life in the Italian Alps after World War II, “Vermigilio” follows the story of a mysterious deserter from Sicily who walks into a small town and upends a family’s quiet world. March 27 — In “La chimera,” a band of burglars unearths ancient treasures, selling them …

The Mount Carmel Parish and Shrine in Melrose Park will host a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Christ’s Passion in St. John, Indiana, on March 21. Pilgrims will traverse a 1-1/2-mile multimedia prayer trail, landscaped to look like the Holy Land, that features life-size bronze statues of Christ and many biblical figures. The first part of the tour begins with the Last Supper, proceeds to the Garden of Gethsemane, travels the path to Calvary and concludes with the Ascension. Other stops on the tour take in Moses receiving the 10 Commandments on Mount Sinai, a chapel and grotto dedicated to …

Società Giovanile di M.S. Santa Caterina Villarmosa will celebrate its 100th anniversary on March 28 at Empress Banquets in Addison. Founded on Feb. 15, 1926, by immigrants from Santa Caterina Villarmosa, Sicily, the society was established to provide support during illness, hardship and loss while preserving the cultural traditions and community bonds of their hometown. Incorporated on March 8 of the same year, the organization has remained active for a full century. “For 100 years, our Society has been a family,” says society President Dino DiMartino. “We honor the courage of our founders and the generations who kept this community …

Joe Donnelly, a former U.S. senator from Indiana and past U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, was the guest of honor at the annual Columbus Day/Italian Heritage Celebration held in Mishawaka, Indiana, in October. Joking that he was “Joe Donnelli” for the day, Donnelly spoke about the importance of Christopher Columbus and the numerous contributions of Italian Americans both nationally and locally. He also talked about the wonderful time he had in Rome as ambassador and of his meetings with Pope Francis. While he was ambassador, he was able to tour many parts of Italy and welcome countless visitors from …

Each March, dozens of Italian families, organizations, parishes and businesses across the Chicago area open their doors and their hearts to the less fortunate by setting up St. Joseph’s Tables. At press time, information was available only on the events in this listing. To be listed next year, call 708-338-0690 or email info@franoi.com. (Nota Bene: The sponsoring organizations are not responsible for any errors in this listing. Call the phone numbers provided to confirm before attending.) MARCH 1 SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF ITALY IN AMERICA | Maria SS. Lauretana Lodge (Chicago) | 11:30 a.m., doors open; blessing at noon followed …

The Italian American Executives of Transportation are gearing up for their third annual Augustus Caesar Awards. Slated for Feb. 28 at Ashton Place in Willowbrook, the event will honor 12 young professionals who are excelling in their fields and exhibit potential for future success. The honorees will be Frank Battaglia (dining), Anthony Greco (law enforcement), Bianca Ferreri Maldonado (clinical mental health therapist), Brady Niemiec (firefighter and paramedic), Anthony Pasquini (attorney), Jason Quaglia (commercial risk management insurance), Ramon Ruiz (electrical supply and distribution), Nick Schullo (sales and consulting), Matteo Serritella (private detective), Katelyn Smith (elementary education), Mario Tenuta (financial advisor) and …

Casa Italia will host a full-day Italian language immersion experience on Saturday, February 21, led by immersion veterans Carla Simonini, PhD, and Anna Clara Ionta. Together, the instructors bring more than 50 years of combined university-level teaching experience in Italian language and culture. Designed for the general public at the intermediate to advanced level (not for beginners), the six-hour immersion day emphasizes sustained language use through guided conversation, small-group work, and a structured Italian film viewing with focused vocabulary and grammar review. Instruction will be conducted entirely in Italian in a supportive, engaging environment. Enrollment is limited. The participation fee …