Tag Archives: Casa Italia

Casa Italia presented its 22nd annual IA Literati authors exposition on May 23. The event was chaired by Anna Weiss and emceed by Frank Di Piero. Lou Bruno, author of “The Love of San Demetrio,” talked about his transformative journey to his ancestral home to research his novel. Former Loyola University professor Carla Simonini shared insights from her scholarly dissertation “Traveling Italy, Writing America” and Oak Park’s Mike Rosanova read from his autobiography, “Big Brains and Broken Hearts.” Leah Eskin, longtime food writer for the Chicago Tribune, spoke about her debut novel, “Like Wafers in Honey.” It follows the parallel …

Everybody loves a summer festival, and this month features a treasure trove of Italian-themed outdoor celebrations. Buon divertimento! AUGUST 1 FESTA FUORI at the Mazzini Verdi Club in Franklin Park is sponsored by the Mazzini Verdi Ladies Club. Dubbed “Una Serata di Ballo,” the event features cocktails at 6:30 p.m., dinner at 7:30 p.m. and entertainment by DJ Alex. (630-443-8722, 773-589-0388) JULY 31-AUGUST 2 FESTA ITALIANA at Boylan Central Catholic High School in Rockford is sponsored by the Greater Rockford Italian American Association. The event features food and beverages for sale, live entertainment, and activities for children and adults. For …

On April 18, Casa Italia in Stone Park celebrated the life and legacy of Fr. August Feccia, CS, the founding member of the Italian Cultural Center. According to Dominic Candeloro, when Fr. Feccia arrived on the property in 1970, the ICC didn’t exist. The Scalabrini seminary that was founded in 1935 had closed, leaving an empty shell. Casa events coordinator Nancy Cometa spoke about her friend and mentor: “Fr. Feccia was ordained in1962 and he celebrated his first Mass in Italy for prison inmates. With this first act he demonstrated his lifelong care for the abandoned and marginalized. “Arriving in …

Esteemed University of Chicago professor Paolo Cherchi donated a trove of books to Casa Italia in Stone Park before he passed away in April. Thanks to the donation, the shelves at the Florence Roselli Library in the Italian Cultural Center at the Casa now contain the 21-volume “Grande Dizionario della lingua italiana,” four volumes of the “Dizionario critico della letteratura italiana” and one volume of “Elementi di storia della lingua italiana.” Published in Torino from 1961 to 2002, the GDLI exceeds the volume count of the Oxford English Dictionary and almost equals the 600,000 words in the OED. It is …

Since the start of 2025, Casa Italia has undergone a dramatic transformation after switching landlords for the first time in its history. To lead the group through this rinascimento, Casa Italia’s board chose a man with a lifetime of experience in banking and finance. “They wanted my guidance and I was honored,” says Peter Volpe, whose term as Casa’s Chairman runs the rest of the year. Casa Italia has been a “home away from home” for the Chicago-area Italian-American community for more than a quarter of a century, according to Volpe. For most of that time, the Casa leased the …

On Oct. 18, the Casa Italia Library unveiled a new website aimed at preserving family histories for posterity. Designed by library volunteer Olivia Greco, the portal allows visitors to submit stories about themselves and their family members. “This project is a wonderful way to get anyone involved,” Greco says. “If you want to tell your family’s story, but feel like writing is not your strong point, this is a perfect opportunity. It’s a fast and easy way to save our stories before they’re gone forever.” For more, click here.

Frank Conforti Jr. — along with the three generations of the Conforti family who have run Frankie’s Deli for more than half a century — were the guests of honor at Casa Italia’s 54th annual gala. The event will take place on Saturday, Nov. 8, at The Carlisle in Lombard. Joining Frank Jr. in the spotlight were his parents, Frank Sr. and Connie, and his son Mario, who have played key roles in making Frankie’s one of the most popular Italian food emporiums in the western suburbs, along with his wife, Linda, their son Frankie and son-in-law, Dominick Carmignani, who …

The library at Casa Italia hosted two presentations this spring by Dino Fabrizi, an Italian architect who possesses in-depth knowledge about ancient Roman architecture and design. Fabrizi’s first presentation focused on Rome then and now, exploring the extent to which the city has remained the same despite centuries of change. He revealed how much of ancient Rome’s infrastructure is still standing and even functional, from its roads and theaters to its aqueducts, drainage systems and baths. Some places have found new life, he noted, becoming something else while retaining their original vocation. In his second presentation, Fabrizi discussed the important …

After six whirlwind months of construction, the first floor of the Community Center at Casa Italia has been transformed as part of an ongoing rinascimento at the venerable institution. The Community Center has always been a great venue for special events, with a modern lobby and restrooms, the Chandelier Room accommodating up to 140 guests, and the building’s former gymnasium being available for larger crowds. But the gymnasium was only accessible via flights of stairs, and food had to be prepared off-site and brought in, preventing the facility from reaching its full potential. All that has changed, thanks to a …

The Calabresi in America Organization has elected Gina Badagliacca to serve as its 2025-2026 president, and the longtime member couldn’t be more thrilled to helm the vibrant organization. “I think everything about the club is great,” she says. “The functions are exciting, the people are amazing and there are lifelong friendships that we create.” Badagliacca’s parents, Francesco and Rosaria Spizzirri, were both members pretty much since the group was launched, she says, noting that she has been involved since she was a teenager, stepping up her participation after her father passed away three years ago. “He has a lot to …