Tag Archives: Italian Catholic Federation

The Italian Catholic Federation Branch 392 presented its 2018 Mother Cabrini Award to Rocco and Rosanna DeFrenza on Nov. 11. The award is bestowed each year upon a couple who represents the Italian values of community, family and faith. The organization submitted the following profiles: Rocco and Rosanna DeFrenza Rocco was born in Valenzano, Bari. He is the co-owner with business partners Savino and Laura D’Argento of four RoccoVino’s Italian Restaurants located in Harwood Heights, Elk Grove Village, Carol Stream and Orland Park. Rocco’s business has long supported Easter Seals in honor of his godson, Enzo D’Argento, who was diagnosed …

La Befana is known for her ability to be in several places at once. Otherwise, how could she shower every good boy and girl around the world with gifts in the wee hours before the Feast of the Epiphany? Those powers will come in handy when Italy’s good Christmas witch pays a visit to three local events in the days surrounding Jan. 6. On Jan. 7, she’ll stop by the Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii during the 11 a.m. Mass. Children will participate in the Mass readings and prayers and will have an opportunity to ask La Befana questions. …

  The Italian Catholic Federation Branch 392 presented Giovanna and Antonio Gerardi with its Mother Cabrini Award on Nov. 13. The award is bestowed each year upon a couple that represents the Italian values of community, family and faith. The event will feature a Mass at St. Francis Borgia Church in Chicago and a dinner dance at Porretta’s. Giovanna Cacciapaglia Gerardi was born in Mola di Bari in the beautiful southern Italian region of Puglia. At the age of 13, she left Italy along with her parents and sisters to join her older sister, who had moved years earlier and …

A group from the Our Lady Mother of the Church Branch of the Italian Catholic Federation went on a pilgrimage to Europe that took in the Fatima Shrine in Portugal and the Lourdes Shrine in France. In attendance were Anna Tamburello, Nancy Anello, Yolanda Treni, Luisa Bertagna, Josephine Bax, Sylvia Lacorte, Sarah Gullo, Dina Santucci, Maria Giannini, Florina Dilollo, Maria Carmella Giannini, Yolanda Izzi, Silvia Izzi-Neri, Gerarda Rio, Vittoria Spada, Pasqua and Sebastiano Bellisario, Vito Marinelli, Margherita Negron, and Vito and Petronilla Ranieri.