Padre Pio Mass & Procession to New Worship Space at Our Lady of the Rosary

In this blog I will also be sharing the Italian Catholic traditions at my church. Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church in San Diego's Little Italy is designated an Italian National Parish and a historic landmark and has many Italian saints and Madonna societies and many Italian traditions even today. Here is the parish's January Padre Pio Mass (it is held monthly) and the procession to and blessing of the Upper Hall where Masses are being held temporarily while the beautiful 100-year-old main sanctuary is under restoration. This is a very long video (2 hours) so you can use the fast forward and rewind buttons to skip to parts you like. The procession starts at 1:35:48.

More videos, photos and articles about what is dubbed "The Jewel of Little Italy" and of Italian traditions at other churches will be published in the near future. Please subscribe via RSS or email me. Grazie!

Padre Pio Mass & Procession to New Worship Space from Christopher Forte on Vimeo.

About The Italian Californian

Me (left) at a Sons and Daughters of Italy (OSIA) meeting

Benvenuti! My name is Christopher Forte and I am The Italian Californian. My immediate family were very assimilated and far from their roots so when I had become interested in our Italian heritage at a young age when I was immersed in a culturally diverse setting in Southern California I went on a quest to learn more about it  Once I discovered the richness, beauty and storied history that Italians have even right here in California, going as far back as when it was a Spanish colony, I dived into it headfirst, with a zeal to preserve that history and culture and share it with the world.

And that is where this blog comes in. My quest, my mission, the goal of this publication is to preserve, celebrate, promote, and share the Italian American heritage of California with the world. I do not see this blog in competition with any other Italian and Italian American publication, indeed I want to promote those publications and media and help them thrive. The more exposure the Italian American community gets, the better. We have the same goals, the ones I specified above, and I want to be an additional voice and advocate achieving those goals. "A rising tide lifts all boats," so the saying goes, and I just want to be a part of that tide.

While I'll be covering as much of California as I can, I will be focused mainly on my home of San Diego. This is not only because it is easier for me due to my limited staff and budget, but because despite the city's thriving Italian American community with so many organizations and events, the community lacks its own distinct publication and media outlet. So I hope to fill that void. 

A bit about me: I am the Facilities Coordinator for the Amici House, which is San Diego's Little Italy neighborhood event and heritage center which is run as part of the Heritage program of the Convivio Society, I also sit on the Convivio Society's Little Italy Heritage Commission, am a member of the House of Italy, the 2nd Vice President of the Italian Catholic Federation ICF Branch #230-Our Lady of the Rosary, and am a volunteer for the Little Italy Association and am very active with my church, Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church, an Italian National Parish. I am in the process of re-joining the Sons of Italy (now the Sons and Daughters of Italy) (OSIA) and will be a member of San Diego's Italian American Civic Association (IACA). I have over twenty years experience in personnel and financial management and have a Certificate in Writing for Publication. 

In The Italian Californian you will soon find articles about my life in the Italian American community of California, like when I attended the festa and sign unveiling in LA's new "Little Italy," when I was at a Columbus Day celebration as presented by the Italian American Civic Association (IACA) in San Diego, and the many beautiful traditions at my church like the Madonna del Lume Mass, and so on. I will also post useful links and resources and other stories pertaining to the Italian American population of the Golden State.

I am looking for submissions and contributors. I can not offer any financial compensation, but can offer free publicity/advertising, exposure, and byline. To submit an article or become a returning contributor, go here.

The Italian Californian also needs your support. To make a gift of any amount, go here.

Mille grazie!
Christopher Forte, The Italian Californian

me at the first Little Italy of Los Angeles Festa & Sign Unveiling