2003 News - San Rocco Oratory

Funeral of Arthur Ranieri, at San Rocco Oratory

The funeral liturgy begins at the door of the church or oratory, where the priest greets the family. Here, at the funeral of Arthur Ranieri, age 104, the priest greets Nora, the daughter, on the left, as well as Olga and Vincent Ranieri.

The casket is then sprinkled with holy water, as a reminder of baptism and the eternal life promised in baptism.

The funeral pall is placed on the casket.

Next, the white funeral pall is placed on the casket. This pall is a reminder of the white garment that early Christians wore on the day of their baptism. Again, this is a reminder of eternal life with Jesus Christ.

At the DiGiovanni St. Joseph's Day Table, the cooks receive a special blessing first, before the food. The ministry of cooking is important.

The Funeral Choir for Joan Termini, gathered at San Rocco Oratory

The funeral choir for Joan Termini, June 3, 2003. Sam Argento (3rd from left) brought in additional singers to help out.

Entrance Procession, for the Votive Mass in honor of Mary. Servers are Paige Jaffe, Ethan Jaffe (crucifer), and Bev Green, on the right.

Arrival at the altar before the statue of the BVM. Note the oratory in the background, the white building.

Arrival at the altar, before the statue of the BVM. Note San Rocco Oratory in the background, the white building.

During Mass, as usual, Communion is distributed under both forms, that is, also from the chalice.

Here, outside the Amaseno Lodge, Father Petrongelli is beginning the San Lorenzo procession to the oratory; he leads the singing in the Italian language.

Here, Father Fontana leads the people in a prayer for healing, a prayer directed to God our Father. Indviduals from many parishes have gathered this evening at San Rocco Oratory.

A 45-minute service of incense begins the common prayer. With congregational responses and choral songs, the people take part. The priest, Father Pavlos, wears his everyday cassock. The entire church is filled with the gentle fragrance of incense.

As in the other rites of the Church, the crossed stole is worn by deacons. In fact, the choir is actually a group of ordained deacons. Here, having vested, they do a prostration for the blessing of the priest. Such a prostration is also common in the Syrian Rite; it is used in the West only on Good Friday, at the beginning of the liturgy and at the adoration of the cross. Note that the priest wears a miter. In general, in the West, a miter is reserved to a bishop or an abbot. Above, the priest gives a blessing to the deacons, using a hand cross. The veil on the altar already is used to cover the bread and the wine.

[Feb. 6, 2003] Irma Kampick is buried from San Rocco; her sister is Josephine Berlinski.

[Feb. 14] Arthur Ranieri is buried today; he was 104 years old at the time of death.

[March 16] The great DiGiovanni clan celebrates its St. Joseph Day table; they gather from all over the country. This year, as in several years past, the clan meets at a Lutheran church hall in South Chicago Heights.

There is another St. Joseph's Day Table, held the same day at a local restaurant in Chicago Heights. This celebration is open to everyone in the San Rocco community.

The Book of Blessings, from Rome, includes a special format for the blessing of the St. Joseph's Table. The blessing itself is sung: "Blest be God. Blest be God."

(from left:) The Petrelli family, Jackie, Joe, Nate, Marge, Donna, and Joseph.

(from left:) Catherine Inucci, Marilyn & Frank Jobbe, Sharon & Gene Billo

[May 11] Janice Marie Melillo is baptized, daughter of Ezias Maldonado and Angela Melillo.

[May 18] Julia Marie Sands is baptized, daughter of Patrick and Kim [Sarek] Sands. On this same day, Joseph Panici is also baptized, the son of Joseph and Deanna Marie [Pagor] Panici.

[June 3] Joan Termini is buried from San Rocco today, with interment in Elwood Cemetery, Joliet. She sang in the choir at San Rocco and regularly participated in the liturgy both here and at Infant Jesus of Prague church in Flossmoor. She was the mother of nine children. Joan died Ascension Thursday, May 29, at South Suburban Hospital in Hazel Crest.

[June 6] Romana Planera and Michael Malinowski are married at the chapel at Barat College, Lake Forest; Father Gilligan witnesses the wedding. Permission is given by the local pastor, Father George Rassas. The reception afterwards is on the grounds of the former Armour estate. Romana is the daughter of Tom Planera, who painted the rerodos in the San Rocco Oratory, clouds and all.

[July 3] Salvador Martinez is buried from San Rocco; he was a member of the old San Rocco Parish and grew up there. Until recently, when homebound, he went to Mass regularly at the San Rocco Oratory.

[July 5] Dominick Spagnola is buried; he was living in Deltona, Florida. Until he retired, he was the proprieter of Dom's Barber Shop in South Chicago Heights.

[July 20] Luca Pietro Randazzo is baptized, son of Rosario and Enza [Incandela] Randazzo.

[July 27-Aug. 3] The very tall statue of Mary ("Millennium") visits for a week. In the San Rocco grotto, devotions are observed; Mass is also celebrated.

[Aug. 2] Zaccheus House is dedicated in Chicago, on the south side. It is a half-way house for men seeking to be re-integrated into society. The house is sponsored and organized by deacons of the Archdiocese of Chicago.

[Aug. 10] The San Lorenzo Festival is celebrated, both at the Amaseno Lodge and at San Rocco Oratory. Hundreds of people come to eat, sing, and pray. For the procession from the lodge to the church, Father Tomasso Petrongelli from Rome teaches the people Italian songs, practices with them, and leads them. He also particpates in the Mass this morning, speaking and praying in Italian.

After the morning liturgy, Father Gilligan leaves for the bi-annual meeting of the Societas Liturgica, an association of scholars of the liturgy, mostly professors. This year, the assembly is in Eindhoven and Utrecht, Holland. He is gone the rest of the week. However, from Monday to Friday, Father Petrongelli says Mass at San Rocco Oratory, each morning.

[Aug. 18] Teresa Billo has her funeral at San Rocco; her residence was in Vicenza, Italy; she was 95. The priest for the Mass was Father Petrongelli.

[Aug. 31] Matteo Petrongelli is baptized, the son of Luciano and Rosa [Graziano] Petrongelli. The priest is Father Tommaso Petrongelli, the uncle of Luciano.

[Sept. 3] Anthony Anzelmo is buried from San Rocco today; he was the father of August Anzelmo. Both Father Gilligan and Father Petrongelli participated in the funeral Mass.

[Sept. 21] Father Glenn Fontana visits San Rocco Oratory, for a liturgy of healing.

[Sept. 27] Giovanni Gadotti is buried from San Rocco.

[Oct. 5] Kristopher Kalch is baptized, the son of Kristopher Kalch and Michelle [Prisco] Kalch.

[Nov. 11] Al Petrarca has his funeral Mass celebrated at St. Kieran's in Chicago Heights; Father Gilligan is the priest. Lisa Kristina accompanies Cara Scott, the singer.

[Dec. 11] Josephine DiMaggio is buried from San Rocco today.

[Dec. 20] Because the Tolentine Chapel in Olympia Fields is not available, the local Coptic parish, being formed, has their Sunday Mass on Saturday, making use of the San Rocco Oratory. After a service of incense (about half an hour), what we call morning prayer (Lauds) follows; then comes the Eucharist, the Divine Liturgy, itself. The congregation is blest wih a good number of deacons, an active choir, and altar servers. Father Pavlos is the priest who leads the celebration and presides throughout.

[Dec. 28, 2003] At today's Feast of the Holy Family, both Rose Granno and David Hilgen make their profession of faith, are confirmed, and receive their First Holy Communion as Catholics. At the same Mass, Monica [Garcia] Prisco makes her profession of faith and receives First Holy Communion as well; she was raised Pentecostal, though baptized and confirmed Catholic in Mexico.

It is the office of the bishop to receive baptized Christians into the full communion of the Catholic Church. But a priest to whom the bishop entrusts the celebration of the rite has the faculty of confirming the candidate within the rite of reception, unless the person received has already been validly confirmed. (RCIA, 481) Above, Rose Granno is confirmed, after her profession of faith and before her first Holy Communion as a Catholic. Her husband, Frank, stands directly behind Rose.

The choir of deacons sings vigorously, as do the people. Nothing is recited by the congregation, nothing. The entire Divine Liturgy is sung; there is no such thing as a "Low Mass." Note the use of hand cymbals, above. The music itself is distinctly oriental, with half-tones and modal chanting. It is is obvious that the songs are largely known by heart, in both Arabic and Coptic.