MAY 2022
Hamilton Post COMMUNITYNEWS.ORG
Promise made, promise kept
St. George celebrating 100 years Annual Greek Festival set for May 19–22
Hamilton woman still works to fulfill a pledge she made to Pope Pius XII
By Thomas Kelly
By Joe EmansKi
Gilda Rorro was 13 years old when she had the privilege of a private audience with Pope Pius XII. In that meeting, the pope asked if she spoke Italian. The Philadelphia native admitted that she did not. “‘Gilda, promise me when you go back to your marvelous country across the ocean, you will learn to speak Italian, and you will never forget your Italian ancestors,’” she recalls the pope saying. “And I thought, How am I going to learn Italian? They don’t teach it in school. So then I thought, I’ll take Spanish, and then I’ll teach myself Italian, because they’re somewhat similar.” She kept that part of the promise, and the other as well: remembering her Italian ancestors. She has dedicated a life not only to education, but also to honoring her Italian-American See PROMISE, Page 12
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Their courage and compassion inspire us all.
Steinert High School students rehearse for “Once Upon a Mattress,” their annual musical, set to be performed at the high school May 19 through 21.
The musical month of May
One morning, a message written in chalk appeared in front of an RWJBarnabas Health facility. The words Greasesoul will be May 5, 6 and 7. couldn’t have been simpler, or more stirring, Hamilton High West will peror more accurate.
All 3 of the township’s public high schools are set to return to the stage with productions that will be open to the public By Thomas Kelly
In May in the Hamilton Township’s three public high schools, Grease is the word, Pippin is the man and Once Upon a Mattress is the time and the place to be. The lifting of restrictions due to the pandemic has gotten the
form Pippin on May 12, 13 and 14. Steinert will perform Once Upon a Mattress on May 19, 20 and “Heroes three schools excited about the 21. The plays are staggered so work here.” high school musicals. Notting- families and area residents have ham High School will perform the opportunity to see all of the Grease, the popular 70’s musical, performances. Three words of gratitude and encouragement that based on a 1950’s high school Coming out of many restriccapture the courage and compassion of health cast of characters. The musical tions that hampered last year’s workers here and across America. To share your will be performed outside on the productions, such as no dancing thanks or to support our Emergency Response Fund, football field with the audience in with a partner or sharing of props, visit rwjbh.org/heroes See DRAMA, Page 8 the bleachers. The play dates for
One hundred years ago, 40 families in the Trenton area founded a church. The 40 families were of Greek heritage and primarily from the Greek islands of Andros and Chios. Today the 100 year old Saint George Church consists of almost 400 families and is still a beacon of faith and family. The church was first located on Jackson Street in Trenton. The congregation outgrew the original building, and purchased and renovated the previous Presbyterian Church at Mercer and Market streets, also in Trenton. In 1969, the church assembly approved and purchased a site on Klockner Road in Hamilton, to build a larger church and other necessary facilities. The new structures were built in phases, with the church, community center and cultural center being the three primary buildings. The final phase of the church building was adding the iconography which was See CHURCH, Page 10
And please, for them, stay home and safe.
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