IL PENSIERO “THE THOUGHT”
Office: 10001 Stonell Drive
Member of FUSIE (Federazione Italiana Stampa Unitaria all’Estero)
Agosto 2021 THE ONLY ITALIAN NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI
An Italian-American Publication
NUMERO 8
Ferragosto by Courtney Kamm
Ferragosto is an Italian holiday celebrated every year on August 15th and is the height of the Italian vacation season. Originally known as the festival of emperor Augustus, this holiday celebrated the middle of the summer and a time of rest for agricultural workers — the end of the hard labor that took place in the fields. Today, Ferragosto is mostly known as Assumption Day, an Italian holiday and holy day of obligation in the Catholic Church. According to Roman Catholic teachings, the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary commemorates the death of Mary, the mother of Jesus, and her bodily assumption into heaven after the end of her life on earth. While businesses in the larger cities may be closed on this day, museums and tourist shops through Italy are open and bustling. Millions of Italians take their annual vacation in the twoweeks before or after August 15. Are you doing any fun traveling this year during Ferragosto? Let us know by emailing courtney@ilpensiero.net.
St. Ambrose Bids a Fond Farewell to Monsignor Vincent Bommarito by Marianne Peri-Sack
The parishioners of St. Ambrose Church on The Hill gave Monsignor Vincent Bommarito a warm send-off on Sunday, June 27. The pews at the 10 a.m. Mass were filled to the brim with his admirers coming from all parts of the St. Louis region. At the end of Mass, Monsignor expressed his thanks stating what a great pleasure it was to have served St. Ambrose for the past 22 years. The audience was deeply touched and continued clapping for a very long time. They did not seem to want to quit their applause for this priest who had been their spiritual leader for so many years. A reception was held for him in the St. Ambrose Church Hall from noon until 2 p.m. He stood in front of the Italian mosaic of the Holy Family at the far end of the hall while parishioners and friends lined up the steps and out the door to say their goodbyes. Sandwiches, pastries and other refreshments were served. The next morning, he said his last Mass. As he walked out on the altar, he was astounded when he saw the church filled that early in the morning. At the end of Mass, he received a thunderous applause. Needless to say, there were very few dry eyes in the church that day. Monsignor had touched so many lives during his tenure on The Hill. The range of his well-wishers went from toddlers to the elderly. Many took pictures with him. He was transferred to St. Joan of Arc, which is very close to St. Ambrose. God bless you, Monsignor, Buona
St. Louis, Missouri 63123
CONTINUOUS SERVICE AND ACTIVITY SINCE 1904
12 PAGES
Fortuna, and Mille Grazie!
Monsingor Vince Bommarito and Joe Carbone
Becky Tower, Terrance Tower, Brian Tower and Deacon Joe Fragale
Sam & Linda Bommarito, Monsignor Bommarito & Cathy and Rick Leininger