History of Lady of Grace Fraternity Est. 1955
Madonna delle Grazie, Patron Saint of San Giovanni di Gerace, Reggio Calabria
ST ANTHONY’S CHURCH, AGINCOURT ROAD, MARSFIELD
A faithful journey
The feast day of Our Lady of Grace is always celebrated on the third Sunday of September in the small village of San Giovanni di Gerace in Reggio Calabria, a southern province of Italy. This annual event is of great significance for this small village.
After World War II, due to poverty, famine and lack of employment, many Italians migrated overseas, to America, Argentina and even Australia in search of a better life and future. A great number of Sangiovanesi migrated to Sydney and in particular the Ryde districts.
The majority arrived with only the clothes on their backs and a suitcase, many leaving other family members behind, many illiterate and mostly impoverished, with some (who didn’t know it at the time) never to return to their homeland. These immigrants may have arrived with only a suitcase, but it was filled with dreams and hopes and strong values and, most of all, faith and courage.
St. Josephs Seminary, Agincourt Road Marsfield c. 1955
Once in Australia, settling in Ryde and surrounding districts as early as the 1920s and up to the 1960s, and far from home, it was apparent from the start that life was going to be hard, with a language and lifestyle they were not accustomed to. These migrants felt lost and desperate for the tastes of home and family they had left behind.
In times of need, or in sorrow, the people of San Giovanni would call upon their patron saint, Maria Santissima delle Grazie (Lady of Grace), for comfort, strength and hope. Grazie in Italian means ‘grace’ as well as ‘a favour’. This Madonna represented not only the Mother of Divine Grace but also the Mother who grants special favours, the most common relating to recovery of health.
Many children were named after Maria Santissima delle Grazie – Maria, Maria Grazia, Graziella, Grazia Maria. The co- patron saint of the town is San Giovanni Battista (St John the Baptist) and children named in his honour include Giambattista, Giovanni Battista, Giovanni and Giovanna.
Like every child who nurtures a deep affection for a mother, so did these faithful Sangiovanesi for their town’s co- patron, Our Lady of Grace.
A long way from home
The parish area of Marsfield, between Ryde and Eastwood, hosted a large number of Italians, many new immigrants from Calabria. They were strong and generous people, who in silence lived, worked and formed families, but still were not fully happy. They felt a spiritual need that was unfulfilled. No matter what they were doing, in daily life, their thoughts were never far from the vivid memories of their Madonna at whose feet they had prayed so many times in the santuario (sanctuary) back home.
1955 The first feast day, congregation on the grounds of St. Josephs Seminary.
They missed, if nothing more, the gaze of their Madonna – the link to their homeland.
In chapter 1 of Memories of St. Anthony’s Marsfield 1941–1992, Jim Hilferty wrote:
Due to a large number of Italians in Marsfield it was decided to name the Parish after one of the most popular Italian saints. St. Anthony is known as “il Santo” in Padova. St. Anthony’s had its official beginnings in Marsfield in 1922 when the Vincentians purchased Curzon Hall for use as a seminary and named it after St. Joseph.
In the twenties and thirties, Marsfield was predominantly an Italian area of market gardens, orchards and a few small cottages. St. Joseph’s Seminary had its own chapel. Fr. Cusack arranged the building of the old church/school which opened in June 1934. Like many church/schools of the time, a curtain was drawn across the altar during weekdays when class was in session.
Italian connections in Marsfield
Around the 1950s parish priests from the Capuchin Priests of Leichhardt began to visit this parish and constantly would hear of the spiritual void felt by their Italian parishioners. The priests who celebrated mass in Italian or Latin and noticed that on the third Sunday of September the congregation would double. They later found out this was the feast day of Our Lady which the Sangiovanesi would have celebrated back in Italy.
Padre Silvio Spighi, one of the Capuchin friar from Leichhardt, contemplated the idea of fulfilling the immigrants’ faithful wishes. After months of planning, an enthusiastic committee was formed and pledges of monies were made to procure a statue to be crafted similar to the statue in San Giovanni di Gerace. In 1954 a copy of that statue was created by Herman (Ermanno) Kostner, a sculptor from Ortisei Bolzano in northern Italy.
The original list of devotees pledged £412 to pay for the statue. They were predominantly residents of Ryde and migrants from San Giovanni di Gerace.
In order to enable the statue to be carried by bearers in procession, a timber vara, a type of small float, was crafted in wood, with wooden rods which the bearers place on their shoulders. It is believed the first vara was crafted by Carmelo Bietola and Giuseppe Mesiti (formerly of Ryde, then Dee Why) who were both qualified timber craftsmen. A second vara was made after the first one was misplaced . It is believed this one was made by Carmelo Bietola and Francesco Marcellino.
Lady of Grace Fraternity, formed in 1955
The first executive members of the fraternity were:
- Raffaele Marcellino: President
- Francesco Marcellino: Vice-President
- Domenico Fuda: Secretary
- Rosario Napoli: Vice-Secretary
- Giuseppe Mesiti: Treasurer
- Vittorio Carmelo Dominello: Vice-Treasurer
At the time of writing original members still living are:
- Vincenzo Murdocca,Carmelo Iemma and Vincenzo Olivieri
On voyage
A Certificate of Approval and Authenticity from the Vatican to the Capuchin Franciscan Friars was signed and sealed. Once the statue was completed, it was shipped to Sydney on the SS Oceania.
Accompanying the statue on the ship were residents from San Giovanni migrating to Ryde.
The voyage was delayed and the ship arrived in Sydney in the latter part of October 1955. In agreement with Rev. P.A. Hayes, the first feast celebration was held on the second Sunday of November due to the delayed arrival of the statue. The solemn first Feast Day Mass was celebrated by Monsignore Barbarito, Secretary-General of the Apostolic Delegation of Sydney, on 13 November 1955. Padre Silvio invited the Choir of Leichhardt to perform on the day.
An altar was set up and decorated in the gardens of St Joseph’s Seminary of the Order of St Vincent de Paul, now Curzon Hall, in Agincourt Road, Marsfield. Over 800 emotional and grateful devotees attended the mass. The congregation followed behind the statue with committee members being honoured as the bearers who carried the statue on their shoulders, continuing in procession to Balaclava Road and through to the grounds of the Daughters of Charity and back onto Agincourt Road to the outdoor altar for benediction.
In 1969 a time capsule was blessed by Padre Alfonso and placed inside the statue.
Charity in practice
In chapter 2 of Memories of St. Anthony’s Marsfield 1941–1992, Jim Hilferty wrote:
The Confraternity has made donations to the Church and school including a large donation to our Lady’s Chapel and 2 bursaries, one for the Capuchin Fathers and one for the Vincentians.
From the time of its foundation, the confraternity decided to help the parish, and lived up to their promises both spiritually and financially. Within the Rosary Group, ladies roster themselves to clean, maintain, replace and arrange flowers of Our Lady, St. Anthony, St. Francis of Padova.
As a matter of interest – St. Anthony’s Church of Marsfield is better known by the Italian community as the ‘Church of Our Lady of Grace’ or Madonna’s church.
The Fraternity at work – social and fundraising events
The year 1977 saw the first Debutante Ball with monies raised donated to St Catherine’s Villa Residential Aged Care Facility, Marsfield. This fundraising event continues biennially, now monies raised used to operate and manage Lady of Grace Aged Care Facility, Dural.
The Fraternity, its members and the community work tirelessly to raise necessary funds. Monies are raised by selling raffle tickets and hosting fundraising events including trivia nights, dinners, games nights, bingo nights and donations. All these events are not only for the purpose of fundraising but also to unite and include the community to celebrate their culture, traditions and faith, fulfilling a social void from being so far from ‘home’.
- 1985 – Sabina Marin, member and public relations officer, published a 30th Anniversary publication.
- 1988–90 – Sabina Marin published an annual Bulletin booklet.
- 1983–93 – The ‘Home with a Heart’, Duralee at Dural, began to care for mothers and children in crisis with the support of the Fraternity.
- 1990 – Bespoke magazine La Campana was published and continues to be printed annually in English and Italian transcript. For over 30 years, Josie ( Carabetta) Howes of Ryde has headed up the annual publication of La Campana, a magazine that connects the community from Marsfield, Sydney to San Giovanni di Gerace in Calabria. She worked alongside original editor John Carabetta (late of Marsfield). Josie has also been an active committee member for over 40 years and current Secretary.
- 1995 – The Fraternity purchased Lady of Grace Aged Care Facility in Dural, which still operates today, with over a third of the residents of Italian background. Their mission statement is to provide optimum care for the sick and elderly. The nursing home has recently been refurbished with the aim of giving the feel of a ‘home away from home’ for the residents.
Celebrating 65 years of religious tradition
The statue is venerated and continues to reside in the brick and marble alcove of St Anthony’s Church at Marsfield. Joseph and Angelo Mesiti, descendants of Giuseppe Mesiti, donated the marble-like feature from their imitation marble factory. The icon has also had light restoration work to upgrade the gold leaf used on the rays, carried out by Master Rocco Denicola and sponsored by Achille and Margharita Forestieri. In later years the gold leaf on the rays of the statue was given another restoration by a Marsfield local, Rebecca. For over 50 years, John Belcastro (formerly of Ryde and now at Dural) has donated his prized carnations to be blessed and handed out to the pilgrims each year on the feast day. Pauline and Vince Olivieri of Ryde have for many years provided floral arrangements to adorn the altar and statue for feast day.
Domenic Olivieri continues to lead a Rosary group each Monday, which commenced in 1985, and led a choir group 1984–2001. Domenic has been a member of the Committee for over 60 years. From 1964 until the present the Giuseppe Verde Band has added to the authentic atmosphere performing on the feast day.
There are too many volunteers and past and present members to list who have donated monies, their time and talents to enable the Fraternity and its works in giving back and caring for the wider community.
The dream is kept alive
The solemn tradition of celebrating the feast day of Our Lady of Grace on the third Sunday of September continues, with a novena held the week prior to the feast day each September at St Anthony’s Church, Marsfield. The year 2020 marked the 65th anniversary of keeping this faithful dream alive. Looking ahead 2025 will mark the 70th Anniversary.
Devotees from all over Sydney attend this annual pilgrimage. The statue represents a strong link to faith, culture and traditions from their homeland into their new land and assurance of blessings and graces to be bestowed to all who believe.
The burning torch of those faithful migrant men and women of the first Committee and Fraternity will become inextinguishable, the memory of those who have worked so hard in faith, will not be forgotten. Their dream continues to be alive with the support of their descendants, family, friends, townsfolk and now Italo-Australians.
With the introduction of modern technology, communication is made easily available to connect with San Giovanni di Gerace and around the world, through the Facebook page of the Lady of Grace @ladyofgracefraternity and Website https://ladyofgracefraternity.com.au/ communicating to the next generation. The next chapter is being written – it’s up to all of us to keep this dream and faith alive!
Hail Mary! Viva Maria!!