I am a survivor of fourteen years of Catholic education. I am still waiting for my lapel pin to come in the mail. Although I may joke about surviving the notorious nuns, I did receive a very good education in those years. One thing that I didn’t understand back then was the relationship between the … Continue reading Italian Americans & The Catholic Church
Culture
Was Sisyphus Happy?
Was Sisyphus happy? You know Sisyphus, the guy that was damned for eternity by Zeus to roll a huge boulder up a mountain only to have it roll back down once it reached the top. That guy. Do you think he was happy? Now I know this isn't necessarily specific to Italian culture, but this … Continue reading Was Sisyphus Happy?
Being Italian American During a Covid Christmas
I am not sure how to start this post, how to do something other than contributing to the happy-happy-joy-joy holiday messages with which we have all been inundated over the past few weeks. However, I do have something to say as I reflect on this time of year and its relation to my cultural heritage, … Continue reading Being Italian American During a Covid Christmas
Mario Puzo
One of the many benefits of traveling to Italy, especially to Italian-Americans, is that you experience firsthand the differences between Italian and Italian-American culture. For me, some of these differences were quite surprising. One of the most memorable revelations was the reaction some Italian friends had not only to The Godfather but also to Mario … Continue reading Mario Puzo
Mythical Italy
Have you ever run into someone you have not seen in decades? I have. Recently, via social media, I made contact with a childhood friend. We had not seen each other since I was 15. He was an old man; what little hair he had was white and his belly hung over his belt. What … Continue reading Mythical Italy
