Tuesday, July 24, 2007

"That's, Amore! That's, Our Lady!" Fr. Antonio Barruffo, S.J.

Tradition steps out in boro's Little Italy
BY ETHAN ROUEN

Tuesday, July 24th 2007, 4:00 AM

If it's one thing that Italian Belmont has, it's tradition.

And Our Lady of Mount Carmel carried it on this month, spending a week celebrating the church's patron saint, complete with a parade of her statue through the streets.

It was the 101st year that Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church celebrated the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel with an abundance of music, food and festivity.

The Little Italy of the Bronx hosted live bands playing oldies, jazz and local favorites. After working up an appetite dancing, those in attendance had a chance to munch on street festival food - sausage and peppers taste even better when you're eating them on Arthur Ave.

The money raised during the week went to fund arts and physical education programs at the church's pre-K through eighth grade school on Bathgate Ave.

The weeklong festivities also paid tribute to the immigrants who settled the area 100 years ago. Jesuit priest Antonio Barruffo delivered a novena in Italian in honor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

The celebration culminated with the parading of the statue of the Virgin Mary through the parish streets.

For three hours, members of the church marched through the neighborhood reciting the rosary. They were accompanied by a band playing religious and Italian music.

"We marched almost every street in the parish," said the Rev. John Ruvo, the church's pastor.

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