A VISIT WITH THE MOLISANI NEL MONDO, QUEBEC
In August I had the great pleasure to meet members of the F.A.M.Q (Federazione Associazione Molisani del Quebec), located in Montreal. I had been vacationing in Quebec with my parents, Lucio and Edvige. My father set up the “meet and greet” when he found out we would be driving back to Boston, Massachusetts by way of Montreal.
So it was that, on a gorgeous Saturday, August 24, we made our way from Quebec City to Montreal, where we met with Nancy Spineti-Delle Donne, Treasurer, Michele Passarelli, and Gennaro Panzero, members of the Board of F.A.M.Q. They were most gracious in taking time out of their busy Saturday to meet with us at the beautiful, modern Centro Leonardo da Vinci, a cultural center built by Italian immigrants who settled in Montreal.
This was a most valuable opportunity to learn more about the Molisani population in the province of Quebec and in Montreal. (Montreal’s Italian community is one of the largest in Canada, second only to Toronto. With 250,000 residents of Italian ancestry, Montreal has many Italian districts, such as Little Italy, Saint-Leonard (Città Italiana), R.D.P, and LaSalle. Italian is the 3rd most spoken language in Montreal and in the province of Quebec!
The Church of the Madonna della Difesa was built by Italian immigrants from the province of Campobasso to commemorate the apparition of the Virgin Mary in La Difesa, an area of Campobasso. Gennaro was most generous with his time, taking us to the grounds where a festival would be held on August 24-25, the annual Festival of Saint Ann (too bad we could not stay), and arranging a wonderful meal at La Molisana Ristorante e Focacceria.
Needless to say we were well taken care of by our host, Gennaro, and the restaurant’s owner, Michael Barone. My parents and I had requested only a salad, given the drive we had to make into Vermont, but instead we were – in typical Italian fashion – treated to a 5-course meal! The food was scrumptious, the conversation excellent. This restaurant should be a “must stop” if you are visiting Montreal (www.lamolisana.ca)
Our introduction to this organization is an objective of our Society, to foster closer collaboration with other Molisani (and Abruzzesi) organizations throughout North America. It is our express hope that this initial meeting will help to foster and encourage such collaboration. We departed with an invitation for our Society to organize a visit to Montreal for one of several social and cultural events organized by the Federation and, of course, we extended the same invitation to the F.A.M.Q. officers, to come to Washington, DC for one of our many events.
A CULTURAL EXPERIENCE WHILE LEARNING ITALIAN
by Lucio D’Andrea, AMHS President Emeritus During my recent visit to Molise, I had the opportunity to meet with Dott. Davide Tanzj, founder of L’Accademia Italia in Agnone, Molise (about a 2 ½ hour drive from Rome). The Academy’s main purpose is to promote the Italian language and the vast, rich culture of Italy and that of Agnone and Molise. Agnone is one of the most charming, picturesque towns in Molise, famous for the Marinelli bell foundry.
The Academy offers courses at all levels with a staff qualified in teaching Italian and culture. It is a language school that also incorporates opportunities to learn history, art, archaeology, handicrafts, and cooking. Accommodations are arranged at a restored Palazzo. The fee for a two-week program is quite reasonable (about 2,000 euros, or $2,600). It covers classes, lodging, and two meals a day. The school arranges shuttle service from Rome, Naples, and Pescara. What better way to complement a trip to Italy with a two-week stay in Agnone! I can assure you that having visited Agnone and Molise many times, a stay in Agnone is a most unique and enjoyable experience. If interested, check out the advertisement for the Academy on the AMHS website, www.abruzzomoliseheritagesociety.org or visit the Academy’s website at www.accademiaitalia.eu/en