AMHS Bids Farewell to FATHER EZIO MARCHETTO With Our Thanks
Father Ezio Marchetto left Holy Rosary Church in February for his new assignment in New York City, taking with him the thanks and affection of the AMHS for his support throughout his seven and a half years here.The Society presented Father Ezio with a letter of thanks and appreciation from President Ray LaVerghetta and gave him a warm Pittsburgh Steelers sweatshirt. We learned that this is his favorite team because as he was first learning about the game, the Steelers won four Super Bowls. And not only that, he found out that one of their star players, Franco Harris, had a Sicilian mother. As Ray said so well in his letter to Father Ezio, “Though not a parish organization of [Holy Rosary Church], we in the AMHS have nevertheless felt welcomed, even at home, in what is now the Casa Italiana Sociocultural Center — our home away from home. We enjoyed this sense of belonging not just because you checked a box or signed off on an authorization form that allowed us to use the facility. You no doubt did this. However, you did a great deal more.”
Father Ezio and then-AMHS President Maria D’Andrea-Yothers with the U.S. Marine Band at the AMHS program “The Italian Legacy in the Development of the Marine Band,” in September 2014
Many of us have fond memories of Father Ezio attending many of our events. Not only did he allow us to use the Casa Italiana facilities, he also took part in many of our activities. He engaged our guests and our speakers, said grace before meals, participated in our raffles, and even lent a hand in setting up the media systems. And Father Ezio let us know that he appreciated what the Society was doing to promote cultural and educational programs in a social setting that bonded our community together. Our former AMHS presidents had the following tributes for Father Ezio:
Omero Sabatini
said: “Starting in February he will be replaced by two priests. It can only mean that for the past several years, Father Ezio has been doing by himself the work of two clergymen. We can be sure that he will carry this energy and enthusiasm into his new assignment. Omero added: “So as we prepare to say goodbye to Father Ezio, let us not just be saddened by his leaving. Instead, let us also cherish our pleasant memories of him that we will always carry with us, and let us congratulate him on his new assignment, with the accompanying increased responsibilities, within his Scalabrinian family. His ministry has been inspiring and uplifting. His initiatives for the development of the programs and the facilities of the Casa Italiana Sociocultural Center have been extraordinary.”
Ennio DiTullio
said: “From the outset of his arrival in Washington, Father Ezio Marchetto made an impression on the Italo-American community by plunging right into its activities, not only in his role as spiritual pastor of Holy Rosary Church but also as an active participant in all aspects of its life. He took on a big job and worked hard to do it well, whether as administrator of the Casa Italiana Language School, as the supervisor of the Capital Development Project for the church and its buildings, as the editor-in-chief of Voce Italiana, or to realize his dream of the creation of the Italian American Museum of Washington, D.C. “Father Ezio was especially supportive of the Abruzzo and Molise Heritage Society by cooperating with our vision and participating in our events.
As well, he afforded the same support to other organizations associated with our shared Italian heritage. Ennio continued: “I was honored to work with Father Ezio in organizing several New Year’s Eve celebrations at Casa Italiana, events that gave joy to the participants and strengthened their ties to the community. “On a personal note, I found Father Ezio to be a wonderful priest who celebrated the Holy Mass with sweetness and with the preaching of great homilies. My family and I will always remember him for the beautiful Mass celebrating the life of my dear wife, Emma. “I offer Father Ezio the thanks of AMHS, a fond farewell, and wishes for continued success in his new and important assignment. He has truly left a lasting legacy to the Italian Americans of Washington, and for that, I am grateful to him.”
Lucio D’Andrea,
founder of AMHS and President Emeritus, said: “I join in the tributes of Omero and Ennio and recognize and appreciate the support of Father Ezio toward the Abruzzo and Molise Heritage Society. Casa Italiana became the “home” of the Society since its founding in June 2000 and was the site where most of its monthly meetings were held. If his pastoral duties did not interfere, Father Ezio enjoyed attending those meetings.
” Maria D’Andrea-Yothers
said: “AMHS greatly appreciates the tremendous support afforded by Father Ezio to its general membership meetings and special events. Father, a lover of music, art, and scholarly works, thoroughly enjoyed the many speakers we had at our lunch meetings. I particularly appreciate his support when we brought The President’s Own Marine Band to Casa, for a performance on September 21, 2014. He did much to revitalize the Italian-American community in the Washington, D.C. area, and he has left a lasting legacy with the new Rectory, Casa Italiana Sociocultural Center, and the new Robert Facchina Italian-American Museum of Washington, D.C. I extend my heartfelt wishes for Father’s continued success in his new assignment.” Father Ezio’s new assignment in New York, where he lived previously, will be as Provincial Bursar of his Scalabrinian Order.
He will be residing at the Provincial House in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan, next door to Our Lady of Pompeii Church. He said his new assignment involves a lot of travel — from Canada to Ecuador. But he said his home base in New York is “not that far” from D.C. so he expects he will be able to come here for a visit now and then or for special events. Although we will miss Father Ezio very much, we wish him all the best in his new assignment and we thank him from the bottom of our hearts. Grazie di cuore! ❚