L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020 www.italoamericano.org 16 L'Italo-Americano LA VITA ITALIANA TRADITIONS HISTORY CULTURE D ear Readers, March dates with an "Italian Connection."Ju- lius Caesar, 100-44 BC, laughed at a sooth- sayer's warning to "beware the Ides of March" and a success- fully plot for his assassination did indeed take place on March 15th. It included the hand of his trusted, adopted son Brutus and is considered the most famous of classical betrayals. Ides were, in the ancient Roman calendar, the 15th day o f M a r c h , M a y , J u l y a n d October. *** R o g e r B o s c h e t t i , a bright light in the Bay Area Italian American community and State of California, for o v e r h a l f a c e n t u r y , d i e d March 8, 2004 at age 82 but t h e h a p p y m e m o r i e s h e h e l p e d c r e a t e h a v e n o t dinned. T h e r e w a s n o t a s i n g l e worthwhile Italian American program, sports activity or benefit that did not list his name as an active member or contributor. In 1975, Villa Scalabrini of L o s A n g e l e s , I t a l i a n Retirement Center was still on the drawing boards and in March, Edward Di Loreto, c h a i r m a n o f t h e V i l l a Scalabrini finance committee reported that the campaign o n l y r e a c h e d t h e s u m o f $500,000 the goal of 3 mil- lion dollars. I n o r d e r t o e n c o u r a g e more donations, a thank you F o u n d e r s B a n q u e t a t t h e Beverly Wilshire Hotel was p l a n n e d f o r t h e f o l l o w i n g month. Roger Boschetti was t h e r e a s w a s F r a n k S i n a t r a ' s m o t h e r N a t a l i e " D o l l y " S i n a t r a , H o n o r a r y Hostess. Alma Piazza, soprano, sang t h e A m e r i c a n a n d I t a l i a n N a t i o n a l A n t h e m s , a n d E g i d i o O r t o n a , I t a l i a n A m b a s s a d o r t o t h e U S A brought greetings from Italy. Joseph Campanella, screen a n d T V p e r s o n a l i t y , w a s Master of Ceremonies and Roger Boschetti was there with a camera to record the e v e n t f o r h i s I t a l i a n T e l e v i s i o n p r o g r a m a n d e n c o u r a g e m o r e f i n a n c i a l founders to step forward. R o g e r B o s c h e t t i w a s a businessman, labor leader, athlete, writer, entrepreneur, television and radio personal- ity, WWII Veteran, lifelong volunteer and officer in many organizations. H o w e v e r , i t i s f o r t h e I t a l i a n A m e r i c a n T V Annual Family Picnic that Roger is best remembered by t h o u s a n d s o f I t a l i a n - A m e r i c a n i n N o r t h e r n California. In the early 1970s Roger Boschetti bought a block of time at a small television sta- tion, channel 20, in order to bring Italian-American televi- sion to our community. Roger Boschetti organized the first annual Family Picnic in 1975, with low prices so all could attend and enjoy a fam- ily picnic, with plenty of fun a n d m u s i c . T h e I t a l i a n - American TV lasted twenty y e a r s a n d t o o k p l a c e a t Blackberry Farm, near San Jose between 1975 and 1988. T h e e a r l y p i c n i c s w e r e immensely popular and thou- s a n d s c a m e f r o m a l l o v e r N o r t h e r n C a l i f o r n i a , R i c h m o n d , O a k l a n d , S a n Francisco, Stockton, Modesto, Gilroy, Half Moon Bay and as far south as Monterey, some by chartered bus loads. *** St. Patrick's Day, which we celebrate on March 17th, has an Italian Connection. I n h i s a u t o b i o g r a p h y , Confessions, written shortly before his death, the saint tells us that his father was a R o m a n o f f i c i a l n a m e d Calpurnius. Calpurnius was an ancient Italic or Etruscan clan name. Julius Caesar's wife was Calpurnia (daughters took the feminine form of the clan name). The first St. Patrick's Day in the US was held in Boston in 1734. By stretching things a bit, you can correctly state that "St. Patrick was Italian." P a t r i c k ' s p a r e n t s w e r e Romans. The Romans ruled E n g l a n d a t t h a t t i m e . Calpurnius, Patrick's father, was a high Roman diplomat l i v i n g i n E n g l a n d , b u t a Roman citizen. P a t r i c k w a s b o r n i n England around the year 385 AD. Roman cities in England had shops and beautiful hous- es, so Patrick lived the good life for a while. Across the sea in Ireland ( E i r e ) , t h i n g s w e r e n o t s o good. Tribal kings were con- stantly feuding, and in the year 400 AD, a tribal king (Niall) attacked England. He took thousands of prisoners, including Patrick, for slaves. Soon the rich little Roman kid was forced to herd pigs and sheep, just a poor little slave boy far from home. P a t r i c k w a s t a k e n t o Northern Ireland and sold to a n o t h e r t r i b a l k i n g n a m e d Melluce. Melluce and his fam- ily were kind on Patrick, and their children were good com- pany . Still, Patrick was alone i n a s t r a n g e l a n d , o n l y 1 5 years old. He did not know the language; he didn't know if his family was still alive. Patrick slept in a mud hut and was a swineherd. At 21 years old, after six years as a slave, he ran away. Walking many miles to the sea, he found a ship that took him back to England. By now, the Romans had been chased out; they were no longer the rulers, and the country was in ruins. Patr ick sail ed acr oss the c h a n n e l a n d w a n d e r e d through Europe, and then on to Rome, and found that by the year 410 AD the center of all Roman power had been con- quered as well. His past was really dead, so h e d e c i d e d t o g o b a c k t o England to think, pray and live very quietly there. While in prayer, he felt certain that God w a s c a l l i n g h i m b a c k t o I r e l a n d , t o b r i n g a l l t h o s e t r i b e s t o g e t h e r a n d m a k e Ireland a Christian land. But first, Patrick went to France and studied religion there for ten years. In the year 432 AD, Pope C e l e s t i n e m a d e P a t r i c k a B i s h o p a n d n a m e d h i m " P a t r i c i u s . " N o w , B i s h o p Patricius sailed for Ireland. T h e I r i s h p e o p l e w e r e n o t interested in Christianity and tried to stone him to death. T h e B i s h o p a n d h i s m e n fled and found shelter for the night in a barn near the shore. The barn belonged to a trib- a l k i n g n a m e d D i c h u . H e thought the Bishop and his men were robbers and wanted to kill them. Patrick held out his hand and smiled, And a golden aura shone on his face. Dichu put down his weapon, his fierce dog stopped growling (accord- i n g t o l e g e n d ) , a n d D i c h u became the first Christian in Ireland and the barn, the first church. P a t r i c k t r a v e l e d a l l o v e r I r e l a n d . H e a l w a y s h a d a drummer with him. When he arrived at a village, the drum- mer would drum, and the peo- p l e w o u l d c o m e f r o m t h e i r houses to listen to him. P a t r i c k s h o w e d t h e m a shamrock, like a three-leafed clover. Patrick explained the idea of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. T o d a y , t h e s h a m r o c k i s Ireland's national flower, and as more and more tribal kings a n d t h e i r p e o p l e b e c a m e Christians, they came together to worship and be united as a country. Bishop Patricius drummed the snaked out of Ireland and into the sea (according to leg- end), and built hundreds of churches. When he died on March 17 (between 461 and 492 AD), the Pope declared h i m a s a i n t a n d h a d h i m buried on church grounds in Downpatrick, Ireland. Father's Day, in Italy is celebrated on March 19th, the Feast of St. Joseph. I n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , w e a r b i t r a r i l y p i c k e d a d a y t o honor our fathers. St Joseph represent a fine example of what fatherhood is supposed to be, as Joseph raised Jesus a s h i s o w n s o n ( c o n c e i v e d without sin).

• Cover