L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015 www.italoamericano.com L'Italo-Americano 7 When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano The his tory behind the Swallows return to Mission San Juan Capistrano is historical and religious. The beauty of it all has developed over the years to include many diverse groups that come together on this day to cel- ebrate thes e s mall feathered wonders and the feast day of Saint Joseph. In the 1930's, it began as a school carnival to celebrate the birds' return, and has slowly evolved into the celebration it is today, growing from the region's celebration of early California 'cow boy' culture and the Franciscan fraternity's involve- ment in the development of the local indigenous people's forma- tion into the Catholic faith. From Spain's crown, to the mission we witness today, we become more aware of the many events that have shaped our California mis- sion system. With wars and reli- gious evangelization in our state's past, we have come to realize how our state was part of a bigger plan to increase the land holdings of the Spanish crown. D es pite a few ch allenging events, there is also the benevo- lent message of the contribution from the Franciscan Order in the mission system. To educate the local Indian tribes in the Spanish ways, the Franciscan friars began to teach the Catholic faith and establish a permanent presence in their lives. The history of how Swallows D ay came to b e res ts in the telling of how a Franciscan Friar, Father O'Sullivan, watched a shopkeeper knocking the bird's mud nests down from the eaves in front of his shop. Horrified, Father O'Sullivan is reputed to have told the displaced birds to find shelter at the old mission. As time passed, he observed that they flew away in the autumn and their return coincided with Saint Joseph's Day, which is on March 19th. F rom this kind ges ture, Swallows Day has taken on the meaning of a sort of return to s pring. With the mention of Franciscan friar O'Sullivan, you begin to understand how the Italian community finds interest in this event, as Saint Francis of Assisi is a beloved Italian saint and his order, the Franciscans, have come to represent a loving and peaceful group of humble individuals. Their pious and con- tinuous work within the mission system is largely responsible for the existence of the missions today. But most special is how Mission San Juan Capistrano has had this ongoing affection for these little birds and how they usher in the spring season each year by returning to build their mud nests under the eaves of the mission. In the past, interest in this event has waned, but now more people are coming out to once again celebrate the birds' return to Mission San Juan Capistrano. 2015 will mark the 57th year of this event. It is celebrated by a diverse group of people, but the Mexican and Italian communi- ties are proudly represented as their contributions have deep rooted history in the California mission system. The Italian S ociety group marches in the parade and proud- ly waves the twenty flags from the twenty-eight regions of Italy, representing the many Italian- Americans who live here and still revere and celebrate the feast day of Saint Joseph, along with the coming of spring. A variety of music can expect to be heard wafting through the air and the aromas of a variety of foods can quell the appetite of the many parade goers expected to attend. The coming together of different peoples is so represen- tative of the current make-up of California's population and we are fortunate that we can experi- ence so much of that diversity right here in our backyard. It culminates with a day of feasting and celebrating in which the entire community is encour- aged to participate. The day can be spent sampling many food offerings and adult beverage, not to mention family friendly activi- ties and of course shopping. The street fair atmosphere is sure to be a people pleaser and many colorful images can only add to the rich tapestry of the days' events. The cowboy culture will be represented in grand fashion with horse drawn wagons and hors emans hip groups to the delight of many. M arching bands, dance groups, many other BRENDA DUNKELMAN display groups, and children dressed in brightly colored cos- tumes, representing the bird of the day, will be a hit for sure. And in case you were wonder- ing, this event has become one of the largest non-motorized parade events in the country. So be sure to come and spend some time bird watching at Mission San Juan Capistrano! See you there! The parade is on March 21st this year and is set to begin at 11:00 A.M. Admission is free to the parade. Admission to the mission is $9 for adults, seniors (60+) $8, Children (4-11) $6, children under 3 are free. For more detailed information please visit the website at swallospa- rade.com The Mission of San Juan Capistrano Mar. 12, Thurs.- Italian Movie Night - Meet Director Roberto Burchielli who will screen his documentary La Scelta di Catia - 80 Miglia a sud di Lampedusa (Catia's Choice - 80 Sea Miles South of Lampedusa) at the San Juan Capistrano Regency Theater 7:00pm screening Come meet the director during Happy Hour which begins at 6:00pm in the theater's Rick's Cafe. The screening is co-presen- ted by the Italian Cultural Institute. The Regency Theater is located at 26762 Verdugo Street, San Juan Capistrano, CA. 92675 949-661- 3456. In Italian with English subtitles. Mar. 15, Sun. - Italian Movie at Bowers Museum 1:30pm recep- tion/2:00pm screening of La Peggior Settimana Della Mia Vita For directions and more info go to: http://www.bowers.org/ Mar. 19, Thurs. – St. Joseph's Day - La Festa di San Giuseppe, the Feast of Saint Joseph, is celebrated by Catholics worldwide, but it is especially important in Italy; it serves as Italian Father's Day, Giuseppe, of course, being the man who stepped in to be the earthly father of Jesus.The holiday is particularly special in Sicily, where St. Joseph is honored for saving the island from famine during the Middle Ages; the population survived on fava beans, which is why fava beans are also part of the celebration in Sicily. Celebrate this feast day at Historic Mission San Juan Capistrano 10:00am – 2:00pm This annual celebration includes our St. Joseph Table, rin- ging of the historic bells, live mariachi music, community presenta- tions, special guest lecture on Cliff Swallows, Mission Basilica School performances, history of St. Joseph Day and the Swallow legend. For information visit missionsjc.com. To volunteer to work the St. Joseph table and help with the food drive email vcara- bini@cox.net. Mar. 19, Thurs. - La Serata—Italian Conversation Evening at Chapman University. The event will be held in Beckman Hall, 4th Floor Patio 7-8pm. Open to all who want to improve their lan- guage skills, learn about the Italian culture, speak with native speakers, and socialize with members of the local community and students! For more information please contact Dr. Federico Pacchioni at pacchion@chapman.edu Parking is available after 4:00 p.m. in the Fred L. Barrera Parking Structure on Sycamore in the Lastinger Parking Structure on Walnut Avenue. The cost is $2 for 2 hours and $3 for 4 hours. For more parking information visitwww.chapman.edu/publicsafety/parking/default.asp Mar. 21, Sat. – 57th Annual Swallow's Day Parade – Mark your calendar to be a part of the Italian entry. There is no better way to show your Italian pride than by marching along a parade route lined with over 30,000 spectators, filmed on TV and broadcast live on several radio stations. For more information about the parade/route/parking visit: http://swallowsparade.com/parade.html This year's post parade party at Zoomars couldn't get any more ITALIAN! Chef Giuseppe Monaco, born in Capri, will bring his passion for cooking to our party with his traditional wood burning pizza oven! Fresh pizza, lasagna and Italian desserts will be ser- ved. Trader Joe's of San Clemente will be on hand sampling their Trader Giotto's cheese, salami, olive oil and bread. And for a fresh treat, Stickaberry will have fresh fruit drizzled with chocolate. We will have a no host bar and Jim Bianchi will keep us on our feet playing tradition Italian music. All are welcome whether you walk in the parade or just come for the party. Children participating will have free access to Zoomars Petting Zoo (http://zoomars.com). Food and drink will be sold individually. What better way of showing Italian pride than participating in the parade and party? To be a part of the Italian entry and the post parade party at Zoomar's contact: vcarabini@cox.net. Legion VI Soldiers escort Ambassador Vicky Carabini along the Swallows Day Parade route

• Cover