Delegation of Sicily

On Wednesday 10 November, the traditional fortnightly distribution of early childhood items for the “Briciole di salute” project was held in Monreale. Next to the Church Maria SS degli Agonizzanti, the volunteers Daniela Prestigiacomo and Sonia Lo Monaco, assisted by the volunteer Mimmo Milazzo, donated nappies, baby food, pasta, biscuits, milk and various clothes to some needy families.

On 15 November, the “Briciole di salute” project took place at the “Sacra Famiglia” Diocesan Home in Patti. There, Knights Tony Zarrillo and Antonino Smiroldo were welcomed by Sister Rita and Sister Shiny, members of the Franciscan Sisters of the Third Order Regular of St Francis, who received food for breakfast and other groceries to be donated to needy families. This event was organised by the High Patronage of the Bishop of Patti, His Excellency Most Reverend Monsignor Guglielmo Giombanco, who has decided to make the premises of the Sacra Famiglia available to the patients’ families of the local hospital, who were unable to stay at accommodation facilities in the district due to economic reasons. In addition, he has invited Noble Antonio di Janni, Vice Delegate for Sicily, to contribute to the breakfasts.

On Sunday 14 November, the first concert for the 16th concert season was held at the Church Maria SS degli Agonizzanti in Monreale. Alessia Martorana, Anna Alaimo, Cristina Cangelosi and Eva Benfratelli performed on the piano, playing 19th century classical music by composers such as Beethoven and Chopin. Before the start, the artistic director Maestro Alberto Giacchino, a Constantinian Knight, thanked the Delegation of Sicily for being close to the young musicians and giving them the opportunity to express their talent. At the end of the concert, the Vice Delegate congratulated Professor Marzia Manno, the teacher of the three pianists, and thanked the Delegation with a diploma for having performed at the concert.

On Thursday 18 November, the Vice Delegate for Sicily donated to the Caritas of the Abbey St. Martino delle Scale some items of the “Briciole di Salute” project for children from zero to three years old, assisted by the Benedictine community. The delivery was made to the head of Caritas, Father Bernardo. Afterwards, the Vice Delegate met the Most Reverend Abbot Father Vittorio Rizzone.

On Wednesday 24 November, the second distribution of the early childhood items of the “Briciole di Salute” Project took place in Monreale, next to the Constantinian Church Maria SS degli Agonizzanti.

On Saturday 27 November, the Vice Delegate for Sicily donated 100 kg of pasta to the Caritas of the Constantinian Church Magione. The donation was received by the parish priest, Monsignor Salvatore Grimaldi, who had requested the amount of pasta in various formats, given the increasing demand.

On Wednesday  13 October, the usual donation of goods for children was held in Monreale, related to the “Briciole di Salute” project. The distribution takes place fortnightly. The volunteers Lia Giangreco, Sonia Lo Monaco and Antonella Zito delivered nappies, biscuits, pasta, milk and baby food, as well as shoes and clothes.

On Tuesday 12 October, the Delegation of Sicily, as part of the solidarity project “Briciole di Salute”, donated basic foodstuffs to be given to the neediest families to the Chaplain of the Constantinian Order Father Rino Randazzo, parish priest of Maria SS Annunziata in Castelvetrano, at the Technical Primary Institute “G. Carducci” in Sciacca. Knight Giuseppe Lipari and the institute’s headmaster organised the donation. The school staff, the Constantinian Chaplain Father Rino Randazzo, Knights Giuseppe Lipari, Baldo Cacioppo, Salvatore Notarianni, Vito Lipari and Prof. Sergio Panunzio were present at the event.

On 9 October, an event related to the “Briciole di salute” project took place in Alcamo in the presence of the parish priest Monsignor Aldo Giordano at the Church Santa Maria Assunta. The event was organised in cooperation with the Rotary Club Palermo Montepellegrino, led by President Antonio Fundarò, to distribute food and medical supplies for babies and children. Knight Mario Vitiello, Commander of Grace Pietro Francesco Mistretta, Commander Antonio Fundarò, the President of the Rotary Club Palermo Montepellegrino and the secretary of the Club Rotary Ninni Genova participated. We also thank the pastry shop of Enza Pizzolato in Alcamo.

On Tuesday 12 October, the inauguration celebration of the school year of the Technical Primary Institute G. Carducci was held at the Mother Church in Sciacca. The religious service was celebrated by the Archpriest Giuseppe Marciante and the Constantinian Chaplain Father Rino Randazzo. In his homily, Father Rino Randazzo emphasised the importance of education in values, especially within the school, which is crucial for students’ education. At the end of the celebration, the Headmaster of the Institute, Prof. Sergio Panunzio, after thanking the Vice Delegate Antonio di Janni and the Delegation of Sicily for their presence and commitment to social work, stressed how school is important in the transmission of values. In addition to the school staff, the celebration was attended by all the civil, political and military authorities and a group of Knights of the Delegation of Sicily.

On Thursday 28 October, Knights Michele Salerno, Baldassare Cacioppo and Antonino Centonze went to the Church Maria Santissima della Salute in Castelvetrano to bring medical supplies and food, in accordance to the “Briciole di Salute” Project. The parish priest and Knight of Ecclesiastic Grace Father Rino Randazzo received the gifts offered by the Delegation of Sicily and he welcomed and thanked the delegation for helping the needy children and families of the parish community.

On Saturday 30 October, two donations of goods for children aged zero to three belonging to needy families in the city of Carini took place. The “Briciole di Salute” Project continued with a donation to the Mother Church delivered to the Archpriest Father Giacomo Sgroi, Knight of Ecclesiastic Grace, and to the Sacred Heart Church to the parish priest Father Jean Bosco. The Vice Delegate of the Delegation of Sicily and Knight Giulio Pillitteri delivered the goods.

The Delegation of Sicily remains committed to the Madonna della Tenda di Cristo Community, run by Sister Alfonsina. On 19 October, Commander Antonino Amato, the representative for Catania and its province, made a donation of goods for the children of the community.

At the abbey church San Martino delle Scale, the Delegation of Sicily, at the invitation of the Most Reverend Abbot of San Martino Father Vittorio Rizzone, participated in the solemn celebration on the occasion of the liturgical feast of St. Martin of Tours, Patron Saint of the Army Infantry. The celebration, presided over by His Most Reverend Eminence Monsignor Giorgio Demetrio Gallaro, Archbishop Secretary of the Congregation of Oriental Churches, and concelebrated by the Most Reverend Abbot Father Vittorio Rizzone, was attended by representatives of other Combatant and Armed Forces Associations, as well as a notable participation of the citizens living in the province of Monreale. Councillor Luigi D’Eliseo, representing the Mayor of Monreale, Alberto Arcidiacono, was accompanied by the municipal councillor Flavio Pillitteri and the Mayor Delegate for the hamlet of San Martino delle Scale, Stefano Mangano. The Most Rev. Father Abbot thanked the celebrating archbishop and the Vice Delegate, Commendators Fundarò, Mistretta and Nuccio, and Knights Impastato, Notarianni and Patti for their commitment to the parish Caritas.

On 17 July a solemn Eucharistic Celebration was held on the occasion of the Feast of St. Venera, patron saint of Acireale, presided over by Rev. Card. Mario Fresta, Chaplain of the Royal Chapel and Archpriest-Pastor of the Cathedral, with the participation of some Knights of the Sicily Delegation: Comm. Antonio Amato, Catania contact person, Matteo Bertino, Enna contact person, Massimo Putrino, Cristoforo Arena and Tony Zarrillo.

On the occasion of the feast of Saint James, Patron of the city of Capizzi, a solemn liturgy presided over by H.E. Rev. Mons. Giuseppe Sciacca, Secretary of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, took place in the evocative Sanctuary dedicated to the Saint, led by Rev. Father Antonio Cipriano, Commander of Ecclesiastical Grace, in the presence of H.R.H. Princess Beatrix of Bourbon of the Two Sicilies, Grand Prefect, who was warmly welcomed on arrival by the applause of the population.
Before the liturgical celebration, in the presence of the High Prelate, the Mayor and the highest civil and military authorities as well as the Brotherhood of Saint James, H.R.H. Princess Beatrix of Bourbon decorated the Gonfalon of Saint James with the gold medal of the Constantinian Order. In addition, H.R.H. the Grand Prefect has donated another gold medal that has been put around the neck of the Simulacrum of the Patron Saint, to watch and protect the city of Capizzi. During the liturgical celebration, attended by several Knights and Dames from different parts of Sicily, including the Vice Delegate Antonio di Janni, the Marquis Giorgio Mirti della Valle, Antonio Amato, Claudio Ragusa, Tony Zarrillo and Santina Ferlito – H. E. Mons. Sciacca recalled the important work carried out for the order by H.E. Cardinal Mario Francesco Pompedda, late Grand Prior of the Constantinian Order and Prefect emeritus of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura. After the ceremony the Princess Beatrix of Bourbon of the Two Sicilies gave the Bishop a medal bearing on one side the Bourbon coat of arms.

On Thursday, July 22, the Knights Antonino Amato, Representative of Catania and province, and Massimo Putrino visited the Community of Our Lady of the Tent of Christ, directed by Sister Alfonsina, for a donation of food and hygiene accessories. The structure is under the High Patronage of the Bishop of Acireale H.E. Antonino Raspanti, Knight Grand Cross of Ecclesiastical Grace.

Wednesday, July 28, in the premises annexed to the Constantinian church of Maria SS degli Agonizzanti, the Vice Delegate Antonio di Janni and the praiseworthy Lia Giangreco, Daniela Prestigiacomo, Sonia Lo Monaco and Antonella Zito have donated, in addition to presidia for early childhood, new shoes and dresses donated by some benefactors.

On sunday, August 1, at the Constantinian Basilica of the Mansion in Palermo, Mons. Salvatore Grimaldi, comm. of Ecclesiastical Grace, celebrated a Mass in suffrage of the soul of Cardinal Albert Vanhoye, who died on 29 July.

On thursday, August 12, the Vice Delegate Antonio di Janni and the Knight Giulio Pillitteri have delivered to the Archpriest of Carini, Father Giacomo Sgroi, some principals of the project Briciole di Salute.

Forest fires endanger the survival of hundreds of heads of cattle in rural areas in Sicily and the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of San Giorgio mobilizes to support farmers. The Head of the Royal House, Prince Charles of Bourbon of the two Sicilies, made a donation: the sum will be used to purchase feed for animals at risk of death due to the lack of food. A symbolic and, at the same time, concrete gesture that confirms the attention of the Prince to those in difficulty: one of the many generous actions carried out over time with his sister, Princess Beatrix of Bourbon, who last May received the honorary citizenship of the Municipality of Monreale. The Vice Delegate of Sicily Antonio di Janni, who received the donation from the Prince, gave the news. The solidarity action is inspired by the campaign of aid to farmers of the Municipality of Gangi, among the most affected by fires in the Madonite territory, proposed by the Mayor of Monreale Alberto Arcidiacono.

In the afternoon of Thursday, August 12, the Vice Delegate of Sicily Antonio di Janni and Knight Giovanni Impastate delivered some early childhood principals, from zero to three years, of the Briciole di Salute Project, to Father Antonio Ortoleva, Archpriest of Cinisi.

On Wednesday, August 18, the Vice Delegate of Sicily handed over to the volunteer Roseline Eguabor some garrisons for Nigerian children living in Palermo. These children’s mothers were removed from prostitution and helped by some volunteers.

On sunday, August 22, the usual donation of principals of the Project “Briciole di salute” was held in collaboration with the Rotary Club Palermo Montepellegrino, chaired by comm. Prof. Antonio Fundarò, at the Abbey of S. Martino delle Scale. The Sicily delegation donated diapers and homogenized.

On Tuesday June 29th, the solemnity of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, Knights Erasmo Miceli, Giuseppe Lipari and Baldassare Cacioppo went to the parish church Maria SS. Annunziata in Castelvetrano to donate sanitary products and food for children and families assisted by the parish.

On July 4th, the usual donation of products for early childhood from zero to three years was carried out in Carini. The Vice Delegate Antonio d Janni gave these products to Father Giacomo Sgroi.