News & Press Notes

Cosenza, 29 November 2015. “I would like to offer my warmest thanks to all the Knights, Benefactors and Volunteers of our Order who, for over a month, have been working flat out to help breathe life into this major project which showed our Delegation in the best possible light. Indeed, several charity organisations, which we have been assisting right across the region, have immediately joined in extending their sincerest thanks to us: parishes, Caritas agencies, communities for the elderly and young people. We are proud of our achievements as our donations have succeeded in bringing back a smile to some of the most vulnerable among us.” Such poignant words, spoken by the Delegate Gianpietro Sanseverino dei Baroni di Marcellinara, came as charitable project ‘Solidarity Week – The Hunger of our Neighbour’, promoted, as you will remember, by the Delegation of Calabria to bring humanitarian aid to people facing economic hardships in the region, finally drew to a close. The initiative was made possible by a donation of basic food items from Esselunga S.p.A. and owed much to the tireless support given by our Grand Prefect HE The Ambassador Augusto Ruffo di Calabria dei Principi di Scilla. Final food aid recipient for the third decade of November was the city of Cosenza. In particular, the consignment was despatched to the Caritas agency within the Parish of Santa Teresa del Bambin Gesù (Saint Therese of the Child Jesus) where, following hot on the heels of the handover ceremony involving parish volunteers, Holy Mass was celebrated by the parish priest Don Dario De Paola. Among those in attendance were Dame Maria Cristina Parise Martirano and Dame Maria Nivea Marzo Spizzirri; the Knights of Merit Maurizio Greco, Ivan Pucci, Giuseppe Vena, Giuseppe Valente, Emanuele Nazario Scarlata, Antonino Sgrò; the Coordinator for the Benefactors, Roberto Bendini; the volunteers and collaborators Erminia Pucci, Ramona Rugna, Tina Spizzirri Marzo, Carlo Parisio, Domenico Bilotta, Gustavo Valente, Francesco Paolo Piro, along with our Member Delegates. During the celebratory banquet which took place straight afterwards, Giuseppe Spizzirri Marzo, Knight of Merit, was formally announced as the City of Cosenza Representative for the Constantinian Order. All attendees joined in congratulating the new appointee, a man of unquestionable character and integrity, extending warmest wishes for success in the position, which was greeted by a round of applause. Subsequently, the Delegation paid a visit to the ‘Museo Diocesano’ (Diocesan Museum), escorted by its current director Don Salvatore Fuscaldo who, together with antiquarian Francesco Paolo Piro, went on to provide an extensive and vivid commentary on the historic treasures on display, among which the famous ‘Stauroteca’, a golden cross containing an extant relic of Christ, which Frederick II of Swabia donated to the city of Cosenza on the occasion of the consecration of the ‘Duomo’ in 1222. A final address was delivered by the Vice Delegate Aurelio Badolati, Commander of Merit, in which he discussed plans for new charity events to be held in December.

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Polistena, 28 November 2015. It was left to the city of Polistena, a small village lying at the foot of the Aspromonte massif, to play host to the penultimate event of ‘Solidarity Week – The Hunger of our Neighbour’, a charitable project in aid of people in need in the region, promoted, as many of you will remember, by the Delegation of Calabria in response to our Grand Master’s charity appeal. The Delegation was keen to follow up on the Grand Master’s call for humanitarian help with a wide range of initiatives delivering relief services in close partnership with other aid agencies. More specifically, a consignment of basic commodities, donated by Esselunga S.p.A., was despatched to the Parish of ‘Santa Marina Vergine e Martire’ (‘St Marina Virgin and Martyr’) where voluntary association ‘Il Samaritano’ (‘The Samaritan’) is regularly engaged in providing humanitarian assistance as well as actively contributing to the dissemination of the Christian ‘doctrine of love’ through several different projects aimed at tackling and preventing the ills of social exclusion and malaise (as evidenced by their work in support of young people with disabilities, individuals facing distress, underage youth confronted by social issues). After the donation ceremony, which took place at the same venue run by the Association, Holy Mass was officiated by Mons. Giuseppe Demasi, generally referred to as ‘Don Pino’. Mons. Demasi is a ‘front-line’ prelate, Vicar General to the Diocese of ‘Oppido-Mamertina-Palmi’, Representative for the ‘Libera in Calabria’ Association as well as a recent winner of the prestigious ‘Paolo Borsellino National Award’, usually conferred in recognition of significant acts of bravery and committed actions guided by moral integrity with the aim of fighting back violence and injustice within the social domain. We would like to pay tribute to Don Pino’s tangible commitment to society and his successful efforts in the administration of property and assets seized from organised crime group ‘Ndrangheta’. His work offers high hopes for the many law-abiding and honest people in the South who, sharing a common desire to bring back law and order, move forward and live together peacefully, still place their trust in the State and its institutions. Don Pino extended warmest thanks to our Order for its charitable activities: “….for you fed the hungry, and gave a drink to the thirsty and clothes to the naked who came knocking at the door here at ‘The Samaritan’…”. Turning emotional, Vice Delegate Aurelio Badolati, Commander of Merit with Star, explained how “…it would be a great joy for us, as members of the Constantinian Order, if we had managed to make only one person smile when there was really a need for it”. Little did the Vice Delegate know that shortly before his speech, a boy from Mali, rushed to a hospital emergency unit, had previously been handed undergarments donated by the Order. Attending the ceremony were the following Knights of Merit: Rocco Gatto and Pasquale Zavaglia along with the Coordinator for the Benefactors Roberto Bendini.

Our charity tour is to move to Cosenza next for the last event of ‘Solidarity Week’.

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Palmi, 27 November 2015. Charity tour “Solidarity Week – The Hunger of Our Neighbour”, promoted by the Delegation of Calabria in support of needy people in the Calabria region, still underway at several venues across Calabria including local parishes, pastoral institutions (Caritas), communities for the elderly and young people. As the tour arrived at the city of Palmi, a hugely warm welcome was reserved to members of the Constantinian Order who were on hand to deliver a consignment of basic food items to 60 families from the Parish of ‘Maria Santissima del Soccorso’, following a donation from ‘Esselunga S.p.A.’. All families were picked by the local Caritas management team from among the poorest households in the area. “What we’re doing”, said the Vice Delegate, Aurelio Badolati, Commander of Knight with Star, visibly touched at the thought of bringing humanitarian aid to his own hometown, “is just a small fraction of what could be done to ease the suffering of people, a drop in the ocean, but a great many drops can ultimately make a river”. Before the Vice-Delegate’s address in the splendid old ‘Church of the Most Holy Cross’, High Mass had been officiated by the parish ‘Don Emanuele Leuzzi’. The prelate took many opportunities to express his heartfelt thanks and deep gratitude for the event during his homily, lavishing praise on the Order and paying homage to those Constantinian Knights who had fallen in the service of Christianity in a bid to uphold its values. In attendance at the ceremony were Rocco Gatto, Knight of Merit, and Paqualino Guerrisi, along with the Coordinator for the Benefactors, Roberto Bendini.

Next destination on the charity tour is Polistena (RC).

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Lamezia Terme, 25 November 2015. As part of humanitarian project ‘Solidarity Week – The Hunger of our Neighbour’, promoted by the Delegation of Calabria in support of impoverished people in the region, the Constantinian Order’s charity tour has now landed in the city of Catanzaro too. The food supplies, originally donated by ‘Esselunga S.p.A.’, were made available at this November event at the parish church of ‘Santa Maria Goretti’ at Lamezia Terme. Local volunteers were handed the relief materials at a symbolic donation ceremony, presided by our Dame Maria Neve Marzo Spizzirri and held at a venue adjacent to the church. Subsequently, parish priest Don Giuseppe Angotti celebrated the Holy Mass, reciprocating, in a warm and heartfelt response, the cordial greetings conveyed by our Vice Delegate, Aurelo Badolati, Commander of Merit with Star. In a speech addressed to the congregation, Mr Badolati explained how ‘in this day and age, as we move further into the third millennium, attending to the duties of a knight entails launching crusades to assist the most vulnerable members of society, outcasts and individuals with little or no social visibility at all as humanitarian acts of selflessness can go a very long way towards putting a smile back on their faces.” Alongside our Dame Spizzirri, other attendees included the following Knights of Merit: Giuseppe Spizzirri Marzo, Pasqualino Guerrisi, Rocco Gatto, as well as Marcello Bagalà, one of the Order’s trusted volunteers currently helping with the project.

Next up on our charity tour is Palmi (RC).

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