Faith, community at heart of St. Rocco Feast and Festival

Posted

John Ricci, Richard Montella and others will readily point out that the people of the St. Rocco’s Church community that have made the Roman Catholic parish’s annual Feast and Festival a Rhode Island tradition for years.

From its humble beginnings when the event was more like a bazaar, the St. Rocco’s event has been manned by dozens upon dozens of volunteers from the Holy Name Society who, hour after hour, serve food, pour drinks and sell raffle tickets.

Ricci, who has been involved in the annual feast and festival since he returned from serving in the U.S. Army in 1953, said, “The fresh food that’s prepared and cooked daily and the good old-fashioned family fun are trademarks of our festival.”

However, the two-part, four-day event, which actually begins Monday, Aug. 15, when the Rev. Brian Sistre will celebrate the first of three Triduum masses at 7 p.m., has an all-new look when it comes to the annual raffle. And that’s where Don DePetrillo and John Keefe figure prominently.

DePetrillo, who owns and operates the Original Italian Bakery located next door to St. Rocco’s at 927 Atwood Ave. in Johnston, has stepped up his ongoing generous donation this time around.

“Don is and always has been a huge supporter,” said Ricci, who shares the feast and festival chairmanship with Montella. “He’s again going to make and donate all the dough for our famous doughboys. He’s a wonderful man and we can’t thank him enough for all he does for St. Rocco’s.”

DePetrillo and Keefe will also write a new chapter in the event’s history book, having made it possible for St. Rocco’s to change its annual car raffle into a lease.

“They will pay for a two-year lease of a 2016 Lincoln MKZ automobile,” Ricci said. “The two men will be splitting that cost at Tasca Ford. Therefore, the only things our church will have to pay are the two cash prizes – in the amounts of $1,500 and $1,000 – that are the second and third place prizes in this year’s raffle.”

In keeping with tradition, the Feast and Festival, which will be open from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Aug. 18-20 and 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 21, will again offer what Ricci called “home-style cooking and a delicious variety of foods.”

“The doughboys, of course, are out most popular items,” Ricci said. “We’ll have our famous pasta and meatballs and lots of home-baked pastries. We’ll also have the beer garden serving beer and wine only. There will be rides, games, music, and the annual fireworks show on Saturday evening [Aug. 20].”

Ricci said the Italian-food accented menu also includes hot dogs, hamburgers, French fries, and ice cream.

All food and fun events will be held under the “big top” that will be erected early next week. The religious side of the event begins with the Preparation for the Feast of Saint Rocco on Monday, Aug. 15.

In keeping with tradition, Ricci said there will be masses Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday beginning at 7 p.m. and celebrated by RE. Sistre, the Rev. Ryan Connors, and the Rev. Nathan Ricci, respectively.

After the Aug. 17 mass, there will be a candlelight procession and rosary outside the church. The service will end back in the church with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

On Sunday, Aug. 21, there will be a Solemn Mass at 11 a.m. celebrated by the day’s homilist, the Most Rev. Thomas Joseph Tobin, bishop of Providence.

Immediately following the mass, a century-old tradition will begin with the annual procession with the statute of Saint Rocco and the relic of the saint to bless the sick and the elderly along the way.

Ricci and Montella jointly announced that the Rev. Angelo Carusi, the pastor at St. Rocco’s, is the honorary chairman. The annual procession will include various organizations of the St. Rocco Church led by members of the Johnston Police Department. 1

POPULAR PRIZE:

John Ricci, co-chairman of the St. Rocco Church Feast and Festival, stands beside a 2016 Lincoln MKZ that is the top prize in the Roman Catholic parish’s 2016 raffle. The winning ticket holder will have an exclusive two-year lease of the vehicle, courtesy of Don DePetrillo and John Keefe. (Sun Rise photos by Pete Fontaine)

2

SUPER SIGN:

In keeping with tradition, members of St. Rocco’s Church fly their annual banner across Atwood Avenue advertising the annual festival that will be held Aug. 18-21.

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here