Mass honors La Madonna Del Bosco

Some three years ago, the statute of La Madonna Del Bosco – the patron saint and Protector of Panni – was recovered inside a church on Providence’s Federal Hill.

The hand-painted statute, which was brought to Rhode Island from Italy in the early 1900s, was then accepted – and moved – to its permanent home inside Our Lady of Grace Church located at 4 Lafayette St. in Johnston.

So Sunday, the proud people who make up the revived and now internationally known Pannese Society of Rhode Island that actually dates back to 1909, held its annual Mass-Breakfast in honor of La Madonna Del Bosco.

“We now have 120 members from all over the world with Pannese decent and are still growing,” said Joseph Spremulli, the elder statesman and long-time Johnston resident who serves as the Pannese Society president. “Today was a special day for our Society.”

Rev. Peter J. Gower, the popular pastor-priest at Our Lady of Grace, presided over the 10:30 memorial mass Sunday which was followed by a bountiful buffet breakfast inside the Roman Catholic Church’s Fioretti Hall.

As for the breakfast, it was co-chaired by the Mansolillo’s – Lou and Susan – and prepared by the creative cooking of chef Peter Del Ponte, one of Johnston’s most noted chefs, who was assisted by Pannese people in the serving line.

“Look at the great job Peter does in preparing this buffet,” said Joseph Spremulli. “This is just what we want our society to be known for; that we focus on promoting Italian heritage for present and future generations.”

Sunday’s post-Memorial Mass drew a crowd of nearly 100 people who came from all over Rhode Island as well as Connecticut, Massachusetts and even Florida and the attendees offered rave reviews about the menu that included scrambled eggs, sausage, baked ham, French toast, home fries, biscuits, coffee, juices and a fruit salad that was placed inside a carved watermelon..

“Our Saint is celebrated on a yearly basis for past history for the Pannese in their home town of Panni Foggia, Italy,” said Louis Spremulli, the Society’s hard-working vice president who helped initiate the unique Sister City Program three years ago. “She is responsible for past miracles of producing rain for crops, help for the sick and individual sights of the Virgin Mary.”

Sunday’s Memorial Mass also featured a special procession inside Our Lady of Grace Church with all the Pannese Society members wearing their badges and led by Jason Parenteau in honor of all deceased members like his brother he lost a year ago.

Parenteau, in fact, held a memorial plaque blessed by Father Gower that he carried in the procession that also featured the Pannese Society’s banner.

“We’re proud to have our Saint’s home here at Our Lady of Grace Church,” Lou Spremulli, who headed the Pannese Society’s first-ever and highly-successful Student Exchange Visit to Panni Foggia Italy earlier this spring, offered. “She can be viewed and prayed upon at various times.”

The mission of the Pannese Society is to promote the cultural, social, spiritual and education heritage from Panni, Italy and is committed to record and preserve the heritage and culture through various activities for generations to come.