Italian Apostolate shares its ‘unique witness’ at annual Mass

The Italian Apostolate of the Archdiocese of Newark turned out in record numbers for the annual Mass celebrating their faith and heritage at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, NJ. Attendance at the Oct. 3 liturgy and dinner doubled from last year, which apostolate director Eric Lavin attributes to “a newfound interest in religion, especially among young people.” He added that the apostolate is filling a need, “linking Italian culture with religion and spirituality.”

Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Newark, presided at the Mass. He was joined by several archdiocesan priests of Italian heritage—and others, like many in the pews, who were simply Italian “by desire,” as the cardinal remarked with a smile.

Thanks to the genial atmosphere, the celebration has proved popular with many non-Italians and even with some non-Catholics. “This year we welcomed some Methodists and Episcopalians, who came even though they are not Italian,” Lavin said. “In the spirit of ecumenism, we are creating a place open to all God’s people.”

Filippini Sisters

A large contingent of Filippini Sisters also attended, led by Sister Ascenza Tizzano, superior general of the congregation. They were invited by the Italian Apostolate to honor of their long years of service in the archdiocese.

Religious Teachers Filippini were founded in 1692 by Saint Lucy Filippini and Cardinal Marcantonio Barbarigo with an emphasis on educating the young. They are now present in seven countries. The first Filippini Sisters came to Trenton, NJ, in 1910 at the invitation of Bishop Thomas J. Walsh. When he later became the Bishop of Newark, he encouraged the sisters to expand into the Newark region.

Sister Tizzano, who was elected to role in 2019, served for many years as a teacher and administrator in New Jersey, including in the Archdiocese of Newark. The sisters last missionary work here ended in 2025, but Sister Tizzano said that she still “cherished the archdiocese deeply.”

Nurturing God’s vineyard

In his homily, Cardinal Tobin referred to the day’s Gospel reading in which Jesus relates the parable of the landowner and his vineyard (Mt 21:33-43). Its themes are “responsibility, stewardship, and accountability,” the cardinal said.

He continued:

“For the Italian apostolate of the Archdiocese of Newark, this image is not a distant, ancient metaphor. I suspect it is written into your own very DNA. When your parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents arrived here in northern New Jersey, they brought very little in their suitcases, but they brought an unshakable faith and a deep, visceral love for the land. They understood what it meant to nurture a garden in a tiny backyard in Newark or Paterson or Jersey City. They understood that a vine doesn’t grow overnight. It requires patience, calloused hands, sweat. and a heart open to God’s providence. But today’s readings carry a sharp warning. God looks at his vineyard, which is us, the church, and he asks, ‘What kind of fruit are you producing?’”

Cardinal Tobin then referred to the We Are His Witnesses initiative, asking what it meant for Italian American Catholics to be witnesses in their parishes and in the wider world. The cardinal encouraged them to “look at the specific, beautiful ways that your culture has historically borne fruit, and use those gifts to enrich the wider Church.”

Offering charity and hospitality to a lonely world

“When I think of the primary fruit that an Italian American identity offers, it includes a unique witness to family and community. For Italians, faith has never been an isolated, individualistic concept,” Cardinal Tobin said, pointing to examples like Sunday family dinners and public festivals like Hoboken’s recent Madonna Dei Martiri Mass and procession.

By being open to others, welcoming strangers, and bearing witness to family and community, “you are producing the sweet wine of charity and hospitality that a lonely world so desperately thirsts for,” he said.

Cardinal Tobin also pointed to the example of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, “who lived completely within the vineyard of the Lord,” and who stands out as an example of one who witnessed to living in peace:

“He famously said, ‘Pray, hope, and don’t worry. Worrying is useless. God is merciful and God hears your prayers.’ Brothers and sisters, that is the heart of a witness. When the world around us is filled with noise, division, anger and anxiety, we are called to stand firm as witnesses of a different kingdom. We are called to be rooted in prayer anchored in hope and refusing to let the anxieties of this world choke us out the grace of God.”

‘A beautiful and grace-filled moment’

After Mass, the community crossed the street to the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center, where the enjoyed an evening of food, friendship, and music. They also raised money to help the Filippini Sisters complete work on a school they have been building in Adrigat, Ethiopia.

“When we learned that the Sisters were in the finishing stages of raising money for one of their schools, we decided to help them ‘reach the finish line,’” Lavin said. He explained that the evening also allowed the apostolate to honor the community’s decades of service in the archdiocese.

Sister Tizzano addressed the gathering, describing the unsettling and often dangerous situation that the Filippini Sisters face in Ethiopia. Though the civil war officially ended in 2022, she explained that fighting had recently resumed in the area where her Sisters minister. “I ask you to join me in praying earnestly for the safety of our Sisters and the children entrusted to their care,” she said.

She also thanked the Archdiocese of Newark and the Italian Apostolate for their affection and generosity, and asked those present to pray for vocations to the religious life, particularly to the Filippini Sisters.

Later, the Sisters joined the apostolate in a joyful tarantella dance to cap off what Lavin described as “a beautiful and grace-filled moment.” He added that the apostolate hopes to sponsor another such event soon.

Visit the Archdiocese of Newark’s Italian Apostolate website to learn more about their activities.

To view more photos of the Italian Apostolate Mass and dinner, CLICK HERE.

You can view video highlights of the Mass below:

Featured image: The Italian Apostolate of the Archdiocese of Newark celebrated their annual Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, NJ, on Oct. 3. (Photos, unless otherwise noted, by Julio Eduardo Herrera / Archdiocese of Newark)