What about the Italians–in America?
A moving lament that most of us non-Italian-Americans don’t meditate on often enough:
“When news spread the other day that work crews were draping black steel netting over the facade of Our Lady of Loreto Church [MOBS: in Brooklyn, the one in Manhattan is already "disappeared"] the people fighting to save the building from demolition found themselves stymied — and reflecting on a yearlong campaign at the brink…. “Why don’t we Italian-Americans have the kind of clout that other ethnic groups have?” asked Mario Toglia, a retired New York City schoolteacher from Long Island. “The Irish, the Jewish, the African-American and Latinos — all these other groups have an ability to come together around a cause and fight. But not us.”
The whole story (with a wonderful irony embedded in it that perhaps only Manahttan West Siders will grasp): http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/27/nyregion/27metjournal.html?hp
While I know nothing about this situation, one wonders if the diocese made any attempt to reach out to Italian-American or historic preservation organizations to see if they would partner with the diocese and to save the structure given its architectural significance. With rumors of dozens of churches to close or merge in the Brooklyn diocese in the next 18 months, I fear that there is going to be a lot more cases like this. And one wonders if there might not be a way to preserve some of these structures, even if they no longer have an exclusively religious function. It would be sad to see many of them razed or turned into upscale bistros
““Why don’t we Italian-Americans have the kind of clout that other ethnic groups have?” asked Mario Toglia…”
The lack of accretion of political power by Italian-Americans when measured against the other ethnic groups referenced in the article I would offer is based in major part on a different understanding of what some would call “the sense of the American project”.
The non-profit developer mentioned as part of the coalition with the alternative proposal (Northeast Brooklyn) would easily have the capacity to develop the project, though the current credit crunch might make it a lot harder. The Diocese of Brooklyn has its own housing non-profit, but I’m a little curious why they wouldn’t coordinate the development of the site with the neighborhood-based group.
There was a story in the NYT about this church in December 2008 (I blogged about it here). The angle then was less about the ethnic group that wanted to save the church, and more about the fact that the parishioner base just wasn’t there anymore. Wonderful pictures with the latest story — especially the “interactive feature” that lets you see the interior!
My NYC 50s 60s answer is that when you moved to the ‘burbs’ you registered Republican[to fit in] .. less pasta more barbeque.
Although Italians suffered the prejudices other ethnic groups encounter migrating to the U.S, they do not like the victim position. They have a glorius past to regale in and feel all can be overcome. After all there is Caesar, the pope, Michael Angelo, Davinci, Carravaggio, Croce, Caruso, Macchiavelli, Francis, Acquinas, Galileo, Fermi etc. The list is inexhaustible. When they encountered lack of opportunity they built their own police force, la cosa nostra. Even the Italian prostitute is legendary. Luigi Barzini in his classic “The Italians” writes that the Italian prostitute concentrated on making clients feel special and important. All part of the “bella figura” the Italian expression for keeping up appearances, making a show.
So these are not true Italians who can’t save a church. The true ones would have had the lease sewed up long ago. The bishop would have gone to them for advice.
As a Lithuanian-American, I was amused at the lack of clout decried by the Italian Americans. Our Lady of Vilnius, our one church in the Archdiocese of New York was locked on the orders of Cardinal Egan on February 26, 2007. Nonethless, we have managed to, so far, to stave off the demolition, once denied but then pursued, by the archdiocese. When I see snippets of the Columbus Day parades on Fifth Avenue and elsewhere, I envy the Italians. If Italian-Americans are so lacking in clout, why did The New York Times choose to document their plight? The ongoing drama on Broome Street is pretty interesting in many ways, but has not attracted much press beyond the initial splash surrounding its closure.
Bill, You left out Garabaldi???
. . . to say nothing of Dante. . .
Nor should we forget Catherine of Sienna, doctor of the Church, who with Francis of Assisi is the co-patron saint of Italy.
Historically, Italian-Americans’ political clout in New York City has been diluted by their involvement in both the Republican and Democratic parties. The story of their marginalization in the Catholic Church in New York City is also a long one, of course. Richard Gambino’s book “Blood of My Blood” is very good at explaining Italian-American attitudes, rooted in emphasis on family.
Ave, o Maria, piena di grazia, il Signore è con te. Tu sei benedetta tra le donne e benedetto è il frutto del tuo seno, Gesù. Santa Maria, Madre di Dio, prega per noi peccatori, adesso e nell’ora della nostra morte. Amen.