A Mother's Day Story

Dear Readers,

Mother’s Day is Sun-day, May 13th. Most of us little Italian American “bambini” were blessed from the start with some of the best unselfish mothers God ever created and although they may no longer be with us, let us pause for a moment on Sunday and say “Grazie Dio”…

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Happy Mother’s Day and thanks to all adults who have played a mother-like role in the lives of young children and helped nurture them in non-traditional times like god-mothers, sisters, aunts, grandmas, teachers, mothers of neighbors, friends and kind stepmothers.

President Woodrow Wilson, at the urging of Anna M. Jarvis, made an official announcement in 1914, proclaiming Mother’s Day a national observance that was to be held each year on the 2nd Sunday of May.

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A Big Bambino’s Toast:

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Here is a Mother’s Day story with an Italian Connection: 

On May 12, 1908 on the Italian island of Sicily, Signora Cirincione was on her way, by train, to visit her mother in Trabia.  She was pregnant at the time and did not count on her child arriving early.  She had to leave the train at Santa Catarina, because birth was imminent!  She had a son (Domenico), right there in the Santa Catarina depot, unassisted!

 

Domenico, because of his early arrival, was a delicate child.  He was allergic to his mama’s milk. His mother tried everything  she could think of: goats’ milk, cows’ milk, nothing helped.  Baby Domenico was wasting away from lack of nourishment.

Signora Rose Giangrasso (just nineteen at the time), hearing of her neighbor’s plight, offered her help, having just given birth to a daughter on May 25th.  Her mother’s milk agreed with little Domenico and literally saved his life.  She nursed him for one and a half years.

 

In 1933, Domenico wed Maria Piazza and the young couple came to America.  When the Cirincione’s were in America, Domenico’s mother told him about Rose.  He felt he had to find her and thank her himself for her gift of life.  He found out that she left Italy about 1910 and settled in Memphis, Tennessee.  He couldn’t locate her there.  His search led him to New York, Pennsylvania, Southern and Northern California.

What Domenico didn’t know then was that after a few years in America, Rose lost her husband, and later remarried, thereby changing her name.

 

Six thousand miles and a half century later, Domenico Cirincione found his Rose.  Rose Catania lived right there in San Jose! Their lives have been crossing paths for many years, without finding each other. 

In fact, they lived one block away from each other for a time, she on North 12th Street and he on North 11th.  They even attended the same church (Holy Cross)!

Just by chance, a “miracle” as Domenico put it, he was invited to her home.  She asked his name…her eyes began to sparkle…she asked where his family was from…She even remembered his nickname, when she asked “were you called ‘Mimi’ as a child?”  He answered  “Yes!”. She opened her arms wide and cried “Figlio mio!”

 

What a reunion!

Rose Catania for the past 68 years had sponsored a Mass in honor of Saint Joseph, in thanksgiving, after the influenza epidemic that hit almost every family in the 1920’s.

When Rose celebrated her 99th birthday, helping her celebrate were her three children, nine grandchildren, thirty-five great grandchildren, ninety-nine great great grandchildren! And as a special guest, Domenico Cirincione, Jr., San Jose teacher and civic leader and long-time L’Italo-Americano correspondent, who in 1975 was one of the Founders of the Italian American Heritage Foundation (I.A.H.F.) of San Jose, California.  

 

The I.A.H.F. is still  thriving and celebrating 36 years of service to the Italian American Community, and currently under the dynamic leadership of president Ken Borelli. For more I.A.H.F.  Info call, write or email:  or 425 N. Fourth Street, San Jose, California, 95112, Tel.