'Special time' for community at St. Rocco Feast and Festival

By Pete Fontaine
Posted 8/24/16

Kids like Alyssa, 11, and her brother Christopher, 9, came from Charlestown, Mass., with their grandparents and threw darts in hope of breaking balloons and winning a stuffed animal or another prize. Julie and Brendan Parsons, ages 11 and

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'Special time' for community at St. Rocco Feast and Festival

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Kids like Alyssa, 11, and her brother Christopher, 9, came from Charlestown, Mass., with their grandparents and threw darts in hope of breaking balloons and winning a stuffed animal or another prize.

Julie and Brendan Parsons, ages 11 and 8, who live in Johnston, and their friends Mia and Willis Howard, ages 7 and 15, of Smithfield, showed off the inflated yellow emojis they won at another game of chance.

Meanwhile, older folks like Anthony Ventitelli purchased raffle tickets and exchanged pleasantries with Mary Cerra and Deacon Robert “Bob” Troia at the always-busy raffle booth.

Then there were people like Liz Rocchio, Marc Mouradian, and Ceclia Celesti, who were among the army of volunteers that cooked everything from doughboys to clam cakes, calamari, and French fries during the annual St. Rocco’s Feast and Festival, which last weekend drew large crowds to the Johnston parish.

“We had four days of great weather,” said John Ricci, the annual event’s co-chairman. “Everyone, young and old alike, seemed to be having lots and lots of fun while enjoying different foods and good, old-fashioned family fun.”

During the event’s closing minutes Sunday night, festival organizers held the drawing for a two-year lease on a Lincoln MKZ and cash prizes of $1,500 and $1,000.

Anthony Caprio had the winning ticket for the lease, which was donated to St. Rocco’s by long-time friend and supporter Don DePetrillo of the Original Italian Bakery and John Keefe. Gloria Del Greco and Vincent Durante won the cash prizes.

The annual event featured a variety of music, food, a beer garden, and booths, and Rockwell Amusements provided carnival attractions.

“This is always a special time,” said Richard J. DelFino III, a Johnston Town Council member who represents the district in which St. Rocco sits. “This is an event that brings people together.”

Perhaps the most impressive part of the four-day event was the annual procession that followed the 11 a.m. Sunday Mass celebrated by the day’s homilist, the Rev. Thomas Joseph Tobin, bishop of the Diocese of Providence.

In keeping with tradition, the procession was led by the Johnston Police Color Guard, made up of Deputy Chief Daniel O. Parrillo, Maj. Joseph Razza, and Capt. Thomas Dolan, as well as the Rhode Island Veterans Band.

Proud parishioners of all ages, from Sunday school students to members of the Holy Name Society, marched in the annual procession, which Ricci said “is basically an adoration of the patron saint of St. Rocco.”

Sunday’s procession also included a bit of history, as Melinda Witt Psilopoulos, Ms. Rhode Island Italia 2016, became the fourth generation of her family to walk in the procession.

“My great grandmother Lena Gamba, my grandmother Esther Campolatta, and my mother May Ann Witt all walked in the procession in past years,” Psilopoulos said. “Now today, I have the distinction of continuing that tradition.”

Likewise, three other women who were recently crowned with Rhode Island Italia titles joined Psilopoulos in Sunday’s procession. They were Marie Balemian, pre-teen; Jenna Rambone, teen; and Ariana Salera, Miss Rhode Island Italia.

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