My need to learn Italian – How I did it!

       Having a surname that is Italian put pressure on me – after my priesthood ordination in 1971 – to learn the Italian language – a beautiful language that should sound like music to the ear. As children, we never spoke Italian at home. My mother would speak it when visitors would come to the house who needed her consolation in their own mother tongue. She also used it when she spoke to my father – when she didn’t want us to know how much something cost. My dad only knew the numerals so she could communicate – simply and directly – about financial matters. How I wish Mom had taught us Italian when we were growing up! That’s the best time to learn a language.

       In high school, I had four years of Latin, two years of French, and one year of Spanish. In college, I had two years of Latin and two years of Greek! I couldn’t speak any of these well at all. Unfortunately, in the major seminary, no language courses were offered. The Latin that I learned was not very helpful as the language of the Mass had changed in the early 1960’s to the vernacular. If only – easy to say now – I had tried to learn Spanish, my ministry in the Diocese of Brooklyn would have become more useful and more fruitful!

       After Ordination, numerous newly ordained priests in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s were sent to Catholic University in Ponce, Puerto Rico for intense Spanish language study. I was not asked to study Spanish then, nor did I volunteer to do so. That was a big mistake!

       Here I am, ordained a priest – speaking only English – in a Diocese where Mass is celebrated in 29 different languages every Sunday. I made many attempts (small courses) to learn Spanish, but it did not come easily. So, I challenged myself to learn Italian because I found myself in situations where it would be useful to the people who expected me to speak a few words to them (nella loro lingua) in their language.

       So, the adventure began with a “telephone language course” in 1975 as I prepared to celebrate the Mass in Italian at St. Pius V in South Jamaica. The teacher had the same textbook as I did, and we spoke by phone every week for a half hour. If it did nothing else, this course began the journey and helped me to build self-confidence. Then came my summers (1983 and 1984) at the Diocesan Language Institute (Italian department) held in the Immaculate Conception Center in Douglaston, Queens. The recent death of Mr. Paul Ferrotti, who became a dear friend, made me reflect on the impact he had on me in this endeavor. He was not only a great teacher, but he was also a great man – a good Catholic man of faith – who motivated his students to want to learn. We stayed in touch all these many years. Riposa in pace, caro Paolo!

       Then came the “leap of faith” in 1986 when eight of us (four priests and four seminarians) from the Diocese of Brooklyn went to the Dante Alighieri language school in Florence, Italy. We were there for the whole month of July. It was a wonderful experience! Visiting Churches, museums, and other famous sites in our free time while studying for five hours each hot summer day was a gift from God – which I remember well and treasure always. Immersing oneself in the culture of the country in whose language you are trying to learn is perhaps the best way to grasp the totality of the task. It proved to be most beneficial for me.

       While not completely fluent in Italian, I have learned enough to celebrate Mass, give a prepared homily, offer the sacraments, and use the Book of Blessings for any special occasions. It is an honor and a privilege to serve the Italian community of our Diocese of Brooklyn!