John Francis Lane
Mon 16 Jan 2023 12.24 EST​

​The actor Gina Lollobrigida, who has died aged 95, was one of the great film stars of the 1950s and 60s, and an icon of Italian cinema who became known as “the most beautiful woman in the world”.

The movie that launched her as a sex symbol was Altri Tempi (Infidelity, 1952), an anthology film directed by Alessandro Blasetti, in which Vittorio De Sica was the lawyer who defends the honour of a woman (Lollobrigida) accused of being too sexy. She was signed up the following year to play opposite Errol Flynn in Crossed Swords and in what was to become a cult movie, John Huston’s tongue-in-cheek adventure yarn Beat the Devil, in which she co-starred with Humphrey Bogart and Jennifer Jones.

The film that immortalized her sultry qualities more than any other was...

VATICAN NEWS
By Thaddeus Jones

​Pope Francis led the traditional end of the year celebration of Vespers followed by the recitation of the Te Deum, the Church’s solemn chant of Thanksgiving for the past year. The celebration on New Year's Eve took place in Saint Peter's Basilica.

In his homily, the Pope remembered Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI who died earlier in the morning, recalling his great kindness, witness of faith and prayer.

“And speaking of kindness, at this moment, my thought naturally goes to dear Pope emeritus Benedict XVI who left us this morning. We are moved as we recall him as such a noble person, so kind. And we feel such gratitude in our hearts: gratitude to God for having given him to the Church and to the world; gratitude to him for all the good he accomplished, and above all, for his witness of faith and prayer, especially in these last years of his recollected life. Only God knows the value and the power of his intercession, of the sacrifices he offered for the good of the Church.”

Kindness marked the key word in the Pope's homily during this celebration of Evening Prayer of the Solemnity of Mary Most Holy, Mother of God. 
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The Pope recalled Mary's "yes" to God and that His will be fulfilled in her "began the slow journey of the gestation of a humanity free from sin and filled with grace and truth, filled with love and faithfulness."  The Pope explained...

by Francine Segan l Contributor
December 31, 2020

There are a lot of traditional Italian ways to welcome in the New Year. In Naples and southern Italy, it’s loud. People quite literally “ring in” the year, at the stroke of midnight noisily tossing old pots and pans out the window. This tradition dates back to ancient Roman times, when loud sounds and fire were thought to frighten off evil spirits. Today, in Venice, Ferrara, Florence, Rome and many other Italian cities, there remain lovely light shows, and public fireworks displays, and you can see and hear neighbors setting off firecrackers and waving sparklers from terraces, windows and balconies.

In the north, skiers create enchanting light shows in stately processions slowly traversing the slopes in Courmayeur, Valtellina, Val Gardena and other winter resort areas. Another spectacle are the bonfires, called faló del vecchione, popular in Bologna and other northern Italian towns. A sort of out-with-the-old, in-with-the-new ritual, it typically involves burning a large straw figure called vecchione, the old one.

Many Italian New Year practices are aimed at...

As every member of UNICO knows, no matter what chapter or area of the country you reside, "Every dollar generated by UNICO events supports its charitable endeavors".

UNICO KC was proud to gift one of our own and one who is related to a member. Every dollar counts, but it's what those dollars buy that make it a blessing.

This season:

• We made a donation to Vic Mancuso's fundraiser.  Vic is battling cancer and hopefully he gets the treatment he needs soon.  I'm told he's in line for a bone marrow transplant.  Keep Vic in your prayers.
• I think most of us heard about the Kansas City fireman, Anthony Santi, who was killed while trying to break up an altercation this past summer.  Anthony left behind a 14 year old daughter.  Our hope was to do what we could to make her Christmas a little brighter.  We received a Christmas wish from her and we went shopping.  We gave her Apple Earbuds, an Apple watch, UGG boots, and UGG backpack, Kate Spade jewelry, and some other fun stuff.  I know these gifts won't make her problems go away, but hopefully she realizes people do care.  

As we approach the New Year, know that all the hard work we put in does make a difference.  Blessings for everyone and all their families this holiday season.

Born in 1958 John grew up on Van brunt in Northeast Kansas City. He graduated from Northeast High School and then attended Penn Valley Community College and the University of Missouri in Columbia. He is currently an Eagle Scout, was President of the Student Council and attended Boys State representing Northeast High School. He loved growing up in Northeast with lots of Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, and friends living on their block and throughout the neighborhood. It was a real community with one of his favorite quotes being “it takes a village to raise a child” and acknowledging that the Northeast had a hand in his upbringing.

He started his business career in Northeast beginning at “J & B Asphalt Paving, Stars and Stripes Forever Flag Co.” and worked at his mother’s drive in restaurant “Hav-A-Snak” before following in his Father’s footsteps and becoming a restaurant man at the “Italian Gardens”. He began at the Gardens in the kitchen learning how to cook, then to the bar mentored by his Uncle Mike DiCapo and finally becoming general manager under the guidance of his Uncle Vince DiCapo and his dad. Growing up at the Gardens was magical. He was able to meet celebrities, sports figures and local politicians, on a daily basis, and of course served some of the best Italian food in the world.

In the late 1990’s as downtown was in a depressed state and his dad decided to retire, John decided to make a move as well, from the Gardens, to open DiCapo Foods; a wholesale food manufacturing company producing Jim’s Famous Hot Tamales, Rongini rice balls, and Italian Cookies. Well, as you know, 25 years later they are still making the cookies, but John’s focus is now steering him in a new direction.  As his food career is winding down, he NOW wants to give back to the city which has given him so much.

His Mother, Sugie (Donnici) DiCapo, and his dad, Carl J. DiCapo, have always been there for him along his life’s journey and have taught him many life lessons that he will always cherish. His Dad’s LOVE of Kansas City and his participation in many community groups, rising to lead most, and becoming the Man to call when you’re in need. As well as his mom’s love and dedication to family and friends who she always has, and will continue to, go the extra mile for.

John will be the first to say he has been very fortunate to have such a wonderful family and city supporting him and, in his mind, it’s time to step up and return the favor.
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Kansas City and Community, John David DiCapo is ready to help…

​Feel free to reach out to John either through eMail or phone:

• 816-590-9950
• dicapo@swbell.net

“You know what they call polite people at a buffet? Hungry.” Anyone who has been to a Boy Scout meeting with Troop 80 at Holy Cross has probably heard Scoutmaster Sam Valenti say this. That’s just one of the many sayings that Valenti tells his scouts, and if you talk to any of the scouts who have known Valenti over the years, they can recite more than a few of these, and they all have their favorites.

“Amongst the boy scouts who spent time with him… we all remember his witty and perfectly timed sayings and sense of humor,” said Thomas Henggeler, owner of the Liberty Tax franchise on Independence Avenue, who was a member of Troop 80.

Sam Valenti, Troop 80’s Scoutmaster for over three decades...

The 12 Days of Christmas fall between two major Christian feasts: the Nativity on Christmas Day and Epiphany, which is celebrated on January 6; in the U.S. Catholic Church, Epiphany is celebrated on the Sunday after January 6 at Mass. The 12 Days build on the Octave of Christmas, which ends on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (New Year’s Day). 

Tradition also holds that it likely took the Three Kings, or “Magi,” twelve days to journey to baby Jesus. Jesus, the Son of God, was revealed to them when they arrived. We celebrate this revelation on Epiphany. 

12 Days of Christmas in the Catholic Church.
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The 12 days include the feasts associated with the Octave and four additional celebratory days. In 2022-2023, the liturgical season of Christmas extends another three days until the Sunday after Epiphany, January 8, 2023. 

1. The first day of Christmas is the Nativity of the Lord. 
   1. a guide to Christmas prayers and blessings. 
2. The second day of Christmas is the Feast of St. Stephen, who died a martyr condemned unjustly. 
3. The third day of Christmas is the Feast of St. John the Evangelist. 
4. The fourth day of Christmas is the Feast of the Holy Innocents, a day in which we remember all the innocent infants slain by King Herod as he looked for the newborn Messiah. 
5. The fifth day of Christmas is the Feast of St. Thomas Becket, Bishop of Canterbury and martyr. 
6. The sixth day of Christmas celebrates the Feast of the Holy Family: Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. 
7. The seventh day of Christmas is the Feast of (Pope) St. Sylvester and New Year’s Eve in the secular calendar. 
8. The eighth day of Christmas is the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, and New Year’s Day. 
9. The ninth day of Christmas is a day in which we celebrate the Feasts of St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen. 
10. The tenth day of Christmas is the Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus, and the entire month of January is dedicated to His Holy Name!
11. The eleventh day of Christmas is the Feast of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first person born in the United States to be canonized. 
12. The twelfth day of Christmas is the day before Epiphany. We also celebrate St. John Neumann’s feast day on the twelfth day of Christmas (January 5). 

Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, a Date which will live in Infamy... No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people, in their righteous might, will win through to absolute victory.” President Roosevelt

For many Italian Americans, World War II was a difficult era.

The U.S. had declared war on their ancestral home, many were perceived as a national security threat and domestic sentiment towards citizens with Italian heritage was skeptical, at best. Despite all these challenges, more than half a million Italian Americans joined and proudly served in the U.S. Armed Forces during WWII.

These are five Italian Americans you should know who made WWII history...

​Christmas holidays in Italy start with the Day of Immaculate Conception on December 8th. This Catholic holiday celebrates the conception of the Virgin Mary as free from sin because she was conceived immaculately. Despite the religious nature of this day, many families use this free day to get together and start decorating their Christmas trees.

The festive season then runs until Epiphany on January 6th. That’s when the Three Wise Men arrived in Bethlehem with their gifts for the Baby Jesus.

When it comes to exchanging presents, Italians don’t have a specific day dedicated to that. While some exchange gifts on...