Dear Readers,
a September selection of Italian Connections. Antarctica is probably the only continent or mainland mass on the globe, where you will not find the Salesian Missions because salesian sisters and Brothers are doing their good works in over 130 countries.
When disasters strike, be they in Haiti, Japan or almost anywhere else in the world and you want to help but don’t want to see your donation “sparito” or diverted you can start by contacting: Salesian Missions - 2 Lefevre Lane, New Rochelle, NY 10801-5710 - telephone: (914) 633-8344.
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In California, for over 100 years, Salesian Priests have served in san Francisco. The Salesian order of Don Bosco sent four priests, led by Fr. Raffaele Piperni, to staff a fledging saints Peter and Paul church. they arrived in 1897.
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In 1908, the first four Salesian Sisters (foundress Mary Mazzarello) arrived in the USA. Sisters Antoinette Agliardi, Veneranda Zammit, Frances Delfino and sr. Angelina Adorno arrived in New York harbor, penniless but rich in spirit and god’s love. They established the first USA Salesian sisters community in Patterson, New Jersey. Like Don Bosco, the salesian sisters have spread the mission of service and education of young people across the continent.
For info, sr. Mary Rinaldi, 659 Belmont ave, north haledon 07508, New Jersey - telephone: (973) 904- 0102.
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S.S. Peter and Paul Church was rocked in 1926 by a church bomber in early San Francisco who did not like Catholics. He had several Catholic churches he could choose to target for his deed, however, if he did not like both Italians and Catholics his choices were limited to s.s Peter and Paul Church (in north Beach) or to the salesian parish of Corpus Christi that had opened in 1898 (in what is now san Francisco Excelsior District) opened by Fr. Valentino Cassini, a priest in Fr. Piperni’s early missionary entourage that served a sizeable community of Italians, mostly genovese, engaged on truck farming on the outskirts of town. The church bomber, perhaps lacking reliable transportation, decided to target the more centrally located S.S. Peter and Paul church. The small wooden church opened in 1897, by 1906 had become a heaven for the italian community.
The “americanization classes” were in great demand and s.s. Peter and Paul sunday school classes had an enrollment of 2,000, but the morning of April 18, 1906 much of san Francisco was leveled by one of the greatest earthquakes ever recorded in the USA. A hastily constructed wooden frame structure was erected and s.s. Peter and Paul was soon in spiritual service again. By 1913 the structure had become “molto” inadequate to serve the needs of some twenty thousand parishioners and thanks to the efforts of Fr. Piperni and community leader Frank Marini, a long time friend of “political s.F. boss” abe Ruef, a parcel of land fronting Washington square was acquired and with an approximately seventy percent italian immigrant workforce, by 1914 the new S.S. Peter and Paul Crypt was completed and blessed.
Work continued on the building and by 1926, twenty years after the 1906 earthquake disaster, the newly completed church structure experienced another disaster, this one man- made. One Sunday morning, the January 31, 1926 issue of “the San Francisco Examiner” head- lined “s.s. Peter and Paul’s Church Bombed” followed by “Windows in Edifice and homes of neighborhood are shattered by terrific Explosion.
Priests Blame Plot on Fanatics”. The startling headline began a nightmare for Fr. Piperni that would continue for more than a year. The Examiner, in true hearst hype, reported in vivid detail the roar and effect of the bomb that had exploded in the rear of the church and shook an entire square block. hope that the January bombing was the one- time act of a madman was shattered three months later, when a second bomb rocked the church.
Six months later, on october 29, 1926, a third bomb exploded in the main entrance, more powerful than the previous two. the fourth bomb exploded on January 9, almost a year from the first attempt. Despite a dragnet of police and detectives stationed in the shadows of the church, the officers were unable to apprehend the bombers. Finally, the reign of terror came to an end. Detective Louis De Matei, working closely with the parish staff, devised an elaborate plan to catch the bombers.
An elaborate system of phones, buzzers, and call-bells was rigged up, to link and alert the men on guard. the “parish chronicle” of 1927 has supplied an almost bizarre scenario: “several picked men were stationed in nearby houses and in the church every night from 11 pm to 5 am. Various devices were used to smuggle police officers into the church so as to escape detection. Several were dressed as women; some appeared as worshipers; some were smuggled in large laundry hampers; and a few even in large innocent-looking bread containers”.
The trap was now set. Early in the morning of Sunday, March 6, two men were spotted approaching the church from Powell street. one took a position as a lookout, the other stopped at the church entrance. He was obviously concealing something under his large over-coat. From the window of the church rectory, the police saw the man lay a package close to the entry wall. They observed him strike a match and light the fuse. At that moment they sprung into action. a shot rang out.
Seconds later the bomber lay dead in the street. his accomplice attempted to flee across Washington square. Detective De Matei yelled a warning to halt. The suspect ran on. A single shotgun blast was heard, and the suspect fell wounded. the dead bomber was never identified. The wounded lookout refused to talk and died shortly after from his gunshot wound. After relentless investigation, his identity was uncovered as a wild-eyed sidewalk preacher and drifter, who patronized the bars and dives in the third street area, which was, at that time, the ratty and underbelly of san Francisco. The motive and identity of the actual bomber were never discovered.
