SAINT MARY OF THE SNOW SOCIETY
BROOKLYN, NY
By the time Brooklyn became a Borough of Greater New York on January 1st, 1898, the Society of St. Mary of the Snow had already been in existence for ten years. Its original founders first banded together in 1888. They came from Sanza, a small town in the province of Salerno. They sought opportunities as they escaped extreme poverty. Our founders were determination to become good citizens in their new land, while honoring and keeping their culture, traditions, and heritage alive. Each year on August the 5th, this small community of immigrants from Sanza would gather together to celebrate the feast day of Our Lady of the Snow, the patron saint of Sanza.
As they navigated a new land, these immigrants had to overcome language barriers, cultural differences, severe prejudices, and discrimination. To support one-another in their new land, a group of immigrants from Sanza decided to form a mutual-aid society. The Society grew over its first 10 years, and on April 20th, 1899, the organization received a Certificate of Incorporation from the Office of the Secretary of the State of New York. This was also the date that our founders drafted and set forth the Constitution and Bylaws of the Society of St. Mary of the Snow. These principals have guided our organization over the years - some
Some of the tenets of our organization include:
"The aim of this Society is to foster the mutual accord of its members; promote the general welfare and help them in any possible way so that they may always perform their duties and be good examples to the community and to their children.
In order to achieve such a noble aim, it is necessary that misunderstandings and gossip and all the hatred from which all evil derives, be brought to an end.
The principal aim of this Society is to help its members in the event of sickness or death, as dictated by the By-Laws of this Statue.
The Association was founded on the idea of mutual assistance and it is therefore necessary for its members to exercise brotherly love and affection for each other so that any sacrifice that may be required of them to defend, assist and aid a brother member will be spontaneous.
Full observance of all the By-Laws of this Statue is also required by all members; mutual respect and esteem for all the officers and particularly for the President."
With the dawn of the new century, the Sanzese immigrants began to settle into their new home, and leave their mark on the Brooklyn community, deriving the necessary strength and courage through their faith in Our Lady of the Snow. They supported one-another, continued the tradition of the yearly feast, and focused their attentions on others in need, establishing the Society as a cultural, spiritual, and charitable organization. One example was the Society's response in providing supplies and substantial financial aid to those left homeless by the terrible earthquake in Messina, Italy of 1907.
1888-1913 - Period of establishment
1914-1942 - Period of growth
1914-1942 was a period of continued growth for our Society. In World War I, many members aided in the war efforts by serving in the United States Military. The Society also organized fundraising efforts, contributing substantial donations to the American Red Cross, as well as other charitable efforts including:
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1918 - Purchasing of United States Liberty Bonds
1921 - Erection of a monument, in Sanza, in the memory to the men and women of Sanza lost at war
1927 - Donations in support of earthquake victims in Avezzano, Italy
1930 - Restoration efforts of the Mother Church in Sanza, Italy
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Our Society's deep dedication to the principles of mutual aid and support were unwavering, both to members and to the larger national and world community. The Society began to assume a position of leadership in the community.
This time period was marked by continued prejudice towards Italian immigrants. Our Society actively worked to combat this, particularly to encourage the youth - children of Sanzesi and other immigrants from Southern Italy - to study and reach their full potential. The organization sought to highlight positive role models by honoring and recognizing those of Sanzese heritage who became leaders in their fields. For example, Our Society organized a banquet for Dr. Joseph Donza who was the first Sanzi to become a doctor. Dr. Donza graciously became the Society Doctor, providing healthcare to the members of the society and their families. He serviced in this capacity until his death, endearing himself to all by his unselfish devotion to Our Lady of the Snow and the larger community. The Society also created enrichment and education programs for the youth such as music lessons, and the All Sanzesi Band of the 1930s. The Society was committed to fostering a full and rich development of each individual person's talents. Finally, this time period saw the formation of the St. Mary of the Snow Junior Society. This provided the children of Sanzese immigrants a safe space to meet and socialize while instilling the importance of faith, brotherhood, tradition, and mutual respect in the next generation. The Junior Society was an effort of the organization to plan for its future: the juniors were encouraged to rent their own headquarters, which would eventually be owned and operated by the Society, teaching responsibility. Many members of the Junior Society eventually became members of the Major Society and went on to hold leadership positions within the organization.
Throughout this period, the 5th of August celebration continued to be a vital part of our organization, marked by zeal and fervent devotion to Our Lady of the Snow. Each year was marked by a Ceremonial High Mass Our Lady of the Snow, followed by a festive parade through the community, and ending with gala activities on the night of the Feast. These activities were conducted in close cooperation with the community's first Italian-language church, Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
The Society celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 1938, with a memorable banquet at the Half Moon Hotel in Coney Island, Brooklyn.
The Society was very proud of it's accomplishments, but as Angelo Guerriero, the President of the Society at the time, stressed, there were many things left to achieve, and many more ways for the Society to grow. One of their goals for the future was to acquire a permanent home for the Society through the purchase of its own space.
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1943-1988 - Period of Expansion
The period of World War II was a difficult one of the Sanzesi immigrants, as they were for all Americans. The lifeblood of the community - its youth - went forth to all corners of the world, with some sadly never to return, to serve their country with distinction in all branches of services and in all ranks; enlisted men as well as officers.
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Throughout the war, the Society kept the home fires burning by substantial contributions to the American Red Cross, purchases of War Bonds, and the sending of food and care packages to every child of Sanza serving the United States Armed Forces. Food, supplies and monetary donations were also sent to impoverished families in Sanza to assist them in their hour of need.
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After the war, the Sanzese veterans were welcomed home with a Grand Ball in 1947, celebrating and honoring their sacrifices and the Allied Victory in World War II, and remembering those who lost their lives fighting for their new home. These young men were not forgotten by their Society.
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From 1943-1950, older members encouraged younger members to step into positions of leadership, and the youth proved themselves equal to the task. Working together, the members of the Society were finally able to achieve a great goal in June of 1950. The Society had its own home at last! They purchased an old but sturdy building at 410 Graham Avenue. The building had been a synagogue and a protestant church before it was purchased and beautifully renovated. At the official opening of the St. Mary of the Snow Society Hall, on June 24th, 1950, there were many gasps of awe and admiration, as well as tears of joy at the momentous achievement!
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The year 1950 also saw another milestone event in the history of our Society. After much effort, the Our Lady of the Snow Ladies Auxiliary was founded on September 29th, 1950. With the addition of the Ladies Auxiliary, the total membership of the Society grew to approximately 400! The energetic and devout members of the Ladies Auxiliary made many significant contributions to the community, and continue their tireless efforts today! ​
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The Society once again found itself involved in the war effort as the Korean War loomed. Many young men were once again called upon to serve their country. Tragically, member Dominick DeAngelis lost his life.
In the 75th year of the organization, the Junior Society was reestablished. Many members of the Major Society were graduates of the original Junior Society, and they felt it was important to continue to raise the youth with tradition, faith and mutual respect. The re-established Junior Society consisted of both teenage boys and girls. Under the guidance of the Major Society and Ladies Auxiliary, these young members learned about the history and tradition of the Society, as well as the principals that governed it: mutual aid and mutual respect. They also continued to grow in devotion to Our Lady of the Snow. In the ensuing years, the Society of St. Mary of the Snow carried on its tradition in aiding its members in troubled times, aiding newly arrived immigrants to find their footing in their new home, and providing support and assistance to the community, both locally and globally. When devastating floods threatened the priceless artworks of Florence, the Society raised funds and donated substantial quantities of moeny to salvage and restore these masterpieces. When an earthquake leveled many mountain towns in Southern Italy, our Society once again raised funds and donated food, clothing and other supplies to aid the families in need.
As the years passed, the Saint Mary of the Snow Society continued as a deeply respected organization in the Greenpoint/Williamsburg community and the Italian-American community. During this period, our Society worked in close cooperation with the Greenpoint/Williamsburg community's second Italian-language church, St. Francis of Paola.
In May of 1982, local community leaders dedicated the square formed at the intersection of Herbert Street, Graham Avenue and Meeker Avenue "Our Lady of the Snow Square" in honor of our Society and all the great works we achieved in the community.
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1988 - Today
The first hundred years are the hardest, they say, however the Society seems to have sailed through those years with relative ease.
The modern era has proven to be more challenging. Our Williamsburg/Greenpoint Community has been faced with many challenges over the years - recently, the effects of gentrification and rising housing costs have driven many members of the Sanzese community out of the neighborhood. With a community scattered now scattered across the nation, it has been challenging to come together for monthly meetings and regular events.
With these new challenges, however, come new opportunities for growth and interconnections. Our Society continues to host cultural events and do good works around the community and abroad. We continue to maintain our historic building and serve our community - both locally and abroad. Some examples include:
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In 1997, our Society placed a monument to our Patron Saint and flag at Our Lady of the Snow Square. Our members regularly volunteer time to clean and preserve the monument and square, and ensure it's beauty.
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After the tragic events of September 11, 2001, our Society collected donations and supplies for families of the victims, as well as the brave rescue workers who risked their lives and health working at Ground Zero. We also organized memorial services for the victims of the attacks.
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In 2018 the Society and its members raised funds for the town of Sanza, to assist in their capital project to renovate the town's church.
Our organization continues its charitable work, donating yearly to organizations like the American Cancer Society and St. Jude, as well as organizing coat and food drives for the families in need in our community. We regularly volunteer at local soup kitchens, and in other community efforts. We also continue to honor Our Lady of the Snow, with our yearly Feast and celebration, as well as a memorial mass for All Souls Days. Another proud tradition of ours is the continued support of academic achievement in our community - each year on August 5th, we award three $1,000 scholarships to students entering college. One of these scholarship awards in named in honor of former president and long-time member Joseph San Pietro, who helped to establish the scholarship program and run it for many years.
As the community has changed, we embrace that change. We are here as a reminder of the hard work and preservation that made the community into what it is today. We hope to be here another 100 years and beyond, to continue our rich traditions, to continue to honor Our Lady of the Snow, to continue to celebrate our culture and heritage, to continue to serve our community, and to continue to inspire in one another our guiding principals of mutual aid and mutual respect.
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