Gulf Coast Italian American Cultural Society (GCIACS)

BILOXI BAY AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY - Biloxi, MS, December 12, 2023

Members and officers of the Gulf Coast Italian American Cultural Society (GCIACS) joined the Biloxi Bay Area Chamber of Commerce for their annual Christmas Party. It took place at the Visitor’s Center Main Hall in Biloxi, last night.

Everyone had a Merry time, and the full buffet was donated by the Desporte’s Seafood, Girls meet Kitchen, Meatbawls, Parrain’s Jambalaya Kitchen and the Gulf Coast Italian American Cultural Society.
The tables decorations were provided by Rose’s Florist and the Flowers Basket Florist. Games were played by all members and Volunteers. Night Shift Sounds provided entertainment.

Everyone enjoyed the company. And to the members of society attending: Dr. and Mrs. Gianni Losurdo, Tracy and Maria Arnold, David and Diane Insalaco, Professor Giovanni Fontecchio, Margaret Mallet, Cav. Joseph Ventura and our newly GCIACS Mr. and Mrs. Matt Olivari who just moved here from Boston, Massachusetts, thank you very much. .
I wish all of you a very Blessed Merry Christmas! Buon Natale a tutti! Enjoy the photos and the video!

Buon Giorno, everyone! The American Italian Renaissance Foundation of New Orleans has published their Fall 2023 edition of the "Italian American Digest: The Voice of the South." As you all might know, the GCIACS has a club feature every edition where you can find some of our news. This edition celebrates the digest's 50-year anniversary!

Members and other Italophiles, you can subscribe for a yearly domestic rate of $16.00. Send a money order or check to 537 South Peters St., New Orleans, LA 70130, or to their PayPal. You can also write them by email, addressed to [email protected]; or call 504-522-7294. If you're looking to read, advertise, or even write, give them a shout!

We have a few copies here that we have placed at Rouses Market in Gulfport.

This month's feature tells all about our upcoming Columbus Day celebration at the glamorous Beau Rivage Resort and Casino! We will have copies at the dance, so remember to RSVP and come get one!

The President of Croatia, His Excellency Zoran Milanović, was in Biloxi today at the St. Nikoli Slavonic Benevolent Society, and one of our own members was on hand to give the benediction at the reception! On behalf of the Diocese of Biloxi, Father Joseph Dilettuso asked the Holy Spirit to help guide us in preserving the good traditions and histories of the Gulf Coast.

Like many on the Gulf Coast, Father Dilettuso is both Italian and Croatian. Separated from the Italian peninsula only by the narrow Adriatic Sea, the areas that make up modern-day Croatia were on and off for millennia in the hands of the Italians, be they Romans, Venetians, Neapolitans, etc. Many living there, especially in Dalmatia and Istria, considered themselves Italian and spoke Italian. However, by the end of World War II, the Kingdom of Italy had lost all of Italy's Balkan holdings, and the majority of Italians left, joining in the mass migrations that characterized much of the past two centuries. Because of these close historical ties, many of the Slavic Croatians who migrated here to the Gulf Coast could speak Italian and used it as a "go-between" language. It is thus no surprise that the two groups kept close and intermarried with each other.

As for President Milanović, he speaks both English and Italian very fine.

Check out Father Dilettuso beside Mrs. Milanović!

Columbus Day and our celebration is coming up soon, and to get ready, let's take a trip back over 500 years to find out about the voyage that was about to make Italian Christopher Columbus a worldwide hero!

Just as we are nearing our dance, on Thursday, September 20, 1492, Columbus was nearing the land of the New World. As he recorded in his journal, on this day, he got proof he was close to land as various "river" birds landed on his ships, singing to the sailors throughout the night. No one today knows which birds exactly he saw---the common tern, the black noddy, or some sort of wagtail-- but he knew their presence meant there had to be land and rivers within twenty leagues (leguas). Meanwhile "alcatraces" began to dive around the boats. These birds were the same brown pelicans we see everyday on the coast and that are today the national symbols of many Caribbean countries!

As Columbus would say, avanti!

Our two-week countdown to our annual Columbus Day dinner and dance begins! See our event post for all the details, and hop on over to the Beau Rivage Sat. Oct. 7! If you're Italian, admire Columbus, or just love to have a good time, come "Mambo Italiano" with us!

If you don't know how, just let Sophia Loren and Vittorio de Sica in "Pane, amore e..." show you.

Sophia Loren - Mambo Italiano aus dem Film "Pane amore e..." von Dino Risi 1955

We are excited to announce that we will be having our first entry in both our "Coming to America" series and our "Italian American Book and Lecture Series" this Saturday, August 26, at 6 P.M at the Pentecostals of the Gulf Coast auditorium. Our immigrant stories are such rich histories, and living on the Gulf Coast, our unique stories tend to inter-connect.

Sharing his family's story and signing his book, "A Lie Will Suffice" is the Honorable Joseph "Jay" Wilkinson of Gretna, Louisiana. Judge Wilkinson was a United States magistrate in the trial courts of the Eastern District of Louisiana for twenty-five years and has published a book about his Sicilian heritage and his family's American origins in Louisiana. As close as New Orleans is, some of us may well recognize some names, if not Judge Wilkinson himself, from court or otherwise! Anyone interested in Italian or Southern history---or just tales of unknown relatives and family drama---should come out this Saturday to 1907 Popps Ferry Rd., the Auditorium of the Pentecostals of the Gulf Coast. We hope to see you there!

See the events post for more details!

"Picchi didi a verità, farfantaria cia basta." Why tell the truth when a lie will suffice?

ST. JOSEPH ITALIAN/ENGLISH MASS and ST. JOSEPH ALTAR
Sponsored by the Gulf Coast Italian American Cultural Society
Sunday, March 19, 2023 – 11:00 a.m.
The Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Biloxi, MS
The Gulf Coast Italian American Cultural Society (GCIACS) will sponsor the 5th Annual Italian/English Mass on Sunday, March 19, 2023, at the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 870 Howard Avenue, Biloxi, Mississippi.
The Mass will be the Cathedral ‘s regular 11 a.m. Mass. Father Joseph Di Lettuso, chaplain of the society, and the Very Reverend Godfrey Andoh, rector, will officiate the Mass in honor of Saint Joseph.
Saint Joseph is the Patron of the Universal Church, fathers, workers, travelers, immigrants, and a happy death. It is appropriate to continue to honor Jesus’s putative father especially when Pope Francis declared a few years ago “In the year of Saint Joseph”.
After Mass the members of the society will gather for lunch (Shrimp Spaghetti or Hard-boiled egg spaghetti) with the St. Joseph’ Altar Society at the Sacred Heart Hall, beyond the Cathedral. For more info about St. Joseph’ Altar contact Jeanette Romero at 228-297-4335.

The GCIACS Officers are: CAV. Joseph Ventura, President; William Sackett, Vice-president; Tiziano Diamanti, Secretary; Diane Insalaco, Treasurer; Maria Prokop, Assistant to the president. The Ministers are: Prof. Giovanni Fontecchio, Italian Language/Culture; Maria Murphy, Hospitality;David Insalaco, Minister of Italian American Veterans Affairs; Francesca Ventura, Young Professional Italians; Paul Sciortino, Chair, Event Organizer; Nick Randazzo, Kenneth Mass, Richard Beard and Ed Allegretti, Event Coordinators. The Hon. Nick Patano, counselor, and the Rev. Joseph DiLettuso, Chaplain. If interested in joining the society please contact Joseph Ventura, 601-307-6470 or email: [email protected]

The 9th Annual Columbus Day Dinner and Dance
The Gulf Coast Italian American Cultural Society (GCIACS) will sponsor the “9th Annual Columbus Day Dinner and Dance” on Saturday Evening, October 8, 2022, starting at 6 pm. at “The Great Southern Club”, a restaurant on the 15th Floor of the Hancock Building, located at 2410 14th Street in Gulfport, Mississippi.
This event will have live music and dancing by D J Tracy Arnold.
The Honorable Dominick F. Impastato III of New Orleans will be the “Keynote Speaker”. Mr. Impastato is serving as a City Councilman in the District 4 in the Jefferson Parish. He is a partner and trail attorney for Frischhertz & Impastato, LLC. The greater New Orleans Republicans recently named Dominick “Republican of the Year 2017”. He was also named 2019 Parish/Municipal Crimefighter of the Year by Crimefighters. He served as the 2019 Italian Marshal of the Irish Italian Parade in Jefferson Parish and in 2022, he was recently honored with the Joseph Giarusso Civic Award by the American Italian Renaissance Foundation during the 36th Louisiana Sports “Hall of Fame Gala” in New Orleans.
Other speakers include Patrick Ross Campesi, National Vice President of the American Italian Federation of the Southeast and Leonard J. Papania, Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Gulfport.
Special guests invited include the Honorable Steven M. Palazzo, U.S. Congressman, Mississippi 4th District; The Honorable Billy Hewes, Mayor of Gulfport; and the Honorable Andrew “Fo Fo” Gilich, Mayor of the City of Biloxi.

William A. Sackett, the Administrator Liaison of the Biloxi Police Department, will be the Master of Ceremonies for the evening.
“An exquisite Italian buffet will be prepared by the chefs”, said Jeff Hall, General Manager of the Great Southern Club. It will include: “Antipasto italiano, Caprese Salad (Mozzarella and tomatoes), Caesar Salad, Carved Roast Beef, Chicken Marsala, Penne pasta with tomato sauce, Vegetable medley, Italian Green beans, Garlic bread and butter. Assorted Dessert to include Tiramisu, cheesecake, pies and cobbler, Coffee, and iced tea.”
Wine and drinks will be served during cocktail at cash bar.
Cost to attend is $60.00 per person for GCIACS Members, and $65.00 for non-members.
Reservation by mail: You and your guest(s) need to send a check payable to “GCIACS” no later than October 5, 2022, in the amount prescribed above, for each person. The address for mailing the check is: GCIACS, 2600 Santa Rosa Cove, Biloxi, MS 39531. We will not accept payments at the door.
Paying in person? See club members William Sackett, Paul Sciortino, Tiziano and Lisa Diamanti, Prof. Giovanni Fontecchio, David and Diane Insalaco, Kenneth Massa, Nick Randazzo, Judge Nick Patano or Joseph Ventura.
For more information contact CAV. Joseph Ventura at 601-307-6470 or via email at [email protected]

The Gulf Coast Italian American Cultural Society has a new home.
An accord was sealed with the Administrative Pastor of the “Pentecostals of the Gulf Coast” and we have moved there on August 1, 2022. The Pentescostals- of the Gulf Coast - is located at 1907 Popps Ferry Road, Biloxi, MS 39531

The society is now collocated on the premises. It has a large meeting room, a spacious hall for our future activities (with tables and chairs) and a large kitchen.

Our next General Meeting "Meet and Greet" will be held on TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2022. Pot luck dinner will be served at 6 p.m. Meeting will follow at 7 p.m.
We will celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Reverend Joseph DiLettuso’s Ordination. Father Joe has been our Chaplain for the past 6 years. We wish him “Ad Multos Annos!” Everyone is invited!

Future monthly meetings will be held on this location every First Tuesday of each month (rather than the first Wednesday of the month) as in the past. Please make note of it.

NOTE OF THANKS: “We would like to convey our most sincere thanks and appreciation to the Senior Pastor Chadwick Craft and to the administrative Pastor Jonathan Bourriage for their support. We are grateful to them for welcoming us into their home.

•NEXT EVENT: (Save the date) The 9th Annual Columbus Day Dinner and Dance, on Saturday, October 8, 2022, at “The Great Southern Club Restaurant”, Gulfport, MS.
________________________________________________________________
The new Board Members are: CAV. Joseph Ventura, President; William A. Sackett, Vice President and Public Affairs Officer; Tiziano Diamanti, Secretary; Diane Insalaco, Treasurer; Maria Prokop, Assistant to the President; Prof. Giovanni Fontecchio, Minister of Culture; Maria Garofalo Murphy, Hospitality/Event Organizer;
David Insalaco, Minister of Veterans Affairs; Nickolas Randazzo, Security and order; Lisa Marie Mariglia and Francesca Ventura, Young Italian Professionals; Judge Nick Patano, Legal; REV. Joseph DiLettuso, Chaplain.
Not pictured: Maria Murphy and Lisa Marie Mariglia.
Our Postal address will remain the same: 2600 Santa Rosa Cove, Biloxi, MS 39531; Phone: 601-307-6470; email: [email protected]