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St. Peter’s, the architectural wonder that dominates the skyline of Rome, is more accessible than you think. The Italian Cultural Center at Casa Italia houses its own capolavoro of the iconic basilica and its adjacent piazza. Just take a short car ride to west suburban Stone Park and an invigorating ascent to the third floor, and there it is in all...

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They say it takes a whole village to raise a child. In the case of Casa Italia, Italian Americans across the metropolitan area recently rallied around the beloved institution. The Casa was hit particularly hard by the pandemic last year, canceling its spring gala and losing a quarter of its operating revenue in one fell swoop. But when the going go...

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A Christmas Village will once again light up the Casa Italia campus in Stone Park after a one-year hiatus prompted by the pandemic. The complimentary open house is slated for Dec. 5, and more than a dozen organizations have signed up as sponsors. A noon Mass with a Living Nativity will be followed by festivities that include a strolling zampognaro...

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Some of Chicago’s best young singers will perform arias and art songs by iconic Italian composers at the Italian Cultural Center at Casa Italia’s Vocal Scholarship Awards Dinner and Concert. The event will start at 2 p.m. on Nov. 14 in the Casa Italia Community Center and feature a wine and cheese reception, concert and dinner. Scholarships from th...

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The National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame will host a bocce tournament on Oct. 9 at Casa Italia in Stone Park. The single-elimination competition will pit up to 32 teams of four against each other for cash prizes, trophies and bragging rights until next year’s tourney. Food, beverages and entertainment will be provided throughout the day. “...

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Lorenzo A. Fiorentino (Ret.) will offer a lively AV presentation about the military monuments of Illinois at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 22, at the Italian American Veterans Museum. A retired Army Major with a lifelong interest in military history, Fiorentino watched for decades as Illinois’ military monuments faded into obscurity and fell into disrepai...

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The Lucchesi Nel Mondo will honor Paul Ciminello and Lilia Leonardi Juarez as Man and Woman of the Year at their annual banquet on Aug. 28 at the Mazzini Verdi Club. The following profiles were provided by the organization. Paul Ciminello Paul Ciminello has been a member of the Lucchesi Nel Mondo Association for over 25 years.  Paul left his home o...

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With state restrictions finally lifted, Casa Italia is back in full swing. The Casa got the ball rolling in June with the revival of its bocce league. The 10-week tourney pits 16 teams of four against each other in a pitched battle for coveted trophies plus bragging rights until next year’s competition. Having gathered via Zoom last year, I-A Liter...

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Casa Italia will be presenting a live performance of the short play “Seatonville” at the end of the IA Literati conference on July 10. The play dramatizes the journey of Caterina and Antonio from Northern Italy to the coal fields of western Illinois and how one day changed their lives forever. The work centers around the Cherry mine disaster of 190...

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The Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans will host a special tribute in honor of Italian-American veterans over the Memorial Day weekend. The event will be co-sponsored by the Italian American War Veterans and the Italian American Veterans Museum. An 11 a.m. Mass on Sunday, May 30, at the Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii will be followed by a so...

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