Our Lady of Mount Carmel Society in Enfield Marks Historic Milestone
Story by Karen A. Avitabile
Enfield’s Our Lady of Mount Carmel Society, which is deeply devoted to the Blessed Mother, is marking its 100th anniversary this year.
“We believe we can get closer to God through Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the Blessed Mother, as she appeared to St. Simon Stock,” says Carl Sferrazza, president of the society and a member since 1999.
On July 16, 1251, the Blessed Mother appeared to St. Simon Stock and gave him a set of scapulars on Mount Carmel in the Middle East. Scapulars are small brown bands that have two icons, or holy pictures, of Mary and the infant Jesus. Catholics worldwide honor Our Lady of Mount Carmel each year on July 16, her feast day.
And the local society celebrates Our Lady of Mount Carmel by annually hosting an Italian festival on its five-acre fairgrounds, at 93 Park Ave., in the Thompsonville section of Enfield.
This past July 30 through Aug. 2, the 100th festival took place and featured entertainment, carnival rides, a Mass, a procession and a variety of Italian cuisine, singers and dancers. At Mount Carmel Chapel, on the fairgrounds, visitors were able to a light candle to ask Our Lady for prayers or to remember someone who has passed away.
Founded in 1926, the nonprofit Our Lady of Mount Carmel Society was started by Italian immigrants who settled in Thompsonville to honor their homeland, preserve traditions, provide aid to one another and encourage prayer to the Blessed Mother. Today, membership in the society predominantly comprises descendants of Italian immigrants who arrived in town decades ago.
“They brought a blueprint on how to live their life with faith in God and belief of the family,” Sferrazza says of the immigrants. “And they embraced hard work to become good citizens of this country.”
On the final day of the festival, Archbishop Christoper J. Coyne was the main celebrant of an outdoor Mass on the fairgrounds. Following the Mass, participants carried a statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel along the streets of Thompsonville. Holy cards, medals, rosaries and scapulars of Our Lady of Mount Carmel were given out to spectators along the way.
Proceeds from the festival, hall rentals and fundraisers allow the society to award scholarships and make donations to St. Jeanne Jugan Parish in Enfield, the town’s soup kitchen and local organizations. The hall is regularly offered at no cost to multiple community groups and the town of Enfield.
On Mondays, the women’s auxiliary of the society opens its doors for community bingo. Every third Thursday of the month, the society serves a home-cooked Italian dinner that attracts local families and beyond.
“The society is an opportunity for people to come together and enjoy camaraderie with one another and to work together for the betterment of the community,” Sferrazza says. “This is a way to give back and to make my parents from Sicily proud of me.”
For more information about Our Lady of Mount Carmel Society, fundraisers or to join the organization, visit mtcarmelenfield.org.