Enduring Catholic traditions are practiced throughout the diocese

By Claudia Mathis
Staff writer

   The Catholic Church is rooted in history and tradition. Even though the church is changing in the face of adversity, many parishioners who continue to abide by Catholic traditions have vastly enriched their faith journey.  

   As a lifelong member of St. Anthony of Padua Church in Endicott, Mary Spinelli continues to follow certain Catholic practices. During Mass, she receives the host strictly on her tongue. “As children we were told that the host was so sacred we couldn’t touch it with our hands,” said Spinelli. “I believe in the Ten Commandments. The rest of the rules are man-made.”

   Spinelli attends the Italian Mass at St. Anthony, which is offered on Sunday at 7:30 a.m. She sang Italian songs in the church choir for many years and served as a cantor for five years.

   Spinelli has long been a part of her parish’s annual St. Anthony Feast Day celebration, held June 11-13. The event features traditional Italian food, music and raffles. Spinelli said she assisted the men who prepared the speedies, which were offered for sale.

By Katherine Long
Sun associate editor

  Collyn Edwards can wail.

  “I like to play the trumpet because I just like the sound of it!” Edwards said gleefully on a recent afternoon, proceeding to jam out a rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” on a horn nearly as big as he is.

  The 10-year-old, a fifth grader at Cathedral Academy at Pompei (CAP) on Syracuse’s north side, is one of 68 CAP students in first through sixth grades enrolled in the Imagine Syracuse Young Musicians Project. Newly instituted at CAP this school year and modeled after Venezuela’s famed El Sistema program, the Project provides students with two hours of free, small-group music instruction every day.

  “Imagine Syracuse’s mission is to provide affordable, accessible music education for all children,” said the nonprofit’s executive director Jessie Keating. “The Young Musicians Project takes that notion one step further, using musical training to strengthen urban education and give underserved children a vehicle for improving their lives and their communities.”

  Each day after school, local professional musicians and trained music instructors teach the children to play brass, woodwinds and strings, instruments donated almost entirely through a grant from national retailer Music & Arts. The afternoons also include choir, Brazilian and African drumming and dance.