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Andre’ DiMino, the President of the Italian American One Voice Coalition, believes Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day falling on the same date isn’t fair to either group.
“Columbus Day should remain a federal holiday. We’ve got nothing against Indigenous Peoples’ Day, in fact we want to celebrate right along with them. They should have their own day, but it shouldn’t infringe upon Columbus Day and pit two groups against each other,” DiMino told Currents News.
“What people are saying about Columbus, the atrocities and so forth are really just not true. Those have been disputed by verifiable facts and primary sources. Those are things that have been tried as part of cancel culture,” he continued.
In a groundbreaking study, DeSales Media Group, the parent company of Currents News, joined forces with Vinea Research to investigate “intentional discipleship.”
They examined more than 3,000 “intentional disciples”, basically Catholics across the country who take their faith seriously, to pinpoint their needs.
The researchers say some results were expected but others were surprising.
Joining us now to break down what all this information means is Dave Plisky, the Director of Product and Innovation for DeSales Media Group.
MIDTOWN MANHATTAN — The Columbus Day Parade on Monday drew thousands of spectators to honor the famed explorer while joyfully proclaiming the contributions of Italian Immigrants to their new homeland — the United States.
The parade rolled down 5th Avenue with dozens of marching bands and floats from over 100 groups, including the Diocese of Brooklyn. Italian and U.S. flags waved beneath sunny skies and comfortable autumn temperatures.
Still, the 78th annual event preceded another push in Albany to change the official holiday’s name to Indigenous Peoples’ Day. It also followed efforts around the U.S. to remove statues of Christopher Columbus from public spaces.
The new legislation, however, has received pushback from both gubernatorial candidates — Gov. Kathy Hochul and U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin. Both marched in the parade, and both criticized the idea of changing the holiday.
Shortly before the parade stepped off, Angelo Vivolo, president of the Columbus Heritage Coalition, who also helps run the parade, said that the support from both candidates was a relief.
“We’re very fortunate,” Vivolo said. “Gov. Hochul and Congressman Zeldin both committed that should any legislation come to their desk to nullify or to do away with Columbus Day, they would veto it. So we have confidence in that.”
Vivolo said his group resists scrapping Columbus Day or holding it concurrently with an Indigenous People’s Day. Therefore, the group promotes separate days for both.
“We think it’s a disservice, a disrespect to both communities, both cultures,” Vivolo said. “We just want it to be on a separate day.”
The day started with a Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, which was concelebrated by Cardinal Timothy Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York, Bishop Robert Brennan, and Bishop Emeritus Nicholas DiMarzio, who delivered the homily. Auxiliary bishops from the archdiocese and diocese also concelebrated.
During the homily, Bishop DiMarzio recounted the struggles of Italian newcomers to the U.S. a century ago. He also drew comparisons to the plights of modern-day immigrants coming up from the border with Mexico.
Later, he remarked that many of the statues targeted for removal were commissioned by immigrants and their succeeding generations.
“Poor people gave money because they were proud of Columbus, that he discovered America,” Bishop DiMarzio said. “What did they know about what everybody else was thinking 75 years later?
“But people have rewritten history, and now they say that he discovered America and everything that came after was his fault. That one doesn’t work.”
Sponsors of the Bill to change Columbus Day, Assemblywoman Marcela Mitaynes (D-Brooklyn) and state Sen. Jessica Ramos (D-Queens) — both claim indigenous roots. They plan to push the proposal forward when the state Legislature reconvenes next year.
The legacy of Columbus is associated with colonization and western expansion that ultimately decimated native cultures.
Vivolo countered that Columbus was an “evangelist.”
“He wanted to spread Christianity throughout the world,” Vivolo said. “That was his goal. And he did it.”
Monsignor Sean G. Ogle’s Homily from Monday’s Mass on 10/10/22https://www.youtube.com/embed/rH9TjnwqTOE” title=”YouTube video player” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture
New Yorkers showed their true colors by stepping up to help a teen tourist who was attacked.
Caleb Chittom is a 17-year-old from Nashville who was on his way to Central Park with his family on Wednesday. Out of the blue, a man ran over to him and punched him in the face.
Despite the shock, the family said they were even more surprised when several good Samaritans flocked to the scene to offer help.