We Will Remember Them.
Times have changed since the world shut down back in March of 2020. And though we are no longer able to mark Remembrance Day in the ways of the past, we want to acknowledge and thank all veterans who have sacrificed so much for the freedom of others.
We’d like to share a few memories of how the ICCA highlighted and remembered our veterans through the message below, contributed by Robert Berard, a long-time member and past-president of the ICCA and our Italian-Canadian Community.
We Will Remember Them.
Contributed by Robert N. Berard, Ph.D.
For many years, the ICCA marked Remembrance Day annually with a dinner for all members who were veterans of any military force, Italian, Canadian, or other. The focus, of course, was on those veterans who had served in the Italian Armed Forces.
The dinner was prepared by our kitchen staff and often included a marvellous bean soup prepared by Alessio Gardin, a veteran of the Italian Alpini Mountain Artillery. With wine included, the dinner was offered at a minimal price for all attendees.
The dinner was preceded by a religious service, at times a Mass offered by one of the priests close to the ICCA, such as Fr Raymond Mura or former Archbishop James Hayes. More recently, ICCA member Deacon Gerald LeBlanc led the attendees in a prayer service at which Holy Communion was distributed to those who wished it.
In addition to prayers and readings from Scripture, poems or other readings were presented. There was always the playing of the stirring Italian National Anthem.
The ICCA also would send a representative to Remembrance Day ceremonies on November 11th at the Cenotaph on Halifax's Grand Parade. That person or persons would be recognized and invited to place a commemorative wreath on the Cenotaph.
In recent years, however, that pattern has been disrupted by many things, not least the COVID-related lockdown, which prevented some of the gatherings and also tried the finances and volunteers of the Association.
We had to cancel the purchase of the wreath and our attendance at the Cenotaph service. Each year brought out fewer and fewer actual veterans (and fewer still who were also members of the ICCA) and volunteers to attend and to organize and prepare the dinner event.
It is important that our members and the Association continue to mark Remembrance Day and recognize the military service of all veterans who are members of the ICCA, if only via email and social media.
Here is a link to a document with remarks made (in English and Italian) at a previous Remembrance Day Ceremony. Click here to download a copy to read.
Listen to our Italian National Anthem/Frateli d Italia.
Per Non Dimenticare / Lest We Forget
Robert N. Berard, Ph.D.
Member and former president of the ICCA of Nova Scotia
