[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 101 (Tuesday, July 16, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1062]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL CHURCH AS THEY CELEBRATE THEIR 75TH 
                              ANNUAL FEAST

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 16, 2013

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise today to join the 
many families, parishioners, and community leaders as Our Lady of Mount 
Carmel Church celebrates its 75th Annual Feast--a celebration which 
raises funds to support the Our Lady of Mount Carmel School and its 
students.
  Over the last 75 years, the congregants of Our Lady of Mount Carmel 
Church have to commemorate ``the devotion that the Blessed Virgin Mary 
has to those who are committed to her.'' The four-day feast features 
food, fun, and fellowship. After Sunday Mass at noon, there is a 
procession of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel statute and a float 
featuring a young girl chosen to portray the feast's icon. The 
procession travels through an arch located behind the church, which was 
permanently installed and then two smaller temporary arches which have 
been erected for the occasion.
  Dozens of parishioners volunteer their time, working arduously for 
weeks preparing for this annual event. Two hundred pounds of ground 
beef, two hundred forty pounds of sausage, five hundred pounds of 
onions, over two thousand pounds of veal hearts and more than four 
thousand pounds of dough--the food preparation is a massive undertaking 
which utilizes the two permanent kitchens in the church hall as well as 
an industrial stove that is temporarily installed. Sausage and peppers, 
soffritto and fried dough are among the feast favorites.
  Perhaps what is most special about the Feast is that it is a means to 
preserve, celebrate, and pass on the culture and traditions of this 
Italian-American community. People across the country struggle to 
create a sense of community--a sense of belonging. Over the course of 
its 75 year history, the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Feast has served as a 
way for the families of Waterbury to do just that.
  It is events like the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Feast, those forged in 
the bonds of family and community, which allow generation after 
generation to understand and celebrate their shared heritage. They 
enrich our communities as well as renew our commitment to faith and 
family. I am honored to stand today to extend my warmest 
congratulations to the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish and its many 
families as they celebrate the 75th anniversary of their Feast. The 
annual tradition is a community treasure and I wish them all the best 
for many more successful years to come.

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