The miracle of the Mother of the Rosary statue

The Federal Government implemented a “new plan” in October of 1960. Several locations from Avoca to West Wyoming were set up and ready to help area residents register in order to take part. What was the new plan and for what purpose was it designed?

1960 – 49 Years Ago

The Miracle of St Rocco’s Mother of Rosary Statue:

The Montedoro Society of Pittston was formed in 1916. The society members emigrated from Montedoro, Sicily, to Pittston and found employment in the coal mines. Families brought with them the tradition of honoring the patron saint of their native village. The Mother of the Rosary Statue was commissioned by the society to be constructed in Sicily in 1922.

When the statue, made of papier mache, arrived in New York City, it was transported by truck to Pittston. Upon arrival, the committee members noticed that the small finger of the infant Jesus was missing. A thorough search of the packing material and crate produced no sign of the missing finger. Resigned to the fact that it would never be recovered, the committee burned the crate and all packing materials. Only cinders remained. Miraculously, among the ashes, the little finger was found unscathed and in perfect condition. The finger was carefully glued into place.

1960 was the first year The Pittston Orioles Club sponsored the annual Mother of the Rosary Procession. The club, comprised of descendants of the original members of the Montedoro Society, organized the procession which carried the statue of the Saint followed by throngs of people from St. Rocco’s Church through the streets of Pittston. Another tradition attached to the event was the Midnight Serenade. Dozens of men would gather at the Oriole’s Club to begin their stroll through the streets of Pittston. They were welcomed into homes of friends along the way. Mrs. Salvatore Licata of Pittston embroidered the statue’s first handmade cape. Mrs. Charles Chiarelli, of Pine Street, made subsequent capes for the statue.

Senator John F. Kennedy was on a campaign swing through the anthracite coal region. Two Pittston area natives, state troopers, Edward Calonis and Harry Crane, were picked to escort the Presidential candidate through the area. Both men were outstanding football players for St. John’s and Pittston High respectively.

1970 – 39 Years Ago

Pearage’s Lounge was the site of the first meeting to revive the Duryea Wildcats and form a Junior Football Team. Officers of a newly formed board, Frank Brosso, Joseph Fahey Sr, Ken Shotwell and Joseph “Woody” Wudarski, set the wheels in motion to restore the Duryea team to the roster. The Wildcats were eliminated from the sports scene after the merger of various schools occurred in the area.

Al Kishel was the first Highland Hills lot owner to begin home construction in the new development. James O. Brown, president of the Greater Pittston Development Corporation, presented Kishel with four additional deeds for lots that were ready for foundations in the completed first phase of the 239-acre development in Jenkins Township

A box of Bazooka Bubble Gum was the gift presented to actress Patrice Munsel by, Topps Chewing Gum Inc employees Victoria Mateyka, Avoca, Betty Evitts, Port Griffith, Alice Romanoski, Duryea; Connie Appel, Suscon and Ann Krolikowski, Taylor. The women met Munsel, star of the stage play “I Do, I Do”, on a theatre junket to the Pocono Playhouse sponsored by Topps Employees Recreational Advisory Committee.

Question #2

Bazooka Bubble Gum, was one of the many products manufactured by the Topps Chewing Gum Company in Duryea. The sweet treat was said to stimulate something, what would that be?

1980 – 29 Years Ago

In October of 1980 over two thousand people jammed the Pittston Area High School Gym to participate in a town meeting attended by President Jimmy Carter. After speaking about issues important to Northeastern Pennsylvania, the president took questions from the audience. Dorothy Charge of Pittston Township and Angelo Cefalo of West Pittston addressed the president regarding area coal production. He responded, “We will produce more coal in the United States than any year in history, we can export as much coal as we could possibly produce.” At the time, there were two deep mines still in operation in the anthracite region, Tower City and Hegins. Coal production was shifting to surface mining operations. By 1987 anthracite production dropped to 5.2 million tons a steady decrease from its peak of one hundred million tons in 1950.

Carolyn Belaski, James Karafonda and Emma Vaslavek were newly elected officers of the Polka Kats Fan Club, Avoca.

A photograph of the seven-piece band taken by Steve Lukasik of Dupont graced the cover of their album “A Little Bit of Everything”

Angie Burnside received a plaque naming her Lioness of the year Greater Pittston Lioness Club.

William Kridlo, Gene Zambor, Angelo Anatasi, Douglas Warabak, Kevin Kridlo, Tom Warabak and Richard Andreoni participated in a Hunter Education Course attended by many young area sportsmen.

1990 – 19 Years Ago

Father Paul McDonnell O.S.J. was ordained in Rome to the Order of the Diaconate in 1990. Following his ordination, he had a private audience with Pope John Paul II. Attending were his parents Mr. and Mrs. Thomas McDonnell, West Pittston and his uncle and aunt Mr. and Mrs. Paul Yonki of Pittston. Monsignor Gerald Burns, pastor of St. John the Evangelist Church was one of four concelebrants who joined the Pope in a Mass of celebration.

Margie Liput Moses of Hughestown, a registered nurse at Moses Taylor Hospital, had always given her all to her patients and her community, until she fell victim to diabetes, a disease, which took her eyesight, as well as both kidneys. Fred Pierantoni, John Hensley and Clarence Hensley of the Hughestown Lions Club co-chaired a fund raising campaign effort to help provide Margie with aide after receiving a transplanted kidney. Margie, a graduate of Pittston Hospital School of Nursing, received the Women’s Auxiliary Award, and volunteered her time to work with diabetic children.

Answer #1

The Federal government implemented the new direct distribution system of the Surplus Food Program. All certified applicants would receive the food assistance under State and Federal regulations. President Kennedy’s first executive order to the Department of Agriculture in 1961 was to increase the quantity and variety of foods distributed to the needy.

Answer #2

Childhood memories. A psychological study of individual memories triggered by tastes and smells, found participants in the study most easily identified Bazooka Bubble Gum.

PD Peeking into the Past