EDUCATING TOWARD COMMUNION: THE TRADITIONAL ITALIAN FESTA AS A MEANS OF CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Religious Education, Winter 2007 by Franco, Philip A

On the other end of the spectrum, alternative versions of communion ecclesiology prominent within the Catholic tradition, particularly within the thought of liberation theologians, emphasize human community and justice within their notions of koinonia (Franco 2006, 15). Such theologies, like that of Leonardo Boff, tend to put greater emphasis on solidarity among fellow Christians as the People of God, and solidarity with all of God s creation. As such, the horizontal dimension of Christian koinonia becomes paramount (Doyle 2000, 119).

In my estimation, the feast studied in this piece offers participants an experience of koinonia rooted in both the vertical and horizontal dimensions of Christian communion. The domestic church that is this feast is firmly rooted in communion with the Lord through the Eucharistie fellowship of the participants, but also, as noted, fosters a powerful sense of solidarity among participants who see themselves as family.5

Limitations and Advantages of the Tradition

Surely the use of the Festa tradition as a means of Christian education and socialization is not without its limitations. In some cases, for instance, individuals or families may not see the Festa as a means of socializing the young into the Church, but may view it simply as a cultural experience devoid of religious significance (Primeggia and Varacalli 1996, 423). In other cases, some Festa celebrations may not be completely purged of certain superstitions or dehumanizing penitential practices that were prevalent in the earliest manifestations of the Festa (Carroll 1992,133).

Despite these limitations, I maintain that the Italian Festa, although historically disparaged by some as a "mere" expression of popular religion, does in fact have potential for calling together community and fashioning a people who share a common vision and vocation. In a manner of speaking, the feast forms a domestic church, a domus to which the participants are intimately connected. It remains a powerful vehicle of education for the parishes in which it is utilized. The study of the Brooklyn Giglio feast gives concrete evidence of this fact, as the community remains active and strong, with a proportionately high number of youth involved, side by side with adults, in the daily activities of the parish. Contrary to the perception of widespread indifference on the part of youth, the young people of this parish generally expressed sincere pride in their Catholic heritage and a high regard for the Church and the local community. Many of those who were incorporated into the Christian community by way of this feast family have remained present and active well into their adulthood, reporting a powerful sense of connectedness to this Church family, even if they no longer live within the confines of the parish.

Educators in areas conducive to the continuation or perhaps revitalization of such popular religious practices can utilize this tradition as a means of fostering and sustaining community. Rather than viewing such traditions as distractions from the "real" work of education, these feasts can assist educators in thinking outside the walls of the conventional classroom. They can give educators a context in which to engage in community-based religious education.