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A summary of the oral history transcript of Father Giovanni
Bonelli in which he describes coming to Edmonton to
establish and construct Santa Maria Goretti Church, the
first (and only) Catholic-Italian Parish in Edmonton.
Arrival in Edmonton:
- co-founder (with Father Rino Ziliotto) of only Catholic-Italian Parish in Edmonton -
Santa Maria Goretti
- 1957 Italian community in Edmonton numbered 6-7000
- petitioned Bishop John McDonald for own parish
- forced to ask Vatican - community needing help of priest
- closest mission was in mid-west U.S. - Chicago; received notice from Rome to investigate
- promised to establish something for the welfare of Italian immigrants
- Scalabrini Fathers originated in Piacenza (near Milan) took interest in Italian emigrants
- Father Rino Biliotto & another fellow (who had a personal conflict & didn't come) were
appointed to come
- Father Bonelli (with short notice) appointed instead
- didn't even know where Edmonton was, had to look at a map
- came directly from Chicago on Northwest airlines, departure out of Chicago delayed 2 hours due to bad
weather, arrived Edmonton Municipal airport around midnight & priest at cathedral came down in pajamas to
greet them (it was so late, the thought was that they had changed their minds and weren't coming after all)
- stayed in residence at cathedral rectory for a year
- met Italian families (Grelli family mentioned)
- services held in Sacred Heart church basement
- arrived 20 December, 1957
- Italian radio program announced their arrival & "whole bunch" attended church to meet them
- (amusing incident) a few days later, on Christmas day, they had to hear so many confessions! He supposed
their sins had accumulated and "they were in arrears."
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