My Catholic Faith

I was born Catholic on Saturday, October 12, 1929, and Baptized on Sunday, December 8, 1929, by Rev. John Walton of Our Lady of Mont Carmel Catholic Church, Schenectady, New York. My Baptismal Sponsors were "Uncle Ralph" (Raffaelo Gallo, my father's brother) and "Aunt Sue" (Assunta Malgieri Gallo, my mother's sister). My father's sister, Giovannina Gallo Di Cerbo, was a very determined woman, especially when it came to her Catholic faith. "Aunt Jenny" as she was known to us did not think that her brother "Uncle Ralph" had said the Creed properly at the time of my Baptism so I was baptized again "a few days later." I would imagine since the men were factory workers a few days later probably meant the following Saturday or Sunday. It would be interesting to me to know if the date of my Baptism is the first date of Baptism or second date. My First Holy Communion was made on Sunday, May 2, 1937 at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church. I was seven and one-half years old.   My memory of that even was of having breakfast in the church basement. The Italian immigrant church in Schenectady, St. Anthony Catholic Church, was downtown along the side of the Union College campus. As Italians advanced in net worth, many purchased homes in the Mont Pleasant area, "up on the hill." So, in 1922 a new Parish was created, Mount Carmel Catholic Church. Schenectady is divided by a "hollow" somewhat like those described in Appalachia. One side of the hollow on Strong Street was the new Mount Carmel parish. Across the hollow was Mont Pleasant. In about 1927, the Mount Carmel parish built a mission church to serve its parishioners living in Mont Pleasant. The church building was more of a hall construction, so it became known as "the Hall." The church was up about a half floor and void of pews. The Altar was behind sliding door panels. Thus, that floor could be used for non-church assembly functions. Below it was the basement which also served as an assembly area. The Mount Carmel mother Church did not have an assembly building so after receiving my First Holy Communion at Mount Carmel (Strong Street) we had a festive breakfast at "the Hall" in Mont Pleasant. Although this may seem distant in separation between the two sites, it was just crossing a bridge across the hollow. My family went to all "ordinary" Masses at the Hall, while going to special services at the mother church. I was Confirmed as a Catholic Sunday, April 27, 1941, a little over twelve years of age. My Confirmation Sponsor was Beniamino Gallo, my father's cousin. "Uncle Benny" as we called him was a favorite in our family. Uncle Benny had two daughters and to some degree I was like a son to him. Uncle Benny was a very successful real estate and insurance business owner. Although he was from the "old country" he had a good business head and advanced rapidly in the "New World" business community. My Confirmation gift was considered outstanding; a Columbia Bicycle. Is it any wonder that my career would also take the road of real estate and insurance? I don't remember at what age I became an Altar Boy. I learned to be one by the Nuns at Mount Carmel and my mother who coached me in the Latin responses. I must tell you, some of it stuck in me even to this day. When the Missal is moved to the Gospel side a little voice in my head says, "Book first." Why "Book" instead of Missal? Because that is the way the Nuns taught me. When asked of me, "What was it like," I answer that it was just like the movie Godfather One. The only regret that I have is I don't have a picture of me as an Altar Boy. My parents were religious but never wore their religion on their sleeves. My mother always went to Sunday Mass, and often during the week (the hall) but my father's Mass habit was not so solid. He batted about 90%. Yet, he prided himself as a Catholic and let everyone know he was one. No question in my mind that he was a good Catholic father. One practice I grew up with involved my father in pray and blessings. Each Palm Sunday, after Mass, each Father and children would visit other family member homes to exchange palms and wish each other good tidings. This was repeated on Easter Sunday with the exchange of a Happy Easter greeting. My mother and other wives would remain home to receive the guests with special foods and drink. Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday Masses were attended at the eight A.M. Mass, so the balance of the morning into about one o'clock was used up this way. On Easter Sunday, at the main meal in early afternoon, the family would kneel around the dinner table except my father who stood. Then my father using a palm leaf cut to about 4 inches, would dip it into Blessed Water and bless the family with it followed with a short prayer. The courtship and resulting marriage to my wife followed the Catholic tradition. Our engagement was formalized by the Church in a Rite of Betrothal and reduced to writing in a "Document of Betrothal" signed by the Priest and two witnesses. Shirley and I were blessed to have a number of Priests at our wedding, two of which were to become Bishops. My Catholic life included as I gained in years membership in several Catholic organizations, such as: Past-President and Trustee, Baton Rouge Metropolitan Serra Club, Parish Council (Finance Committee) St. George Catholic Church & St. Joseph Cathedral, both Baton Rouge, Knight of Columbus, Past President, and Catholic Young Adults Club (Kyak). As I write these words, I am approaching my 85th year of age. I have lived about half my life as a pre-Vatican II Catholic and another half as a Vatican II Catholic. So I have perspective. My perspective is that the Church is liturgically conflicted and in a present day crisis. I firmly believe that Vatican II was a liturgical error. What disturbs me is that Simeo Anthony Joseph Gallo has been relegated to that of a throw-away Catholic. The Church is not taking care of my spiritual life, the part they are entrusted with. On the other hand I am blessed that I can attend the Sunday Latin Mass at St. Agnes Catholic Church each Sunday. Others in America do not have this Catholic benefit. Still, one Latin Mass a week in Baton Rouge for over 200,000 Catholics? The Church has become "horizontal," people centered which is Protestant. The traditional Church is spiritually vertical. Its spiritual arts are diminished; music, statuary, and painting. Witness the Baton Rouge Diocese Cathedral; bland! However, like my parents, it's my Church and its core remains untouched.