STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Each year on March 19, a divine dinner unfolds hosted by members of the legal community who raise their glasses to laud “San Giuseppe,” and reflect on his cherished ancestry and dine on “old country” specialties.
And the evening always brims with camaraderie, community spirit, commitment — and celebratory grandeur.
The Early Days
Somewhere around the early 1990’s, the event began with the original St. Joseph’s Day Association Gala, a black-tie gala staged in the Grand Ballroom of LiGreci’s Staaten in West Brighton.
The brainchild of retired State Supreme Court Justices John Fusco and Charles Kuffner, and several others in the legal and medical profession, the event is now reprised each year, but on a smaller scale.
Fast forward a number of years and the event was resurrected by retired New York State Supreme Court Justice John Fusco, and late State Supreme Court Justices Anthony I. Giacobbe and Philip G. Minardo, who kept the custom alive for many years, with the feast now taking place in Bocelli Ristorante in Grasmere.
This year’s commemorative dinner always brims with members of the legal community — judges, attorneys, trial lawyers and friends, and presents a time to celebrate the traditional feast day because those of Italian descent — and others — have a special devotion to St. Joseph — or “San Giuseppe” as he’s often referred.
The evening consisted of a four course dinner of traditional food prepared by Bocelli Executive Chef, Stefano Sena, — because Italian specialties native to the “old country” are always part of the day’s fare — in addition of the virtues of faith, gratitude, and tradition.
Nearly 100 community leaders and friends gathered to celebrate the Solemnity of St. Joseph, the steadfast guardian of the Holy Family and patron of the universal Church.
And always a prerequisite for the special occasion is that the gathering take place on March 19, St. Joseph’s actual feast day, no matter the day of the week.
Tradition also dictates that those bearing the name of Joseph or derivatives thereof, must foot the bill for those must-have St. Joseph pastries within their own households.
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