When people move to a new country, they are often only able to bring what is most important to them. In many cases these are not physical objects, but aspects of their cultural identity. Religion and food tend to be the easiest and most important aspects to maintain. In Bensonhurst, among the many Hispanic delis and restaurants, the most noticeable changes in population are in the church.
Side view of Saint Athanasius Church
Monsignor David Cassato, the pastor of Saint Athanasius Church, speaks of this relatively new Latino revolution in the church, one he has witnessed in his own congregation. According to Cassato, the Hispanic community of Bensonhurst has grown as a result of many Italians leaving to other areas of New York. In fact, the population has increased so much that the church began to hold Spanish masses. Today, Saint Athanasius Church holds three Spanish masses: one held on Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and two held on Sunday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. There is just one mass in Italian, at 11:30 a.m. A priest at St. Athanasius, Father Ronald D’Antonio noted that, “[W]e have one Italian mass … a lot of the older Italians have moved out of the area so we basically have a remnant now … it’s a neighborhood that’s gone through the changes.”
A statue of “Our Lady of Guadalupe” – the patron saint of Mexico – found in Saint Athanasius Church. It portrays the influence of the growing presence of Latinos in the church.
This change of the neighborhood doesn’t come without its struggles, however. “There is tension at times,” Monsignor Cassato said when asked about the relationship between Italians and Latinos. “The transiting of this neighborhood is an issue — you know, people trying to understand each other.” In spite of this, a peaceful blending of cultures is still possible as “intermarriage solves a lot of those issues and what’s happening now, many Hispanics are marrying Italians or vice versa … and I think you’ll see the blending as we have more of that.”
