SPRINGFIELD — After going quiet for years, one of the city’s premier ethnic organizations will again promote the culture and heritage of Italian Americans in Springfield.

At its first annual Italian Gala presentation Saturday in the Grand Ballroom of the Sheraton Hotel, The Sons and Daughters of Italy in America announced its resurrection. St. Padre Pio Lodge 3013 is officially operating and accepting members.

“When I was a kid, our Italian heritage was so much a part of who we were,” said Salvatore Circosta, one of the driving forces to restart the group. “I started to see a lot of these traditions slowly dying away. I wanted to restart the organization.”

Circosta remembers rituals like Mass at Mt. Carmel, getting coffee at La Fiorentina and attending Italian feasts, clubs and the Columbus Day parade. “All these things were so much a part of who we were as Italians,” he said.

The group has been meeting at Mt. Carmel Church and planning revived events for several months. Organizers decided the time was right to announce the resurrection of what once had been a staple of Italian American life in Springfield.

“They said the young people were not interested. The Sons of Italy faded out as its members got older and the younger people did not join,” Circosta said.

State Rep. Angelo Puppolo, D-Springfield, was a member of the original Sons of Italy in Springfield and when the local chapter closed, he attended meetings in Lee.

“We had fun events and we had suppers and fundraisers for scholarships. One thing we had was a lot of camaraderie,” he said. “We were members of the Italian community, and it was really good to be around like-minded people that have common goals and to be able to pursue our culture and our heritage and continue our Italian traditions.”

The original organization was known as the Sons of Italy, but that changed, Puppolo said.

“Things evolve, and it evolved for the better. The best thing we can do is bring women into the organization. It makes sense. Now it is the Sons and Daughters of Italy,” Puppolo said. “It makes sense.”

Puppolo said the original lodge closed about 10 years ago after the membership aged and few younger members joined. That’s when he started attending meetings with the Lee organization.

Appeal of heritage

With the old order shuttered, Circosta said he approached younger Italians about a new chapter and found they were hungry for contact with their old-world heritage.

“The young people I talked to told me they were very interested, they passionately wanted to do something,” he said. “I think people want to identify with something that is part of the fabric of who they are. What does it mean to be Italian?”

Circosta, along with Raymond Catugno, made contact with the national Order of Sons and Daughters of Italy in America, the oldest organization dedicated to men and women of Italian lineage and requested a charter. That was granted.

“We wanted to be part of something that promotes the things that are beautiful about being Italian, our culture, about music, opera about good art and history, literature and food — there is no doubt about the food,” Circosta said.

Moving forward, the organization will seek to expand its value to Italian Americans in the area, said Raymond Catugno, who was recognized as a spark plug for the revitalization of the group. He sees the club as a catalyst for cultural exchanges with the old country.

An exchange program with people in Italy lies ahead.

“So the kids here can go over and enjoy and learn about culture in Italy,” Catugno said. “We also hope to bring some Italian children here to show them our culture. I think it is important that all people learn about their culture and heritage no matter who or where they come from.”

Club awards

At Saturday’s event, following a five-course meal, the Springfield Chapter of the Sons and Daughters of Italy, Lodge 3013, honored three prominent Italian Americans and presented awards to five more.

The organization honored Peter Picknelly, Springfield businessman and the newly appointed Italian vice consulate for Western Massachusetts.

Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno was recognized as the longest-serving mayor of Springfield and for his service to all residents of the city.

The Springfield Lodge welcomed and honored Michael Polo, the newly elected national president of the Sons and Daughters of Italy in America.

The Theodore Dimauro Award for distinguished service to the community, named for the late Springfield mayor and longtime Springfield attorney, was presented to Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni.

The Vincent Capadanno Award was presented to Allan Ardito, a veteran Marine who now organizes veterans’ funerals at the Massachusetts Veterans Cemetery in Agawam.

Once a major in the Italian Army, the Rev. Paolo Bagattini, CSS of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, received the St. Gaspar Bertoni Award for distinguished service to the church.

La Fiorentina’s Pastry Shop owners Anna and Leo Danielle were presented the Alfonso Bialetti Award for distinguished service as an Italian business.