It is with deep regret that the Perth Italian Religious Association — also known as the Perth Italian Circle — has announced that it will cease to function from Wednesday, 24th September.
To mark the occasion, the remaining members attended a Mass in Italian, celebrated by their long-serving chaplain, Mgr Aldo Angelosanto, at Our Lady of Lourdes, Perth. The service was both a farewell and a thanksgiving for three decades of friendship, faith, and community spirit.
Speaking after the Mass, the Association’s Secretary, Miss Norma Giulianotti, expressed heartfelt thanks to the three Perth parishes which have supported the Association over the years.
“They have all been so generous in their support for our community,” Miss Giulianotti said, “joining our pilgrimages to Rome, Florence, Venice, Assisi and Padua, as well as local retreats, annual Marian Processions at St Mary’s Monastery, Kinnoull, and our social events such as Dinner Dances, Carnevale celebrations, and Bingo teas.”
Over its proud history, the Perth Italian Association has raised and donated over £40,000 to charitable causes, principally the Mukuru Street Children project in Kenya and Mary’s Meals school in Kudse, Malawi.
Miss Giulianotti herself has been a guiding figure in the life of the Association and the wider Italian community in Scotland. She received Italian Scotland’s Medaglia D’Oro — the community’s highest honour — presented by Bishop Mario Conti at a ceremony in Glasgow’s Central Grand Hotel, hosted by Cav. Ronnie Convery, Italy’s Honorary Consul General. The award recognised her lifetime of service to the Italian community in Scotland through her leadership, charitable work, and commitment to cultural integration.
A life-time parishioner of St Mary Magdalene’s, Perth, Norma has served as President of the Circolo Italiano Religioso, organising annual pilgrimages, social gatherings, and fundraising activities, always welcoming people of all backgrounds.
“Integration has always been a prime feature of what we do,” she reflected. “All events have been open to all members of the parish community.”
As the Perth Italian Association now draws to a close, its members and friends offer a sincere and heartfelt thank you to Mgr Aldo Angelosanto for his unwavering pastoral care and faithful support throughout the years.
Though the formal organisation may end, the legacy of fellowship, charity, and faith that the Perth Italian community has fostered will continue to live on in the hearts of all who took part.