Knights of Columbus Assembly 122 Honors 4 Catholic Citizens of the Year

On Sunday, May 22nd, four special people, who have given our Southington and their church communities years of service, will be honored for their outstanding Catholic Citizenship by the 4th Degree Isabella Assembly 122 of the Southington Knights of Columbus.

The awards will be presented at a Luncheon at Hawk’s Landing CC from Noon to 3 pm on May 22nd.  All are invited to join in the celebration of the honorees by contacting Phil Mazzatti at 860 276 8228 or at mazzophi@att.net. Or simply mail a check of $28.00 per person directly to Phil Mazzatti at 59 Marcy Drive, Southington, CT.  Make checks payable to Knights of Columbus. 

This event is not held as a fundraiser. Instead it is an expression of the 4th degree principle of Patriotism. 

The Knights of Columbus follow four core principles of Charity, Unity, Fraternity and Patriotism. Honoring those who have long demonstrated steadfast service to their faith and patriotism ... to church and community. 

This year's awardees are: Gloria Colonero, Nicholas DePaola, John J. Leary and Sr. Marie Roccapriore each of whom have demonstrated years of faithful and selfless commitment to Catholic Citizenship.

Gloria Colonero, a parishioner of 30 years at Mary Our Queen, along with her husband, Vincent, daughter, Kate and son, Greg are a Catholic family sharing what they have with others. Colonero’s parish activities include 3 years of service on the Parish Council, the Prayer Shawl Ministry and captain of the MOQ Relay for Life Team fighting cancer for ten years. A member of the Ladies Guild, Gloria is also an inspired member of 25 years on the Family Life committee. She hosts the All Souls Day Mass, annual Anniversary Mass receptions and volunteers at parish dinners and other functions. In the community, Gloria served as PTO President at South End School and was a member and president of the Junior Woman's Club of Southington; was an Indian Guides mom and a Girl Scouts leader and also worked with the Women's Auxiliary at Recreation Park. She   has volunteered in the neighborhood American Heart Association; the March of Dimes and continues her service of 19 years in the Relay for Life since its inception and is a member of the RFL Town Committee. Gloria is on the he Bread for Life Board of Directors, serving now as its fundraising events chairperson.

Nicholas DePaola, a Trustee of St. Aloysius Church for 44 years, has served his parish on the following committees: Stewardship, Renew, Building and Grounds, CCD Center Chairman, new heating system for church and HVAC system for the rectory and did the church’s snowplowing (35 years) and lawn mowing (15 years). , Nick was also a CCD teacher, CYO leader and a member of the Finance Committee, Parish Council and Holy Name Society. DePaola’s civic experience includes 16 years on the Southington Town Council, (3 as chair); 8 years as Police Commissioner, (2 as chair); 4 years on the Parks and Recreation Board, (2 as chair); and 20 years on the Town’s Permanent Building Committee. His service and leadership included many years of Little League Baseball, Jaycee, Park Basketball League, Kiwanis Club, Elks Club, Sons of Italy, UNICO, local Red Cross and the YMCA  Board.  A past Faithful Navigator the Knights, Nick’s service to Southington in his professional career in education included: elementary school teacher; Director of Southington Elementary Education; Adjunct Professor at CCSU and of Briarwood College Evening Division, Director of Briarwood Foundation and member of the Board of Trustees of the four state universities. Nick has been honored for community leadership by the Southington JayCee, New England Lieutenant Governors of the Kiwanis, Kiwanian of the Year, UNICO Gold Medal, St. Joseph Medal of the Archdiocese of Hartford and an Honorary Doctorate at Briarwood College.

John J. Leary is most proud to be the husband of Karen Matthews Leary and their children Lauren and Matthew. John is deeply committed to his immediate family, his mother and grandfather, 99 along with his strong Catholic Faith, and service to others. He is guided by a strong belief in the dignity of the human person and care for God’s creations. He is a graduate of Catholic elementary and high schools in Waterbury. He and his wife Karen feel blessed to be able to provide their children with the same high quality Catholic Education from kindergarten through college. John is a Distinguished Eagle Scout and an active member of 37 years in his original Boy Scouts of America troop 3 in Waterbury which he currently leads. John instills within boys the duties as Scouts to God, Country, Self & Others. His son Mathew is also an Eagle Scout.  John lives his faith and scouting duties with his service of years on the St Dominic Parish Finance Board, active membership of the Steering Committee of the merger of St. Dominic and St. Thomas School as the new Southington Catholic School and currently serves on its School Board. With a long history of community service, John is in his fourth term on the Southington Board of Finance, five years as its chairman, and is one of the Town’s financial architects of the cost-efficient funding of the past five years successful course in upgrading the Town’s infrastructure, technology and communications. In the professional world, John is Director of Financial Consolidations for Tronox Limited, a global leader in mining and chemicals who is credited not only in bringing business acumen to his work but also fostering excellent communication and collaboration that leads to increased group effectiveness and success.

Sr. Marie Roccapiore, M.P.F, a native of Meriden, CT and member of the Religious Teachers Filippini Community, Morristown, NJ , holds degrees from Villa Walsh College, Morristown; Notre Dame of Maryland University, Baltimore; LaSalle Univ., Philadelphia; and Hartford Seminary, Hartford, CT.   Sr. Marie has taught at elementary schools in N.J., R.I., MD, CT and PA where she was principal of St. Nicholas Tolentine in Philadelphia. She was Director of Religious Education (D.R.E.) and Pastoral Minister and Coordinator of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) in Connecticut parishes. Currently, Sr. Marie’s 20 year Apostolate at St. Thomas Church in Southington includes service as its DRE, direction of Spirit Joy Children’s Music Ministry which she founded for the purpose of bringing the Joy of the Holy Spirit to the sick and elderly in hospitals, nursing homes, health care facilities and assisted living residences. Together with 20 other local women, her Lap Blanket Prayer Ministry has brought comfort to those in local care facilities with more than 1,000 hand-knitted blankets. Sr. Marie has dedicated her life in service to God through service to others. She was recently honored by UNICO with its 2016 Gold Medal for “service above self.” 

Please, join Appleseed in applauding the service of these four among many in Southington who do so much to make our town great.