The Queen of Heaven, and the Founding of ISDA


Italian Americans in Pittsburgh formed Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA) in 1930, which is now one of the nation's largest nonprofit cultural & financial institutions.

By Eugene Gino Mahofski, La Nostra Voce 

A number of Italian immigrants arrived in the uptown section of Pittsburgh in the late 1800s and early 1900s. They were mostly Sicilians and Abruzzi.

Work became available on the Northside of Pittsburgh. Hundreds of Italian families moved into Manchester, and other Northside neighborhoods. Ethnic churches sprang up all around Pittsburgh. A need for an Italian church became “prima di tutto.”

Father John O’Connell, pastor of the Irish St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church, provided the basement below the pews to Italians who did not yet have a church.

And thus, the story of Regina Coeli Church took shape.

This article first appeared in La Nostra Voce, ISDA’s monthly newspaper that chronicles Italian American history, culture and traditions. 

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Father Raphael Guglielmotti was appointed as the first pastor and leader of the Northside Italian Catholic community. On May 27, 1906, Father Raphael opened his mission on Juniata Street.

A year later, he raised enough money to purchase a small church that became home to the Regina Coeli congregation. Hundreds of Italians joined the Manchester church. By now, many regions of Italy were represented. The need for expansion became evident, and Father Albert Farina took the lead.

1930 brought the ISDA into the Italian picture as scores of parishioners joined. Five ISDA lodges were formed on the Northside alone, producing hundreds of members (Italians helping Italians).

In 1932, a fire destroyed the church. Father Farina was able to save the Blessed Sacrament and many other holy artifacts.

While Regina Coeli was being rebuilt, mass was celebrated in the local Hippodrome movie theater. Time passed and soon mass was underway in the church’s new basement, with an altar and pew seating.

As more Italian families arrived on the Northside, two additional Italian mission churches were established. Regina Coeli became the mother church to “Our Lady of Perpetual Help” and “Mary Immaculate.”

The new Regina Coeli Roman Catholic Church, completed in 1944, was located at 1434 Juniata St. On the wall near the entrance, there is a marble plaque naming the donors who assisted in building the church; it’s one of the most visible connections between Regina Coeli Church parishioners and the ISDA (click photo to enlarge).

Grammar schools were added to the churches. Four classrooms housed all eight grades. Sisters of the Sacred Heart provided teachers. School started when the brass hand bell sounded. Students entered school as one. Perhaps it was because Sunday’s Latin mass was attended by all students sitting together in the front pews of the church. Gospels and sermons were given in English and Italian. Regina Coeli wasn’t just a church, Regina Coeli was our church. It was the Italian church in Manchester.

The Church and ISDA membership grew hand in hand, and the Unione newsletter helped spread the good word. There were festas, parades, fireworks, and novenas honoring the Blessed Mother and several saints.

Fr. Nicholas A. Biondi, Fr. Joseph A. Mastrangelo, Fr. Francis Beneventano, Fr. Michael J. Vecchio and Fr. Dario Gelati were all pastors. Church administrator, Fr. Franco, celebrated the last mass.

There were many popular assistant pastors. To name a few: Fr. Joseph Farina, Fr. Edward Farina, Fr. Dominic Olivieri, Fr. Evaristo Luteri and Fr. Joseph Dascenzo. A redevelopment of the Manchester area forced businesses to close and families to move, leading to the closure of our blessed church.

The Regina Coeli congregation filtered into Assumption, Sacred Heart and St. John Neumann Church. Currently, Father Tim Deely is the pastor at my home church of Assumption on 45 N. Sprague St. May the Queen of Heaven (Regina Coeli) help the new parish to accomplish the mission in the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

And may we hear the comforting echoes of prayer from every parishioner who worshipped in that Italian Church in Manchester many years ago.

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