1971
The Campopitresi residents of Montreal made their baby first step into the Canadian collectivity back on September 5, 1971. On that date, Lino Lamenta, Mario Geronimo and Carmine Ritone organized, at the Marie Reine des Coeurs shrine, the first pilgrimage to Saint Michael the Archangel protector saint of Campodipietra. This official entry of our community within the multi-etnic community of the greater Montreal area inspires in the mind of dynamic Lino Lamenta the idea of giving greater consistency and a wider range of action to the above mentioned pilgrimage of the establishment of a town of origin association.
Exited by this tought and without hesitating, on the evening of September 13 of the same year, Lino contacted the following five townfolks: Giuseppe Cefaratti, Michele Perrotta, Francesco Lamenta, Michele Lamenta and Angelo Di Maio to submit them his idea and ask for the appropriate support. The five, overwhelmingly supported the idea and proceded to the unofficial kick off to what will become the Associazione Culturale di Campodipietra a Montreal.

1972
On February 26, 1972, under the “direzione abbonario” of the six founding members, was held the first banquet “serata danzante” of the resident campopietresi here in Montreal. The epic event took place, almost under the benevolent gaze of Our Lady of Pompei, in the basement of the church on corner of Saint Michel and Sauvé. At the end of the same year, on the 11th of November, the nascent Association prepared, for the first time, the traditional annual banquet, always in the basement hall of Our Lady of Pompei church.

1973
Although not yet officially born, our townfolk Association was summond in 1973, in the basement of the parish rectory to its first general meeting of the members to elect a board of directors for the association. This first board of directors was composed as follows: Lino Lamenta predident, Giuseppe Paventi vice president, Pierino De Luca secretary and Michele Bruno treauser. In the same year, under the guidance of the new board, was organized a second “serata danzante” that took place once again in the basement of the church. For the occasion, a memento booklet was prented from which pages it was clear and evident than and there, among other things, that the precence of campopietresi in different sectors of the sociocultural sphere here in Montreal, was by far well established and impressive. Another significant note of this 1973 year, was the entry in the Association of the fairer sex. The first woman to enter is Filomena Mancini-Barile followed by Angelina Grosso. These the first pink card holder members of our Association.

1974
Meanwhile, things fall into line whit government regulation and administrations, so that in 1974 the registration of our Association is submitted to the appropriate provincial registers. On February 12 of that year, the Ministry of Financial Institutions, Companies and Cooperatives of Quebec responded to the applicants whit a letter attesting that the foundation of our town of origin Association was approved. To make this official, on June 7th, again in the same year, the above four members of the executive committee traveled to Quebec city to sign the birth certificate of our association which was baptized, as already menzioned, under the name of Associazione Culturale di Campodipietra a Montreal!

1976
Also 1976 is a year to remember: the Association creates a bowling league which was named “Lega Campodipietra” and came under the leadership of Antonio Mancini and Luigi Mariano. It was made up of eight teams that took the names of some district of the town: Marconi, Bonaventura, Piazza Municipio, Via Roma, Via Orto, Vico Chiesa, Fontana and Montini.
To emphasize contacts with the Motherland with regards to this 1976 first visit to Montreal by Angelo Maria Paventi, mayor of Campodipietra for two consecutive terms the Association organized in his honor a banquet at the Buffet Cristina where he was handed a plaque to emphasize his visit to Montreal.
But the year 1976 is also a year which registered a sad note. The organizing Saint-Michael’s sub-committee for pilgrimages decided to break away from the Cultural Association and create one of its own. The Cultural Associatio, therefore, concentraded its energies, from then on, in the organization of the feast of Saint-Michalel the Archangel to be celebrated on the secon Sunday of August to coincide with that of town of origin.

1977
Meanwhile, November 12, 1977 is a date to reserves a special mention. That night, at Buffet Le Rizz under the chairmanship of the well-known industrial Giuseppe Paventi, a memorable event is celebrated; the annual banquet, “Cena in onore dei profesionisti e oriundi del Nord America”, takes a very significant and special character in that it becomes the occasion to celebrate and honor professionals of Campopietresi origin living in North America. Noumerous renouned campopietresi residing both in Canada and in the United Sttes were honored and thanked for their contribution and for having brought prestige to our town of origin. For the record, 555 attendees filled the hall to celebrate the following campopietresi of North America: Francesco Ricciardi, Cosimo Carlone, Nicola Cefaratti and Fausto Scricco said Tucci.

1978
The following year as well, in 1978 if ware not mistaken, is the year in which the Association turned its attention to children of our community, to children under the age of 12. In fact, it was organized a feast of the “Befana” who brought very many gifts to the children enlightening their faces and filling their souls with joy. And the “old Befana” so good and generous is significantly introduced by an ad hoc poem recited by Mrs. Beatrice Paventi. Those children are now adults with a family and children of their own; it would be wonderfull in remembering that great evening, if they ib turn would motivate their children to respond to the call and the values of our Cultural Association!

1979 to 1981
The year 1979, however, is the year in which our thoughts returned to feast of Saint-Michael. In fact, we had the wonderfull idea to hold a found raiser for the purchase of a statue of the Holy Archangel to solemnize under his protection the festivities on the secon Sunday of August. This statue, carved in northern hardwood, was commissioned from the “Arte Sacra” of Bolzano. The statue of Saint Michael arrived in Montreal on August 31, 1980, through the shipping company "Avandero" and made the transatlantic crossing on an Alitalia flight. After a solemn mass celebrated by Father Anthony Montecalvo, the statue was placed in worship at Our Lady of Pompei parish. It is removed only on the day of celebration and that is the second Sunday in August. A banquet at the Buffet Antique was held to celebrate the arrival of the statue amongst us. This event was honored by Campopietresi residents from New Britain, Connecticut (USA).

Also in 1980 the re-elected mayor of Campodipietra, Angelo Maria Paventi, visited again his fellow citizens of Montreal. This time he was received and greeted at the Buffet Durante for a spaghetti dinner in his honor.

For three years, the Association of Campodipietra aimed to assemble young Campopietresi in a commendable and culturally significant effort. In fact, during these three years were awarded several scholarships in order to meet the professional future of particularly worthy students. The candidates, of course children of members, were awarded from year to year, four scholarships each time: two male and two female students.

1982
This was the year of a brilliant sport initiative since it was then that the first golf tournament was organized. The competition took place on June 27th at the Saint Jean Mathan golf course. For the record, John Delle Donne had the best "score brut", while Antonio Mancini won the best "net score"; the well known sports reporter Nino Di Stefano also participated in the tournament and received, as a tribute, an honorary plaque.

1983
A particularly important year for our Association was 1983 because it emphasized its cultural aspect of its activities. A year book in which is highlighted events that gave rise to Montreal Campopietresi who have shined in the life of Canadian society.
Planned in 1979, the official life membership drive was kicked off for the Cultural Association of Campodipietra in Montreal. The cost for the permanent and customized card, is set at $ 100, or $ 50 for those over 65 years of age.

1984
In 1984 a second bowling league was created and called «Lega Associazione Culturale» under the direction of Giuseppe Antonacci. It was made up of 10 teams that carried the following names: Fontana Nuova, Le Valli, Montevergine, Tortorelle, Vallarella, Brecce, Collecapone, Montefoglio, L.R. Raider, and R.S. Maçonnerie. This league was not necessarily restricted to the members of the Association, but reserves them, however, a right of priority.

1985
Campodipietra also gave the Church a number of priests, including the late father Christofero Paventi, aka Saverio Paventi. belonging to the religious Order of Franciscan Friars. In 1960 he was later ordained a priest in the diocese of Troia in the province of Foggia. Later he emigrated here to Canada as a missionary and carried out his mission first in Toronto and later in Montreal. As a matter of fact, it was he who often celebrated the religious ceremony at our St. Michael the Archangel feasts and blessed our annual banquets before dinner. In 1985, on the occasion of his 25th anniversary of priestly ordination, the Cultural Association entered him in the members register and gave him lifetime honorary membership.

1992
After a few years of normal administration and the routine: feasts of St. Michael, annual banquets and the masses in May and November, in fact, as a nice note of kindness and gallantry was established at the annual banquet of November of 1992. Every lady who entered the hall, received a complimentary scented red rose offered by the committee. The reception took place at the Chateau Classic and the evening was livened up by the orchestra Misty.

1993
Significant, meanwhile, later on March 13, 1993, the Association offered a meal for its members and spouses. As it is said that March is crazy ... we entered the dining hall in fine weather and we returned home in the middle of a snowstorm! In the same year it began to appear in the weekly Italian language papers, a series of articles on the life of the Cultural Association and its players, which continued throughout 1994 to mark the anniversary of the association’s 20th anniversary, as is was founded in 1974!
Among the contacts Campodipietra-Montreal should not forget the presence in our midst of the folk group «Gli amici del fiume» (Friends of the River), directed by Aldo Ricciardi, who came to perform for their countrymen abroad from Campodipietra. A particularly emotional moment that they brought here amongst us a breath of Campodipietra air, countryman fellowship and gave us an opportunity to relive distant memories of our younger years in the town of origin ... but never forgotten!

1996
The Cultural Association of Campodipietra in Montreal is also proud of its membership to the Federazione delle Associazioni Molisane del Quebec, (Federation of Molise Associations of Quebec), who sponsor a yearly evening of special appointment: «il molisano dell’anno» ("the Molisan of Year), an honour bestowed on industrialists and professionals from a prominent social status. In 1996, that honor was reserved for a Campopietrese: Joseph Paventi, founding president of the renowned furniture company JPMetal America Inc.!
In this 1996, among other things, the Association assumed a more important leadership. The Board was tinged with pink: for the first time, a woman, Laurence Matteo, was assumed on the Board of directors.

1997
The year 1997 was one of the richest years of community activities. A General Assembly of the members on January 19; the St. Valentine’s day dinner enlivened by Disco Marino, on Feb. 15; members gathered at the cabane à sucre in St. Gregoire on April 6; a mass for Saint Michael the Archangel was celebrated, followed by a brunch at Hotel Universel on May 18; our second golf tournament at St. Madelaine on June 29, at this event, Nancy Delle Donne and Jimmy D'Agata were best in the field; the feast of St. Michael on August 3; a cruise on the St. Lawrence on September 6; a super brunch for the members October 19; a mass for the deceased on November 9; the annual banquet on November 22.

1998
This was also a year of rich encounters. The activities opened on January 18 with a general members’ meeting; it continued with the St. Valentine’s day celebration on February 15; a cabane à sucre at the Chalet du Ruisseau on March 29; a mass for San Michele on May 17; a third golf tournament always at St. Madelaine on June 14; a trip to Ottawa on August 30, and the annual banquet on November 14.
The guest of honor at the golf tournament of June 14 was the mayor of Campodipietra, Cosmo Paventi! On a visit to his fellow citizens of Montreal, accompanied by Lino Lamenta and Joseph Paventi, he was hosted at the Montreal city hall where he signed the roll of honor of the city, as well as at the Saint Leonard city hall where he was received by Mayor Raymond Renaud.

2000
The year 2000 crossed over two millennia. To say goodbye to the 20th century for history’s sake and to welcome the 21st century that opened the doors to the future, our Association with a commitment to do so in a truly cultural manner, published a book entitled: "Campodipietra: dal tratturo a Montreal» (from the cattle path to Montreal). It is the story of Campopietrese emigration to Montreal from its origins to today; it is the journey made by our people in this multiethnic Canadian metropolis; the mark of a social commitment to be placed on the footsteps of the children so that the work done in the past generates a worthy future.

2002
And the hopes of this passing of the torch seems to take the desired consistency since the early years of the new millennium, thanks to a remarkable renewal of the board of directors. In 2002, the Board was embellished by the presence of four new representatives of the fair sex: Nancy Delle Donne, Antonietta Paventi, Maria Michela Scricca and Lina D'Attellis.

2003
To be sure, following their involvement in the planning of activities of the association, we see from time to time an ever-increasing participation of young people: children and grandchildren. In the context of what has just been said, it seems pretty indicative to note that in 2003 the annual banquet is regarded as a family party, as if to emphasize a family atmosphere and thanks to the young, is increasingly reigning in our activities and festivals. The banquet "family celebration" took place at the Buffet Universel on November 9 and was livened by Disco Marino.

2004
The year 2004 was a year of great celebration because, on balance, marked the 30th anniversary of our Cultural Association. Each activity was put on the agenda and with regard to this great achievement, not one article was disregarded by the editors of the weekly Italian-language papers of Montreal with the significant title of "Campodipietra a Montreal: 30 anni dopo (30 years later)." And a brochure was given to the press once again as a permanent written memory, a statement of the progress made so as to give a vision of the intent for the future.
November 6 was the date of the usual annual banquet. Can we not avoid to account for all those who in these 30 years have made a significant mark in our association? And so various members were thanked with a plaque for having excelled in fast-forwarding of the fortunes of the Association. At the anniversary banquet, 220 persons took part and the evening was enlivened by the DJ, Marco Ferri.

2005
Another year of great pride for our Campopietrese community of Montreal is the year 2005. The Molisani Federation of Quebec had once again rewarded 'one of us', in the Molise gala that year and honored Giuseppe D'Agata from Campodipietra: he was one of the owners of the Auberge Universel, in whose reception halls took place several of our annual banquets and various Sunday brunches because "ru pajesane ci tratta buone! (the fellow town folks treated us well)" ... and it is with regret that we remember his passing, unfortunately at a young age!
During the annual banquet on November 5 of 2005 we remembered the projection, and the subsequent sale of a DVD of our own: feast of St. Michael and it was here as well that Campodipietra remembered some of our special annual banquets and the appearance in Montreal of the folk group "Amici del Fiume (Friends of the River)."

2005-2011
From 2005 until 2011, as already pointed out in 2002, the main note and satisfactory pride is the massive participation of young people in our community activities : banquets, San Michele, various excursions, cabane à sucre and others. Just to give an example, in 2008 the annual banquet recorded the presence of not less than 310 participants and almost half of them are young people. (Many of then are carded members.)

The activities of 2011 began with the celebration of the Holy Mass in honor of St. Michael the Archangel on May 8, in the church Our Lady of Pompeii.
The festival in honor of the patron saint took place, as usual at the Chapelle de la Reparation on August 7. Since we were in the 150th year of the Unification of Italy, two Bersaglieri in full uniform attended the mass and during the procession, accompanying the holy statue, there was as well the patriotic waving of the Italian flag!
The Association President, Mr. Pilla, along with the accordionist Cosmo Paone, put on the "Coro San Michele," directed as well by Mr. Pilla. From now on, therefore, the Mass of the feast in honor of the patron saint will be sung by a chorus of our own.
The annual banquet took place on Nov. 5 at the Buffet Le Rizz. And the Guest of honor was the young singer of Campopietrese origin, Nadia Ricci, winner of the singing contest Superfantastico CFMB edition of 2011; Miss Ricci was also offered a gift of a commemorative plaque and a bouquet of flowers.
And it is also in this year that we opened this website whose preparations are immediately placed in a work in progress section so that our online presence can be actualised as soon as possible.

2012
Approximately halfway through March 2012, the website is finally completed, available in English, French and Italian. The website is unveiled on March 30th, with the release of some video clips of Campodipietra.
The association’s website is officially launched and finally available to the public on April 28th. To communicate this new initiative, a letter is sent to all members in early August signed by the association’s president.
Sunday, May 6th, the mass of Saint Michael the Archangel is held at 10:00 am at the Madonna di Pompeii Church.
The traditional Saint Michael celebrations are held on Sunday, August 12th, the very same day as celebrated in Campodipietra, at the Cappella della Riparazione.
The annual banquet this year takes place at Buffet Le Rizz on November 3rd, 2012. The evening takes off with a special announcement stating that, every year as of 2013, two scholarships would be awarded to the two most outstanding students who are of course children of active members. The first scholarship would be awarded to a student at the CEGEP level, while the other would be handed to a University level student.

2013
The year 2013 contains the traditional events organized by the association as in the preceding years. These traditions include the mass in honor of Saint Michael the Archangel at la Madonna di Pompeii Church on Sunday, May 5th at 9:00am, along with the Saint Michael celebrations at la Cappella della Riparazione on Sunday, August 11th. This mass is particularly special as it coincided with Pope Francis’ World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro. To honour this special occasion, five children of Campodipietra origin read their “prayers of the youth to Saint Michael the Archangel”. La Madonna di Pompei Church also held a mass in memory of the souls of the Campopietresi who have passed on, which took place on Sunday, November 3rd at 10:00am.
The annual banquet is held once more at Buffet Le Rizz on Saturday, November 9th. As promised the preceding year, scholarships are awarded to two deserving students. Given the lack of applicants of the CEGEP level, the association generously decided to award both scholarships to University level applicants. The first scholarship is awarded in name of the association, while the second is awarded in the name of Benito Mariano Junior. The students considered to be the most deserving of the six applicants, were determined by the panel composed of professors Carlo D’Avirro, Luigi Mariano and Antonio Mancini. The first winner is Kelly Guy, a psychology student at McGill University. The other winner is Michele Pompa, a business student majoring in Management at Concordia University. The winners are children of proud parents and Campodipietra members: Kelly, daughter of Daniel Guy and Linda Mancini, and Michele, son of Paolo Pompa and Elena Paventi.

2014
The Associazione Culturale di Campodipietra a Montreal Celebrates its 40th Anniversary!

This year was an eventful one for the Associazione where many participated in numerous exciting activities. Firstly, the sacred mass in honour of St. Michael was held at the Our Lady of Pompei parish on Sunday, May 4th, at 10:00 a.m. On Friday, June 13th, thirty people attended the members’ general assembly at the Federazione Molisana, and on Sunday, August 10th, the Feast Day of St. Michael the Archangel took place at the Chapelle de la Réparation.
The Associazione celebrated its 40th anniversary at Buffet Le Rizz on Jarry East in St. Leonard on November first. There was a strong youth presence at this year’s banquet and bursaries were once again awarded to two deserving students. The Associazione granted the $500.00 collegial bursary to Caitlyn D’Avirro, currently a first-year Education student at Concordia University. At the university level, Christina Cefaratti, an accounting student also studying at Concordia, won a $1000.00 scholarship offered by Benito Mariano Junior.
Guests at the banquet took a walk down memory lane and enjoyed a touching video compilation put together by John Perrotta. Numerous photographs and various clips from fellow paesani in Campodipietra were projected on a large screen while Aldo Ricciardi’s Amici del Fiume served as a backdrop, captivating the crowd.

2015
During the festivities in honour of Saint Michael the Archangel, it was highlighted the 35th anniversary of the arrival directly from Italy in August of 1980 of the statue of the Saint.
During the year, Lino Lamenta and Joe Pilla resigned from the committee, for personal reasons, and they were honoured with a plaque during the annual banquet which took place at the Buffet Le Rizz on October 10.
It is with great pleasure to underscore that a younger group joined the executive committee : Joe Antonacci, Domenico Mariano, Frank De Luca, Joe De Luca e Marco Mancini: congratulations for your commitment and welcome on the road traced by your parents.
The committee introduced a new initiative to grant a free membership card to all past and present winners of the scholarships.
The festivities of the annual banquet took place at the Buffet Rizz and were harmonized by Nicolino and Angelo of the mythical DJ Marino.
Dulcis in fundo, on December 6th took place a final activity destined for the youngest of our association. It was organized, indeed, a party with the children and Santa (Daniel Trudel) at the "Al Fresco" restaurant.

Winners of the scholarships: Christopher D'Avirro for the CEGEP level (500$ offered by benito Mariano) and Caitlyn D'Avirro for the University level (1000$ offered by Sam Paventi).

2016
In addition to the holy masses in May and November, in addition to the picnic in honour of Saint Michael held on the 14th of August at the Chapelle de la Réparation, in addition to the annual banquet on the 29th of October at the Buffet Rizz, to year 2016, it was added to the program a Cabane à Sucre celebration at the Chalet des Érables in Saint Anne des plaines. But there was also an exceptional event on the 30th of April: our association was connected on line via Skype at the Leonardo da Vinci Centre, along with Campopetresi living in Treviso and in Germany, for a concert from the San Martino Vescovo church in Campodipietra honoring the loving memory of Aldo Ricciardi who died on February 26, 2016…leaving a profound sense of nostalgic sympathy in the hearts of Campopetresi all over the world.

2017
Also, the 2017 activities were all as per normal routine: Cabane à sucre (Chalet du Rouisseau) on April 23rd, Saint Michael The Archangel mass in May, the Saint Michael picnic on August 13th, the annual banquet on October 21st and the mass for the dead on November 5th. also this year, no bursaries were allocated for the second year in a row due to lack of student enrolment.

2018
The retrospective look, regarding the activities of our Association for the year 2018, leads us first and foremost to the 7th of April when the sugar shack excursion took place at the Chalet des Erables. On the second Sunday of August, the 12th to be exact, just in conjunction with the festivities, the annual picnic took place to feast Saint Michael the Archangel at the Chapelle del la Réparation. Other annual routine appointments were the masses in honor of the Saint on May 5th as well as the one in suffrage of the deceased on November 4th. The 50th anniversary of JPMetal by Giuseppe Paventi, one of the pillars of the Cultural Association of Campodipietra in Montreal, should be highlighted.

2019
Sunday April 7th "cabane à sucre" at the Costantin Gregoire in St. Esprit.

August 11th picnic and feast of St. Michael the Archangel in the Chapelle de la Réparation in P-A-T.

Sunday, May 5th and Sunday, November 3rd, respectively, a Mass for St. Michael and a Mass for the dead at the Church of Our Lady of Pompei

On November 9th, a very successful party for our FORTY-FIFTH anniversary was held at the Buffet Le Rizz: with activities and a magic show for the little ones, recognition for seniors over 80. Folkloric dance, scholarships; but above all, a commemorative painting for these first FORTY FIVE years of our Association offered to the last three founding members still alive, namely: Lino Lamenta, Michele Perrotta and Francesco Lamenta.

2020
A fateful year 2020: the year in which COVID-19 paralyzed time and space of human activities. Meanwhile, our Association too, had to reluctantly cancel all the events on the English agenda planned in the previous years.
Fortunately, the Holy Mass in May was transmitted via radio from the church of the Our Lady of Pompei, and the one for the dead on November the15th could be attended directly in the church, but always respecting the necessary health regulations.
COVID-19 has also taken its victims amongst our fellow countrymen residing in Montreal; but what distressed us most of all in this atmosphere of covidinity, is that it was not possible for us to give a comforting hug to the family members of those campopietresi who died during the year either from the Coronavirus or from other diseases or natural causes.
We're waiting for the "return to normal" and with it also the resumption of our events, a hug from the Executive Committee to all members and sympathizers!

Stay tuned for more upcoming annual updates on our website!