Projects:
The Church Organ
Under the leadership of Raimundo Pereira and Dafrosa Cho, our Directors of Music, the community of Santa Susanna has built a very fine music program. We have a choir made up of our parishioners, plus a special group, called the Santa Susanna Singers, who join us for the important liturgical feasts and seasons. Maestro Pereira and the Singers also participate in various Masses and services at St. Peter’s Basilica. In fact, he is a member of the Sistine Choir and often cantors at at the Wednesday Papal Audience, as well as special Liturgies during Holy Week and Christmas. His musical expertise has added a rich dimension to our liturgies, as has the expertise of Dafrosa Cho, who serves as our organist and co-director of Music. This has been more difficult lately with the ongoing restoration of our organ.
Three years ago, we repaired and cleaned our Ruffatti Pipe Organ in our Church, involving the cleaning and repair of each organ pipe, both the zinc and wooden ones, as well as replacing all the gaskets. A new electric blower was installed, which increased the flow of air into the pipes. All other parts of the instrument that surround the pipes, including the windchest, pipe racks and pipe supports were cleaned and treated. Finally, the instrument was reassembled, voiced and tuned. The cost for Phase One was $19,600.00. A year later, Phase Two involved the rebuilding of the windchest itself which has developed defects. The existing system was converted into an electrical system. This process which was to take two months, ended up taking five months at a cost of approximately $28,000. We were able to raise all of these funds through the generosity of our parishioners and benefactors.
Phase Three involves more intricate cleaning, replacement of specific keys and pipes and further repair of the bellows. This is an ongoing process and will be accomplished slowly over the next two years. We will need approximately $15,000.00 to complete this Phase.
If you are able to make a contribution to this project, please contact Fr. Greg at rector@santasusanna.org or write to him at Paulist Fathers, Via Antonio Salandra, 6, 00187 Rome, Italy.
The Access Ramp
Our Handicapped Access Ramp was installed at the beginning of June 2005. This was a project that took approximately five years. The delay was caused by the need for the necessary permissions from the City of Rome, given the historicity of the facade of our Church. We are happy to report that our Ramp is being used by many people, who have voiced their appreciation. The plaque on the Ramp states:
This Handicapped Access Ramp was made possible
by the generosity of the following:
The Archdioceses of Anchorage, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Louisville, Military Services, Newark, New York, Portland, San Francisco, and the Dioceses of Altoona-Johnstown, Baker, Buffalo, Dodge City, Gary, Lansing, Las Vegas, Richmond, Salt Lake City, Sioux Falls, Scranton, Springfield, Wichita, and Youngstown.
And the following individual donors, or in their memory: The William F. Lewis Family, Lawrence and Sue Altier, Msgr. George Dobes, Flora May Lecato, Paul A. Korody Jr., Carlo and Concetta Postiglione, Susan Thomas, Linda Jane Miconi, Daniel Koporec, Gina Barile, Marie E. Grobusky, Margaret and Fred Robichaud, Anita E. Manuel, J. Owen Todd and Eileen Todd, Attilio Piazzesi, Mark Colombano and Lisa Colombano Marking, the Sergio Alberico Family, the Shedid Family, Carolina Culverhouse, the Chapel Community of NSA (Naples), the Knights of Columbus, the Paulist Fathers, and the Community of Santa Susanna Church, the American Parish in Rome.
"I rejoiced because they said to me, we will go up to the house of the Lord." -- Psalm 122
The Access Ramp needs yearly maintenance (cleaning and re-painting and re-securing all of its elements, at a cost of $1500 per year.
The HEATING System has needed replacement for six years now, but we have been unable to afford it. It will cost anywhere from $15,000 to $20,000. It currently works well enough but it is just a matter of time before it will need to be replaced.
The following projects are on hold until we complete the repair of the organ and the repair of the Church's heating system:
Repair of the Saint Genesius Fresco:
 Some few years ago after a problem with the roof was finally repaired we discover that some water damage had occured with the beautiful fresco of Saint Genesius entering into Heaven. The damage is repairable and it is only fresco in the church to need work. If you would want to assist us, we believe the cost runs about 25.000.00 US Dollars and a donor plaque in your name would be added to the chapel. The fresco is by the Mannerist artists Giovanni Battista Pozo, who died in 1591, at the age of 28 after just completing this fresco cycle. This chapel represents the body of his work and the fresco which is quite beautiful needs to be rescued.
The Christmas Creche:
The Church of Santa Susanna is the proud owner of a magnificent 18th century Neapolitan Christmas chreche, pur chased many year ago. Some of the figures need repair and cleaning and others new new clothing. But we would like to do something very special at Santa Susanna. Romans have a wonderful custom of visiting chreches throughout the Christimas season and Santa Susanna welcomes thousand of people who come to the church. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a truly American creche in Rome.
We have been in touch with several creche makers in Naples and they are willing to construct (in the traditional Neapolitan manner) several new additional figures for the set. We have selected a series of American saints that we would have present at our chreche in Rome. Here is a tremendous opportunity to reach thousands of visitors about the history and tradition of our own American saints. Each figure would be about 35 to 40 centimeters high. This figures could include: Elizabeth Seton, Kateri Tekewicka, Junipero Serra, Isaac Jogues, Mother Cabrini and Katherine Drexel for example. To repair our present figurines runs about 500.00 US Dollars per piece and to create these new figures in the traditional style runs about 2,000.00 US Dollars per piece. Are you interested in helping us to create a unique Christmas attraction in Rome that teaches the world something about our rich American spiritual traditions? This project is on hold at this time (June 2006)
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