Valiant Struggles and Benign Neglect: Italians, Church, and Religious Societies in Diaspora: The Australian Experience from 1950 to 2000

This study, based on both published and unpublished material, delves into the dynamic and ongoing interaction between Italian Migrants, the Catholic Church, and Religious Societies that have emerged in many countries as a result of more than a century of massive migration movements from the Italian peninsula. Among the specific areas of investigation in this study are the steps taken by Italian communities in the United States and Argentina towards the recognition of their particular form of religiosity in the establishment of “national parishes.” On the basis of these experiences elsewhere, the book attempts to investigate the meagerly documented historical process towards mutual accommodation followed by Italian immigrants and the Catholic Church in Australia. The case of Italian immigration is considered within the context of the broader cultural transformation experienced by Australian society and in the Church between 1950 and 2000. The responses made by the Catholic Church and Religious Congregations to these evolving circumstances are discussed, as also are some desirable future directions.