Another "buona Fiesta" is now history. And that term seemed especially fitting for the 83rd edition that concluded Sunday night, with good weather opening the door to fuller crowds than the St. Peter's Fiesta has seen in recent years.
But before Gloucester's five-day celebration fades — before this year's Blessing of the Fleet, carried out Sunday afternoon, is committed to memory — let's hope all of those who took in this year's festivities realize the uphill struggles today's fishing industry faces.
For it is now — with the crowds gone, the altar being taken down, and the Greasy Pole empty for another year — that our fishermen here in Gloucester and around the nation need our help. And while no one can doubt the power of prayer, those offered yesterday at the outdoor Mass, during the formal Blessing, and throughout the procession route cannot alone provide the kind of help that's needed.
Read the complete story at The Gloucester Times.