By Janet Stoica

This is the sixth in a series of articles about local immigrants and their lives in the United States, why they came, how they lived, and what their outlook is about this country.

If you ever want to meet a truly patriotic immigrant who has been a U.S. citizen for quite a few years since emigrating from Italy then you have to meet Mrs. Antonia (Cannistra) Muscetta. Her remarkable level of patriotism is simply amazing.

Originally from Messina, Italy, known as the door of the island of Sicily, the town is of great historical importance with its huge Santa Maria Cathedral and the gigantic clock on the bell tower. The city was originally founded by the Greeks in the 8th century BC and is also a popular Mediterranean cruise stop.  Its harbor is shaped like a sickle and the island is also known for its tropical fruits like mangoes, bananas, papayas, and avocados. “From Messina, you can see Calabria on the mainland about two miles away,” said Mrs. Muscetta.

Scenic America, and picturesque and historic Grafton, are two reasons why Antonia Muscetta loves her adopted country.

Antonia’s parents left Italy with their five daughters when she was 10 years old. She was their fourth child. Her parents wanted a better life for their family. They initially settled in Montreal, Quebec, Canada where Antonia learned the French language. Montreal favors the French language more than English. When Antonia was 16 years of age, her dad decided that America was the land of better opportunity so they moved to the Bronx borough of New York, the Little Italy section. Her three older sisters were now married and one decided to remain in Montreal with another moving to Florida. 

Antonia’s dad had been well-trained in Italy. His trade was that of a carpenter and master cabinetmaker designing and making ornate cabinetry. “He made his own cabinet designs carving them intricately by hand,” said Antonia with pride. “His work was beautiful.” Once in America, however, Mr. Cannistra realized that he needed a job that provided a steady income with good benefits so applied for the position of U.S. Mail carrier and worked his way up to supervisor, by merit, until his retirement. He also took on a second job working for the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority and the subway system. 

Antonia began her high school studies but soon realized that her family needed the extra income so she took a job to bring in extra money. She also went to night school to learn English and to study for her U.S. citizenship exam. It was in night school where she met her husband Giorgio Muscetta. “Both my husband and I passed our citizenship exams and became U.S. citizens. Soon after, when I was 18, we were married and had two children,” she said. When their daughter, Angela, and her husband moved to the Grafton MA area so did Antonia and her husband. After Antonia’s husband passed away and her daughter’s family moved to Oxford, Antonia was able to find a home nearby. Recently, however, she lost her dear daughter Angela to cancer but Antonia continues to play a large role in Angela’s family by being there for Angela’s two sons who are adults now. Antonia and Giorgio’s other daughter, Geraldine, lives in a facility for physically and mentally-challenged individuals. “Our girls always meant so much to us,” said Antonia. 

“This is such a great country and we were very lucky to come here. This is truly the best country in the world,” she proudly said, “and when I hear people talking badly about America, it upsets me very much. It makes me want to tell them to go somewhere else and then see how that other country compares to America. When our National Anthem plays, I always tear up. I’m so proud to be an American. This country is a real land of opportunity. That’s why everyone wants to come here!  If you are a hard worker, you can be whatever you want to be. This country is the greatest. It’s so important to be free. It’s the good, the bad, and the ugly. That’s how our history is and you can’t change it. I think of how if it weren’t for the American soldiers in World War II and their bravery, Italy and all of Europe would be speaking German now. They freed us from the Germans. Even though I was born in Italy, America is my home. When I see the American flag, it’s my flag now. It’s the best flag in the world.”

Remember, remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants.  Franklin D. Roosevelt

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