Did this family find the most unique way to give their gifts to the Kingdom? : Aleteia

Published by Aleteia by Jenny Lark Snarski:

“Old World goodness from Italy has become the material for sacramental grace in a Pennsylvania diocese — and it’s all thanks to one family and a special friendship with a priest.

Laura and Pino (Giuseppe) Pugliano have lived and promoted the “farm-to-table” experience since opening their olive oil business in West Reading, Pennsylvania, in late 2019. This year they are upping their game. From the Fratelli Pugliano olive groves in rural Calabria, Italy, to the altar of St. Catherine of Siena Cathedral, their pure, unfiltered olive oil was blessed as the Oil of Catechumens and Oil of the Sick and consecrated as the Holy Chrism for the 78 parishes in the Diocese of Allentown.

Aleteia connected with Laura after she posted to the “Catholic Women in Business” Facebook group feed on March 21, “some inspiration and gratitude … in case any fellow mama entrepreneurs aren’t sure if, or how, your business could contribute to building the Church or if you’re serving Christ in what you’re doing … you never know just how God can use you!”

Reflecting on the unexpected honor, she shared a link to the story, covered by Paul Worth for Allentown’s AD Today on March 19.

The 14-gallon donation of their “Ciccio’s Olives” olive oil came about through a long-time friendship with Fr. Allen Hoffa, pastor of the Pugliano’s parish, Holy Guardian Angels in Reading. But it’s only one chapter in their story of family, faith, and friendship.

Laura (formerly Ross), a third-generation Italian American, was raised one parish over from the future Fr. Hoffa. The two met when Laura traveled to the 2002 World Youth Day in Toronto with a group the young man was helping lead. They became friends and stayed in touch over the years. Knowing Allen had gone to seminary and was ordained, Laura reached out to now-Fr. Hoffa after she and Pino were engaged. Not only did he lead their marriage prep, but also concelebrated their intimate 2015 wedding in the small parish church in Pino’s hometown parish in Calabria.

The Lord needs witnesses in the world

The Pugliano’s story reads like a fairy tale, but it’s the interweaving of faith and family that speaks volumes. After a family trip to Italy as a teenager, Laura fell in love with the language and culture. She majored in English at the Franciscan University of Steubenville but took advantage of the study abroad program in Austria and other studies in Italy.

Surrounded by students majoring in Catechetics and Theology at Franciscan, Laura wondered how, if she wasn’t pursuing a path “directly related to building the Kingdom of God,” she could contribute to the Church’s mission. She was motivated by her father’s example — an insurance agent who loved what he did and encouraged his children to believe in themselves and pursue what they loved — but the college environment caused her to wrestle with her own dreams and direction.

It was also that same environment that helped Laura mature and recognize the value of her call to be faithful, real, and trustworthy in the secular world of work: “Because that’s what the world needs, people in every industry doing exactly that.”

“Ask God to lead and show you what he is calling you to do and do it well,” she encouraged. The young woman realized that the Kingdom was “built” when “every interaction with someone is an opportunity to be Christ … Whether that’s ringing up coffee as a barista, teaching a riding lesson” or running a parish catechetical program.

After graduating in 2008, Laura returned to Italy to work and perfect the language. She reflected it was : “all in God’s plan … because Pino’s parents don’t speak any English. You never know the foundation that’s being set for the greater vision, the greater plan for your life … It was totally God from the beginning.”

Little did Laura know that while she pursued her dreams in Italy, Pino had come to the U.S. in pursuit of his. When people ask why he left Southern Italy’s picturesque Old World, he asks if they’ve ever seen how olives are harvested. Neck bent, long rake in hand, the hard work of jostling fruit from the ancient trees was not the long-term life he wanted.”

…..read the rest of our story so beautifully compiled on Aleteia here.

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