Scene of Tony Rome's father paying out money

Just seen the BFI restoration on provincial release. I must have missed some explanatory dialogue, and on reflection/recall can make no sense, have no understanding of, what was happening in that scene, wherein Rome senior counts out a pointedly exact sum from a money box to someone. A decorative sword (or cross?) seemed to be involved and perhaps change hands from Rome senior to his vistors. Scene concluded with the recipient's companion making a speech that may have explained what was gong on, but if so it went too fast for me. There was an impression of mafia or cosa nostra implications (was an invitation to join an honoured society somewhere in companion's address to Rome's father in there?) Anyway, if anyone is clear and confident about the scene, I'd be grateful for their explanation. I came away suspecting a possible bad edit, something you can only understand by reading the original book, as happened in The Godfather, but I'm more suspicious of my own ability to keep up than of the makers of this brilliant film. (Though I was alert enough to spot the both goofs reported on the site here under "goofs". They were hard to miss, I admit.)