Passport to Europe: Milan, Italy
Here is a new video from my trip to Milan two weeks ago. I hope you enjoy!
Awesome Weekend!
If anyone is ever looking for a great vacation in Northern Italy, go to Cinque Terre! I am on the train back to Verbania right now and wanted to write a quick note. Yeasterday, I hiked with Brandon for about 4 hours, starting in the village of Riomaggiore. We then hiked beside seaside cliff trails. After a difficult final 90 minutes of hiking, we rented an umbrella and two sunbeds on the beach at Monterosso. There was nothing but sun, blue skies, and even more blue water. While living in Italy can be a headache at times, it makes up for it with experiences like this weekend.
Update: I realized that I never uploaded any pictures from Cinque Terre! Here are a few of the many pictures I took with my little camera! I love Cinque Terre!
Passport to Europe: Cluj-Napoca, Romania
This weekend marked the five-month anniversary of being in Europe. It is hard to believe that it has been five months! I have been learning a lot and have been really busy getting ready for the New Man weekend that takes place at the North American College during the weekend following Thanksgiving Day. It will not be anywhere close to enjoying Thanksgiving Day with my family, but I guess I will try to enjoy it here. I am thankful that I will at least be able to video chat with my family on Thanksgiving Day.
Before I continue with the travel weekend, I want to describe the Italian healthcare system. I needed to get a vaccination for H1N1 Influenza (Swine Flu) because I have asthma and I always have problems with my lungs when I am ill. So, my physician from Oklahoma wrote a letter attesting to this fact and one of the Sisters of Mercy, that run our infirmary, helped me make an appointment to see a doctor close to the college. When I walked into the office I realized that the staff only spoke Italian and German. I was able to talk with the receptionist with little difficulty, but I wanted to make it clear that I was only there to get the H1N1 vaccine. To make a long story short, the doctor spoke English and gave me a full checkup. He then explained that the only way to get a vaccine in Italy is to go through the National Healthcare System. There are vaccination centers and also those same vaccines with doctors that are affiliated with the National system. He was not. Therefore, I had to pay 30 euro for a doctor’s appointment, only to get a prescription for H1N1 vaccine and then have to search for a vaccination clinic in the city. (If you are in Italy and are looking for one of these clinics here is a helpful website http://www.ecodiroma.org/-vaccinazioni-a-roma.htm). Fortunately, there is a clinic located near Castle Sant’ Angelo that I went to. I gave them to the prescription, filled out some paperwork (all in Italian), and received the shot without any problem and for free.
This last weekend was a travel weekend here at the North American College. After my morning classes at the Gregorian University, I walked back to the college for lunch, went to my doctor’s appointment (see above), and then met three of my seminarian friends at the Saint Peter Train Station. The station is located very near to the North American College, but the only way to get to it is by walking all the way to St. Peter’s Basilica and then walking to the station. Still, it is not a long walk.
We decided to visit Romania for the weekend because the US Dollar was not as weak there, but I was shocked by how much I liked the town of Cluj, Romania. We took a two-hour flight via a cheap airline, W!zz Air, and flew into the town of Cluj. (W!ZZ Air is a great airline with new planes and a kind crew). The airport was very small and the weather was very cold. It was after 11pm when we arrived and we quickly took a taxi to our hotel in the historic center of the town. We stayed at the Hotel Melody and spent the evening exploring the town. Everything about the town was great! There were very large pedestrian walkways with trees and water fountains. There were also monuments and pieces of art scattered throughout the area. We also found the huge Basilica of Saint Michael, which was located next to our hotel. There were also Catholic and Orthodox churches scattered everywhere.
My favorite part of the trip was the weather. While it was very cold, it was also foggy and misty the entire time. It really felt like I was in a different country. We went to the Iulius Mall on Saturday, which was located a few kilometers away from the historic center. Walking up to the mall reminded me of malls in the US. Our first order of business when we reached the mall was to visit Starbucks! I had a good hot chocolate and then called my family with their wifi connection. We then wondered through the mall, ate lunch at Pizza Hut, and then went to see a movie in English with Romanian subtitles. It felt like being in the United States, but not. It was a nice trip and cost me less than $200 for everything (plane, hotel, transportation, food). Romania will be switching to the Euro in a couple years, so the prices will go up. I am glad I had a chance to go there now and I will try to go back before they switch to the Euro.
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- The Opera House in Cluj-Napoca, Romania is in the historic town center.
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- Thank you for flying Wizz Air… (insert joke).
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- The Basilica of St. Michael was located across the street from our hotel, Hotel Melody.
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- The weather was very foggy and misty while we were there. It was also really cold!
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- The Basilica of St. Michael is one of the best examples of Gothic architecture in Eastern Europe.
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- The Metropolitan Orthodox Cathedral is located in Avram Iancu Square in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
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- This Romanian flag is flown in Avram Iancu Square in the vicinity of a huge monument.
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- We left the Iulius Mall after dark. It was really cold and foggy, as you can tell!
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- This is one of the views from our hotel room at Hotel Melody.
Daytrip to Bagnoregio
Two weekends ago was very busy. They were so busy that I forgot to upload this post after I was done writing it. Sorry for the delay!
All of the Oklahomans that are at the North American College went on a road trip to the birthplace of St. Bonaventure. The town of Bagnoregio, Italy is located about a two-hour drive north of Rome, near Orvieto. The morning began with a private Mass and then we hopped in a car and headed out of the City of Rome. It was the first time being in a private car (not a taxi) since I left Oklahoma in July! The City of Rome doesn’t seem so big when driving in a car! Within just a few minutes we were on the Northwestern outskirts of Rome.
Just on the drive out of Rome, we drove by a few pretty cool things. We first drove by the Ara Pacis, Altar of Peace, erected by the Roman Emperor Augustus after his victories in Hispania and Gaul. It is now encased in a large glass building. I couldn’t grab a picture of it, but it looked pretty cool from the street. We also drove by the Olympic Stadium in Rome that was constructed by Mussolini and was home of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 1960 Olympic Summer Games. (For those of you who do not know, I am a huge fan of the Olympics!) Within minutes, we were out of the city and in the country.
Living in a city that consists of mostly concrete, stones, and buildings, it was a breath of fresh air, literally, to get out into the country. To the north of Rome there are many rolling hills of grass, vineyards, and trees. Since the weather has been getting colder here in Italy, the leaves have begun to change colors into the classic autumn colors of yellow, orange, and red. The landscape reminded me a lot of the stretch of highway that connects Kansas City, Missouri to St. Joseph, Missouri. It was great to feel like I was back in my element. The experience also gave me more incentive to learn how to drive a standard transmission car, so I will be able to rent a car and just drive in the country.
After passing several medieval cities, like Orte, we finally arrived in the New City of Bagnoregio. The newer part of town had narrow streets and buildings with shops on the bottom floors and apartments in the upper floors. It was great and it seemed like everyone was so happy to live there. The weather was nice and crisp and we figured that it was perfect weather for a hot chocolate. No big deal, right? WRONG! “Italian Hot Chocolate” is nothing like I have ever had before now. It has the consistency of unset, milk chocolate pudding. It was somewhere between a liquid and a solid and it reminded me of my mom’s famous chocolate meringue pie.
We then walked just about a block and came upon an amazing overlook of the medieval town of Bagnoregio. The overlook was built on a cliff and it almost appeared to be a large, tree-filled crater, with a tall spire of a plateau in the center with the town of Bagnoregio resting on the top of it. Just a few years ago, the only way to reach the town was by using a rope bridge, but now there is a small pedestrian bridge that allows people to come visit this quiet Italian town. After taking in the breath-taking view, we walked down some stone steps to the area where the pedestrian bridge connects to the new town. There was a vendor selling fresh fruit, nuts, and other natural snacks. We bought some caramelized almonds and then we began the ascent on the bridge.
When we walked through the city gate, we were transported to a town that seems to have been frozen in time. There were rich vines clinging to the ancient stone buildings and we saw a few of the locals enjoying a Saturday afternoon at a small café. We then came to a small town square, with the center building being a small church and several little restaurants. Ultimately, the town was eerily quiet. Even the few tourists that were there were quiet. We ate at a Bed and Breakfast that was run out of the old rectory connected to the Church and we were lucky to be greeted by the owner, Franco. He told us that Rick Steves spent three months living at the B&B, seventeen years ago, as he wrote his book, Europe through the Backdoor. After the excellent pranzo, we wondered around the rest of the small town. There is only on main street that is lines with some condemned stone buildings, hidden restaurants, a wine press, and a few other hidden money-makers. There were also an uncommon abundance of cats!
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- After arriving at Bagnoregio, birthplace of St. Bonaventure, we had to walk across a pedestrian bridge to the small, sleepy town built upon a small plateau.
It was a great chance to get out of Rome and experience a part of Italy that I will probably never be able to visit again, unless I learn how to drive a car with standard transmission. I think cars are pretty easy to rent here, but they do not have cars with automatic transmission available for rent or they are really expensive. Anyway, I hope to learn soon!
Passport to Europe: Malta
This natural rock formation is one of the most stunning things I have ever seen!
Last weekend was the first travel weekend for the academic year at the North American College. These are a lot like the weekends I had at Conception Seminary College, in which we could go home for the weekend or travel with other seminarians. In fact, I returned home for every one of those weekends while at Conception Seminary College, except for one. I loved driving the seven hours back to Oklahoma City from Conception, Missouri to spend the weekend with my family. Therefore, I couldn’t help but think about driving back home and relaxing for the weekend this time, but… it is impossible. I guess part of the sacrifice of giving my life to Jesus Christ is to not look with sadness that I am so far from home, but in the fact that I have left everything to follow Him. However, I am already looking forward to return home for the summer of 2011!
I decided to spend this weekend with my friends, Ryan and David, in the small, island country of Malta. It is located between Italy and Africa in the Mediterranean Sea. It is believed to be where St. Paul was shipwrecked on his way to Rome. In fact, we stayed in an apartment near St. Paul’s Bay, on Malta’s North Shore. This small country is, I believe, one of the heaviest populated countries in the world because it is a small country and everyone seems to live in high-rise apartments. Many different countries throughout history have ruled the island, but Great Britain is the most recent and their recent presence is clearly seen. The official language is Maltese, but since their number one source of income is tourism, everything is in English. I didn’t realize how much I missed seeing English signs and being able to speak in English with people on the street or in stores! It was great!
We arrived on Thursday evening at the Malta International Airport. The airport was small, but very nice. We made it to our apartment on the other side of the island by utilizing an airport shuttle service. Several things were hitting me at once. First of all, the Maltese drive on the wrong side of the road. Secondly, our driver was crazy! We arrived a little after 11pm and he sped so fast down the streets. I think David, Ryan, and I kept our eyes closed and a prayer on our lips! As it turns out, everyone drives like that in Malta, because we also took a taxi and a shuttle back to the airport and they both drove about the same. They must have a death wish!
We spent the first day visiting St. Paul’s Bay to see the island where St. Paul washed up on the beach a few decades after the crucifixion of Jesus. We also took a sightseeing bus around the southern part of the island to be able to see the sites. We had a great time and were able to experience a lot of the island. We even ate at a Pizza Hut for dinner! (There are not Pizza Hut Restaurants in Rome.) There was also something that peaked my interest on the tour. In Malta’s history many powerful countries in Europe have conquered them. Therefore, they people in power tried to defend the island by erecting watchtowers along the entire coasts of the main island of Malta and the smaller Maltese island of Gozo. When invaders would be spotted during the day, the watchman would fly a signal flag for the watchmen on the other watchtowers could fly their flags. Therefore, in moments, the entire island would know of the impending threat. At night, they would light signal fires to accomplish the same goal. The concept reminded me of the same concept in the Lord of the Rings books.
The view of the harbor from our hotel.
In the distance you can see a statue of St. Paul that marks where St. Paul is believed to have arrived in Malta.
Standing next to a mini cliff on St. Paul's Bay.
This is one of the many harbors that dot the Malta coastline.
Sliema, Malta.
We spent the following day in the smaller island of Gozo. We paid for an excursion of the natural, hidden charms of Gozo, but we were grouped with another group that was going on a standard tour of the island. I was really disappointed, but we were able to convince the driver to take us to one of the best natural parts of the island, the Azure Window. It is a rock formation on the coast, It was beautiful and worth the annoyance of visiting all of the pagan landmarks on the island from some of the earliest tribes on the island. The oldest ancient temples in the world are located in Gozo, even older than Stonehenge. We could see parts of them from the gate, but we didn’t really care to pay extra to view them up close.
On the ferry to the island of Gozo we saw hundreds of huge jellyfish!
This was a view from the Hilltop Fortress of Gozo.
This is one of the coastlines in Gozo.
This natural rock formation is one of the most stunning things I have ever seen!
This deep pool of water was next to the Azure Window.
The small island on the right is called Fungus Rock. British military doctors used the fungus that grows on the rock for medicine at one point.
That evening, we decided to travel to the city of Birgu, for the annual Birgu Fest. It is the perfect fall festival. They turn off all of the lights in the city and light all of the streets with candles. There were so many candles that the streets actually glowed from the warm light emanating from the thousands of candles that lined the streets, walls, and even hung over the street. It was pretty impressive. Even the homes were lit from candles on the inside and the parish churches were open for prayer. In the main square, there were dozens of food vendors and a huge concert stage. For most of the evening, the DJ played classical music with a beat. It reminded me of the electronic string quartet, Bond. There were also kids playing violins and violas in the side streets for the thousands of people wandering through the streets. The atmosphere was very “Halloween-like” and it made me crave a slice of pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, pumpkin ice cream, or anything made from pumpkin. I had a great time and I still cannot believe how we managed to be there for the once-a-year festival. What a blessing!
Birgu Fest at night.
The entire city was lit up from only candlelight for their annual Birgu Fest.
Birgu, Malta.
More candles in Birgu.
Since the next day was our last day in Malta, I decided to wake up early, walk to the shore, and watch the sunrise over the Mediterranean Sea. It was a great way to cap off my weekend in Malta.
Sunrise over the Mediterranean Sea.
Sunrise over the Mediterranean Sea.
This is one of the popular places near our hotel on the North Shore of Malta.
Wasting Time With God
Yesterday, I returned back to Rome from the first year “New Man” retreat. The retreat was very simple in its format. It was a silent retreat with community liturgies (Mass, Morning and Evening Prayer, Holy Hour), and two 45-minute conferences by our retreat leader. The rest of the time was free for us to sit back and refocus our spiritual lives before classes begin next week. The conferences were wonderful and invited me to go deeper with my love and dependence of Jesus Christ. It was a great retreat and I am looking forward to continue to reap the harvest from the retreat for months to come.
The retreat center was located in Greccio, Italy. It is located in the mountains and is home to the first Nativity Scene, created by St. Francis of Assisi. He did this in order to give Italians another option when they desired to travel to Bethlehem to experience where Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary. However, because of the civil unrest in that area of the world, it was extremely dangerous to travel the pilgrimage roads to the Holy Land. St. Francis then decided to create the first live Nativity Scene for the people in the area, many of whom were poor, to experience the miracle of the Word being made flesh. It also allowed the people to be closer linked to the Baby Jesus in his poverty and complete dependence upon the Father.
One day, I decided to hike the trail behind the Church of St. Francis. I didn’t really know what was on the trail, because I was not able to talk to the other seminarians during the retreat. However, I had a great time exploring. The wooded path led, very steeply, up the mountain. There were several parts of the path that were very narrow and, with one wrong step, a pilgrim would fall… pretty far. Eventually, the nature trail ended and turned into a beautiful stone pathway that led to the top of the mountain. It was a lot easier to walk, but the path also grew more steep. With a lot of time and sweat, I reached the top and then explored the meadow located at the top of the mountain. The meadow was level and had a nice sandy path through the fruit trees and other shrubs. While I have never been to the Holy Land, this is what I would have imagined would have met my eyes during the time of Jesus’ birth. The walk and hike also allowed me to enter deeply into the Passion and Death of Christ and that first Easter morning. I really liked the silence and simplicity of just being in the presence of God on that mountain. What a great way to waste time with Him!
Thank you all so much for praying for me and the other seminarians during the retreat. I am looking forward use the graces I gained on the retreat to become a better disciple of Christ and to, with God’s grace, to serve at the altar as an ordained priest of Jesus Christ.
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- The seminarians as we approached the retreat center.
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- This is where I spent a lot of my time in prayer.
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- Some of the artwork on the grounds of the retreat center were a little cryptic. I can’t tell if this is an angel or a human bat.
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- These statues welcomed visitors to the chapel at the retreat center, Oasi Bambino Gesu.
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- This statue was on the grounds of the retreat center, but I just don’t get it!
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- This paved path allowed the early pilgrims to experience Bethlehem in their own backyard.
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- This meadow and gravel road was at the top of the mountain.
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- This gate marked the summit of the mountain.
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- This is where St. Bonaventure lived.
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- Fog overtook the fields around Greccio every morning.
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- Overlooking the valley.
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- Getting one last look at the panoramic view before returning to Rome.
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- The nature trails were very steep, but a lot of fun to climb.
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- The location was beautiful!
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- The courtyard at the convent.
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- Silence is lifted!
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- The Convent in Greccio, Italy is located on the side of the mountain.
Pope Benedict XVI
Yesterday was a very special day for all of the first year seminarians at the Pontifical North American College. We were able to travel to Pope Benedict XVI’s summer residence, Castelgandolfo, for his Sunday Angelus address, prayer, and blessing upon the pilgrims. There were two full charter buses that transported us to the papal palace and we then entered a private entrance into the Papal Garden. It was very exciting to know that I was getting ready to see the Holy Father! When we departed the buses, we were free to walk around a little in the shade before moving to the public area of the palace. When we finally started walking towards to the piazza, we had to move to one side to let a car through. It was the Pope’s private car, but he wasn’t in it. Oh well!
We finally were able to position ourselves into the cortile (courtyard) next to one of the walls. There was so much excitement in the air as the minutes ticked away. Finally, just moments before the Pope came into view, the Swiss Guard stood at attention and everyone roared with cheers. Then Pope Benedict stepped out onto the balcony. Check out the video of the Papal Address by clicking here. Skip to 10 minutes and 50 seconds to see his special address to us and also for our class’ tradition of singing “Ad Multos Annos” for the first time to the Holy Father. It was an amazing experience and I will never forget it.
After the Papal Audience, we went to a restaurant that is a few blocks from the papal palace for Pranzo (lunch). It was a nice meal and we had a beautiful view of the lake that lies below the papal palace. After Pranzo, we were invited to tour the Papal Gardens by Archbishop James Harvey, Prefecture of the Papal Household. It was a great tour, but more importantly it made Pope Benedict XVI seem more real. I was walking on the path that we would walk on later that afternoon. I remember looking at several trees and thinking, “I wonder if Pope Benedict ever looks at that tree?”
We finished the tour by stopping at the statue of Mary that Pope Benedict XVI goes to every evening, while in Castelgandolfo, in order to pray the rosary with his two assistants. We were told that he prays there every evening at a specific time. Therefore, I was able to know that in less than one hour after leaving that spot, the Pope would come and pray there. WOW! That is mind bending!
It was a wonderful day and meant a lot to be in such close proximity to Christ’s vicar on Earth.
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- Me, Jason Doke, Ryan Browning, and David Esquiliano waiting to see Pope Benedict XVI.
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- Pope Benedict’s Car
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- Me and Msgr. Checchio before the Papal Angelus.
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- Moments before seeing the Pope!
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- Pope Benedict XVI gave a short talk on the importance of families.
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- This lake is behind the papal palace.
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- Walking through the papal gardens.
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- That was cool!
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- Archbishop Harvey feeds the fish near the place where Pope Benedict prays the rosary everyday.
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- We prayed the “Hail Holy Queen” prayer just one hour before Pope Benedict would pray the rosary from the same spot.
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- Msgr. Mueggenborg, Archbishop Harvey, and Msgr. Checchio moments before we entered the cortile.
Seminarians Sightseeing In Switzerland (Say that Five Times Fast!)
Today was my final Saturday in Verbania, Italy and I decided to do something I have wanted to do since I arrived here. I went to Switzerland! It was a great day, but like all our excursions, we had to catch the bus early. Therefore, I had to wake up at 5:30am in order to get ready, pray the Morning Office, and get down to meet the other seminarians that were going on the trip. Fortunately, there were not any problems throughout the entire day, which still surprises me. (For more information, read my other posts! haha)
The journey began by a bus ride from Verbania to Domodossola, which took a little over an hour. I grabbed a quick nap on the bus, but when I woke up I was thrilled to see some of the largest mountains I have ever seen completely surrounding us. The sight was breathtaking and a camera just cannot capture the immensity and grandeur that met our eyes. It was definitely a “God moment.” When we arrived at the bus station in Domodossola, we decided to grab a quick coffee at a café near the bus station and then we went in search of the Parish of Saints Gervasio and Protasio.
Why wait for a train when you can take a picture?
Walking the streets of Domodossola, Italy.
After wandering around the town for a little while, I finally just asked a woman where the church was located. After reaching the church, all six of us walked in as some of the parishioners were praying the Rosary. I went to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel and was praying when David told us that there was going to be Mass at 9:00am and that they wanted all of us to serve the Mass. I was so excited. We first prayed Morning Prayer with the congregation and then we went into the Sacristy to prepare for Mass.
Where we went to Mass.
Side altar in the parish.
Blessed Sacrament Chapel in Domodossola.
Me, Dan, David, Matthew, Ryan, and Daniel pose for a photo before serving Mass in Domodossola.
Mass was great! David read the First Reading in Italian, Daniel, Dan, and Matthew set the altar and assisted the priest, and Ryan and I assisted the priest at the altar during the Consecration of the Eucharist. The priest wore a beautiful chasuble in which Ryan and I lifted during the Elevation of the Blessed Sacrament. It was an amazing experience that I will never forget.
Pausing for a picture after the Mass with the Pastor of the Parish and the Dean of the Deanery.
David writes our address in Rome for the pastor.
Behind the High Altar in Domodossola.
After Mass we were all stoked. We wondered through the, then busy, outdoor market and made our way to the train station. We boarded the Lago Maggiore Express, which is a panoramic-view train, that takes people high up into the mountains, through the towns of Santa Maria Maggiore, Re, and ultimately crosses over the country border into Switzerland. The views were great.
Outdoor market.
Looking at all of the wonderful things for sale at the outdoor market in Domodossola.
Matthew and Dan on the train.
Ryan, Daniel, David, and Me on the train.
We decided that we wanted to stop in the small town of Re, because it is the site of a miracle in which a small fresco of Mary and Jesus bled for twenty days after being struck by a stone in 1494. Re, Italy is situated up in the mountains and is simply breathtaking. We walked into the large pilgrimage church of Madonna del Sangue, as their Mass was ending. Of all days we were there, Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, the President of the Governor of the Vatican City State. We walked around the chapel and sanctuary for a few minutes and then we hurried back to the train station to catch the next train.
Church in Re, Italy.
Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo celebrating Mass.
The fresco was the source of a miracle in the 1490's.
A picture of a bee while we were waiting for the train.
We were not able to get on another panoramic-view train, but we took an old train that had open windows in which we could actually take better pictures because we didn’t have reflections from the glass.
The train the Switzerland is beautiful!
Vineyards on the side of a mountain.
We went by many vineyards while on the train.
We finally arrived in the Swiss town of Locarno. Locarno is situated on the northern bank of Lago Maggiore, in southern Switzerland. The town is beautiful and is full of shops and churches. Unfortunately, the churches were all closed for the traditional pranzo (lunch) time. We found some pizza place and we were able to use Euro cash to buy stuff in Swiss Francs. It was a strange transaction, but I ended up eating for pretty cheap. We then went into the main piazza in Locarno as an Irish band was preparing for a concert that will be held this evening. During the sound check, we sat at a small café and enjoyed the music.
Matthew, Ryan, and Daniel (and me) wait for David and Dan.
Locarno, Switzerland was hosting an Irish Music Festival.
Enjoying a toast in a piazza in Switzerland.
You cannot come to Switzerland without trying some chocolate!
After a few hours in Locarno, we had to walk to the port in order to catch the ferry back to Verbania. It was really cool to take the train to Locarno and then the ferry back down the lake to the town in which we have been living. The ferry was relaxing and I took tons of pictures during the two-hour journey back to Verbania. It was a wonderful day and it was a great way to end my time here in Northern Italy before returning back to Rome on Tuesday.
These were all of the stops on the Ferry back to Verbania.
Enjoying the shores of Lago Maggiore.
One of the last towns in Switzerland before crossing the Swiss-Italian border.
Arriving at the port in Verbania.
Tomorrow I plan on sleeping in (until 8:30am) and then I will go to the Basilica of San Vittore for Sunday Mass. The basilica is located just a few blocks from the hotel and I have been going to Mass there for most mornings before my Italian lessons. However, I have only gone to Mass in the small Eucharistic chapel. Now I will finally be able to see the massive basilica lit up for Mass. The basilica is in serious need of a makeover, but it is massive and beautiful in its ancientness. If we could transport it to the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, it would easily replace our current cathedral because of the shear size of the church in Verbania. It is a beautiful church and the dome and bell tower can be seen from nearly the entire town. I will miss it and the great priests that serve the community of Verbania.
The Basilica of San Vittore
Reaching the “One Month” Mark
It is hard to believe that I have now been in Italy for one month. The first week in Rome gave me just enough time to unpack most of my things and arrange my room…and then I was gone. Now that I am wrapping up my language studies in Northern Italy, I am looking forward to returning to Rome in order to start feeling like that is where I live now. Since we were pulled out of Rome so quickly, I know the area around the hotel in Verbania better than I do the area around the North American College in Rome. I am ready to stop living out of a suitcase.
For dinner last night, most of the seminarians and tutors went out to eat at one of the best pizzerias in Verbania, Paschal’s Pizzeria. The restaurant is located right on Lago Maggiore and boasts some breathtaking, and unobstructed, views of the town of Laveno and the mountains on the other side of the lake. The pizza was good and the company was great. It was really amazing to see how far we have all come with our language studies since we have been here! I cannot understand everything, but I was able to contribute to the conversation and answer questions from others. It is a great feeling to be able to communicate in another language and other people understand. It may not be completely grammatically correct, but just getting across to other people is a great feeling. I look forward to continue improving when I return to Rome.
The NAC seminarians walking to the pizzeria to meet our teachers for dinner.
Eating pizza with our teachers at Paschal's Pizzeria on the Lago Maggiore shore.
Elisa, my Italian conversation tutor, and me after dinner.
Since our time is running out, I am trying to see everything I can in Northern Italy before leaving next week. Therefore, today I went with David and Ryan to a small hermitage that is located on Lago Maggiore. The hermitage, Santa Caterina del Sasso, was established in the early 12th century as a Benedictine monastery that was later converted into a hermitage. It is a very simple group of buildings, but it is amazing and beautiful because it is built on the side of rocky cliff and overlooks Lago Maggiore. After our Italian lessons this morning, one of the tutors gave us a ride to one of the ports and we took a ferry to Stresa and then to Santa Caterina del Sossa. After we stepped off of the ferry we immediately climbed up steep steps made out of rock and then, before I knew it, we were at the ground level of the hermitage. The hermitage is not used anymore, as far as I know, and is one of the many sightseeing sights in the Lago Maggiore area. Therefore, there were a lot of people milling around and taking pictures of the façade of the building.
The palace on Isola Bella on the way to Santa Caterina del Sasso.
There were some awesome flowers blooming in the touristy town of Stresa.
Another flower in Stresa.
There are many weathered frescoes that adorn the walls and it is clear that people had periodically painted over the old frescoes. However, the frescoes that remain are awesome. I wish I had something like that on my walls in Rome! Many of the scenes probably depicted the history of the hermitage and church, but I didn’t have any guide to make out what the frescoes meant. So, I just sat down in the old, hardwood pews to pray and to admire the craftsmanship of so many people. The great thing about the chapel is that the focus is ultimately on the altar. All of the frescoes and side chapels seem to point towards the tabernacle on the high altar. It was a wonderful place to pray and to remember how I am a part of the history of the Church just by visiting these holy and revered places on pilgrimage. To be able to pray at the feet of Saints and to walk on the streets that they walked remind me that I am studying to be a Catholic priest because I want to follow God in the same ways they did. I believe that we are all called to follow Christ and to strive to become Saints.
A picture of me at Santa Caterina.
One of the many porticos on Santa Caterina.
Another view of the hermitage.
The high altar in Santa Caterina is beautiful.
Me standing in the back of the ferry with Santa Caterina in the background.
Arrival in Verbania
I arrived in Verbania, Italy by train earlier this evening. It was a long eight hour journey from the seminary, but the last few minutes of the train ride were worth the exhaustion! I have never seen anything so beautiful and stunning in my life. The contrast between the lake, Lago Maggiore, and the sheer height of the mountains are shocking. The town is situated on the border between Italy and Switzerland and I believe that these mountains are the beginning of the Swiss Alps. Of course, the mountains just get larger as you move into Switzerland, but they are pretty impressive in Verbania. I am here with eight other New Men from the North American College, and there will be several other 2nd Year Men joining us tomorrow. In fact, my Italian classes begin tomorrow morning so I should try to get to bed. Not to worry…I will post pictures real soon. However, the priority is now switched from being a tourist to being a student.
Please pray for me!
Arrivederci!
Cake at Reception.
After the weekend Masses at my home parish, St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church, Fr. Boyer held a reception in my honor to commemorate my upcoming move to Rome. The reception gave me the chance to meet many of the parishioners from St. Mark’s that I did not know, but also gave me a chance to say “farewell” to many of my friends from the parish. I have been a member of St. Mark’s for about fifteen years and I already know how hard it will be to not be able to pray in the beautiful sanctuary for the next two years. However, my prayers will be with the parish family that helped shape me into the person that I have become.
A few words after Mass to the parish
I am planning on keeping everyone at St. Mark’s updated with what is going on with me in Rome by writing letters for the Church bulletin and also through this blog. I know that everything will really begin to speed up in the coming months, but I at least have the intention of keeping everyone up-to-date!
I am now five days away from flying to Rome, Italy. My main priority today is to obtain a new Driver’s License. More to come later!
