Life in the Face of Death
Fifth Sunday of Lent (Scrutiny 3) Last weekend, the 115 cardinal electors in Rome were preparing to enter the conclave to elect the 266th bishop of Rome. Today we give thanks to God… Continue reading
Or Not
Fourth Sunday of Lent (Scrutiny 2) The Vatican announced Friday that the conclave to elect the 266th bishop of Rome will begin Tuesday afternoon after a morning mass concelebrated by the 115 cardinal… Continue reading
7%
Third Sunday of Lent (Scrutiny 1) With Benedict XVI stepping down from the chair of St. Peter, the Roman Catholic church has entered a period of intense self-examination and soul-searching. Some voices in… Continue reading
Weekend in Assisi
My last weekend in Italy before returning home (15-17 February), a group of us went to Assisi. I had been to Assisi last summer, but only for a few hours with a tour… Continue reading
Scavi (Excavations under St. Peter’s Basilica)
Two weeks ago Wednesday, Msgr. Ray Dreiling (Fresno CA) and I went on a tour of the Scavi, the Excavations under St. Peter’s Basilica. I read up on the subject after the tour,… Continue reading
Ash Wednesday
We embraced the Lenten season in earnest with mass at 6:45 AM at Santa Sabina on the Aveline Hill. “The Basilica of Saint Sabina is the mother church of the Dominicans perched high above the Tiber to… Continue reading
Cinque Terre: Manarola
Manarola, built on a high rock 70 metres above sea level, is one of the most charming and romantic of the Cinque Terre villages. The tiny harbor features a boat ramp, picturesque multicoloured houses facing… Continue reading
Cinque Terre: Vernazza & Monterosso al Mare
The towns of Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare were the site of terrible floods in the fall of 2011. What we saw were fully recovered towns, with evidence of the flood, water lines… Continue reading
Cinque Terre: Riomaggiore
The Cinque Terre is a rugged portion of coast on the Italian Riviera. It is in the Liguria region, to the west of the city of La Spezia. “The Five Lands” is composed of five villages:… Continue reading
La Spezia by Train
Saturday, we took a taxi to the stazione in Firenze to catch a 6:30 AM train to La Spezia. It was cold. And nothing was open. There was a McDonald’s but it took… Continue reading