Tomb of Archbishop Annibale Bugnini...

There were many giants of the twentieth century. I guess maybe this prelate was one of them. This is his tomb, just outside the village of his birth, Civitella del Lago, in Umbria. I was there last March and it was a lovely time in the sunny hills of Umbria.

The village of Civitella del Lago is set high above an artificial lake, Lake Corbara, which is really just the Tiber River. It’s a lovely little village set high in the Umbrian sky. In fact, it’s just next to Orvieto.

Tomb of Archbishop Bugnini...

Before all those who knew him are dead, it would be great for somebody (who speaks Italian) to write a book on the life of this prelate. My taxi driver explained that although there are no more members of the Bugnini family still living in the village, there are still two living nephews, Vincenzo who lives in Orvieto and Antonio who works at Rome’s Gemelli clinic.

Tomb of Archbishop Bugnini...

If you’re in Rome and want to visit the tomb, just take a train from Roma Termini to Orvieto. You can spend the day there and see the Eucharistic miracle in the Cathedral, have lunch and enjoy the town. Then, just take a taxi for about 50 euro (or take a bus that leaves just once a day) to Civitella del Lago. My taxi driver was great. His name was Olinto Rossi and he explaind that he knew the Bugnini family.

The sister of Archbishop Bugnini...

My taxi driver looked ancient and so I asked him about the war. He laughed as they all do and then explaind how the Allied bombing had killed so many civilians. He was born in ’38 and so he was just a kid during the bombings of ’43-’44. He explained that although he grew up in a little village near Orvieto, he remembered seeing and hearing the bombers as the Rome-Milan train lines were all bombed to pieces.

1920-2007: Monsignor Richard Schuler, Ph.D.

This is me and my pastor last summer as he treated me to lunch in Hopkins. I was always humbled by his graciousness. He loved to sing the Mass and he taught me the Roman rite.

“How I wept, deeply moved by your hymns, songs, and the voices that echoed through your Church! What emotion I experienced in them! Those sounds flowed into my ears, distilling the truth in my heart. A feeling of devotion surged within me, and tears streamed down my face – tears that did me good.”
-St. Augustine: Confessions 9, 6, 14:PL 32, 769-770

On the road to Rome sweet home...

“All roads lead to Rome, which is one reason why many people never get there.”

-G. K. Chesterton: Orthodoxy (one of my favorite books and you can buy it here: http://www.tanbooks.com/)

Jesus: your best friend...

Save the last dance for me...

At a recent party here in Italy we all danced. Salsa, swing and fox trot were on the menu.

Good times in Italy...

One can always meet great folks at a party in Italy!

Ho bisogno di soldi...

"So the poor have hope." (Job 5:16). I am always impressed by the innate modesty and generosity of those that give. In fact, I continue to study in Rome as a student of the sacred science of theology thanks in large part to those who have been generous and donated through this blog via the PayPal button.

In the summer I am as a hireling with wages. As I often remind myself, God provides for every bird, but He doesn't alwas place it in the nest. My daily prayer is for those who have given generous financial assistance toward my Christian education - I pray you all receive the recompense of your generosity.

In fact, if there is some blessed Christian who in prayer feels prompted to donate $3,000 with urgecy then I can remain in Europe (or in Vladivostok, Russia) this summer so as to continue writing my tessina. I place this intention in the gracious hands of our Lady of Fatima. Grazie per il tuo contributo!

La Roma del futuro...

Il mondo della moda non e fatto solo di vestiti ma anche "smiles!" The future is already here and we enjoy it today al centro di Roma!

Europa Cristiana...

From the earliest times Rome has opened its bosom to the Catholic Faith and has ever jealously preserved it. My illustrious Sonnen predecessors sought the same. Today, we have been constituted the new guardians and defenders of the same Catholic truth.

Nel cuore di Roma...

Then there is Italy, in whose bosom, by an act of singular predilection, God has established the See of His Vicar. And then there is the joy of me being there, by Divine Providence, with my loved ones!

Rome lizards...

Call me crazy, but I was in the Angelicum garden when suddenly this Roman lizard just jumped on me!

Rome vestments...

Only the best in the "VRBS." Anyways, great craftsmanship. I'm told they can still make stuff like this in India (where the British Armed Forces have lots of their stuff made).

Rome vestments...

Like I always say: "If you want to see all the best vestmens while in Rome just visit the F.S.S.P. (www.fssp-roma.org)!"

Rome vestments...

Yes, it was the 1960s and so the colors got a little wierd, but a cool print anyways.

Altar clothes in Italy...

Such craftsmanship, as everybody knows, is almost extinct. In former years our joyful and talented sisters used to make most of these by hand. Let's teach our Catholic youth such skills and so pass on the knowledge and the beauty that comes along with it.

Mitre of Pius IX...

Senigallia is the town where Pope Pius IX was born. It's a small resort town on the Adriatic Sea. That's where I took this photo of his old mitre.

Graffitti for the Pope...

When Pope John Paul II passed away in 2005 different people expressed their anguish in different ways and this included many lost youth with their graffitti.

L'aborto in Italia...

The poster reads: "LOVE AND DESIRE LIFE."


To see such positive pro-life initiatives in Italy makes me proud. A lot of forces are coming together with a growing momentum, with the Movimento per la Vita at the center of it all.

L'aborto in Italia...

Great to see pro-life labors on the peninsula together with prayer and fasting. The Centro di Aiuto alla Vita does a lot of good for a lot of pregnant women.

Avra...

I tuoi occhi. Il tuo sorriso. La tua forza e il tuo orgoglio. E non avra mai paura, perche tu non ne hai avuta. Il CAV ti puo aiutare.

Just one year ago...

Yesterday we celebrated the one year anniversary of my spawn, "il blog," with roast rabbit, Slim Jims and Ernest and Julio Gallo's Sierra Valley.

On May 18, 2006, this blog was initiated. In one year, this site has received over 90,000 hits, nearly 900 photos have been posted and the record most hits received in one day was just over 800.

I'm not sure how much longer this site will be functional, so if you see any photos you like, save them to your computer before it's too late. I pray you will all receive the recompense for your many good deeds and I wish everybody God's blessings from the URBS CAPVT ORBIS.

April 28 St. Fermina procession near Rome...

The streets decorated for St. Fermina...

St. Fermina inspires the youth...

These lucky girls got to dress up like St. Fermina. They were honorary guests in the procession. Rose petals were even dropped on the procession at the beginning.

St. Fermina inspires the youth...

These sweet kids looked so cute. I've seen this tradition at other festivals in Rome, too (i.e. for the feast of San Pancrazio, the boys dress up as the saint for the procession, etc.).

The famed St. Fermina procession begins...

Here we see the beginning of the parade to the port where everyone then got on ships for the blessing.

The famed St. Fermina procession begins...

The parade to and from the port was incredible. It's a must see every April 28.

Great banners: la festa patronale...

Knights of Civitavecchia...

Canons of the Cathedral of Civitavecchia...

Civitavecchia is great. It's a major terminal for overseas trade and a port of call for cruise liners in the Mediterranean. Also, Molinari Sambuca is made there!

Il vescovo conquista il cuore dei civitavecchiesi...

Every year, on April 28, the feast of St. Fermina, they have this mother of all processions in the Port of Rome, Civitavecchia. The saint once lived in this town up until her death in Amelia in 304 (most of her relics are in the Cathedral of Amelia today). The grotto where she lived in Civitavecchia is open once a year, on this day, below the fort at the port).

The bishop with his canons...

We must rely more on the datum of sacred liturgy for the rebuilding of civilization. Learn from the sacred rites.

Centumcellae: the statue emerges...

If you're ever in Rome on an April 28, be sure to be at this procession in Civitavecchia, the port of Rome (70 km from Termini). The first human settlements in this town date back to the early Etruscan period! In fact, the Emperor Trajan built the harbour and founded the city, Centumcellae.

Fedeli civitavecchiesi...

Famous last words: "Ahoye, take me to Catholic Italy and leave me there!" In Calvinist America, instead, all we do is talk about "ecumenism." "...ecumenism becomes a movement toward an abstract unity (though its adhrents think it to be quite concrete), because the concrete focus created in the Petrine office is either totally ignored or put at the end of the agenda." -Hans Urs Von Balthasar

Benvenuti a Civitavecchia (citta di mare)...

To the port we go! The port of Rome can accomodate 1,200 mooring ships. The hundreds of sailors, sail and wooden hull menders and the like all showed up for this annual procession. God bless these gracious thugs who carried the statue, too.

The immense crowd...

In this era of halfway Catholicism and ambivalent casual Catholics, it sure is nice to see some Catholic glory here. St. Fermina, patron saint and protectress of seafarers, pray for us!

The reliquary in the procession...

Wow, this silver reliquary dates from the year 1655 (that makes it older than the United States of America!) In Italy, secular humanists, masons and others have been predicting the demise of religion for the past 250 years - too bad they're too dead to see this glory!

Canons in the procession...

In Italy, when you visit a cathedral for a High Mass, you might see "canons." Here we see canons who are attached to the Cathedral of Saint Francis in the port of Rome, Civitavecchia.

The procession continues...

So many delightful Catholic events in Italy. One day it might be a great concerto d'organo and the next day such a processione as this. Actually, the best procession that I've ever seen in my life is the San Gennaro (St. Januarius) procession held twice a year in Napels (an absolute must for everybody!). The second best procession? This one for sure!

Archconfraternities in the procession...

Archconfraternites can do a lot of good for parish life. They can give tithes to what needs fixing, be the overseer/caretakers for maintenance, they can lock/unlock the church, commit to the candles/flowers, etc.

Archconfraternities in the procession...

The unsecularization of the remnant is the most important sociological fact about the twenty-first century and third millennium Italy of today. These laymen act upon their religious impulse and do a lot of good in preserving what is best of their culture.

Archconfraterities in the procession...

Many proud laymen in Italy belong to an "archconfraternity." Like they always say: "Siamo nati in questo tempo e dobbiamo percorrere coraggiosamente sino alla fine la via che ci e destinata."

Enduring remembrance: the banners...

Such a nice touch to have banners in a procession. The idea is even biblical: "May we shout for joy over your victory, and in the name of our God set up our banners!" -Psalm 20 (19): 5

So self-confident...

While religion has been driven into the private in America, one still enjoys this public glory in Italy. While the project of remaking the world without God - the Enlightenment - has failed, fides vincit upon the ancient streets of the port of Rome!

The faithful pray...

I'm so proud of this little warrior. She was the best dressed of all the faithful! It's a tribute to parents who take the time/effort/concern to dress their kids up for church.

The procession through the streets...

"I don't know about you guys, but as long as there's a biretta in the mix, I'm a happy camper!"

The procession through the streets...

"Why are the good vestments only seen in Italy?" you ask me. My reply: "Welcome to il belpaese!"

The procession through the streets...

Ah, great to see a nice Roman style cope for a change.