The retreat team for Mighty Is Her Call is busily looking into dates for a fall retreat in Irving. It will be at the Hilton hotel. Guests will enjoy a full day retreat with a plated lunch in the ballroom. Very, very exciting! The retreat is called, “Mighty Is Her Gift” and considers the gifts…

Little Annie finished 4th grade today! I can hardly believe we made it through the year. Italians grade on a 10-point scale. Annie is at the top of her class, having gotten all 8’s, 9’s and 10’s! She got one 7 which was in Italian. We’ll give her a pass for that. Incredible that she…

Today is exactly 90 days from the closing of schools due to the coronavirus outbreak. Look at the news: the virus has lost its force! Even those who test positive in Italy are experiencing a much less dangerous disease. Oh, thank you Lord! [Other Italian doctors are furious that this doctor is saying this. ….

It is Monday and I asked the moms on the group chat for Annie’s class, “Ci sono lezioni? [Are there classes today?”]They replied, “Non, c’e ponte.” What does that mean??    Tomorrow, Tuesday, is a holiday, Republic Day. Well, whenever Italians have a national holiday on a Tuesday or a Thursday, they take Monday or…

I am so proud of Mary! She has learned the philosophy of Augustine, all in Italian! She has a very pushy, moody teacher who is intimidating, and he interrogates his students verbally. She and several classmates were late to class because the absolutely worst teacher in the school kept them late for her class. So,…

I spent the day with Ron. We spent the afternoon talking about theology outside with the birds chirping and the sun shining, kids running around all over the place, playing with Italian kids in the area. This is a man who stole my heart. He is so kind and loves us all so well. I…

Today we are venturing into ROME! I can’t believe it! I hope we stay out till midnight! Just walking around, even if most things are closed, will be such a breath of fresh air! The kids are suffering these last weeks of school. All the Italians cheat like crazy, and our kids do not but…

   I am positively amazed that Jacob just had a philosophy test on Immanuel Kant! In Italian! How do you say “transcendental idealism” in Italian?

   One of the things I have learned in my Eucharist class at the Angelicum is that I know almost nothing about the word “sign” and how it is used theologically, but that it is very rich and I am so intrigued. Thomas Aquinas says that all sacraments are “signs,” and that these are “sacred…