ROAD TRIP!!!

This past weekend, we had a four day weekend because Thursday was the Italian equivalent of 4th of July so I took advantage of the 4 days and got out of Rome.  I ended up renting a car with 4 other guys and having an absolutely awesome weekend.  While everybody and their mother was terrified at the thought of driving through Italy, there were no issues at all and it was smooth sailing the whole time.  Being one of the tallest and probably the best at Italian in the group, I ended up as the navigator for the whole trip, which was fun.  When we made our way to the airport to pick up our car and they showed us which car was ours, we were pretty psyched.  That was because we had BRAND NEW Volkswagen Golf, which was just great.  It had 12 kilometers on the odometer and we were the first people to actually drive it.  So after leaving the airport, our first stop was Lanciano, home of the biggest Eucharistic miracle of all time, so let me tell you the story.  A priest from the 700s was having a very hard time believing that the Eucharist was actually the body and blood of Jesus Christ.  As Catholics, we believe that Jesus is there.  Like really there.  While it may look like bread, after the priest says "This is my body... This is my blood," it is Jesus Christ.  The very substance of the bread and wine, while looking like bread and wine, is changed into Jesus.  And the priest, doubting this, received an incredible grace that day some 1300 years ago.  When he said "This is my body," the host literally turned into human heart tissue.  Let me say that again.  The bread became a piece of heart tissue.  And the wine turned into human blood.  Like actual blood.  It was bread and wine.  Then it became heart tissue and blood.  There is no way to possibly scientifically explain that.  But it happened.  Oh, and you can still see it.  So that is what we did.  Being able to pray with the physical body of Christ was incredible.  It made me realize that I need to continue to grow in my own belief in the True Presence of Christ.  So being able to sit and pray there was just amazing.  Here is a picture of the flesh and blood that is over 1300 years old.  Lanciano was just incredible, but we couldn't stay long because we had to get to our hotel in Mattinata.

Heart Tissue on Top
Droplets of blood in bottom glass

Our drive to Mattinata was incredibly beautiful and when we finally got to our hotel, we could not believe our eyes.  Beautifully situated in a valley surrounded by mountains an overlooking the sea, it was probably the most beautiful view I have ever had from a room I stayed in.  It was just an incredible place and it was super cheap, so really, you could not get any better than where we stayed.  It was just marvelous.

View from my room 

Max Behna, Mike Steffes, Vince Fernandez, Justin Wiltse, and I

The next day, we went and visited 2 great pilgrimage sites, San Giovanni Rotunda and Monte San'Angelo.  San Giovanni Rotunda is the home of Padre Pio, the great 20th century saint who is one of the biggest miracle workers the Church has ever known.  While I wish I had time to share more about him, I think the 2 things I want to mention are Padre Pio's ability to bilocate and the gift of the stigmata.  First, bilocation.  Becasue of his sanctity, Padre Pio was known to appear in two places at once.  That's pretty incredible if I don't say so myself.  There are multiple stories of him appearing to people and then when they met him later, they realize that the little Italian Capuchin friar that they saw was actually him.  He used this gift to protect his town from US bombings in WWII and to visit priests in concentration camps during the war.  So while still being in this little Italian town, he would appear to pilots in planes or to priests in Nazi Germany.  The second gift, the stigmata, is just incredible.  Padre Pio, on his body, visibly bore the 5 wounds of Christ for over 50 years.  So his hands, feet and side were almost always bleeding because he was so conformed to Christ crucified, He gave Pio the grace to suffer with him.  So while this is a rare gift, it shows Pio's amazing sanctity and union with Christ.  In San Giovanni Rotunda, we were able to pray at his tomb, see a lot of his "stuff" and just experience the city that he made into the place it is today.  The area is absolutely amazing and I really enjoyed it there.  Going into the trip, I didn't know a whole lot about Padre Pio, but now he definitely has a special place in my heart.  I think that we are going to be good friends.  I have a lot to learn from him about how to be a good and holy priest.

Padre Pio's confessional!

Padre Pio's Mass supplies

After San Giovanni Rotunda, we went to Monte San'Angelo, home of the Cave of St. Michael.  St. Michael the Archangel appeared in this cave during the 400s, and ever since then, it has been a place of devotion for thousands of pilgrims.  So being there was very cool because St. Michael is an awesome saint.  He WANTS to help you defeat evil in life.  Every single image of him has him crushing Satan, and if you ask him, he will help protect you and your family.  Spiritual warfare is a real thing, but we know that as long as we stay close to God and ask for the intercession of the saints and angels, we have nothing to fear.  So it was cool being able to pray in a cave and ask for his intercession.

A Church!  In a cave!  With St. Michael!  

The last thing I want to say about the tip was how incredibly beautiful the land was.  The mountains, the valleys, the sea.  It was just amazing.  As we were driving on the narrow mountain roads with lots of curves and switchbacks, we were stopping to get out and take pictures all of the time.  And we were only able to experience such beauty because we had the car and could drive through the mountains on our own.  It was so cool.  Most people in Rome tend to stick with the West Coast of Italy, but going to the East Coast was such a treat and it was a really great break from the city.  Now, it is back to the grind of school, but we have some exciting things ahead, so I will keep you posted.  Again, thanks for reading and your support in prayer.  Know that I am praying for all of you.

Our car for the weekend with some of the beauty behind us!

Sts. Padre Pio and Michael - Pray for us!