Monday, October 02, 2023 at 4:00 pm CT. Entrance: Free. Loyola University, McCormick Lounge. 1000 W Sheridan Ave, Chicago IL. Presented by prof. Stefania Santelia. The ancient Romans particularly loved the thermal baths: for centuries, they were a place of physical well-being, socialization, and relaxation for everyone, men and women alike. However...

A new life-size statue of a Catholic saint is gracing a downtown park after a vandalized statue of Christopher Columbus was removed back in 2020. The six-foot bronze statue of St Francis Di Paola was installed Saturday in the Piazza Italia Park. The installation was also followed by a celebration of Mass at San Francesco Di Paola Church According t...

“O Madonna Mia!” It’s a phrase that far surpasses “oh my god” in Italian–fitting, considering this country’s reverence for the Divine Mother. Madonnina statues are enshrined on street corners, watching over intersections from north to south. She adorns necklaces alongside crosses. Her image veiled oversees bars, gelaterias, and even butcher shops—a...

Joe Cirillo has never attended the St. Ann's Italian Festa in Raritan, a fundraising feast of volunteer-made meatballs, breaded eggplant, sausage and peppers and pizza fritte. But the volunteer leading the efforts to bring back the Festa for its 115th running is determined to make 2024 his first trip. The free-admission, four-day Festa annually rai...

Relics are a very deep and ancient Catholic tradition, according to one diocesan priest, and Catholics in the area can venerate a first-class relic of a 20th century young man who died at age 15 and was beatified a few years ago. The St. Pius X Columbiettes of the city of Wilmington have organized a two-day stop at St. Elizabeth Church of five stra...

Have you heard of the Holy Stairs or Scala Sancta in Rome? This is an interesting and important site to visit, whether you are religious or not. Find out why you should see (and maybe even climb) the holy staircase in Rome, and get my top tips for the best way to do it! The Holy Stairs in Rome - Everything you need to Know The Holy Stairs, also kno...

Why Rome? Why has Rome, along with the rest of Italy, been the home of so many saints and blesseds throughout the history of the Church? It’s impossible to arrive at a precise total for the number of Christians who have died as martyrs since our Lord’s Passion and Death, but calculating the number of non-martyrs is much more straightforward. And in...

The Mother Cabrini Shrine has indeed emerged as an iconic destination for tens of thousands of pilgrims each year, drawing visitors from various walks of life to embrace the powerful story of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini. Even if you’re not here on a religious pilgrimage, the shrine holds a profound appeal that transcends boundaries. The life of Mo...

St. Nicholas Chapel, built by Sicilian immigrants during the 1920s and a part of St. Teresa R.C. Church, recently celebrated its 100th anniversary. Close to 125 parishioners and the faithful celebrated 3 p.m. Mass at St. Nicholas Chapel on June 25, followed by a ceberatory dinner at LiGreci’s Staaten, West Brighton. The centennial event was co-chai...

Workers from Greco Construction ensured mounting bolts and holes on the statue’s base and pedestal matched up.  A worker used a pallet jack to move the 6-foot-tall figure from the Francesco di Paola Catholic Church Garden to the park. The crane operator shifted gears to hoist the sculpture upon the 5-foot-tall base. With two hands, a site manager g...