Ciao, tutti! I hope the summer break has been restful and fantastic for all of you thus far, and I hope many of you have the opportunity this summer to be "Traveling Knights!" The Tuesday after Prize Day, myself, Mr. Adam Farnie, Middle School Division Head, Coach Gary Holub, Director of Athletics, and 16 Regis Middle School boys had that opportunity as we embarked on Regis' first-ever European excursion to Italy. Our trip represented a blend of visits to important Catholic sites, exploration of monuments and sites significant in ancient Roman history, and a general taste of "la dolce vita," or the sweet life.

After a little hiccup with a delayed flight out of IAH, the group headed off to the canals of Venice. Said hiccup saw us stopping a couple of times along the way—first in Amsterdam and then in Paris. Upon our arrival, we headed to our hotel on Venice's famed Lido by high-speed water taxi. For reference, if you can imagine the wooden power boats in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade without the people trying to kill Harrison Ford, these are the boats I am talking about. Regis Knights know how to travel in style!

Our full day in Venice started with a visit to a glass workshop in Murano, where we had the chance to watch local artisans create beautiful pieces of art using a centuries-old technique. From there, we visited the Basilica San Marco and its adjacent piazza. St. Mark's is a beautiful Church decorated with Byzantine-style mosaics, and it is also the final resting place of St. Mark himself—that's right; we stood within a few feet of one of the four Gospel authors, whose final resting place is directly below the main altar. We also visited the famous Rialto Bridge, enjoyed a gondola ride, some shopping and free time, a delicious meal, and, of course, gelato.

 

 

 

From Venice, it was off to Florence for us, but with a stop in Padua along the way. Padua was the adopted home of St. Anthony (he was actually born in Portugal). In the Basilica Pontificia di Sant'Antonio di Padova, we took in the high altar designed by Donatello and the very impressive Chapel of the Relics, which contains various relics of St. Anthony (including his tongue, jaw bone, and vocal apparatus) along with relics of other saints and a piece of the True Cross.

Upon arrival in Florence, we enjoyed a little "passeggiata," or afternoon/evening stroll to get the lay of the land before a fabulous Florentine meal. The boys had the opportunity to have dinner on their own at restaurants of their choosing (within a limited area) using vouchers provided by our tour company. It was a great opportunity for them to practice Goal V and enjoy a little independence. As we returned to the hotel, we may or may not have stopped for an impromptu ride on an old-fashioned carousel in one of Florence's many charming public squares.

The next day, it was time for us to explore the playground of Florence's famous Medici family in earnest! Regis Knights know how to hit the ground running, so we started with a climb to the top of the dome of the famous Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence's famed Cathedral. It is sometimes referred to as the "Duomo," though this is actually the name for the famous (and physically separate) Baptistery right in front of it. There is no surface inside or outside either of these buildings that isn't covered in marble of beautiful frescoes, and the view from the top is one of Italy's most charming. From here, passing by the home of the poet Dante, father of the modern Italian language, we came to the Piazza della Signoria and its Palazzo, once home to the Medici. A few steps further, we found ourselves at Santa Croce, the largest Franciscan Church in the world—and one thought to have been founded by St. Francis himself. It is the final resting place of Galileo, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and others. This area is also home to some of Florence's best leather and gold shops, where our boys and their chaperones may or may not have spent more than a few Euro…

After lunch, we headed across the famous Ponte Vecchio to see the other Medici palace, the Palazzo Pitti. After an afternoon visit to the Accademia, home to Michelangelo's David, we enjoyed a quick rest before heading to a Tuscan cooking lesson. The boys and their chaperones were tasked with preparing our own dinner, complete with homemade pasta and some panna cotta for dessert. This was a busy day; we clocked in at over 18,000 steps!

 

 

 

After a great time in Florence, we headed south to the small hilltop town of Assisi, where, speaking of St. Francis, we visited the famous Porziuncola, which is a small Church within the larger Papal Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli. This smaller Church was restored by St. Francis himself, and it is the birthplace of the Franciscan order. From this important site on the outskirts of town, we ascended the hill up into the actual town of Assisi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the birthplace of St. Francis, and home to his titular Basilica di San Francesco.

From Assisi, we continued south to the charming seaside city of Sorrento. Charming in its own right, Sorrento served as our gateway to the fabulous island of Capri. After traveling to Capri by hydrofoil, we traded one boat for another and set off on an hour-long circumnavigation of the island, viewing its crystal turquoise waters, towering cliffs, scenic arches and grottoes, and magnificent villas. We traveled to the main town center on the island, some 450 feet above the harbor. After visiting the beautiful Augustus Gardens, we enjoyed some free time and shopping before taking the funicular railway back to the port, where we caught a hydrofoil back to Sorrento. But, no rest for the weary! From Sorrento, we boarded our private bus, and it was on to Pompeii, one of the cities famously buried in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in August of 79 A.D. We saw private homes, theaters, temples, and bathhouses, all buried under several meters of the pumice that preserved the site for modern travelers to see. After another fabulous dinner at a local mozzarella farm and some more time to explore Sorrento on our own, we went to bed exhausted, ready for the next day's big trip north to Rome.

 

 

 

 

 

In Rome, we hit the ground running once again, visiting the Piazza del Popolo and the famed Spanish Steps as soon as we arrived in town. At the top of the Spanish Steps, we were able to gain access to the French Convent where the original fresco of Mater can be found! The fresco was painted in 1844 by Pauline Perdrau, a young RSCJ who had the novel idea to portray the Virgin Mary wearing pink (she traditionally wears blue). This is not a site that is open to the public, nor is the Convent administered by the Society of the Sacred Heart today; that said, Sacred Heart visitors are always welcome. From the Spanish Steps, we headed to the Colosseum, which was built on top of the private lake of Emperor Nero and housed wild beast hunts, public executions, and gladiator fights in ancient Roman times.

 

 

On our final day in Rome, we started with a private Mass at St. John Lateran, which is officially the Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Rome and one of the four Papal Churches in the city. From the Lateran, we visited the storied Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and the famous Via del Corso before heading over to Vatican City for a guided tour of the Vatican Museums and a visit to St. Peter's. We then wrapped up the big trip with a great dinner and a final round of free time on the Piazza Navona, which is built on the footprint of the Stadium of Domitian and is a well-known haven for local artists. This was another huge walking day; the official tally was 24,000 steps! After so much walking, we came to understand how Italians can eat so well and stay so fit!

This was a fabulous experience for all of us. Speaking for myself, I can say that I have been to Italy several times, even spending a semester of my college years living in Rome. This was easily my best experience in Italy to date. I learned a lot, enjoyed the fellowship of the boys and my colleagues, and had a front-row seat to observe how the experience of travel can change lives. Ask any of the boys who went on this trip, and I think they will tell you that they came back enlightened, more independent, and ready to go back or explore someplace new. I share their view that in Italy, one can truly experience "la dolce vita."

 

 

 

It was a wonderful trip with an outstanding group of Middle School students. We are already looking forward to planning next year's adventure to Italy in the summer of 2026. This trip will be open to Regis students (and newly-minted alumni) who will enter seventh, eighth, and ninth grades in the fall semester of that year. Stay tuned for details!