The day after returning from the Holy Land for my Christmas break (’07-’08) I had already made plans with a couple friends (Jerry & Gregg from Scranton, PA and Jessie from La Crosse, WI) to revisit Sicily for a couple of days despite being there several months earlier.
The reasoning for returning was two fold: to have some time to relax with friends before school started up again (believe it or not the Holy Land was an intense time) and to visit Syracuse where St. Paul stayed for three days (Acts 28:12). St. Paul has an extremely important place in the Church and a particularly important role in my life this year (2008) as I hope to explain below.
St. Paul was the greatest missionary the Church has ever known and this year beginning on June 28, eve of the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles, Benedict XVI will proclaim the Year of St. Paul to celebrate the 2000th year of his birth.
In addition to the Year of St. Paul I, along with thirty other men, will be ordained deacons this year with St. Paul as our class patron.
We are very blessed in Rome to have the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls where his body lies and not far from it the place where he was beheaded (Tre Fontane). Visiting Syracuse was a great opportunity to start this year in preparation for this time especially dedicated to St. Paul and my own deaconate ordination with him as patron.
Before visiting Syracuse, however, we had spent two days in a small, quaint village named Castelmola that over looks a small town named Taormina. It had rained everyday we were in Sicily but it didn’t dampen our spirits.
On our way to Syracuse we went up Mt. Etna, which was covered with clouds and there was a bit of snow on top. Too bad we didn’t get to enjoy it much since we all got motion sickness from the tortuous road up the volcano.
I’ve been told that Sicily has more Greek ruins than Greece and I’d almost believe it from our trip. Sorry, all my photos are pretty much of them but they are very unique of the island.
I don’t know if I’ll ever make it back to Sicily but I did find a great pastry place in Rome that sells Sicilian cannoli (tube shaped fried dough with a creamy filling of ricotta cheese). They always give me sweet memories of my time in Sicily when I eat them.
Please pray for me this year especially through the intercession of St. Paul. Know if you’re reading this that I am praying that you may seek and receive every good.
|  | 
|
