Assisi, the Pope, & Rome

Campus Life Update

Today is July 25th, the feast of St. James the Apostle and St. Christopher. CatholicTech cherishes the intercession of these noble saints, the patron of pilgrims and the patron of travelers. Whether on a brisk walk to a nearby town or a train ride to another region of Italy, our adventurous community recognizes the powerful protection offered through prayer.

So much has happened this week! Our summer program students continue their studies in computer science and their field trip adventures, and we were thrilled to encounter Pope Leo several times during his two-week stay in Castel Gandolfo.

This past week, our high school summer program explored Rome as pilgrims at St. Peter’s Basilica and as STEM students encountering historical sites of wonderful engineering. During their escapades, the group visited exquisite churches such as the Basilica of San Clemente, Sant’ Agnese in Agone, and Sant’ Andrea Della Valle.  Uncovering history beyond the books, students then explored the Colosseum, the Pantheon, and the Roman Forum.  

To finish the week, students awoke early on Saturday morning to catch a train to Assisi. The serene hill-top town is a spiritual oasis for its visiting pilgrims. This hometown of St. Francis offers quiet retreats, streets paved of stone, and a wooded hermitage sight for solitude and introspection. In Assisi, the students visited the churches containing the sacred tombs of St. Clare, St. Francis, and Blessed Carlo Acutis. While some made the march up rocky paths to the stunning views from Rocca Maggiore, others stopped to pray in the Cathedral of San Rufino, the church containing a heart relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis. Then the whole group made a pilgrimage to Santa Maria Maggiore which holds the body of Bl. Carlo Acutis, patron of Computer Scientists and a special intercessor for these students as they study computer science this summer. Finally, we meandered through the streets of Assisi to the Basilica of St. Francis, which  lies at the end of a path stretching through the little town. Assisi presented students with the opportunity to ask prominent saints for their guidance and intercession. CatholicTech is surrounded by the relics of great saints of the past and by pioneering disciples of the present day.

The next day, our students were tired, but excited to wake up early again to walk to Albano, a nearby town, to attend a Mass celebrated by His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV. Summer Program students and other members of the CatholicTech community made signs for our beloved Holy Father and were thrilled when the Pope greeted them after Mass, even shaking the hands of some of our students! It was such a joy and honor for our students to encounter the Vicar of Christ.

There is a tangible joy on campus this summer. What a joy to be near Rome for the Jubilee Year of Hope, and to be in Castel Gandolfo as Pope Leo returned to the papal summer residence! As more valued members join the CatholicTech community, we express our gratitude to all of you for joining us.