Last days of March

So what have I been up to these last days of March? Well....

The Solemnity of St Joseph (March 19th) is one of the major feast days here in Italy. And yes, we break the Lenten fast from eating sweets. I just had to make my own contribution, since, after all,
St Joseph provided us with tons of fresh lemons.... Mmmm. Mmmmm.

       Last week I staffed our French section because Sr Donata was making her annual spiritual exercises. I should have made a recording of "I beg your pardon, I don't speak French.

May we speak in English?"

     "Oh, but Sister, eventually you must learn French because when we come here, we always speak in French with the sister who works here."

     Okay, I'll add that to my bucket list, I think to myself. Then there was this one,

     "How can you help us find the books we are looking for if you don't speak French?"

     Now I really feel inadequate. "I will ask you how to spell what you are looking for, and I'll look it up. I also understand most of the French words that I read."

     "Oh, okay."

    I guess I did okay because some of the people I helped went away with a few books I recommended....

Then there was the man (I have a funny feeling he was a priest) who greeted me in song. I made a comment about being greeted that way, and he said, well, it costs the same. "Thanks be to God," I said. Then he proceeded to ask me if we had a certain title in stock. Nope. We didn't. But I told him that I would be glad to look it up to see if it was a book that we could possibly order for him. "You must be American," he said. "You have to find out all the information there is to know about that book." Whoa! So, he meanders over to look in the English section. When he had another question, who does he go to? The sister working in the English section, or the American in the French section who will provide all the information that can be possibly be obtained about what he is looking for?

This past Thursday we had a pre-Easter gathering with our employees. It was my first "party" with them. It was great being able to be with them outside of the work place for a little. Here's a little peek.

Last night I went to the Basilica of St John Lateran to participate in a Taize prayer service with the young people of the Diocese of Rome. It was a wonderful experience. The first part was a catechesis with Cardinal Vallin, the Vicar of Rome. He did a wonderful job. Then there was Eucharistic adoration with Taize chants. Loved it.

It just so happens to be my turn to cook for the community for Easter Sunday. What a way to start cooking here! Thank God we are going to celebrate Easter with the sisters who form the student community on the First Floor. They will be helping me. I am going to make biscuits for antipasto with various cheeses. The "first dish" will be Lasagna. Then we'll have lamb and artichokes for the second dish. The traditional Colomba and chocolate egg for dessert, topped off by cantalope with prosciutto and pineapple. Who wants to come over for Easter Dinner? I'll make sure to take pictures.

Well, I will be praying for all of you during this Holy Week. May the love that is revealed through the memory of the events that we recall this week becoming a living reality in each of our lives!