Young Catholic leaves Italy over COVID threat Continued from 37
its students out of Rome. In an article Mistretta wrote for her college newspaper, she recalled that “everyone in the program was upset. We did not want our friends to leave … everyone began to fear they would get pulled by their schools.” But when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention travel warning was raised to a Level 3, “I emailed back home that I would definitely be coming home.” Soon after, Mistretta was notified that the program was requiring the remaining students to leave Rome. “I was crying,” she said. “It wasn’t my choice. It became scarier. I was being told that ‘for your safety, you need to come home.’ It was very frightening. I did speak to my parents. They booked a flight home.” She spent her last day in Rome with friends, “getting up at the crack of dawn
Emotional needs Continued from 12
to do everything we could before we left. We went to the Trevi Fountain and made wishes. We climbed the Spanish Steps and went to the church at the top. We had a nice dinner.” MISTRETTA FLEW OUT OF ROME the next day at 9 a.m. When she landed in the United States, she was told that she would have to self-quarantine for 14 days. The circumstances of her departure, Mistretta said, “didn’t hit me until I landed home. It was so quick. I didn’t really register what had happened until then.” Nervous and worried soon after
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vicar in St. James Parish, Pennington, St. George Parish, Titusville, and St. Alphonsus Parish, Hopewell. KEEPING FAITH For Sandra Mullarkey, a registered nurse and pastoral associate in St. Anselm Parish, Wayside, this period of social isolation has been a busy time. While assisting the pastor, Father Eugene Vavrick, in keeping parishioners up to date with diocesan and parish news and information, she makes it a point to learn how they are doing as well. That involves sending out emails and telephoning those without access to the internet. She follows up with a letter to those she can’t reach in a timely fashion. Mullarkey urges parishioners to join her in this effort by reaching out to others to “make sure they have everything they need” in the way of medication, shopping or contacting family and friends. “This virus is unbelievable. But we are doing the best we can,” she said. She advises drawing strength from reflecting on how past difficulties were overcome.
arriving home that the stuffiness and congestion she was experiencing was more than allergies, she and her parents went to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune. “There were multiple tests, a mouth swab, blood tests, swabs up my nose … a chest X-Ray,” Mistretta said. The tests, which took several days to process, came back negative. Mistretta said she is grateful to be home with her family, especially as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to grow. They pray constantly for the safety of all. Another thing for which Mistretta is grateful: that her memories of Italy – including Mass with Pope Francis in St. Paul Outside the Walls – will stay with her forever.
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April 2020 THE MONITOR MAGAZINE 47