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Summer Trip to Italy
Holy Family's Summer
Trip to Italy: A Pilgrimage of Faith
Twenty Holy Family students saw scenes from their theology textbooks come to life in the forms of mysterious inscriptions, statues, sites of important biblical events, and much more on a ten-day trip to Italy this past summer. The group was led by Holy Family Theology teacher Dave Good who has been organizing and participating in the annual trip for 15 years. Good describes it as a “pilgrimage of faith” for rising seniors to experience before their final year of high school. The trip had been paused since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic but finally returned this year. Several high schools from around the country take similar summer journeys to Italy. Holy Family’s time overseas is unique because Good himself handles all of the arrangements – Mass locations, tours, hotels, transportation, and meals. The Holy Family delegation traveled to Assisi, Siena, Florence, and Rome and held daily Mass in some of Italy’s most beautiful and unique settings. Arriving in Assisi, they visited the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi and the Roselo, the Rose Garden, where Saint Francis once rolled amongst the thorn bushes to combat doubt and temptation. On contact with the Saint’s body, thorn-less roses began to bloom and still do to this day. They also hiked to the Hermitage of Carceri where they attended a beautiful outdoor Mass. In Siena, the students had the opportunity to visit the House of Saint Catherine and tour the Duomo di Siena and the Basilica of Saint Francis where they heard about a little known Eucharistic Miracle from the Pastor. But they didn’t spend all their time just visiting historical sites. They took an Italian cooking class at Trattoria Fonte Giusta, where they learned how to make authentic pasta and sauce from Italian chefs. “Having the kids walk in the footsteps where Saint Francis walked, literally, touching the chapels he rebuilt with his own two hands, sitting in the home that Saint Catherine of Siena was raised in, praying at the exact spot where Saint Peter is buried, those moments and experiences are just something I can’t manufacture in a classroom in Broomfield,” Good said.
Seniors Graham Redak and Rocco Bridges in Assisi.
Students at the Basilica of the Holy Cross.
Enjoying time in Assisi.
Senior Gianna Finocchiaro found time for shopping. Dave Good and Senior Riley Tuttle in front of the Duomo in Florence.
The group experiences Italy’s charm and culture as Good hand picks restaurants and hotels from his long history of visiting the region. “Knowing where to eat and where to stay makes it an authentic trip for the kids,” Good said. “They learn just as much during meals and hotel stays as when visiting landmarks.” The trip wrapped up in Rome, where they explored the Sistine Chapel, Saint Paul’s Outside the Walls, Saint Peter’s Square, the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, and the Scala Sancta, the Holy Stairs. The stairs were originally part of Pontius Pilate’s palace in Jerusalem and are the stairs that Jesus climbed twice to be judged by Pontius Pilate. They were also fortunate enough to attend Mass at Saint Peter’s Basilica. This year’s trip was also a little different as rising senior Riley Tuttle uses a wheelchair, making navigating tourist attractions in Italy difficult. While in Rome, Good also set aside time for the group to visit the Vatican and see Pope Francis at a public address. Riley and her mother, Tami, were seated in a wheelchair-accessible area apart from the rest of the group and were struck at their proximity to the stage. “Just seeing Pope Francis was emotional. I just cried the whole time. I was trying hard to compose myself,” Riley said. At the end of the Pope’s address, Vatican staff informed Riley she could get in line to meet him. “We had no idea we were going to meet him,” Riley said. “I just tried to stop crying and quickly composed myself, and we got in the line.” Good had read earlier that Pope Francis was a fan of Oreo cookies, and on the off chance that Riley would get to meet him, made sure she had a couple of small Oreo packages as an offering.
Holy Family's Summer
Trip to Italy: A Pilgrimage of Faith
“I brought two packs of Oreos for him, so when we got up to him, I gave him both of them, and he gave one back to me so we each could have one,” Riley said. “He seemed excited about them.” Pope Francis then laid his hand on Riley’s head and blessed her, and she was given a small leather package that contained a rosary.
Pope Francis receives packages of Oreos from Riley Tuttle.
“It was a lovely moment; he was so quiet and calm,” Tami Tuttle said. “The entire trip was amazing because of the education that came along with it. Mr. Good and the other leaders on the trip were so knowledgeable. We are forever grateful to them.” “This was an absolutely amazing group of students to travel with,” Good said. “They engaged in learning, valued their experiences, and grew together in faith.” “Traveling like this brings about a lot of growth in the kids. It raises their level of independence and confidence. As a teacher, the best words you can ever hear is ‘this trip changed my life,’” Good continued. “To have students say these things and see their confidence build each day makes all of the work worth it. Every trip truly holds a special place in my heart.” “The entire trip was so special because I learned more about classmates and had genuine conversations with them,” said senior Sarah Stonehocker. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to travel to a different country and explore the building blocks of the Catholic faith with your friends and amazing chaperones. I recommend it to everyone.”
The group from Holy Family in Saint Peter’s Square.
Visiting Saint Paul Outside the Walls. Gathering at the Trevi Fountain on their last night of the trip.
Students prepared for an Italian cooking class at Trattoria Fonte Giusta in Siena.
Dave Good with students in the Basilica of St. Mary Major. Father Joe celebrating Mass in the crypt of St. Peter’s Basilica.
