Calendar Class of October 19, 2025

A Carpe Diem Snapshot:

Carpe Siena! Today we find ourselves in this jewel of a city with Cultural Debris Excursions, led by our friends Tom and Alan (check out the Etc. category below to learn more about their trips, and lots about why Siena is so fascinating). The Duomo and its stunning tribute to Christian humanism in the marble floor mosaics is the main attraction, and worth a visit to Siena alone.

Liturgical: Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Pope Leo's canonization Mass and Sunday Angelus today.

Bishop Barron's Sunday Sermon: The Power of Prayer

Fr Plant's Homily-Scripture Lesson: Pray continually and never lose heart.

Sanctoral: Today the dioceses of the United States celebrate the Memorial of Sts. John de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues (priests) and their companions. They were Jesuit missionaries who died as martyrs in North America where they preached the Gospel. They died between the years 1642-1649.

Some dioceses of Poland celebrate the Blessed George (Jerzy) Popieluszko (1947-1984), priest, one of many martyrs of modern times. He was murdered by the Communists in Poland for speaking the truth and encouraging the Solidarity movement. He said, “Truth never changes. It cannot be destroyed by any decision or legal act. Telling the truth with courage is a way leading directly to freedom. A man who tells the Truth is a free man despite external slavery, imprisonment or custody.” He was beatified on June 6, 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI.

Human: It's Kirk Night! Tonight, by coincidence, we are celebrating the holiday in Siena with the man who came up with the idea, Alan Cornett. It is particularly appropriate that we celebrate his life in this city, of all places, as my Dad passed into life eternal on the dies natalis of this city's most important citizen, St. Catherine of Siena, in 1994. Russell Kirk was born on this day in Plymouth, Michigan, in 1918. You can find more info in the quote section below.

Ancient Roman history today:

202 BC-- The battle of Zama took place between the Roman army against the forces of Carthage. The loss at Zama meant the end of a strong Carthaginian state. Thanks to Scipio’s military reform, the Roman army became almost unbeatable. Rome became the greatest power of the Mediterranean, and having no worthy competitors, began to expand to become a great Roman Empire in the future.

439 AD – Vandal commander Gaiseric took over Carthage, which became his capital.

Natural: First object (‘Oumuamua) from another solar system detected in ours – 2017

Italian: Farsi mettere i piedi in testa (to let someone push you around)

If you’re telling someone not to boss you around, you can actually replace i piedi with li — any Italian will understand what you’re referring to from the context. Non mettermeli in testa!

Etc.: Cultural Debris Excursions

The Christian Humanism of Siena:

Duomo of Siena marble floor mosaics

The Gaia Fountain

Catherine of Siena's Christian Humanism

The patronage of Pius II, the humanist pope

Why the "Madre Lupa," the she-wolf who suckled Remus and Romulus, was adopted as the symbol of the city of Siena: "Legend has it that Siena was established by Senius, son of Remus and nephew of Romulus. The Roman origin accounts for the town's emblem, a she-wolf suckling the infants Romulus and Remus. According to legend, Siena was founded by Senius and Aschius, the two sons of Remus, who was in turn the brother of Romulus, after whom Rome was named. Statues and other artwork depicting a she-wolf suckling the young twins Romulus and Remus can be seen all over the city of Siena."

Quote: "The enlightened conservative does not believe that the end or aim of life is competition; or success; or enjoyment; or longevity; or power; or possessions. He believes, instead, that the object of life is Love.”

--Russell Kirk

You can read a brief bio from the Kirk Center here, a very nice article about his life and work here, and an article on his ghostly tales here.