Calendar Class of October 22, 2025

A Carpe Diem Snapshot:

Carpe Alba! My new friend Megan caught her first sunrise in Rome this morning before catching a flight back home after a ten day sojourn in Italy with Cultural Debris Excursions. Mother Nature cooperated with our plan and held back the rain so that she could at least catch a brief glimpse of the Eternal City spread out beneath a glowing sky at dawn. Buon viaggio, Megan, and see you back here again someday, as anyone who glimpses Rome is bound to do. As Petrach wrote, A fool is one who admires other cities without visiting Rome.”

Liturgical: Wednesday of 29th Week of Ordinary Time

For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

What then? Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!

Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

But thanks be to God that you, having once been slaves of sin, have become obedient from the heart to the form of teaching to which you were entrusted, and that, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

Romans 6:12-18

Sanctoral: Pope St. John Paul II (1920–2005) was born in Poland and was a vibrant, athletic, and intelligent child. His deeply religious father played an important role in his spiritual formation after his mother's death when he was 8 years old. He studied literature, poetry, and theater before his studies were interrupted by the Nazi invasion of Poland in 1939. He answered the call to the priesthood, and after entering a clandestine seminary was ordained in 1946. He completed his doctoral studies in Rome and returned to Poland where he ministered in a special way to young people. He was ordained a bishop in 1958 and attended the Second Vatican Council in 1962. He is well known for his leadership in encouraging a spiritual and cultural resistance to the Communist occupation of Poland. He was elected Supreme Pontiff in 1978, the first non-Italian pope in over 450 years, and had the second-longest pontificate in history. He was a remarkable theologian and philosopher and a guardian of orthodoxy. During his time as Holy Father he gave a multitude of important contributions to the Church including his teaching on the Theology of the Body, his emphasis on the Universal Call to Holiness, and his strong devotion to the Virgin Mary. He is also known as the "Pope of the Family." During his pontificate he beatified 1338 people and canonized 482 saints. He also visited 129 countries, making him one of the most well-traveled world leaders in history. He was canonized by Pope Francis in 2014.

Human: Birthday of N. C. Wyeth (illustrator) – 1882

180 AD – Commodus’ triumphal entry to Rome, successor to the throne after the death of Marcus Aurelius. Commodus immediately came into peace with the Germans and left the occupied lands (today’s Czech Republic). However, this was not a sign of the ruler’s peaceful attitude. The 19-year-old emperor just wanted to be in Rome sooner, as it offered various entertainment that were not present in the wild forests of central Europe. With this decision, Commodus destroyed many years of his father’s efforts and the dedication of thousands of soldiers. When Commodus returned to Rome, he only dealt with the representational matters and in fact his advisors ruled. In Rome, he was free to enjoy life. His rule consisted mainly of watching performances by actors and dancers, gladiator duels, and chariot races. Commodus took part in orgies, visited public houses and took part in hunting for wild animals and other ravines that took him whole days. This state of affairs did not disturb his advisers too much. They had a free hand about management and believed that Commodus was simply too young.

Natural: Wild Apples of the Heart

Lessons from an Apple Tree

Italian: Learn These 27 Basic Italian Travel Phrases for Tourists Before Visiting Italy!

Quote: “Only in Christ can men and women find answers to the ultimate questions that trouble them. Only in Christ can they fully understand their dignity as persons created and loved by God.”-Pope St. John Paul II