Calendar Class of October 3, 2025

A Carpe Diem Snapshot:

Carpe Roma! We officially began the semester this morning on the Janiculum hill that overlooks the Caput Mundi, the city that, from our perspective, retains its title as "Head of the World." Happy sojourn, pilgrim students!

Liturgical: Friday of the 26th week of Ordinary Time

Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.

Luke 10:13-16

Sanctoral: Theodora Guérin (October 2, 1798 – May 14, 1856)

Trust in God’s Providence enabled Mother Theodore to leave her homeland, sail halfway around the world, and found a new religious congregation.

Human: Birthday of Thomas Wolfe (author) – 1900, James Herriot (author) – 1916

President Lincoln declared the last Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day – 1863

Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women first published – 1868

Germany were reunited as one nation, the Federal Republic of Germany – 1990

Roman history today:

42 BC – the first battle of Philippi took place in the eastern Macedonia. Mark Antony won the victory over Cassius (who, believing that he had lost everything, decided to commit suicide), and Brutus over Octavian. A few weeks later, the next battle took place at Philippi – this time the triumvirs achieved a complete victory. Brutus realized that he had lost and did not want to fall into the hands of the winners so he committed suicide.

382 AD – Roman Emperor Theodosius the Great signed a peace treaty with the Goths, allowing them to settle in the Balkans as allies. On behalf of the emperor, the commander of the troops in Thrace, Saturninus, appeared, and Fritigern probably on behalf of the Goths. For the first time in history, foreign people in Roman lands were treated as a subject of law. Goths, as allies, were exempt from land taxes. They were supposed to live according to their own rights under the authority of their commanders, and in case of war, to issue armed units for the emperor, for reward, and under the orders of their own commanders. This is how the process of creating autonomous countries within the Empire began. It was a growing and irreversible process.

Natural: Rome in Autumn - one of the most beautiful times of year

Italian: Intralcio (hindrance / obstacle)

One way of saying hindrance or obstacle in Italian is intralcio. It comes from the verb intralciare which means ‘to hinder’, ‘to hamper‘ or ‘to interfere‘.

Quote:October” by Robert Frost

(from A Boy’s Will, 1913)

O hushed October morning mild,

Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;

Tomorrow’s wind, if it be wild,

Should waste them all.

The crows above the forest call;

Tomorrow they may form and go.

O hushed October morning mild,

Begin the hours of this day slow,

Make the day seem to us less brief.

Hearts not averse to being beguiled,

Beguile us in the way you know.

Release one leaf at break of day;

At noon release another leaf;

One from our trees, one far away.

Retard the sun with gentle mist;

Enchant the land with amethyst.

Slow, slow!

Whose leaves already are burnt with frost,

Whose clustered fruit must else be lost—

For the grapes’ sake along the wall.

Did you know that Robert Frost was a farmer poet? He owned a small 18-acre farm in Derry, New Hampshire. Frost would milk cows at midnight to stay up late writing poetry and not have to get up too early!