Did you read fairy tales as a child? I did, and they most certainly had an effect on my formative years. However, until this past weekend, I think I had forgotten the magical feeling that they gave me, and can still give me. It is a feeling of joy that wells up from inside of me, flowing from hope-filled thoughts that refuse to be limited by the dreary restrictions of realism. Saturday I re-entered fairyland, when, led by our chaplain, Fr. Carola (who takes the group of students to Siena each semester), our entire Bernardi group made a trip to Siena. Whereas Rome is a unique and sometimes awkward-feeling mix of the old, less old, newer, and new, Siena has, for the most part, retained its medieval flavor. Nestled into the beautiful Tuscan landscape, Siena has seemingly remained quite un-changed by the encroachment of modernity. Entering the city is almost like entering a time capsule. This old Italian city was the home of Saint Catherine of Siena, and the pilgrim traveling to Siena (who is so inclined) still has the opportunity to venerate some of her relics. Personal highlights for me were visiting the Duomo (Cathedral), seeing the Eucharistic miracle at San Francesco, and climbing the Torre del Mangia in the town center for a breathtaking view of the city and surrounding landscape. That was a lot of steps!
