I just got your note, but there was no return email address. I actually have a bit of concrete advice. Don’t drop the deacon’s extra-RCIA classes. Follow up with the SSPX guy and keep talking to the deacon at the same time. Gather info for challenging the deacon’s false ideas and bring him into the fold. Consider it an apostolic work. Keep going. Never give up. Never surrender.

And he certainly doesn’t have anything to hide. People who are thinking that the pope is worried about a confrontation with the cardinals at the consistory are completely and utterly failing to understand him. Sorry Laurence, but no. Most emphatically not at all. There has not been a single day in the last three and a half years in which this person or any of his cabal have demonstrated the slightest interest in hiding anything.

  Emanuele (R) and his cousin Alessandro Persiani (L) on our hike up Monte Patino this August, just a couple of weeks before the first quake. Gorgeous view of the whole valley, and they’re looking at their phones… Young people! This is a post via Facebook by my friend Emanuele Persiani, the guy who does all our computer and telecommunications work in Norcia. “I wish I had a place to work” a Go Fund Me campaign aimed not only at getting ABC Online back up and running, but via the revival of inernet and other communications in Norcia, the rest of the business community of Norcia as well.

I just went to the local hardware store in Santa Marinella and bought 23 plug-in heaters for delivery to Norcia to help get people through the winter who have to stay in tents and small portable houses. I also bought a bag of batteries, don’t know how many but it was pretty much all they had in the shop. This cost about 500 Euros, and it was paid for by you, our readers and friends who so generously donated over the last week or so.

Of your charity, please pray today – at your eleven o’clock – for the repose of the souls of William Doloughan, Norman White and Herbert Edward Burkett, my great grandfather, my paternal grandfather and my maternal grandfather, who all served in the 20th century’s “great wars”. Lest we forget. ~

Our immediate neighbours in the village of San Pellegrino, about 2 km from Norcia. Dear friends in Rome, many of the people of Norcia are facing winter in tents and caravans and need space heaters. If you have a spare one sitting about in your flat or house that you don’t use much, please consider donating it. Our friend Christopher Wells is planning on taking a van load of goods up to Norcia on Monday.

#vigilidelfuoco #monumentsmen, i #caschirossi che salvano l'arte dalle rovine del #terremoto. Le immagini eccezionali di oggi a #Norcia pic.twitter.com/UlhyivzQff — Vigili del Fuoco (@emergenzavvf) November 5, 2016 The vigili del fuoco rescuing precious art works from the ruins in Norcia. But here’s a thing: this isn’t actually a church any more. It’s the Chiesa di San Francesco, 14th century, and is (was) still full of beautiful frescoes and this is certainly one of the best pieces of art in the city.

  Saved by firefighters, the reliquary containing the relics of St. Benedict. …and the patron of Europe. Let’s not forget it. Information on where people can donate directly to help with the rebuilding of Norcia: Finalmente, the e-address to make donations directly to the commune of Norcia for assistance to citizens and to help reconstruction. ON IBAN FOR DONATIONS TO COMMON NORCIA E ‘it was activated the IBAN to make donations to the people of the City of Norcia affected by the earthquake of 08/24/2016: IT48M0631538580100000300005

It looks like others are starting to get hold of computers to put up information about their situation. These include a few other ways that people might be able to help. Latest from the monks: Dear friends, Our life as monks has entered an entirely new phase, one we never expected but in which we see, unmistakably, God’s hand. He asks us to build up our community here on the mountain strongly and decisively based on prayer and conversion so that we might become saints for our time.

Italy’s President Mattarella visits Norcia ~ I have heard from friends closer to the scene and here is what I know so far: \ The monks: – The monks, having set up a kind of camp monastery up the hill are OK, and aren’t very much worse off than they were since the first quake in August, they continue to pray and to participate in the plans for restoration, including speaking to benefactors about funding.