In 2002 we took a one week pilgrimage to Italy with Fr. Ken. The trip was designed as a Padre Pio Pilgrimage but one stop was the mountain top town of Monte S’Angelo where the Ricucci family had originated. Thus, it became Padre Pio pilgrimage but also a Ricucci family pilgrimage. Rose and Joe convinced Dominic Ragucci, Anthony Ragucci, and Priscilla Ragucci to join us since they had never been to the town of Monte S’Angelo that Dominic and Anthony’s parents came from.

The trip started in San Giovanni Rotondo where Fr. Padre Pio lived for most of his life. It is where he received the Stigmata (the 5 wounds of Christ) while praying on the balcony of the little church St. Mary of Grace. At each of the days of the trip I was able to serve as Deacon at the Mass with Fr. Ken, Fr. John, and their classmate. It was such an honor.

From this town we traveled to the Sanctuary of Saint Michael the Archangel in nearby Monte Sant’ Angelo. It is the oldest shrine in Western Europe dedicated to the Archangel Michael and has been an important site of pilgrimage since the early Middle Ages. This is the town that my grandparents came from. It was amazing to be able to serve at Mass in that grotto church in the caves where my grandmother used to play as a child. We were able to find my father’s cousin who was the barber in the town. Very exciting for my father, uncle and aunt who came with us.

From there we traveled to Pietrelcina where Padre Pio grew up and visited his small one room home. We then visited a nearby town and had lunch prepared in a local home. Finally, we traveled to Rome and then home to NJ.

More details to follow in a later post… stay tuned.