Reflections Magazine Issue #63 - Fall 2005 | Page 9

the Catholic Church. During a memorable
visit to the basilica of Santa Sabina (Rome),
we walked the ground where St. Dominic
and his followers lived in the early 1200s
and we visited the cell where he prayed.
A warm greeting from and a delicious
espresso with three members of the Master
of the Order’s General Council marked this
special visit to Santa Sabina.”
Of course, the presence of St. Catherine
was most visible in Siena, Italy – including
her head and index finger that rest in the
Basilica of St. Dominic. The SHU group
was able to visit the Benincasa home where
Catherine Benincasa (later St. Catherine of
Siena) and her 24 siblings lived. The group
was further privileged to see the tiny room
where Catherine prayed in solitude for three
years of her life.
Sister Rosa Monique Peña, Vicaress of the
Adrian Dominican Sisters and SHU Trustee,
explained that the group’s time in Siena was
both insightful and spiritual.
“Our time in Siena was filled with reflective and mystical moments imbued with
the presence of St. Catherine. The city of
Siena helped me to fully enter into those
moments: the cobblestone paths, the buildings - from Catherine’s era - still intact…the
gentleness and roughness of the people

The journey to Italy was undertaken at no
expense to the University. The engagement
of the 15 trustees with each other and their
exposure to our Dominican and Catholic
traditions have, according to President
Artman, further strengthened our board and
will yield dividends for years to come.

The SHU group visited several historic sites throughout
Italy including the Roman Colosseum.

spoke so vividly of the environment in
which Catherine moved and breathed and
ministered.” Sister Rosa continued, “The
trip helped me to understand the importance of stepping out of our provincial
mentality and entering into a broad global
mentality. The fact that Catherine, in such
a small town, had a very global vision of
the church and was able to move out of her
small environment and into the global environment of her time should remind us all
that we are called to do the same.”

Father J. Patrick Murphy, Chair of the SHU
Board, summed up the trip, “In brief, the
value of the trip – besides the obvious vacation and educational benefits – was the personal connection we were able to make with
each other as trustees. In addition, we now
share a common experience of the Dominican and Catholic values, our roots in each
tradition that we will use to build the future
of the University and upon which we base
our relationships with one another.”

President Artman and his wife, Joan, shared
this reflection.
“While in Siena, we 39 visitors from Siena
Heights University found much to be proud
of about our patroness: her holiness, her role
in the reunification of the Church in Rome,
her devotion and dialogues with her God.”

Several folks from SHU visited the Dominican Friars at
the Basilica of Santa Sabina. Over many decades the
Basilica was home to many prominent Dominican figures
including Saint Dominic himself.

The Siena Heights group ignored the century-old feud between the Sienese and
Florentines in order to enjoy their final days
of sightseeing and shopping in Florence.
Michelangelo’s magnificent statue of David
and the frescoes of Dominican Fra Angelico (for whom our Art building, Studio
Angelico is named) were among the memorable moments in one of Europe’s most
beautiful cities.

Reflections Fall ‘05 - On The Road

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