We are many things: a vibrant American parish, a center for pilgrims, an ancient Roman church, and a home away from home, whether you are a visitor, a pilgrim or a resident of Rome!

We are delighted that you came to visit us today! The buttons (on the upper left column) will provide a great deal of interesting information. So feel free to explore our website!! We have recently moved our Quick Links above, so that it will make finding things much easier. You can now go directly to our Papal Audience Section, Convent Accomodations and our new Parish Photos (click on Our Church). Please note that there is no Wednesday Papal Audience on July 16, 23, 30 and August 6.

The new AS ROMANS DO 2008/2009 has arrived!!! If you would like us to send you a copy of this incredible guide to Rome and Santa Susanna, please send your address to Fr. Greg at the above address!! This is an incredible 130 page book that will be extremely helpful for your visit to Rome!! A donation of $10 would help with shipping, handling and administrative costs. (Please make checks payable to "The Paulist Fathers".)

To make donation to Santa Susanna Church, please send it to The Paulist Fathers, Via Antonio Salandra 6, Rome, Italy 00187. Thank you very much!

For information about what's going on this week in the Santa Susanna parish, please read Fr. Greg Apparcel's weekly newsletter below (and the Progress Update on the Paulist Fathers' Capital Campaign is listed below the newsletter.)

OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER (May 11, 2008):

Dear Santa Susanna Parishioners, Alumni, Friends and Visitors to Rome,

This weekend we celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit and the birthday of the Church. Pentecost Sunday is also a time to celebrate our diversity and our many talents and gifts and how we can make use of both in our service of everyone. We celebrate the infusion of the Holy Spirit, the inspiration, the challenge, the moments of insight when we see the potential, the possibility of change, and know that we can do it, that we are not alone, that what and who we are makes total sense.

As we acknowledge the Holy Spirit alive in our hearts, we encourage everyone to wear something RED this weekend. Deacon Ryan Moravitz will be preaching at the Saturday 6 PM and Sunday 9 AM Masses, with Fr. Pat Breeze and I presiding. Fr. Tim Costello will preside and preach at the Sunday 10:30 AM Mass, and Fr. Tom will do likewise at our 11 AM Mass in the Marymount Chapel. Scheduled to be lectors are Costanza Uslenghi and Gabriella Spadaro, ministers of communion are Sr. Rosaleen and Giuseppe Uslenghi, and the servers are Ruben Uslenghi and Ryo Sasaki.

But Sunday is not just Pentecost! Oh, no! Sunday is the most important day of the year. Yes, that's right, it's Mother's Day!!! La Festa delle Mamma. Have you sent your mother a card yet? Or flowers? Made brunch reservations at the Hassler? Bought her that string of pearls she has always wanted? Or that condo in Florida or Puglia? You know she deserves everything and more than you can give her. Happy Mother's Day to all of our mothers, grandmothers, godmothers, aunts and friends!!!

This weekend too begins our May Festival of Celebrations for First Communion and Confirmation. On Saturday morning, the piazza in front of our Church will be filled with the joyous parents, families and friends of the Marymount First Communion Class. Fifty Marymount children will celebrate their First Communion at 10:30 AM. At 10.15 that same morning, the Santa Susanna Religious Education Confirmation Class will meet in the same piazza to begin their daylong Confirmation Retreat that concludes with the 6 PM Family Mass. At 3.00 PM, the children, parents and teachers of our Religious Education First Communion Class will gather to practice in the Church for their own First Communion coming up in two weeks.

Please remember that our beloved Director of Music, Aurelio Porfiri, will participate and minister at his last Mass at Santa Susanna on Sunday, May 25, at 10.30 AM. This will be followed by a reception in the Vestibule of the Church. We hope that everyone will be able to be there honoring Aurelio for his ten years of service with us. The next day he leaves for his new job as Professor of Liturgical Music in Macau.

Tickets are now on sale for my 25th Anniversary Dinner Dance on Saturday evening, June 7 at Marymount Nomentana. They are 50 Euro each and include the dance band, The Doormats. The event begins at 7:30 PM, preceded by my anniversary Mass at 6 PM at Santa Susanna. We will also celebrate a special Mass at 11 AM the next day, June 8, at Marymount, followed by our Annual Parish Wide Picnic.

I hope to see all of you this weekend. Remember your mothers. And remember to wear Red for Pentecost. Ciao for now, Fr. Greg

PROGRESS UPDATE ON PAULIST FATHERS' CAPITAL CAMPAIGN (May 9, 2008)

.Dear Parishioners and Friends of Santa Susanna Church,

Thanks to those of you who have already made a pledge to our Paulist Fathers Capital Campaign in the name of Santa Susanna Parish. We have made good progress so far toward our goal of 150,000 US Dollars or 100,000 Euros, with pledges now totaling 52,150 USD or about 33,000 Euros. This is commendable, but there is much more work to be done during the next few weeks. Only 23 gifts so far have been pledged.

This campaign is the first time in twenty years that we, the Paulists, have asked in such a direct way for your help. Your donations will go to support a bold, new recruiting effort for new members, fund seminary education, underwrite Paulist national initiatives in young adult ministry, evangelization, reconciliation and interfaith dialog. The funds will also assist the needs of our aging Paulists. If you and your family have been inspired by, cared for, or helped by any of the Paulists at Santa Susanna, please help us to continue to do the same for others.

We ask that you please review the Paulist Campaign letter and materials we sent you last month and make your pledge today. If you no longer have your materials, let me know and I can send you replacement copies or you can use the following link to make your pledge on line. https://www.paulist.org/namerica/campaign_form.htm If you do use this link to make a pledge, indicate Santa Susanna as your home parish and please let me know.

Three important facts: First, this is a five year campaign, so a 5,000 USD pledge, for example, means 1,000 USD a year, or about 640 euros a year. Secondly, you can make your pledge or your one time donation in either US dollars or in euros. And finally, Santa Susanna will receive twenty percent of all gifts up to our goal and then 50 percent of the pledges afterwards. If we make our goal, at least 30,000 USD will go to help support Santa Susanna.

I have been heartened and touched by the immediate response of our wonderful parishioners and alumni who are eager to help in any way they can: prayer, volunteering, financial support, and care, concern and appreciation. In these uncertain economic times, I doubly appreciate the love many of you are expressing towards us Paulists.

If I can be of any further assistance to you, please do not hesitate to let me know.

Sincerely yours,

Fr. Greg

Back to the top