#getting married in puglia

[francescagramegnamusic]

How to Transform Your Wedding in a Foodie Experience with the Most Authentic Apulian Recipes

New Blog Post! "How to Transform Your Wedding in a Foodie Experience with the Most Authentic Apulian Recipes"

[jerrylewis-thekid]

In their respective biographies it is repeatedly written that both Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra preferred the company of men. They were of Italian ancestry. DO NOT CONSIDER this factor as a possible suspicion of homosexuality / latent homosexuality. If you go to any public square, bar, etc. in a small southern town (like me in Puglia) you will see almost all men grouped together. Let's say that in recent years this "custom" has decreased a little and younger husbands go out much more often with their wives but the custom of "groups" of men only still exists. When I was young...the "mixed" groups were few. Most were either all-girl or all-boy bands. If they were single. This is because, according to the classic Italian mentality, the southern man prefers to leave his wife at home and meet, EVERY DAY, to chat with his male friends, to drink a coffee together, an aperitif, a beer (many beers) and talk about football (the sport most followed by us Italians). In 2023.

This is a tradition that has always existed. I remember years ago when a cousin of mine went on his honeymoon with his friend. And their respective wives. They agreed to get married a few days apart with the four of them going on their honeymoon together. So it was certainly a habit for Dean and Sinatra too since they were both of Italian origins and I remember that in those years male chauvinism and sexism was also practiced normally in the USA. The Rat Pack was deeply sexist and macho. Women treated as sex objects were the norm. What makes me think instead is Dean's habit of singing for men and not for women. Dean sang too softly. Of course he did it also because it was easier, according to him, not to force his voice too much and always remain in the medium tones of singing but really... pay attention to it. Dean's voice TO ME had nothing manly about it. He was TOO nice at least when Dean was young. He sang much better on the Colgate Comedy Hour than he had since the mid-1960s. He seemed to put more heart into it but it was always a SMOOTH way of singing. Too.

He sang like Dino Crocetti, his "image" was that of Dean Martin

[giancarlodevitafilms]

Luxury meets professionalism with our exclusive wedding videography services in Puglia. Capturing your special day with artistry and precision, we offer the best destination filming experience.

[gacmediadaily]

Since we've become a part of the Great American Media family, you may have noticed a few new faces in our movies and shows. We wanted to take some time to introduce you to these new faces - who they are and what they do both on and off screen.

In support of "One Perfect Match" streaming exclusively on Great American Pure Flix today, we're going to introduce you to the star of the film, Merritt Patterson.

Merritt is no stranger to Great American Christmas, as she's starred in several of Great American Family's Christmas movies over the years - including a new one coming later this year. But before we get into that, let's get to know Merritt's backgroud a little more.

Here are a few things you may not know about Merritt Patterson:

She's Canadian: Merritt grew up in the Whistler area. Another fun fact: many of Great American Family's movies are filmed in Canada! Merritt started acting at the age of 15: Her acting credits date back to 2006, including popular TV shows such as "The Royals" and the "Pretty Little Liars" spinoff, "Ravenswood."

She recently got married: Merritt and her husband, talent agent JR Ringer, tied the knot in 2022 in Puglia, Italy. They just celebrated their first weddding anniversary.

She loves to travel: Her social media feed is filled with stunning photos of her most recent adventures, including Kenya, New York and Vancouver.

Coming Soon: Trevor Donavan & Merritt Patterson Reunite for a New Great American Christmas Film

This Great American Family pair has been seen on-camera together before (keep reading for those details!) and they're coming together again for Great American Christmas 2023. The pair will star in "'Twas the Text Before Christmas."

In "'Twas the Text Before Christmas," Addie, played by Merritt, is a New York City chiropractor who mistakenly receives a text from “Nana.” The accidental text turns into a loving friendship between the matronly Nana and Addie who now communicate regularly. Nana invites Addie to spend the holiday in Vermont. It is picture-postcard perfect and exactly as Nana described except for one surprise. Nana’s single son, James (Donovan), a traveling doctor is also home for the holidays. Over three consecutive years, James and Addie are together during the holidays, though it isn’t until they are both single that they begin to see each other in a different light.

What to Watch: Merritt Patterson Movie List

Here's some notable films where you may recognize Merritt Patterson. Catch "One Perfect Match" now streaming on Great American Pure Flix!

One Perfect Match - A Great American Family Original

A professional matchmaker, played by Merritt, must choose between her job and her heart when she falls for a client.

"One of my favorite parts of this movie is that [the main] characters are both successful, very put-together, confident characters. And when they interact they become a bit frazzled and charmed with each other. I think that's so endearing and I think the audience will really lean into that aspect of it and appreciate that," Merritt said of the film.

Fun Fact: This movie was written by Ansely Gordon, who played Abigail in the Great American Original movie, "The Abigail Mysteries."

"One Perfect Match" is currently streaming on Great American Pure Flix.

Catering Christmas - A Great American Christmas Film

A fledgling caterer, Molly Frost, is hired by Jean Harrison, the perfectionistic director of the renowned Harrison Foundation, to cater this year’s annual Christmas Gala dinner. Things get complicated when Molly falls for Jean’s nephew, Carson, 30s, a travel photographer with no desire to take over the family’s foundation… until his aunt assigns him to the task of making sure the catered dinner goes perfectly.

Merritt plays Molly in her most recent Great American Christmas film.

Jingle Bell Princess - A Great American Christmas Film

Through a series of mishaps, sophisticated Princess Amelia, played by Merritt, is stranded in the small town of Tucker, Maine. There, she becomes an “ordinary” guest of the unsuspecting Cutler family. Adapted from the book by Barbara Dunlap.

"Jingle Bell Princess" was originally released on Great American Family December 4, 2021.

Unbroken: Path to Redemption

The Louis Zamperini movie “Unbroken: Path to Redemption” picks up where the hit movie “Unbroken” left off: a returning World War II war hero fighting the demons of post-traumatic stress disorder. He had survived the atrocities of a Japanese prisoner of war camp and U.S. victory had been declared, but the war was still raging in his soul.

Merritt plays Cynthia Applewhite, Louis' husband, in this movie based on a true story.

Watch Merritt Patterson in "One Perfect Match" on Great American Pure Flix today, and keep your eyes open for her upcoming Great American Christmas movie, "'Twas the Text Before Christmas," later this year!

[ashleysitalianlitblog]

My Brilliant Friend (HBO Tie-in Edition): Book 1: Childhood and Adolescence

From the famous Italian author Elena Ferrante, the story is about a poor but vibrant neighborhood on the outskirts of Naples, Elena Ferrante’s four-volume story spans almost sixty years, as its main characters, the fiery and unforgettable Lila and the bookish narrator, Elena, become women, wives, mothers, and leaders, all the while maintaining a complex and at times conflicted friendship. This first novel in the series follows Lila and Elena from their fateful meeting as ten-year-olds through their school years and adolescence. This book is now turning into an HBO MAX show and it’s a young adult classic in modern-day Italy

The Story of a New Name (HBO Tie-in Edition): Book 2: Youth

The follow-up to My Brilliant Friend, The Story of a New Name continues the epic New York Times–bestselling literary quartet that has inspired an HBO series and returns us to the world of Lila and Elena, who grew up together in post-WWII Naples, Italy. 

In The Story of a New Name, Lila has recently married and made her entrée into the family business; Elena, meanwhile, continues her studies and her exploration of the world beyond the neighborhood that she so often finds stifling. Marriage appears to have imprisoned Lila, and the pressure to excel is at times too much for Elena. Yet the two young women share a complex and evolving bond that is central to their emotional lives and a source of strength in the face of life’s challenges. In these Neapolitan Novels, Elena Ferrante, “one of the great novelists of our time” (The New York Times), gives us a poignant and universal story about friendship and belonging, a meditation on love and jealousy, freedom and commitment—at once a masterfully plotted page-turner and an intense, generous-hearted family saga. 

Adua

The book Adua is by lgiaba Scego has historical references and looks into the life of an immigrant. The story is about Adua, an immigrant from Somalia to Italy who has lived in Rome for nearly forty years. She came seeking freedom from a strict father and an oppressive regime, but her dreams of becoming a film star ended in shame. Now that the civil war in Somalia is over, her homeland beckons. Yet Adua has a husband who needs her, a young man, also an immigrant, who braved a dangerous crossing of the Mediterranean Sea. When her father, who worked as an interpreter for Mussolini's fascist regime,  dies, Adua inherits the family home. She must decide whether to make the journey back to reclaim her material inheritance, but also how to take charge of her own story and build a future. From the choices of being an adult to a wife, the book gives us a look of the hard choices life gives us in a heartbreaking story. 

100 Strokes of the Brush Before Bed

An instant blockbuster in Italy that went on to become an international literary phenomenon, 100 Strokes of the Brush Before Bed is the fictionalized memoir of Melissa P., a Sicilian teenager whose quest for love rapidly devolves into a shocking journey of sexual discovery.

Melissa begins her diary a virgin, but a stormy affair at the age of fourteen leads her to regard sex as a means of self-discovery, and for the next two years she plunges into a succession of encounters with various partners, male and female, her age and much older, some met through schoolmates, others through newspaper ads and Internet chat rooms. In graphic detail, she describes her journey through a Dante-Esque underworld of eroticism, where she willingly participates in group sex and sadomasochism, as well as casual pickup

The Scent of Your Breath

Melissa P.’s fictionalized memoir, 100 Strokes of the Brush Before Bed, became an international literary phenomenon, selling over two million copies worldwide and provoking a warning from the pope. The Scent of Your Breath, the second installment in her series of confessions, is a tale of obsessive love and destructive passion.

Melissa is now a successful writer in Rome, living with her new lover, Thomas. With his soft body and feminine eyelashes, he is sensual, patient, and comforting—the antithesis of all the men who came before. But as soon as she meets Viola, a young woman from Thomas’s past, Melissa is consumed with jealousy. Written as a confessional letter to her mother, the story that follows is one of dark obsession, violent lust, and soul-destroying talent, teeming with the ghosts and dragonfly-women Melissa is convinced are trying to steal her man and bring about her ruin. The Scent of Your Breath blurs the boundaries between reality and fantasy and delves deep into the disturbing yet strangely familiar mind of a teenage girl terrorized by love.

Three O'Clock in the Morning Is by Italian author Gianrico Carofiglio the contemporary heart-waring piece is about Antonio is eighteen years old and on the cusp of adulthood. His father, a brilliant mathematician, hasn’t played a large part in his life since divorcing Antonio’s mother but when Antonio is diagnosed with epilepsy, they travel to Marseille to visit a doctor who may hold the hope for an effective treatment. It is there, in a foreign city, under strained circumstances, that they will get to know each other and connect for the first time. A beautiful, gritty, and charming port city where French old-world charm meets modern bohemia, father and son stroll the streets sharing strained small talk. But as the hours pass and day give way tonight, the two find themselves caught in a series of caffeine-imbued adventures involving unexpected people (and unforeseen trysts) that connect father and son for the first time. As the two discuss poetry, family, sex, math, death, and dreams, their experience becomes a mesmerizing 48-hour microcosm of a lifetime relationship. Both learn much about illusions and regret, about talent and redemption, and, most of all, about love. This heartwarming story has captured the modern Italian audience. 

Lost Words

Winner of the Viareggio Prize, a vivid portrait of Italy on the brink of social upheaval in the 1970s.The author Nicola Gardini, writes about the Inside an apartment building on the outskirts of Milan, the working-class residents gossip, quarrel, and conspire against each other. Viewed through the eyes of Chino, an impressionable thirteen-year-old boy whose mother is the doorwoman of the building, the world contained within these walls is tiny, hypocritical, and mean-spirited: a constant struggle. Chino finds escape in reading. One day, a new resident, Amelia Lynd, moves in and quickly becomes an unlikely companion and a formative influence on Chino. Ms. Lynd—an elderly, erudite British woman—comes to nurture his taste in literature, introduces him to the life of the mind, and offers a counterpoint to the only version of reality that he’s known. On one level, Lost Words is an engrossing coming-of-age tale set in the seventies, when Italy was going through tumultuous social changes, and on another, it is a powerful meditation on language, literature, and culture.

Things That Happened Before the Earthquake

The book by Chiara Barzini describes a story about Mere weeks after the 1992 riots that laid waste to Los Angeles, Eugenia, a typical Italian teenager, is rudely yanked from her privileged Roman milieu by her hippie-ish filmmaker parents and transplanted to the strange suburban world of the San Fernando Valley. With only the Virgin Mary to call on for guidance as her parents struggle to make it big, Hollywood fashion, she must navigate her huge new public high school, complete with Crips and Bloods and Persian gang members, and a car-based environment of 99-cent stores and obscure fast-food franchises and all-night raves. She forges friendships with Henry, who runs his mother's movie memorabilia store, and the bewitching Deva, who introduces her to the alternate cultural universe that is Topanga Canyon. And then the 1994 earthquake rocks the foundations not only of Eugenia's home but of the future she'd been imagining for herself.

I'll Steal You Away

Italian literary superstar Niccolò Ammaniti’s novel, I’m Not Scared, prompted gushing praise, hit international bestseller lists, and was made into a smash indie film. In I’ll Steal You Away, Ammaniti takes his unparalleled empathy for children, his scythe-sharp observations, and his knack for building tension to a whole new level. In a tiny Italian village, a young boy named Pietro is growing up tormented by bullies and ignored by his parents. When an aging playboy, Graziano Biglia, returns to town, a change is in the air: Pietro decides to take on the bullies, his lonely teacher Flora finds romance with the town’s prodigal son, and the inept janitor at the school proclaims his love for his favorite prostitute. But the village isn’t ready for such change, and when Graziano seduces and forgets Flora, both she and Pietro’s tentative hopes seem crushed forever. With great tenderness, Ammaniti shines light on the heart-wrenching failures and quiet redemptions of ordinary people trying to live extraordinary lives.

Heaven and Earth: A Novel Every summer Teresa follows her father to his childhood home in Puglia, down in the heel of Italy, a land of relentless, shimmering heat, centuries-old olive groves and families who have lived there for generations. She spends long afternoons enveloped in a sunstruck stupor, reading her grandmother's paperbacks.

Everything changes the summer she meets the three boys who live on the farm next door: Nicola, Tommaso and Bern—the man Teresa will love for the rest of her life. Raised like brothers on a farm that feels to Teresa almost suspended in time, the three boys share a complex, intimate, and seemingly unassailable bond.But no bond is unbreakable and no summer truly endless, as Teresa soon discovers.Because there is resentment underneath the surface of that strange brotherhood, a twisted kind of love that protects a dark secret. And when Bern—the enigmatic, restless gravitational center of the group—commits a brutal act of revenge, not even a final pilgrimage to the edge of the world will be enough to bring back those perfect, golden hours in the shadow of the olive trees.

An unforgettable story of enduring love, the bonds between men, and the all-too-human search for meaning, Heaven and Earth is Paolo Giordano at his best: an author capable of unveiling the depths of the human soul, who has now given us the old-fashioned pleasure of a big, sprawling novel in which to lose ourselves

[giancarlodevitafilms]

Looking to marry in Puglia? Book our luxury, exclusive, and professional wedding videography services for an affordable price near you. Discover the best venues and ensure your destination wedding in Puglia is captured beautifully.

[katelides]

Walking on sunshine - Bechloe Mini Fic pt 7

I realize I have not posted in a very very long time... and I am sorry... I am posting 2 chapters for this mini fic today and I am working on the next one as we speak! So I am getting back out there!!

Chapter 7: It must have been love

The girls are all getting dressed with an 80s playlist blaring in the background, getting them all in the mood. Leave it to Maddie to decide that a themed hen night is what she wants. Everyone is dressing up in vintage clothes, and tuning their hair and makeup into the selected time.

They are all having a ton of fun, messing with each other while helping simultaneously. All the girls have their own costume they are picking. Or a certain style. Aubrey and Stacy had decided to take on a prep school look with Sperry Top-Siders, to show off intelligence yet still looking sexy as hell.

Fat Amy, Maddie and Chloe had each decided on a specific outfit that resembles Cindy Lauper in some way.  Maddie even going as far as putting on a blonde wig. This only because when they were younger, they were obsessed with her hit song ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’. A motto at least 2 have lived by since.  Chloe just loved the song but couldn’t decide whether this was something she wanted to be remembered by for the rest of her life, and still isn’t.

Titziana, who is joining the gang, is sporting pooled up cringed hair. Wearing a black dress and a jean jacket on top. Showing off just enough cleavage to attract the other gender for sure. Emily, on the other hand, is wearing high-waisted jeans and a Coca Cola crop top sweater, and having her hair curled perfectly.

The girls all make it to the club around 10 PM and instantly pull each other towards the bar to take some shots. Maddie is the first one to semi reluctantly pour one down while the rest cheers her on. Shortly after the other girls, minus Emily, since she’s pretending to be pregnant for Maddie, and can’t drink.

The DJ watches the girls go loose and spots their outfits and instantly turns up the volume and blasting Fat Amy, Chloe and Maddie’s all-time favourite through the speakers. The girls go wild and head over to the dance floor, to dance until their hearts are beating like crazy. Flirting and just being free from everything. The wedding, lies, and everything that is attached to what has occurred in the past few days.

At the club, Fat Amy and Aubrey had prepared a little surprise for everyone. They had hired some strippers. Both male a female, to spice up the evening. Maddie is really put on the spot but loves every second of it. How could she not? She has two sexy firemen grinding in her lap while three real-life pilots are already being pulled aside by Back at the club, Chloe is watching her sister getting handsy with the strippers, laughing her heart out, trying to remember everything for the following day. But deep inside she knows that she should not be here, not at the club, nor in Puglia and especially not at the wedding tomorrow. She can’t do it to herself, nor to her sister. She can’t keep pretending that everything is fine when it’s not.

Chloe manages to sneak out of the club, to grab some fresh air and think things over. She wouldn’t be able to forgive herself if she would have made an irrational decision without really thinking about it. She needs to put all her feelings into a neat line. Not just for her own sake.

Meanwhile, Beca, Jesse, Mike and Benji are having a blast, walking around town in their own 80s themed costumes. Beca having chosen a simple outfit, black jeans with a white shirt, topping it off with an army band jacket. Jesse is covering his musical movie tracks and wearing a white shirt with a leather jacket and high jeans with aviator sunglasses. Mikey is keeping it cool with his hair smoothly gelled backwards and a white button-up shirt. Benji is casually wearing a coloured polo shirt tucked into his jeans.

The four of them are cruising around town, from bar to bar. Enjoying Beca’s last night as a free woman together. Eventually, they stumble into a strip club, well slightly pulling Beca towards one, not giving her a chance to change her mind or even protest.

Beca is pushed into a chair, handed over another drink and gets a brunette shoved into her lap. If it wasn’t for her wedding the following day and her still raging feelings for her fiancee’s sister. She would be at least enjoying it. Right now though, she can’t seem to let go and just sits there with a forced smile, waiting for everything to be over. The night, and especially the wedding.

She quickly excuses herself from her chair and tells her brother that she needs some air after all the alcohol she has consumed. She heads out and sits down at the edge of a fountain, just taking her time to think. Her mind keeps playing back the memories of 3 years ago, and the memories of earlier that day. Could Chloes really not feel anything for her? Did she ever, really?

Beca has been sitting outside for about 30 minutes when Jesse stumbles towards her in a slightly inebriated state. Knowing that his little sister needs some guidance or at least support. He remembers how heartbroken she was when Chloe left and how Beca had not dated for over a year after that. He was there, every night when she cried, or more to say she pretended not to cry but he knew better.

“Hey, you all right?” Jesse asks, his voice filled with concern, and slightly slurred speech.

Beca rolls her eyes and watches her brother sit down. “Yeah, I’m fine.” She says once she knows the almost drunken mess next to her is ok. The brunette looks away, her mind yet again consumed by a bright flash of red.

“What’s up Becs?” Jesse asks. Not actually receiving more than a hum from his little sister as an answer.

It takes Beca a second to really clear her thoughts before she speaks up. “Just can’t wait for the wedding to be over.” She says with a sigh. “Just wanna be married already.” That was no lie. Once the wedding is over, she can be happy with Maddie. Maybe even manage to not see Chloe ever again.

Jesse grunts at his sisters' words. “You got a whole lifetime of that, sorellina (little sister).

Rolling her eyes, Beca mumbles a quick. “I know.”

“Enjoy your last night of liberty.” Jesse gently punches Beca on her should and tries to urge her to get up. “Come on!” Falling into an uncomfortable silence, seeing his sister really grind her thoughts together about the only person she has really loved, he takes a deep breath and frowns at the following words he says. “Do you wanna talk about it?”

“About what?” Beca asks, not really feeling in the mood. Nor wanting to make her brother uncomfortable.

“Look,” Jesse starts, not wanting to give up just yet. “is this about Chloe?” He asks, even though he clearly knows the answer to that question. “I’ve got to ask…” He adds when Beca looks away with an eye roll. “… have you still got feelings for her?”

Beca scoffs at the insinuation. “No, that would be really stupid. No.” She says defensively.

Clearing his throat, Jesse asks: “Are you sure?” Needing to know. He doesn’t want to see Beca, nor Maddie, hell not even Chloe hurt by this entire ordeal. When Beca doesn’t immediately say anything, Jesse just stares at her until she looks back at him.

Finally, Beca manages to breathe out a gentle “Yeah.”

“Allora…” (So…), Jesse draws out, falling into a giggle when he sees Beca’s smile coming back slowly. “Can we duct-tape you to a pole now, please?”

Beca mentally facepalms herself when she remembers her predicament. Yet it was a tradition in the family. Whoever gets married, will get duct-taped or bound to a pole. She rolls her eyes and whispers “In a minute.” Jesse takes this as a win and heads back inside to get Benji and Mike.

A few blocks away, Chloe walks out of the club into the night. Her mind filled with all and nothing at the same time. Yet one thing, one name keeps bouncing around without ever leaving Beca.

The redhead walks further away from the entrance and hides behind a corner. Tears are threatening to spill from her eyes. She starts to remember all the moments between her and Beca, how they talked even without speaking. “Lay a whisper, on my pillow. Leave the winter, on the ground.” The words all pour out of her in a rush. Remembering how she felt when Beca wasn’t there. “I wake up lonely, the stare of silence, in the bedroom, all around.”

A bad habit she had picked up over the years, yet one that could always soothe her nerves. Talking to herself when she’s alone. Pretending to be speaking to the brunette that holds her heart. “Touch me now, I close my eyes. And dream away.”

She pushes herself off the wall and starts walking to who knows where not caring about anything at that moment. “It must have been love,” Chloe quietly admits to herself, not ever having voiced the thought after having left Puglia 3 years ago. They had told each other as much, but they were young. They didn’t know what the word meant at the time. “But it’s over now.” She says almost melancholically.

“It must have been good, but I lost it somehow.” Think about the words she’s saying, the redhead becomes more confident and starts to really understand her feelings. “It must have been love, but it’s over now. From the moment we touched, till the time it ran out.”

On the other side of the small town square, Beca is still sitting at the edge of the fountain. Her mind running a million miles an hour. Trying to sort out what she and Chloe are, or better were. “Make-believing, we’re together. That I’m sheltered by your heart.” The brunette feels cheated. Hardly processing the fact that Chloe never loved her. “But in and outside I turned to water, like a teardrop in your palm.”

The brunette’s heart feels heavy. She hasn’t wrapped her head around meeting Maddie. Proposing to her so soon after they met, even though it did feel right at the time. Losing the love of her life… NO, she has met the love of her life. Maddie is supposed to be the love of her life. “And it’s a hard winter’s day, I dream away.” Shaking her head, Beca gets up and decides to walk around for a bit. Feeling a need to stretch her legs.

Chloe sighs heavily and looks up to the moon as she walks towards the fountain where Beca had been just moments ago. “It must have been love, but it’s over now. It was all that I wanted, now I’m living without.”

Beca doesn’t notice the equally distraught Chloe as she walks away in the exposit direction. “It must have been love, but it’ over now. It’s where the water flows. It’s where the wind blows…” She doesn’t get too far, as Mike grabs her and throws her over his shoulder. Laughing the night away together with Benji and Jesse.

Chloe hears the laughter and sees the four. She quickly hides behind a wall and peeks to see what’s going on. They don’t seem to notice her, being too drunk and busy, trying to keep Beca on Mikey’s shoulder.

Having just seen the brunette, even from a distance. Chloe knows what she has to do, there is no way she could stay here. She had to go, as far away as possible. No time for goodbyes. No time for explanation, I’m sorry’s’ or feelings. With a steady pace Chloe walks further away from the party, from her sister and Beca Mitchel.

She makes it home around 30 minutes later after hailing a cab. She rushed to her room and quickly packs her suitcase. The only thing she leaves out is her bride’s maid dress. She leaves it on the bed, needing to really let go of her past that will become the future in a few hours time.

While packing her bag with her favourite book she brought over to read in her spare time, she finds an old picture of her and Beca being as happy as they ever had seemed to be. Sighing heavily, she shoves the picture together with the book in her bag and heads out to where the cab is still waiting for her, to take her to the airport.

In the car, she can’t help but look back at the picture that once used to bring her joy. She ponders about how she could talk to her sister about this later on. If her sister would ever talk to her again that is.

Finally deciding it’s time to fully let go, Chloe lets the old picture fly out of the moving cab as she sheds a single tear. Goodbye Beca. Goodby Puglia. Good luck Maddie.

[adionita]

Palermo: First impressions

“Il cielo promette, ed io ci credo ancora.” - Mariangela Gualtieri, Fuoco Centrale

This line, from one of my favourite poetesse italiane, still takes my breath away. The sky makes promises, and I still believe in them. One promise is Palermo. Another is poetry. Altro è l'arte. L’amore.

As I write this from my new desk in Palermo, I realize we’ve been planning and promising this move since 2017, when Martin and I were last in Europe together (Granada, Bologna, Bucuresti), and realized we needed to return for much longer. For the next couple of years, our hands were tied, but after finishing my PhD residency (2017-2019) and getting married, we decided it was time to take the plunge again. We will be here in Sicily from January to July 2020, and if we love it, forse torniamo dopo. My plan is to work on my thesis and eat pasta tutti i giorni.

Why Palermo? We chose this city because it has a certain incanto (charm) that has always fascinated us. Sicilia is one of the only Italian regions that we didn’t get to visit when we last lived in Italy, but we figured if we loved Sardegna, Campania, and Puglia, we would love it here, too. Vibrant, sunny, friendly, it was the best for our budget and our souls. I’ve only ever lived on the prairies (Jilava, Edmonton, Bologna), but I’ve always wanted to move vicino al mare. The history and hospitality of Sicily is world-renowned, and Palermo, its capital, is filled to the brim with art and some of the best food in the world. And since we knew the language (Italian, not Sicilian...yet lol), we decided it was the perfect place for us to retreat, recharge, and deeply focus on our projects. So, we put all of our possessions in storage and finally fulfilled that promise to each other.

Arrivati at night, we didn’t get a real feel for the city until the next day (though we did venture out to eat the best bufalina pizza ever at midnight). When we woke up, this is what we saw from the balcony of our AirBnb. I nearly died.

And the view from the other side:

Almost immediatamente after waking up, we left the place to explore the surroundings. This is Piazza della Vittoria, one of the nicest parks I’ve ever seen.

And the Cattedrale di Palermo is right around the corner.

We walked to sea, where we watched pescatori and i loro gatti for a while. 

Certo, we ate mouth-watering ravioli and mezzelune (ricotta e spinaci) cooked right in front of our eyes.

We admired and chatted with many local Palermitani. SUPER nice people! Some teenagers even walked us to where we needed to go when we were lost.

We admired the amazing architecture. Below is Teatro Politeama Garibaldi, with Apollo (god of music) and Euterpe (muse of lyricism) on top.

And at night, we rang in the new year together in our new city!

Happy 2020 to everyone -- ovviamente, if you’re reading this, I love you! Se vuoi, send me your address so I can send you a postcard!

Adi

[tabloidtoc]

Star, July 15

Cover: Twins again for George and Amal Clooney 

Page 1: Prince Harry was unpleasantly surprised when Meghan Markle redesigned her engagement ring 

Page 2: Contents, Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn on their new show Making the Cut 

Page 3: Star Shots -- Elton John, Naomi Campbell, Sienna Miller and Naomi Watts and Annabelle Wallis at the premiere of The Loudest Voice 

Page 4: On-set secrets from The Hills 

Page 5: Gwyneth Paltrow plays cupid for ex Chris Martin, Abby Lee Miller’s battle with Burkitt lymphoma has been a lonely one, Melissa Gorga comes to daughter’s defense after Antonia wore a skin-tight dress to her eigth-grade dance 

Page 6: Beth Chapman’s sad farewell, Kim Kardashian created mannequin doubles of her derriere for times she can’t attend fittings, Spot the Stars -- Sharna Burgess, Mary J. Blige, Nina Agdal, Kaitlyn Bristowe and Jason Tartick, Cara Santana and fiance Jesse Metcalfe, Michelle Obama 

Page 8: Star Shots -- Duchess Kate Middleton

Page 9: Jacob Batalon and Tom Holland and Zendaya, Jennifer Aniston repeats a bikini from 2016 

Page 10: Hot Mamas -- Chrissy Teigen with daughter Luna, Kate Moss and daughter Lila, Jennifer Garner and daughter Violet 

Page 12: Demi Moore, Andy Cohen and dog Wacha, Rob Lowe 

Page 13: Laurie Metcalf and Bernadette Peters and rescue dogs for Broadway Barks 2020, Mary J. Blige at the BET Awards 

Page 14: Tilda Swinton, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Rihanna and Seth Meyers 

Page 15: David Harbour, Kendall Jenner 

Page 16: Alex Trebek and Jeopardy! champion James Holzhauer, Eva Longoria and son Santiago, Pink 

Page 18: Nikki and Brie Bella, Olivia Newton-John 

Page 19: Chris Hemsworth, Mark Hamill and Chucky, Rachel Zoe 

Page 20: Normal or Not? Kevin Bacon on Seth Meyers, Ewan McGregor with his daughters

Page 21: Ashton Kutcher, Louie Anderson, Jessica Alba and daughter Haven 

Page 22: Fashion -- Best of the Week -- white dresses -- Elsa Hosk, Emily Ratajkowski, Cara Delevingne 

Page 23: Chrissy Teigen, Jessica Alba

Page 26: Colton Underwood and Cassie Randolph plans for the future 

Page 27: Mandy Moore and Taylor Goldsmith long-distance marriage, Lourdes Leon and boyfriend Jonathan Puglia are a perfect match, Anna Faris and Michael Barrett committed but in no rush 

Page 28: Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos renewing their vows, Jessica Simpson has finally lifted her sex ban with husband Eric Johnson, Love Bites -- Meryl Davis married Fedor Andreev, Laverne Cox and Kyle Draper split, Kobe Bryant and wife Vanessa welcomed their fourth daughter, Bar Refaeli and Adi Ezra are expecting their third child, Camila Cabello and Matthew Hussey split 

Page 30: Cover Story -- Amal and George Clooney -- it’s twins again 

Page 34: Real Housewives Teresa Giudice and Bethenny Frankel in crisis 

Page 36: Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes quitting Hollywood for love 

Page 38: Sexy Over 60 -- Angela Bassett, Sela Ward 

Page 39: Helen Mirren, Christie Brinkley, Michelle Pfeiffer, Tina Turner 

Page 40: Andie MacDowell, Jane Seymour, Rene Russo, Lynda Carter 

Page 41: Alfre Woodard, Susan Lucci 

Page 44: Double Takes -- Martha Hunt vs. Kyle Richards 

Page 46: Style -- sneakers -- Victoria Justice 

Page 51: Getting fit with WWE’s Mandy Rose 

Page 52: Entertainment 

Page 60: Parting Shot -- Lady Gaga at the Apollo Theater 

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Weddings in Puglia

Puglia is the ideal place to hold a traditional Italian wedding. The region has a variety of options for getting married wedding in Puglia. There are many locations that you can hold your Puglian wedding ceremony, from old farmhouses to modern-day luxury hotel rooms.

When you are planning your Puglia wedding the first thing to consider is the location. There are not many chain restaurants in this area of agriculture. It is also necessary to find transportation since taxis aren't always available, and some hotels don't even have air cooling. A lot of the buildings that have been renovated are constructed of stone, which keeps things cool. It's a great spot to host a small, intimate ceremony, even in the winter months when it can be chilly.

Puglia is a beautiful place to have your wedding by the sea in one of Italy's most romantic and beautiful locations. The most romantic aspect of Puglia is its coastline. Particularly, the beauty of the coastal towns such as Monopoli and Polignano a Mare is what makes them so popular.

Puglia is a region in Southern Italy, is known for its beautiful landscapes and traditional cuisine. Families from Puglia still cook traditional meals and pass down the recipes from generation to generation. The olive trees and red soil in this area provide the perfect setting for weddings. If you're looking to experience an authentic Italian experience, Puglia is the perfect location.

For a traditional, Apulian-style wedding you could consider having the wedding ceremony in a traditional church. Masserias were originally designed to serve as fortified castles to wealthy families. Many date back to the 16th or 17th centuries and are gorgeous wedding venues. They have outdoor ceremony spaces as well as a stunning garden and even a trullo tucked within an olive grove.

A luxury hotel or masseria in Puglia can host your wedding, like La Residenza Masseria Pettlecchia. This masseria offers many facilities, including an on-site wedding planner wedding in Puglia Italy. This elegant wedding venue is perfect for intimate gatherings of families or outdoor celebrations.

Traditional weddings in Puglia are gorgeous. They blend old world traditions with modern glamour. An Italian wedding includes an intimate ceremony, a lavish dinner and a glamorous gala celebration. This couple chose to have their wedding ceremony at an ancient Masseria surrounded by olive trees and wild landscapes.

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A Padre Pio Inspirational Story

“Father Pio is a giant of sanctity. We wish to thank our Father who is in Heaven for having given rise in the Holy Church of God to a man of great faith, of that unshakable faith that moves mountains and creates gigantic good works in this century of struggles, fratricidal wars and egoism. God has given rise in the Italian Church, in this noble region of Puglia, to a giant of sanctity whose heroic virtues recall men of today to their vocation as God’s created beings and sons of the Father who is in Heaven.” – Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican Secretary of State __________

Padre Pio and His Friends from East and West

Father Pio Francesco Mandato, F.M.H.J., of Eastern, PA, Danny D’Agosto of Brooklyn, NY, and James Hurlburt of San Diego, CA, each shared their memories of Padre Pio with us for this issue of “Pray, Hope, and Don’t Worry.”

Father Pio Francesco Mandato, F.M.H.J., was born in Italy in 1956 to Graziella and Andre Mandato. His family lived in Pietrelcina, the town where Padre Pio was born and raised. Fr. Mandato’s family and extended family, including his great-grandfather, received many graces through the years from their spiritual father, Padre Pio. Their stories of Padre Pio were told and retold with the greatest pleasure.

Fr. Mandato’s grandmother, Maria DeNunzio once asked a friend who was going to San Giovanni Rotondo to deliver a letter to Padre Pio for her. She fixed her friend a cup of espresso and they had an enjoyable visit. Then he left for the monastery. He was able to talk with Padre Pio and when it was time to say good-bye, Padre Pio surprised him by saying, “Aren’t you forgetting something?” “Not that I can think of,” Maria’s friend replied. “Not only did you enjoy a cup of coffee and a visit with Maria, but you promised her that you would give me the letter that is in your back pocket!” At once he remembered and quickly placed the letter in Padre Pio’s hands.

In Pietrelcina, everyone called Padre Pio, Il Monaco Santo, “the holy friar.” Everyone felt very proud that the “holy friar” was a fellow citizen of Pietrelcina. The people from Pietrelcina were characteristically simple, devout, hard-working, and strong in their Catholic faith. Many people in the area were related or distantly related to each other. Pio Francesco’s mother was related to Padre Pio through her paternal grandmother.

Padre Pio never forgot the town from which he had come. He loved Pietrelcina and he loved the people who lived there. He said that he remembered Pietrelcina, “stone by stone.” Padre Pio wrote a letter to his brother Michael Forgione, who still resided in their hometown and said, “Pietrelcina is totally in my heart.” Regarding his spiritual life, Padre Pio once said, “Everything happened in Pietrelcina. Jesus was there.” It was in Pietrelcina that the Lord began to pour out his graces on the young Capuchin. Padre Pio once made the prophetic statement, “During my life I have cherished San Giovanni Rotondo. After my death I will cherish and favor Pietrelcina.” How fitting that today he is known as St. Pio of Pietrelcina.

During World War II, the people of Pietrelcina were worried about their safety. “Do not worry,” Padre Pio said. “Pietrelcina will be protected.” History bears out the truth of his statement. Padre Pio was transferred to the Capuchin monastery of Our Lady of Grace in San Giovanni Rotondo in 1916 and remained there until his death in 1968. A number of the residents of Pietrelcina moved to San Giovanni Rotondo to be closer to their spiritual father.

Once Paris DeNunzio, Pio Francesco’s grandfather, made a trip to San Giovanni Rotondo from Pietrelcina to see Padre Pio. The road that led up to the monastery was steep and dangerous. Paris’ companion, who was driving, fell asleep at the wheel and the car swerved and veered off the road. Paris, who was very frightened, began praying, “Padre Pio, helps us!” At the last moment, the driver was able to gain control of the car. When they arrived at the monastery and went to Padre Pio’s cell, Paris told his spiritual father about the near accident. “And were you frightened, Paris?” Padre Pio asked. “Yes, I was frightened,” Paris replied. “Well, don’t you know who was driving?” Padre Pio asked. Paris asked him what he meant. “I was driving the car,” said Padre Pio, “and you all arrived safely!”

Paris used to pray daily to Padre Pio, recommending to him his wife, his daughter, his son and other family members. Once when he was talking to Padre Pio, he asked him to pray for his family and began to name them. Padre Pio said to him, “You do not need to tell me their names. I hear their names every day in your prayers.” Another time, Paris was experiencing pain in his chest and was worried that perhaps he had heart trouble. He told Padre Pio about it and Padre Pio replied that there was nothing wrong with his heart. “Of course there is something wrong,” Paris said. “If there wasn’t something wrong, I would not be in so much pain.” Padre Pio told him to stop talking about it. “If you don’t stop, I will give you a punch,” Padre Pio said. He then gave Paris a light punch on his chest. From that moment on, he never experienced another pain in his chest.

Pio Francesco’s mother, Graziella, met Padre Pio for the first time when she traveled to the monastery with her father, Paris DeNunzio. Graziella was ten years-old. When they arrived, they found Padre Pio inside the 16th century friary church of Our Lady of Grace, surrounded by a large group of people. Being small, Graziella was unable to get close to him. She could only see the top of his head. When Padre Pio saw Graziella, he extended his arm over the people, and allowed her to kiss his hand. His eyes made a profound impression on her, an impression that she would never forget.

In 1946, a few days before Christmas, Graziella and her brother made a visit to see Padre Pio. He blessed Graziella by placing his hands on her head. Then in his paternal way, he gave her a fatherly embrace. At once, she became aware of the beautiful scent of roses. She believed that the fragrance was coming from the wound in his side.

One time Graziella told Padre Pio that she had met a man she was thinking of marrying. “Don’t do it. He is not for you. You don’t know what kind of coat he wears,” Padre Pio said to her. She and her father did a little research and found out that the man was a communist. When she inquired about a second suitor, the answer was again a firm “no.” When she finally named a third man, Andre Mandato, Padre Pio said, “The angel of God has passed. Do it with the blessing of God.” She married Andre in 1955.

Because of the popularity of Padre Pio’s confessional, a booking system had to be put in place at the monastery. People would take a ticket and wait for their number to be called. It sometimes required a wait of eight days or more. Once Graziella had a tremendous desire to speak to Padre Pio. The way to speak to him was through the vehicle of the confessional but Graziella did not want to wait that long. She somehow had the courage to approach the confessional without a ticket. The woman at the front of the line told her she could go ahead of her.

Just as she stepped into the confessional, Padre Pellegrino, Padre Pio’s assistant, whose job it was to check tickets, told Padre Pio that Graziella had just entered without a reservation. Padre Pio said to him, “And when she did, who were you watching?”

Graziella was permitted to make her confession regardless and she told her spiritual father that she and her husband were expecting their first child. “You will have a son,” he said. “Name him Pio Francesco.” When her baby boy arrived on July 6, 1956, she was delighted that he shared not only Padre Pio’s baptismal name, Francesco, but also his name in religion, Pio. Padre Pio sent his blessing as well as a medal with the Blessed Virgin on one side and St. Michael the Archangel on the other.

Pio Francesco Mandato was four years old when his grandfather, Paris, took him for the first time to see Padre Pio in his cell. Padre Pio blessed little Pio Francesco and embraced him. Little Pio came just up to the middle of Padre Pio’s waist. Afterward, he told his mother, “Padre Pio has perfume on his tummy.” Graziella told her son that he did not wear perfume. The fragrance was a spiritual gift that the Lord had given him, one among many gifts. It was a sign of grace for those who perceived it.

Paris took little Pio Francesco with him a number of times to the monastery to visit Padre Pio. The men were allowed to go into a gathering area and converse with Padre Pio. Women were not allowed. Pio Francesco remembers what joyful occasions they were for all concerned. In the presence of a number of Capuchins and laymen, Padre Pio enjoyed the fellowship and he loved to tell jokes and to make his friends laugh.

Seven year-old Pio Francesco and his younger brother Vincent received their first Holy Communion from Padre Pio on October 3, 1964, on the feast of the Transitus of St. Francis of Assisi (the celebration of the death of St. Francis of Assisi). Afterward Padre Pio said to the young boys, “I pray that your last Holy Communion will be even more beautiful than your first.” Pio Francesco remembers the solemnity and the great devotion with which Padre Pio celebrated Mass. Although his Mass was long, the time seemed to pass very quickly. Another remarkable aspect of Padre Pio’s Mass was that although it was always very crowded, a profound silence pervaded the church.

The Mandato family emigrated to the United States in 1964 and settled in New Jersey. Naturally, they missed Padre Pio immensely. Father Alessio Parente, Padre Pio’s secretary, relayed a message to Graziella from Padre Pio. He said, “Tell Graziella that I always have her present in my prayers and I am united to her whole family.”

On September 22, 1968, Graziella had a vivid dream of Padre Pio. “I come to say goodbye to you,” he said. She said to him, “Don’t leave,” and he replied, “The Lord is calling me.” The next day Graziella learned that he had passed away in the early morning hours.

Pio Francesco Mandato was ordained to the priesthood in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1985. He and his family made a trip to Italy so that he could celebrate his first Mass in Pietrelcina at the Madonna Della Libera altar (Our Lady of Liberty), at Our Lady of the Angels parish. It was the very same church and altar where Padre Pio had celebrated his first Mass on August 14, 1910.

Today, fifty year old Father Pio Francesco Mandato, F.M.H.J., belongs to the Franciscan Missionary Hermits of St. Joseph and lives in Eastern Pennsylvania. He continues to live out his priestly vocation in the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi. He feels that Padre Pio is still guiding him and helping him on his spiritual journey. “More than anything else, I remember Padre Pio as a very loving man, like a loving father,” Father Pio Francesco said. The words that Padre Pio said to his mother so many years before remain a consolation to him, “Tell Graziella that I always have her present in my prayers and I am united to her whole family.” Father Pio Francesco Mandato continues to carry on the work of the Lord.

“Don’t doubt my prayers, which are certainly poor, but still solicitous for you. I have never ceased, nor will I cease to pray to the most sweet God that He may be pleased to accomplish His holy work in you; that is, that you may have a strong desire and intention to reach perfection in the Christian life; a desire which you must love and nurture tenderly in your heart, as the work of the Holy Spirit, and a spark of His Divine fire.” – St. Pio of Pietrelcina ______________________________

James Hurlburt shared his testimony at the Padre Pio Devotions in San Diego. When he talked about seeing Padre Pio for the first time, James was visibly moved, and it was hard for him to continue speaking. James said, “The experience of seeing Padre Pio in prayer was so powerful that I still cannot talk about it without crying.”

James Hurlburt “I spent 24 years in the U.S. navy, and as a chief petty officer, I had become accustomed to many deployments in a number of different countries around the world. However, there is one trip that stands out among all the rest. It was my visit to the monastery of Padre Pio in 1960. It has remained one of the greatest experiences of my life.

At that time, the ship I was assigned to was stationed in Naples, Italy where we serviced navy ships of the 6th Fleet. My shipmate, Stan had met an Italian man who had told him about Padre Pio. They had decided to go to San Giovanni Rotondo to see Padre Pio and invited me and one other shipmate to go with them. I had never heard of Padre Pio but the idea of taking a few vacation days appealed to me. I thought it would be enjoyable to see the southern part of Italy and so I accepted the invitation.

When we arrived at the monastery in San Giovanni Rotondo, I noticed many women dressed in black with rosaries in their hands, climbing solemnly up the stone steps to the entrance of the church. The next day we visited the church in the afternoon and saw many of the same devout ladies, rosaries in hand, praying. I noticed a young priest who was sitting in the church and he acted strangely. He seemed ill-at-ease as he shifted around in his seat. He somehow didn’t seem to belong there among so many devout people.

On Sunday morning we got up early to attend Padre Pio’s Mass. We were there well before the Mass began and found seats on the left side of the church, near the altar. I looked up in the balcony and saw Padre Pio. It almost took my breath away. He was kneeling and had his hands folded in prayer. He seemed to be totally wrapped in God. Motionless, he was looking up at a fixed point. He remained completely still for what seemed like a long time. I felt like I was looking at Jesus. I will never forget it as long as I live.

His Mass too, was unforgettable. From our seats near the altar, we could see him well. His movements were slow and reverent. It was very impressive to see him as he opened the tabernacle and then prayed. He seemed somehow to be out of his earthly existence, talking to Jesus. He seemed to be in Heaven.

After the Mass, we went to a small reception room near the church. We could hear Padre Pio’s booming voice, full of authority, speaking to someone nearby. He was speaking to the priest who had seemed so troubled the previous day. Our Italian companion told us that Padre Pio had said to the priest, “You must go to confession if you want to save your soul!” Then the young priest left the church.

The next morning we left for Naples to return to our ship. What began as just a sightseeing trip across Italy turned out to be a glimpse into the world of the supernatural. The visit to San Giovanni Rotondo was a profound experience and it had a great impact my life. I am now 89 years old. Seeing Padre Pio and attending his Mass is a memory that I will cherish forever.”

“We belong eternally to God to love and bless Him always, and I live wholly in Him and His Divine Son.” – St. Pio of Pietrelcina ______________________________

Donato (Danny) D’Agosto, growing up in Controne, Italy, had always heard talk about Padre Pio, and had a desire to visit him. However, San Giovanni Rotondo was a long distance away and Danny could not afford to make the trip.

In 1954, when Danny was eighteen years old, he emigrated with his family to the United States. He took a bus to the boat that would take him to his new home and as the bus passed through the city of Pompeii, Danny noticed the beautiful church of Our Lady of Pompeii (Padre Pio had always had a great devotion to Our Lady of Pompeii). Passing the church, Danny made a promise to God that he would someday return to Italy and fulfill his dream of meeting Padre Pio, and he prayed, asking for God’s help and blessing in the matter.

Danny and his family settled in Brooklyn, New York. Four years later, when he was 23 years old, Danny had saved enough money to return to Italy and realize the desire of his heart. He managed to get a personal meeting with Padre Pio. “It was 5:00 a.m. when I arrived at the church,” Danny said. “Padre Pio was there greeting visitors in the sacristy before Mass. I knelt down to kiss his hand and my heart was full of emotion. Padre Pio looked at me and said, ‘You kept your promise. You came to see me!’ Padre Pio had never seen me before and had no way of knowing about the prayer and the promise I had made to God four years earlier. It still gives me the chills when I think about it.”

Danny had a desire to honor Padre Pio in a special way in New York, where he has lived for the last fifty-two years. With the permission of the parish priest of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, in Brooklyn, Danny purchased the property across the street from the church and built a shrine to Padre Pio. A large statue of Padre Pio sits behind a glass partition in an attractive alcove where many visitors come to pray. Pilgrims to the shrine have included two Bishops and one Cardinal.

The shrine remains a work in progress. Danny was able to have the name of the street facing the shrine changed to “Padre Pio Way.” Mass is celebrated at the shrine on Padre Pio’s birthday, May 25 and on September 23, the day that he died. “Padre Pio was like a light, like a bright and shining star,” Danny said.” “His holiness was tangible.”

“Where did Padre Pio get that light which he so successfully communicated to all those who met him? Undoubtedly from prayer, in listening to God, in prolonged penances, but above all through the celebration of the Mass which was the center of his existence.” – Pope John Paul II __________

What Makes Up True Holiness

As a Capuchin priest, Padre Pio led a life of profound holiness. He wrote a beautiful reflection on holiness:

“Let us keep before our minds that which makes up real holiness. Holiness means getting above ourselves; it means perfect mastery of all our passions. It means having real and continual contempt for ourselves and for the things of the world to the point of preferring poverty rather than wealth, humiliation rather than glory, suffering rather than pleasure. Holiness means loving our neighbor as our self for love of God. In this connection holiness means loving those who curse us, who hate and persecute us and even doing good to them. Holiness means living humbly, being disinterested, prudent, just, patient, kind, chaste, meek, diligent, carrying out one’s duties for no other reason than that of pleasing God and receiving from Him alone the reward one deserves.” – Padre Pio (Letters III)