Gala Placidia's activity

Thanks for the ideas, Raggio, your Dad is also my kind of cook, plenty of inspiration and imagination. I collect recipes; however, I must confess that I hardly ever follow them exactly. I add or omit ingredients all the time. They also help me to create new dishes with whatever I have at home. And no doubt about your Sicilian ancestry, I think that the word "farsumagru" would only be understood there although there are other "vitello ripieno" varietes elsewhere. 

It is difficult to work on a translation if you have an original text with typos.... Translation from a perfect source is difficult enough!

Al, I respect your opinion and although I am a Catholic I should clarify that I am not in agreement with many things which have happened, still happen and possibly will keep on happening within the Church. I have several priests and nuns in my immediate family and I am happy and proud to say that their conduct has always been perfect. I have two aunts who, after becoming nuns, asked for permission to leave the orders, which was granted. We also had a very dear friend who was a priest and was granted dispensation to marry the woman he fell in love with. Celibacy is a very controversal subject and I am personally against it. As you say, I cannot see any sense in it and it was not compulsory until the 12th Century and even then it took practically until the 17th Century to be formalised. On the other hand, the Oriental branch of the Catholic Church allows its priests to marry and also some Anglican Church priests, who were married and who did not like the reforms introduced in the Anglican Church, asked to join the Catholic church and have been accepted as priests. Priesthood is a sacrament and a priest remains a priest as long as he is alive, whether he marries or not.  Personally, I would prefer to see celibacy by choice and not as an imposition. I further believe that allowing priests to marry will help them in the fulfilment of their mission and that it will also help them to cope with the solitude involved in being a lonely priest. I have seen priests in Australia turning to alcohol to hide their frustrations. I see how my uncles who are priests come to visit regularly members of the family just to feel that love and closeness that they don't have. I cannot totally blame celibacy for the cases of child abuse or paedophilia. This link has never been established although there could be an association. I think that the number of paedophiles within any Church would be in the same proportion as it happens in any other place in the world; however, all churches and organisations dealing with children should be vigilant in order to protect the innocent victims. This is where society and churches have failed and the coverup has been widespread. As for the Catholic Church being a Company, I certainly do not agree with you, but you are entitled to have your own opinion on the matter. I would say that for one paedophile within the Church there are hundreds of good priests and nuns who are never mentioned and who fulfil roles which are never praised or acknowledged. They do not mind as they have a vocation and they are simply responding to its call. But that does not make the news or even a small headline.... As for respect, I think that all human beings should be treated with it. Unfortunately, the media does not share this belief.

"Cipportare" could be two words: "ci portare a conoscere bo". Now, with "bo" I'm totally lost.....

Un altro fittavolo (another tenant), but it is one word.

Valerie, what you are experiencing is a natural reaction. We are all afraid when our turn comes to speak in a foreign language. Many of my students used to go blank although I was sure that they knew the answer to my question. A few others had to be kept under control because they would monopolize the class to the detriment of the shy ones. The important thing is to fight that shyness and answer. Even if you give the wrong answer, you learn more through your own mistakes. And your teacher would understand what you are trying to do. Think at this: if you knew all the answers, you would not need to be in a class with the rest of the students. You would be in the teacher's place. Good luck with your studies, and please, keep on persevering. This is my advice as an old teacher of foreign languages.

All churches try to maintain a position of influence and meddle in politics. This is nothing new and it is not commendable. Furthermore, I would say that it goes against the true spirit of any church; however, we are getting away from the main topic, which relates to the visit of the Pope to the UK, the Foreign Office's awful gaffe and the treatment of the Pope by the media. Regarding what he should do during his visit to the UK.... Just the usual: a few blessings and prayers, solemn mass, possibly another apology for the handling of the child abuse cases, meetings with the hierarchy of the Anglican church and other denominations praying together for peace and unity, consecration of priests and perhaps beatification of a British catholic on the venerable list.... and that's it. The normal duties for a Pope and the Foreign Office knows it. After all, they are supposed to be the diplomats and experts in dealing with foreign matters and visitors... All the other suggestions are vulgar and insulting.

Sorry to contradict you, but the Pope is also Head of the Catholic Church and Head of a State (The Vatican State), not the CEO of a Company. Child abuse unfortunately occurs in society at all levels and the Anglican Church has not been immune to it, hiding it for decades as has been the case for the Catholic Church. This report by the Anglican Church of Australia is most enlightening: http://www.anglican.org.au/docs/Study%20of%20Reported%20Child%20Sexual%20Abuse%20in%20the%20Anglican%20Church%20May%202009%20Full%20Report.pdf Just a quick search through the Internet will show you how prevalent child abuse and paedophilia are in our society. Also, how authorities have tried to hide it for very long. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1566826/C-of-E-child-abuse-was-ignored-for-decades.html My point is that the Pope has been treated with very little respect even if he has acknowledged publicly that the Church was wrong. On the other hand, similar cases involving other churches or groups do not get the same kind of publicity. Child abuse and paedophilia should be considered abhorrent and punished accordingly.

Marcella, I totally agree with your comment. It is also true that some members of the Church, a small minority, behaved in a disgusting and criminal way and that the hierarchy did not handle those issues the way it would have been expected to. The Pope has apologized for what has happened, not only in general terms but he also had a private meeting with some of the victims during his recent visit to Malta. The British Foreign Office made a terrible gaffe which cannot be justified and, had it been the case of a similar treatment of the leader of another faith, the consequences could have been terrible. Could you imagine the Queen of England being blamed for the actions of individual members of the Anglican church or even its hierarchy? Well, she is the Head of the Church of England... similar case....  

You can also advertise the kittens for adoption through www.dogwelcome.it under "Adozioni". Send their photo as this always helps.