Building Something Meaningful for Our Community

Over the last nine years at St. Pius, I have witnessed children come alive when they step into nature—when they are invited, and sometimes gently pushed, to truly engage with the world God created. Each year, for example, our middle school students travel to the mountains. Without fail, they complain in the weeks preceding the trip about giving up their cell phones, but the moment they arrive, something beautiful happens: joy, curiosity, and wonder awaken in them. Time and time again, I have watched this transformation unfold.

Growing up, I was blessed to experience the beauty of agrarian life in Italy. I come from a place where generations of farmers tend olive groves, citrus groves, vineyards, and abundant gardens—families who lived simple, faithful, and deeply Catholic lives rooted in the land. My sister's love for raising farm animals inspired me greatly, and our shared heritage formed me profoundly.

It is from this foundation that I felt called to use my family’s 34-acre property to create a local space where students can encounter God’s creation more regularly and in a spiritually guided way—an environment where our rich Catholic traditions and faith can shape and illuminate their time in nature.

My testimonial would be incomplete without honoring Monsignor Marcaccio, whose creation of St. Anthony’s Bread revealed what is possible when passion, prayer, and personal initiative unite in a Christ-centered mission. His example encouraged me to lean into my lifelong passion, and I have been blessed to discover kindred spirits at St. Pius X who share this same vision, a vision that compliments our dedication to the school and parish so well.

Together with others who embrace this mission and purpose in Christ, we hope to build something meaningful for our community—something rooted in faith and nature—that students and families can enjoy for years to come.