Columns

The verb sentirsi means “to feel” in Italian and therefore sentirsi is the verb Italians use to describe their deepest emotions. You will immediately notice from the -si ending that sentirsi is a reflexive verb. We English speakers do not use a reflexive verb when we put our emotions into words, since “feeling” is not considered a reflexive activity in our way of thinking. Because of this important difference, we will really have to learn how to think in Italian to express our feelings with sentirsi!   Learning how to use the verb sentirsi is really not all that tricky, though, once you …

The verb stare has an interesting history. Although the direct translation of stare is “to stay,” over the centuries, stare has also taken on the meaning of “to be” with respect to one’s general health. Stare is an –are verb that has an irregular root in the tu and loro forms. In the table below, the regular conjugations of stare are given in green and the irregular forms in brown, in order to make them easier to recognize. Stare is a verb that will truly be used every day, so each conjugation should be committed to memory. Stare – to …

  We always talk with great fondness about the Roseland of decades past while we embrace the last vestiges of those glory days. Unfortunately, the pandemic has cast a dark shadow over these living reminders of our cherished past. In many ways, last year has been one of loss as we look forward to 2021 with hope for better times. Many of the places, events and organizations we’ve clung to in recent years have either gone temporarily or permanently dark. I think it is fitting to recall some of the great memories each of them has brought into our lives. …

Visiting Italy during Christmastime has been on my bucket list for many years, but for now that dream visit will have to wait. Instead, I would like to share an Italian Christmas carol that makes me feel close to the people in this special country. That carol is “Tu Scendi dalle Stelle.” Although virtually unkown in America, it is said to be the best-loved Christmas carol in Italy. The music and lyrics for “Tu Scendi dalle Stelle” were written in 1732, by Saint Alphonsus Liguori, who was a Neapolitan priest. Liguori originally gave the song the title, “Little song to Child …

When you’re buying a home, waiving your rights to a property inspection if often recommended with a couple of notable exceptions. A home inspector protects your investment and reveals potential issues that might not be visible to the naked eye. Look at it this way: How happy would you be with your property if you only discovered it needed $10,000 worth of immediate repairs AFTER the sale was final. Inspectors look for health and safety concerns, and can usually uncover such issues as faulty electrical wiring or heating-and-cooling systems, and even structural defects that the average person would never notice. …

Christmas is a time for celebration, but how we celebrate has changed over the centuries. How do you celebrate Christmas? Do you embrace the more secular version embodied by Santa Claus with his big bag of presents, or the more religious one in which gifts are given in recognition of God’s gift to us of His Son Jesus Christ? One tradition I embrace is the Christmas story told by Mario Avignone, the founder of this column. Fr. Pierini asked him decades ago to start writing Petals as a way of keeping Roseland alive in our hearts. In my 12 years …

Fra Noi readers are nothing if not devoted. You demonstrate that every month in the remarkable rate at which you renew your subscriptions, the little notes of thanks and praise you send with your payments, and the inspiring number of gift subscriptions you give. In the last several weeks, you’ve taken that devotion to a whole new level, responding to our fundraising appeal with a tidal wave of generosity. Nearly one in every five of you answered the call with contributions ranging from $5 bills to a mindboggling $2,000 check. With donations still flowing in at press time, the wave’s …

Prendere  most commonly means “to take,” but can also be translated as “to bring,” “to pick up,” “to get,” or “to buy/acquire.” The past participle preso can also be used to describe liking someone or something a lot. This use stretches the meaning of prendere a bit, but there is a similar expression in English — being “taken with” someone — that also expresses the same idea. In its reflexive form, prendersi is used to convey how a person can “catch/come down with” an illness. When you are able to visit Italy, use prendere when ordering food in a restaurant …

November is dedicated to the men and women of the armed services who have played a role in protecting our nation and safeguarding its future. On Memorial Day, we remember all of those service members who gave their lives for our country. On Veterans Day, we honor all those who served in any capacity. All veterans have stories about their time in service. I invited the readers to share those stories and I got numerous responses. This column is the perfect opportunity for me to present some of them. As you read these stories, I encourage you to think with …

I have more than a decade of experience in real estate and I honestly had no idea how the industry would be impacted when COVID-19 hit. I had several concerns at the start of the pandemic. Here are the five things that took me by surprise. The first thing I wondered was, “Are people really going to be selling or buying a house during all of this?” I was shocked that the answer is yes! Houses are flying off the market right now like never before. Some even being sold within 24 hours of being listed. The second thing I …