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My name is Mignon Toppino. I am a Junior studying Religious Studies and Social Justice at Cabrini University. This past June I was blessed with the opportunity to go on an eleven-day Italy Pilgrimage with Select International Tours. The experiences I had on this pilgrimage opened my heart up to greater growth and learning of who I am and who my heavenly Father is.

Before attending Cabrini University in Radnor, PA, I attended Cabrini High School in New Orleans, LA. So, I grew up learning from and about Mother Cabrini. Going to Mother Cabrini’s birthplace was truly the highlight of the trip for me. Being able to be in the presence of the relic of Mother Cabrini’s heart was such an awakening moment. It’s quite difficult for me to really form the right words that describe the amount of joy, peace, love, and beauty I felt in those moments. I do know I have never felt surer of God’s love and mercy.

To explain to you fully what this whole experience meant to me and what I learned from it, I must explain what season of life I was in before the trip. I was having a great struggle with loving myself, seeing the face of Christ in myself, and hearing and understanding God’s voice.

To say that this trip was simply a great trip with beautiful opportunities would not be completely honest, because for me this trip was transformative. Everyday since the trip, I have learned a little more, I have started to love myself a little bit more, and by God’s grace this beauty will not stop. This trip was so transformative for me because it taught me the power of intentionality.

Diving deeper into Mother Cabrini’s story I learned how she was a very intentional women. Like her, I must intentionally remember who I am, and what my Heavenly Father calls women of faith to do, which is to love and serve their brothers and sisters. I owe all of who I am and all of my life experiences to my Heavenly Father, for everyday despite my sins and faults he chooses to love me and desires a deep and intimate relationship with me. I am unbelievably blessed but not only by the love of Christ but for the bond and relationship I have made with Mother Cabrini over the years. I can tell you for a fact that without Mother Cabrini’s life of love, faith, and bravery, my life would not be what it is today.

Note: the photo here is the group at Chiesa del Santissimo Redentore e Santa Francesca Cabrini
(Church of the Most Holy Redeemer and St Frances Cabrini).  The skull of St Frances Xavier Cabrini rests within this church. It is placed within a wax figure of her likeness as shown here.

Her place of birth is Sant’ Angelo de Lodigiano

The above article was re-posted with permission from Select International Tours.

The Atlantic hurricane season is active this year, and for those traveling (especially on cruises) you need to be aware of what coverage you may have on travel insurance. Most beaches and tourist attractions begin to close a few days before forecast landfall if it is going to be a category 3 (sustained winds of 111-129 mph). The highest is category 5 with sustained winds over 136 miles per hour.  The danger is not just the wind but also the torrential rainfall that accompanies hurricanes (especially if it is slow-moving).

And, of course, if you are booked on a cruise the itinerary could likely be changed, but that should be covered by the cruise lines.  However, if the cruise  does go ahead (perhaps with some port substitutions) and you simply cannot get to the point of departure due to the hurricane, then you will wish that you had taken out travel insurance, because the cruise line will almost certainly not refund your money.

Many travel insurance policies include coverage for hurricanes that impact travel, as long as the policy was purchased before the storm was named.

Travelers who had a policy in place prior to the naming of the storm including Trip Cancellation and Travel Delay, may be protected in event of cancellation.

If it was purchased after that point, it won’t cover hurricane-related travel changes, said Steven Benna, a marketing specialist with travel insurance comparison website Squaremouth.

The Hurricane Lane Travel Insurance Information Center explains coverage related to the storm.

This database is regularly updated by Squaremouth’s travel insurance experts with answers frequently asked questions, official provider position statements, travel alerts and notices, and other information as the storm develops. Information is subject to change at any time.

Many airlines will offer to waive change fees, etc. so if you have booked air it is best to check with the airline.

The worst wildfires to hit Greece in more than 10 years are burning in the country’s Attica region around Athens, evacuating many residents from the region. As of July 24, at least 74 people have died in the wildfires, and more than 100 others have been injured.

Many travel insurance policies have coverage for natural disasters, including wildfires, but in most cases you will have to have bought the insurance before the fire started.

The Greece Wildfires Travel Insurance Information Center explains coverage for the fires. This resource is regularly updated by Squaremouth’s travel insurance experts with answers to frequently asked questions, official provider positions statements, and more. Information is subject to change at any time.

Questions? Squaremouth’s travel insurance experts are on hand to answer your questions about coverage for the fires. They are available from 8am to 10pm ET daily by chat and by phone at 1-800-240-0369.

5 Surprising Facts You Should Know About Trains in Europe | Save A Train

Trains in Europe are a big thing; we love our rails, and we’ll choose them over any other type of transportation at any time. Apart from getting from point A to point B in a swift, comfortable and reliable manner, there’s so much most of you aren’t even aware of about train transportation.