Did you know there was a gelato flavor created for Pope Leo? World champion Italian gelato maker Eugenio Morrone created a Roman hazelnut cheesecake gelato featuring Chicago-style cheesecake (in honor of the pope’s hometown), Roman hazelnuts (for the seat of the papacy) and a passion fruit and mango sauce (that nods to his time as a missionary). While a trip to Rome may not be on your calendar, a visit to a local ice cream parlor can make late summer a bit sweeter – and cooler.
Celebrations of the Fourth of July will be more spirited this year as our nation marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Amid the picnics and fireworks, take some time to reflect on one of the greatest birthday gifts in history – aside from the gift of Jesus to humanity at Christmas – the enduring legacy of freedom. (See Bishop Michael Martin’s column here.) Here are a few ways to celebrate America and learn more about its history from a Catholic perspective.