The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-08-07
FATHER SCHABERT OF ST. PAUL
DESCRIBES HIS TRIP FROM FRI
BOURG TO ROME VISITS
PLACES OF INTEREST ON THE
WAY-AUDIENCE WITH THE
HOLY FATHER.

PLACES OF INTEREST ON THE
WAY-AUDIENcE WITH THE
HOLY FATHER.
The following letter from Father
Schubert of the College of St. Thomas
in this city, who is pursuing post-grad-
uate work in Fribourg, Switzerland,
will be read with interest by his
friends and acquaintance in Mime
sofa. 1t is addressed to Rev. VIM.
Wey, of st. Paul.
short account of my trip to the
south will no doubt be of interest to
you. | set out for Italy on st. Pat
rick's day, going from Fribourg to
Lugano by way of Bern, Often, Aar-
burg and Luzern. The scenery among
the mountains was exquisite Streams,
waterfalls and snow-slides were to be
seen on every side. This railway line
passes through the famous st. Goth
ard tunnel which is said to be fifteen
kilometers GO miles) in length. 1t
took sixteen minutes to pass through
it. Of course, the st. Gothard is not
the only tunnel in Switzerland; it is
not even the only one on this particu
lar line. On the contrary, along this
route the train seems constantly tC
be shooting out of tunnels and over
bridges that span deep chasms at the
bottom of which rush noisy mountain
| streams. Again, it creeps along the
side of mountain on roadway part
ly hewn into the rock and partly sup
ported by tressle work or stone arches
At such times by looking out of thu
window on the valley side of the ca
one can see straight down hundreds
of feet to the bottom of a rocky "a
vine.
Sometimes after passing through tn
ST. GOthard, there was to be seer
on the left lonely little church perch
ed high up on rocky cliff. Its spir
surmounted by cross, strained heay
onward until it pierced the clouds
bearing with it the Faith of the sturd
mountain folk that inhabits this reg
ion. Farther on at Miasca the Sta
tons of the Cross are built against
mountain side.
We were now definitely in Soutl
ern Switzerland. Here not only tn
mountains but even the valleys al
rugged. And it is interesting to Of
serve how people use those thing
with which God has bOuntifully bles
ed them. Owing to the abundance {
stone, stone is made to serve purpose
that seem strange to the travele
Shell rocks are used for shingles o
the roofs of older buildings, the ne
ones have tile roofs. Slabs of grant
are used for fence posts along the raj
way, either tied with wire or else the
= are set close together like a stOckad
Slabs of stone are also used as pos
for the tressle-work on which graz
vines are trained.
Lugano and Milan.
| arrived at Lugano in the evenir
and went straight to the Pension EIDE
5 weiss, a sort of Sanitarium conducte
| by very hospitable order of Germa
: Swiss Brothers. They gave me a d
? lightful room with pleasant verand
where l sat for few hours smOkir
: my pipe, seeming the sweet fragrant
2 of fruit blossoms, and listening to tt
birds as they sang their evening song
Y Lugano is a most delightful spot.
l is built on the shore of Lake Lugar
+ ~, cd hu hioh
| tains. On the one side rises Nom
, San Salvatore on the very top (
which is a monastery. On the Otht
z side is Monte de Bre, 100 meters hie
Y and likewise crowned with a cOnven
= The city is favorite holidaying plat
l in early spring. Hence, all along tt
= lake and mountain side are grand h
l tells and beautiful villas to accomm
l date visitors.
Leaving Lugano, it was but fe
hours run to Milan, by way of TT
border town of Chiasso. The chief o
iect of interest in Milan was the ma
nificent Gothic Cathedral-one of tt
architectural monuments of the wOrl
1t is most impressive just as one a
proaches it. Standing there in i
gorgeous white marble, with its il
mense proportions and it's marvelol
, Gothic lines, it presents the appea
! ance of a veritable forest of spire
After spending some time inside,
assembled to the roof, another wOnde
1 for it is constructed of slabs of ma
t BILE with a ridge-stone some eightee
y inches across. | mounted to the tt
of the highest spire whence one hi
l splendid view of the entire cit
Retracing my steps, l went down
J. the basement, to the crypt and ton
= of st. Charles Borromeo. l saw Il
u BODY of the saint, still well preserve
: Florence.
$ left Milan at eight o'clock in tt
evening and travelled all night, arr
ing in Florence early next morning.
went out to Fiesole to a sanitariu
conducted by Irish nuns, expecting
find lodging there, but they had
room left. They invited me, howeve
+ to say Mass and take breakfast, al
this l did. They then secured pla
for me in very comfortable pensi'
on the bank of the Arno. Here | m
two friends and fellow students fro
>, Fribourg. Together we proceeded
II do the art galleries, the churches, p
:. aces and museums. We spent MAJ
G hours in the two chief galleries, t.