It’s the question everyone has been asking.
It’s a valid question. I make baked goods, do wine tastings, and help you host loved ones. And I live in Wisconsin. Why am I named after some Italian town?
Well, Loreto is an Italian town. And compared to some of the more famous destinations in Italy, it’s small and relatively unknown. It is a quaint and humble little town on top of a hill overlooking the Adriatic Sea. While it is rich in history, it is best known as being the home of the “Santa Casa” or the “Holy House”.
The “Holy House” refers to the three walls of the house that Mary, Jesus’ mother, grew up in. (There are many beautiful stories about how this house arrived in Loreto--go look them up). It is the house where the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her she would bear a son.
While the rest may be history, it was somewhat of a “beginning” for me.
Sitting on the floor of that house was a memory that will sit with me for all of my life. It modeled for me how I desire to live my life...to live a life that is always for others. To live a life that is not about me, but something greater than me. And to always serve and receive every person I come in contact with.
This pilgrimage spot is housed in a beautiful basilica right off of one of my favorite piazzas in Italy. It is a piazza that is warm and welcoming...peaceful and still at times, and bustling with pilgrims at others. Keep walking down the street and you find the quintessential Italian cafes, gift shops, and restaurants. It is a perfect taste of leisurely, intentional, and communal living.
“Loreto” encompasses so much more than just the name of a town...it is history, community, culture, and for me, it is the model of always creating the space to receive and to serve.
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