A. There are many great resources that would help you prepare yourself to get the most out of the trip. One of the many lives of St. Francis would be ideal, such as St. Francis of Assisi: A biography (Servant Books, 1979) by Omer Englebert. St. Clare of Assisi: Light from the Cloister, by Bret Thoman (Tan Books, 2017), is recommended. The famous move on Michelangelo, the Agony and the Ecstasy, can be obtained on DVD from Ignatius Press and is very worthwhile. You can also read the historical novel by that name (by Irving Stone) on which the movie is based. In terms of the art of the Italian Renaissance which we will see in Florence and Rome, there is an inexpensive illustrated guide by Boris von Brauchitsch called Renaissance: An Illustrated Historical Overview which is part of Barron’s Crash Course Series (Barrons, 2000). Really, the resources on the Catholic saints and the art of just Rome, and Assisi are truly overwhelming. So it all depends on how much time you have, what saints you feel drawn to, and what you are interested in. (Recommendations for Padre Pio and Eucharistic miracles coming soon)