Manopello from Rome
 

Or how do I get there from here? Are there any reputable car for hire services? Bus service? I thought about driving but not sure I feel up to it, with the stories I've read and what if we travel on one of the holidays, are gas stations open? Can't seem to find a train.

Speaking of Italian trains, is there a place one can go to to enter more than one journey at a time. Is there a list of the stops the train takes from point to point? TY

Do you mean Manoppello near Pescara in Abbruzzi? If yes, driving looks like the best option.

"Speaking of Italian trains, is there a place one can go to to enter more than one journey at a time."

Here is the official Italian railroad site
http://www.ferroviedellostato.it/homepage_en.html
You have to enter trips one at a time.

"Is there a list of the stops the train takes from point to point? "
At this site, you can input a particular trip and then "Select" a particular train and click "Info" and then "Details by Selection" to show all the stops that train will make.

Thank you ellenem, yes spelled Manoppello wrong. I really do not want to drive, are there any other suggestions?

Will look up the link, that will be helpful in the other places we plan to visit. Silly question but what is the difference b/w this website and Trenitalia's website?

There's a fairly quick and convenient bus from Roma Tiburtina to Pescara; you could get off at Chieti Scalo:
http://www.arpaonline.it/?page=or_peroma

This is fairly clunky, but there are direct buses from Chieti Scalo to Manoppello:
http://ro.autobus.it/ro/asp/RicercaOrari.asp?User=arpa

This is not an easy trip. We did travel by train, it is the slower train out of Tiburtina and there is no real train stop at Manoppello, but the train does stop and pick up passengers. You'll need to purchase a round trip ticket. The Church is not within walking distance in the city, it is on a hill or top of the mountain if you will. You will need to find a cab.