Learning to Speak Catholic

John Paul II Good to Be True

2009-10-18T15:55:00.024+02:00

The Love of the Father be with you! Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Where does the time go? Has it really been 4 months since I last posted? Wait, don't answer that....

So after a summer of running around and never sitting down--except to eat burgers, beef and/or chicken enchiladas, steak, bacon, filet mignon, and Burger Patty-O's (beef brand cereal--goes great with milk), let's just say that I had to blow the dust off of my keyboard after a bit of a hiatus.

And since I didn't have a clue what the word hiatus really meant, I thought I'd blow the dust off of my Merriam Webster Dictionary and give it a look:

main entry: hi-a-tus
Pronunciation: \hī-ˈā-təs\
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin, from hiare to yawn
Date: 1563
1 : a break in or as if in a material object; gap
2 : an interruption in time or continuity; break
3 : a period of time in which a seminarian forgets his responsibilities towards his home country by failing to update them on the current state of his affairs; especially if said seminarian has been spending time in Rome; woeful-neglect-of-duty-deserving-of-scorn-by-all-(former)-readers

I didn't know that synonyms could have that many hyphens. I also promptly shut my Merriam Webster Dictionary...and threw dust back on it.

So here I am, and I have a few stories to share, most of them from the last 72 hours. So let's get to it.

Well on Thursday afternoon, I thought I'd go take a little time in prayer down at the Tomb of John Paul II underneath St. Peter's. I just don't get over there as often as I should for living so close to him, so I thought I'd take the opportunity since I had some free time.

I went in and knelt behind the roped-off-section available for those who wish to pray there. There was also a red velvet rope immediately in front of the Tomb itself. So I was a little ways back from the Tomb. See the picture to get a better idea:

As I was praying there, I thought, "Wouldn't it be awesome to have my rosary touched to the Tomb of John Paul II?" Not long after that thought passed through my mind, I witnessed a man approaching the guard who stands by the tomb ("No foto") and whispering something to him. The guard then took something from the man's hand, stepped over the red rope, and touched it to John Paul's tomb. I immediately thought, "It is possible."

Not wishing to cause a commotion, I decided to wait so that a line of people (I'm picturing an Italian "line" here, folks) did not ask him to do the same thing. And while I waited I looked at the Tomb some more, and I noticed the following dates: 16 - X - 1978 --- 2 - IV - 2005. Then I thought, "John Paul wasn't born in 1978...Oh! that was when he was elected Pope." I ran the date through my head again, "The 16th of the 10th month...the 10th month...hey, that's October." Quick glance at my watch: "TH 10/15"

"Hey, that's this month," I thought. "And the 16th...that's tomorrow. I'm here on the eve of the 31st Anniversary of John Paul II's election to be Pope! Awesome!" It hit me like a ton of bricks. I had no idea that I would be coming down there on that date. I just hadn't thought about it.

After this realization, and a bit more time in prayer, I finally noticed the crowds had died down--at least enough to prevent the guard from telling me that a bunch of other people would want to do the same thing if I had my rosary touched to the tomb. So, gathering all the manly courage that I often exhibit in the humblest manner, I approached the guard and said, "Scusi, could you touch this to the tomb for me?"

His response: "Non posso perche..." ("I can't because...then I would have to do that for everyone else...)

My eyes communicated my response: "Yeah right. I just saw you do it, fratello."

Realizing my incredulity, he looked around and noticed one of his superiors walking up just at that moment. He turned back to me, saying, "Chiede lui." ("Ask him.")

So I asked his superior if I could touch my rosary to the tomb, and he looked at me half a sec, and then said, "Si." And he promptly walked over to the red rope and lifted the rope, allowing me to kneel directly in front of the tomb and touch the rosary to it myself.

...

Seriously, I could not (and still can't) believe what was happening. That was the greatest gift I could have received. God is so good! And it came at such a great moment. Praise Him! As many of you probably know, John Paul II is my personal hero, and he's a big reason why I'm on this path (or I should say, God has really worked through him to get me to consider and respond to the call to the priesthood). So that was such a blessing, and I wanted to share that with y'all.

I will have to fill you in on the other story soon. (I promise it will be before February 19, 2010.)

May God bless you with His grace and His peace, and thank you for your patience!

Torno subito!

2009-06-17T20:03:00.007+02:00

The Love of the Father be with you! Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Twenty-three months ago today I arrived in Italy to begin an adventure the extent of which I could never have imagined. Twenty-three months ago, to the day. Wow. And tomorrow, God-willing everything goes alright (pray for safe travel!), I will set foot again on American soil for the first time in almost 2 full years. I will be literally kissing that American soil. I will then proceed to wash it down with real, good ole, unbeatable Tex-Mex. Thanks be to God!

The odd thing: it both has and has not felt like 2 years away from home. I mean, in one sense, so much has happened that it seems to have just flown by. In another more real sense, I realize that it has been a long time since I've been home.

It is beautiful, though, to look back and see how God has been working in and through every moment. There have been some amazingly beautiful moments, real gifts of grace. There have also been some difficult moments, those times when I really felt the weight of the cross. The beautiful thing is that the Lord was present in both. I mean, sometimes He invites us up the mountain of Tabor, to see Him transfigured in all His glory, and other times He invites us up the mountain of Calvary, asking us, like Simon of Cyrene, to help Him carry His cross. Either way, we are with Him, with Love Himself, and that is what makes it all possible.

I am eager now to see how He uses this summer to guide me on the road to priesthood. I have a parish assignment, and I will also get to be a part of a mission trip. All told, it should be a phenomenal summer.

And now for my Top Ten List of Things Most-Missed from Texas:
10. Driving places
9. Elevators built for more than 8 Italians (= 2 Americans)
8. Ice
7. 'merican Efficiency
6. Personal space (measured in acres)
5. Waiting in lines that do not become wider at the front as more people show up
4. Not almost-dying every time I cross a street
3. Steak, burgers, barbecue, brisket, real bacon, chicken enchiladas, beef tacos, ballpark hotdogs...catch my drift?
2. Texans
1. My family and friends...(collective "awwww")

Needless to say, I'm ready to be home. I look forward to all that God has in store for me there, and I hope to be blessed enough to catch up with y'all (yes, the "y'all" was intentional). I do plan to keep posting on the blog this summer, so keep an eye out for that. And thank you for reading thus far, and also for your prayerful support of the journey that God has me on. I pray for you all, and I pray He blesses you one-hundred-fold for all the prayers you have said for me.

Catch you back in Texas! God bless!

Little Things, Great Love

2009-06-07T21:04:00.015+02:00

The Love of the Father be with you! Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

So as you may be aware, exams are going on, and I have one tomorrow. Which means that of course I would spend my time writing a blog post. I've also cleaned my whole room (twice), washed my clothes, checked my email 15 times today, and offered to clean other guys' rooms. I decided I'd get right on top of procrastinating...didn't want to put it off.

But I did have a little reflection lately that I really wanted to share. It came in prayer, and it just seems like I've constantly been reminded of it since then. Just wanted it to put it out there. It comes from The Feeding of the Five Thousand in the Gospel of Matthew (14:13-21):

When Jesus heard of it, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns. When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, "This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.(Jesus) said to them, "There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves." But they said to him, "Five loaves and two fish are all we have here." Then he said, "Bring them here to me," and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over--twelve wicker baskets full. Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children.

The following words of Jesus really jumped out at me: "There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves." (Emphasis mine)

I mean, what were the disciples thinking?

"I got it: let's solve the problem by sending them away from the God of the universe made man. That sounds like a good idea."

"Did you come up with that yourself?"

"Yep, thought of it myself just now." (Loose translation from the Aramaic.)

Now, in all fairness, they were still in the process of discovering who exactly Jesus was, and the miracle that was about to take place was intended to help them see that Jesus truly is God. But it hit me: you never solve a problem by sending someone away from Jesus. He wants to be God of our lives, and He's a lot better at it than we are. So why not let Him?

So what happens next? But they said to him, "Five loaves and two fish are all we have here." (Emphasis mine)

Right after I read these lines, it hit me: God does not want our achievements. God does not want our awards, our honors, our many friends, our business connections. I mean, He does want us to offer those things to Him as well, and He's not against them. But what He wants most of all is our poverty, our inability to do it ourselves, our weakness.

In other words, God is not waiting for us to become awesome so that He can use us. He's waiting for us to give Him our littleness, our nothingness, our weaknesses and failures so that He can work through them to bring about amazing results of staggering proportions. I mean, what happens in this passage? Five loaves and two fish, which is all they have, when placed in the hands of God, becomes food for over 5,000 people, with leftovers to spare.

Jesus was not waiting for them to do a fundraiser to feed the followers of Jesus. He was not waiting for them to "figure it out." He was only waiting for them to offer Him what they could, offering it in the faith and trust that He would make it work out for the rest.

That one small offering, given in love--indeed, placed in the hands of Love Himself--was able to reach thousands of other people, because it was God who worked in their weakness. Mother Teresa captured it best with her simple yet beautiful words:

"Do small things with great love. It's not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing; and it is not how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving. To God, nothing is small; the moment we have given it to God, it becomes infinite." (Emphasis mine)

Now, I think I'm going to offer the 5 loaves and 2 fish worth of studying I've done for my exam tomorrow and see if that's enough to get through it.... *Cough *Cough

God bless you all! See you soon!

But Who's Counting?

2009-06-03T00:33:00.004+02:00

The Love of the Father be with you! Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

So I can't wait to be home. Lots of good going on here, but I must admit I'm looking forward to coming home soon. So in the interest of both subtlety and good taste, I decided to add this flagrantly obvious countdown button with scroll-over capabilities. Enjoy, and God bless!

Going Home Countdown

Sail Away

2009-05-23T22:37:00.005+02:00

The Love of the Father be with you! Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit! A fourth exclamation point!

So exams are fast approaching, which means that there is a lot of studying that needs to be happening. I, therefore, being a great student of the highest caliber, have done everything I possibly can...to avoid it. Instead, I have been reading some of St. Augustine's writings on the Gospel of John. Quality stuff...and I bet you I find a way to work it into any or all of my exams.

Professor: "Dimmi qualcosa sulla Incarnazione."

Me: "I'm sorry, what was that?"

Professor: "Una cosa sola sulla Incarnazione. Qualsiasi cosa."

Me: "Look, can I just say something on St. Augustine and have you pass me? People back home think I speak Italian, and it'd be really embarassing if I failed these exams and they found out the truth."

Professor: "I'm just kidding. Sure thing, kid. Say whatever you want. I'm just waiting for my smoke-break anyway."

Me: "Perfetto! Appunto la cosa che volevo udire!"

*Record Scratch*

Professor: "You speak Italian?"

So, as you can tell, my exams are going to be fine. In the process of reading St. Augustine, though, I came across a great image that he uses to speak about our Salvation in Christ. Basically, he says that through sin we became separated from the Father by a vast sea, and Christ came to bring us back across that sea to the Father. But the only way to get there is by floating across the sea on the wood of the Cross. It's really a beautiful image: the only way back to the Father is by the Cross, and that Cross is our ship which gets us across the sea between us and the Father.

Then I had a thought, an image that came to me at some point in the past. I can't remember if I read it somewhere or if I came up with it myself, so to be safe, I think I'll just say I came up with it myself.

We are in fact separated from the Father by a vast sea, but Christ came to give us a way back, a way across the sea, as St. Augustine said. So Christ built a boat, in which all of the faithful gather for the journey, and that boat is the Church. And He wanted that boat to sail back to the Father by the wind of the Spirit. In order to catch that Spirit, however, Jesus had to mount the mast, the wooden beam of the Cross, and make Himself the Sail by which the Spirit could push us along.

Now, I'm not sure I can say that all of this is perfectly theologically sound at every level. But I think the basic image is clear: the Cross is, in a very real way, the mast of the great ship we call the Church, and Jesus allowed Himself to be fixed to it as our Sail, carrying this great ship across the sea by the wind of the Spirit, wind being an image frequently used as an analogy for the Spirit. It just helps us to picture what is going on in our Salvation.

This analogy just seems to fit because I think it is clear that this life is a pilgrim journey. It is not the end. And as we move on our way back home, we never do so alone. We travel together--thus, we have the Church. But we cannot travel by our own power: it is only by the missions of the Son and the Spirit, both sent by the Father, that we are able to come back to Him. The only thing we have to do is get in the boat and stay in the boat, and they will take us the whole way.

I offer this image to you because I know how much it has helped me throughout the years, and I hope you too will catch a glimpse of the beauty of the Faith through it. Thanks be to God for all He has done and continues to do in our lives.

So now all we have to do is sail away.

God bless, and please pray for our exams. Less than a month till I get to come home! Thanks be to God!

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T17:00:00.003+02:00

The Love of the Father be with you! Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Happy Mother's Day! Thank you, thank you, thank you for who you are and for giving life to us children.

Mothers deserve so much thanks that they usually don't get. In fact, it's kind of a sad irony that the very people who should thank you, we kids, are the only ones who see everything you do for us, but we are also usually too busy thinking about ourselves to see everything you do for us. So the only people who see everything you do don't really see everything you do....

So on behalf of the younger generation, I would simply like to say thank you, both for who you are and for putting up with us, because oftentimes you have been the only ones to put up with us.

And where would this world be without mothers? You literally bring new life into this world, and that is a beautiful gift. I also realize, however, that I am a man, who, being a male of the masculine gender, has not had to undergo the "joys" of labor--so my perspective of the whole "beautiful gift" might be a touch outside of reality. But then, I think that you mothers, even after all you have been through to bring us into this world, would say that it is truly an amazing gift and you wouldn't trade it for the world.

So again I ask, where would this world be without mothers? Without mothers, we would not have:

Bedtimes stories
Learning how to share
Bedtime prayers
Learning how to apologize for not sharing
Middle-of-the-night bedtime stories
Learning how to sleep through the night
Home-cooked meals
Shelter from Dad when we forgot how to sleep through the night
A shoulder to cry on
Arms to rest in
An example to learn from
A special example of God's unconditional and tender love for His children

We really have a lot to be thankful for in our mothers. And if any of you readers out there happen to work for Hallmark, I have one word for you: royalties.

Oh, but I should add one more thing to the list, one more thing that we would not have without mothers:

Jesus Christ

It was through the "Yes" of a woman from Nazareth that God came into this world. It was through her affectionate motherhood that her child, God-made-man, first learned how to pray. It was through her Fiat, her continual unconditioned "Yes" to God, that she was able to surrender her Son and release all claim on Him, so that through His Sacrifice on the cross, He could become the Savior of the world. And it is through her acceptance of John at the foot of the cross ("Woman, behold your son." John 19:26), that she in turn has become our Mother, the Mother of all believers. Yes, Mary was the first Christian, the first to say "Yes" to God and become a disciple of Jesus. And through her "Yes" we truly have a Mother in heaven, so that we might come to know the love of God through the unconditional and tender love of a mother for her children.

This Mother's day, be sure to thank God for your mother. Pray for her. She has given so much for you. And also, when you pray, thank Him for the mother He has given all of us in Mary of Nazareth.

May God bless you, and have a Happy, Holy Mother's Day.

Two-Hour Train of Thought

2009-04-19T23:03:00.005+02:00

The Love of the Father be with you! Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

The last couple of weeks have been non-stop, fast-paced, over-the-top, out-of-control, one-of-a-kind, I'm-quickly-running-out-of-expressions-kind-of action, in terms of both spiritual and worldly wonders. There have been some great travels lately, as we have had two weeks off for Holy Week and Easter. The North American College therefore encourages us to get out and explore the wonders that God has worked in Europe. On one such journey, I was privileged to have a conversation with a man from England (made easier by the fact that they speak almost the same language as we do). As you may know, some conversations are awesome, while others are spectacular. This was one of the latter.

Nigel is a man from England who moved to Sicily 20 years ago to teach English to Italians--he continues to do so to this day. I am a seminarian from Dallas who moved to Rome 2 years ago so I can later teach the Faith to Americans. And it just so happened that on Saturday morning at 8:17, we were both departing for Florence in seats across from each other. Begin conversation.

Taking advantage of the lull in conversation between myself and the two Jesuit priests with whom I was traveling (I had bored them to sleep), I decided to strike up a conversation with the rather large British man seated across from me, whom I had heard speaking "a spot of English."

We started off talking about the countryside, weather, and where he came from and all. And then we quickly began to talk about how people in America--and England I come to find out--often work themselves to death, and then, after they are done climbing the corporate ladder, are still left empty, despite their success....

*Begin deep conversation.*

We then proceeded to talk about how all human beings desire more, how we are seeking truth. And also how we want both to love and to be loved. We are seeking truth. We are seeking love.

And then, (*cough*), I uh, (*cough*), mentioned (*erhmm*)... that Christ is both.

I mean, it only makes sense that we would encounter the fulfillment of Truth and the fulfillment of Love in a Person, with Whom we can relate as personal beings. And why would we have these desires if there were no fulfillment for them? Why would there be a lock that no key fits? And how awesome is it that only in Christ do we find both? Two fundamental human desires fulfilled in one single Person, with Whom we can interact, from Whom we can learn.

Now, I am taking this part of the conversation a little further than it went with Nigel (pronounced N-EYE-jill), but I really wanted to hit this point home with you all. It just makes so much sense, and I can't help but want to point it out. In the Person of Jesus Christ we find the fulfillment of our most fundamental desires. That's it. That's all you need.

So then we continued talking a bit more, and Nigel happened to say some things about how rapidly technology is running away with us and our ability to ask these kinds of deep questions. In fact, a lot of what he said sounded exactly like the content of John Paul II's first encyclical, Redemptor hominis, and I told him so. Nigel basically talked about how dangerous our technology has become, especially advancement in warfare with things like nuclear weapons. There's no joy in knowing that we have developed those kinds of weapons, and this is exactly what JPII says is the problem today: we feel alienated from the work of our own hands, because it has turned against us. Our hope then is in Christ who, by becoming man, has sought every man and woman. He has taken on our condition to redeem it from all that threatens it. And thus Christ is the Redeemer of Man, a.k.a. Redemptor hominis, to use the Latin. It's really a wonderful encyclical, and it was amazing to hear this man say things that reflected John Paul's thought from the beginning of his pontificate. Maybe...just maybe...there's something true in it?

So needless to say it was an awesome...no spectacular...conversation. God is at work. I mean, the harvest is truly abundant...the fruit is falling off the trees with how much people desire this truth. Excuse me, this Truth. Because our desires are only fulfilled in the Truth that is Love, Jesus Christ Himself.

May God bless you with His Truth and His Love. Happy Divine Mercy Sunday!

Livin' on a Prayer, Part II

2009-03-29T22:13:00.009+02:00

The Love of the Father be with you! Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

...OOOOHHH, livin' on a prayer!

Well, since we finished the last post (almost a month ago...heh, but I did get one in during March!) with a hint of things to come, I figured we'd pick up where we left off: how to pray. And the hint I gave at the end of the last post is a good starting point for this one. I quoted the 11th chapter of Luke's Gospel where the disciples say to the Lord, "Teach us to pray." And when the disciples say that to Jesus, what does He give them? He tells them to say, "Our Father, who art in heaven...." So if it was a good enough place for the Lord to start in teaching others to pray, it's probably not a bad place for me either.

So the Lord's Prayer is basically the constitutive prayer of the first group of disciples gathered around Jesus. If we look at the passage in Luke 11, the disciples wanted to learn from their Teacher how to pray, just as the disciples of John the Baptist had learned from their teacher. And in response, the Lord gives them this prayer:

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

So let's just stop to think about this for a second. These words came straight from the Lord Himself. Which means two things:

1) This must be a pretty important prayer, and

2) the Lord spoke English.

Kidding on that last point of course. We have a translation that has come down to us from the Gospel of Matthew, and it is faithful to the original Greek. *Pushing my glasses up over the bridge of my nose.*

But let's go back to that amazing point: This really came from the Lord Himself, because He is the Son, and He wants us to know the Father, His Father. That's really the whole reason that Jesus came. He wanted us to know the Father, to know the Father's Love. So it is pretty clear that this must be a foundational prayer for all He wanted to do in bringing us back to the Father. In fact, this prayer has been called the "summary of the whole Gospel," in large part because Jesus' mission is all about bringing us back to the Father, from whom we had strayed and even continue to stray. In His mercy, God sent His Son to bring us back to Him.

But that's really what it's all about, turning back to the Father. Praying the Lord's Prayer is therefore a powerful way of coming back to Him and asking Him to provide for us as only a Father can. And it fits with Christ's call to become as little children (Matthew 18:3), because only little children will let the Father provide for him. I mean, let's be real, there's a reason God didn't call us to become teenagers (I say this having been one...) or adults for that matter (I say this trying to be one...). Again, only children allow the Father to be Father, and so the Lord, in His wisdom, gives us this prayer to pray, so that we will always let the Father be truly our Father.

So we are supposed to have this experience of God as our Father, because He just wants to give us so many gifts, if we open ourselves to receive them. And we also have to ask Him for them. He will not force them on us, but if we continue to receive from Him, He will continue to give.

So I leave you with this exhortation and this illustration. First, the exhortation: pray this prayer with an expectant faith, knowing that God really does want to provide for you and be there for you. And second, the illustration: Check out this sweet video.

If the link doesn't work, just paste this in your browser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbSieU8wcFQ.

What does this child do other than receive in joy all that the father wants to give him? Sure the child falls all over the place, but he lets the father pick him up so that he can receive more. Sure the child can't say any words, but the joyful laughter say more of the child's openness to the father than words could ever express. And the child just keeps receiving all the father has to offer, even in something as simple as tearing a piece of paper. God wants the exact same for us in our prayer life. Ask Him for it, and don't be surprised if something starts happening.

God bless! And please pray for my Latin exam this Friday. All I understand right now is "In vino veritas." So I have a ways to go! Ciao for niao!

Livin' on a Prayer, Part I

2009-03-01T16:02:00.011+01:00

The Father's Love be with you! Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Well, I know it's been a while, but I just wanted to say that I managed to get one post in during Februar... Wait a minute. Just a sec. My newsanchor earpiece is giving me updated information that February only has 28 days in it.... Which would mean that I have failed to get you a post within the month of February.

Considering that I had at least 2 days robbed from me because February is lazy, I am now declaring this day to be February 29th. Don't worry, March will still go till the 31st, it will simply start on the 2nd. There, I think that fixes it.

That business taken care of, I just wanted to say that we just had the IPF Symposium here this weekend, which is a fancy way of saying that we basically had a retreat weekend on Spiritual Fatherhood. It was a powerful weekend, full of graces and great talks. I can't thank God enough for all that we learned in it, and I know it will be a huge seed planted, only to grow over time as I approach the priesthood. In fact, it provided a lot of confirmation for my vocation, through a growing desire to show the Father's Love through the spiritual fatherhood found in the priesthood. So it was not a bad weekend.

In the midst of this weekend, I had some time to pray before the Blessed Sacrament, and while in prayer, I got some inspiration to write a blog on prayer. This inspiration had been building, however, as I have recently received many questions on prayer and contemplation from a good friend of mine, a budding saint (and saintly bud). I was humbled and did my best to respond to his questions. It occurred to me, though, that people may want to know more about prayer, about how to pray. So here it goes.

There are basically two aspects to prayer. First, what is it? And second, how does one do it? In order to pray properly, it is obvious that one has to know what the heck it is that one is doing when one tries to pray. So we will start with what it is, and then that will move to how to do it.

So, what is it? Is it turning God into a divine Magic Eightball, where I just shake Him up a bit and then He spits out an answer to what I'm looking for? Try again...later. Is it turning God into a divine slot machine, where if I spend enough spiritual coins and time, eventually there will be the payout I'm looking for? Let's just say, gambling's not a virtue. Or is it perhaps (Hint: This means I am about to give the right answer) a turning of our own heart to God, so that we may receive His love and respond generously in joy to His will for our lives?

If you guessed the third one, you'd be correct, and I give you an e-thumbs up. So let me repeat that.

Prayer is:

a turning of our own heart to God,
so that we may receive His love
and respond generously in joy to His will for our lives

In other words, prayer can be captured in the three R's: Repent, Receive, Respond.

So let's look at them in order. First, Repent. This part of prayer is especially important in this time of Lent, the Liturgical Season when we pray, fast, and give alms in order to help get our heart focused on and open to God again. It is a constant problem in our wounded human nature that we tend to have spiritual A.D.D. We are constantly losing our focus on God, and that's just going to be the constant struggle (and there's not really any spiritual Ritalin...at least that I know of). So every time we pray, we are consciously placing our focus back on God. We both turn away from sin and this world and turn toward God. That is what repentance is, a turning back to God. This is always the beginning of prayer, and we should strive to make this a conscious part of the beginning of our prayers.

The next part, Receive.

*Record Scratch*

"Wait, a minute, Paul," you say. "I thought prayer was where I just say a lot of things to God and hope for the best afterwards."

"Actually," I respond, happy that you are somehow interjecting through this one-way communication medium of internet blogging, "it's primarily about placing ourselves in the presence of God, so that we can receive the love He is continuously trying to show us."

"Really?"

"Yes. Now I have to get back to my blog, but thank you for your question, and don't forget to send cookies."

"You got it, Paul. I would be more than happy to send tons of cookies to you on at least a monthly basis."

Ah, I miss you guys. Okay, so that about captures the Receive part, but to explain it more thoroughly, we are called not so much to tell God what to do as to listen for what He is trying to tell us. He wants to give us so much, so many gifts of love and peace, and He wants us to know His love and will for our lives. So prayer then does not so much change God as it does us, making us holier in the process and bringing us into conformity with His will, which is always for our ultimate good and happiness.

Which leads right into the third part, Respond. Every gift demands a response (at the very least a simple thank you note), and it is no different with the gifts God gives us. He wants us to act on all that we receive in prayer, so that we will be strengthened in faith and so others may come to know His Love through us. And it is amazing when people truly respond to the gifts they have received. Healing happens, growth takes place, and lives are saved. I'm not exaggerating. The Love of God is a more powerful force than gravity, and when we receive and respond to it, there's no stopping the wonderful things God can do in this world.

Through prayer the world is transformed, because when we pray we give God permission to act in us. And when we give God permission to act in us, He can act in the world, even as He did while He walked the world about 2000 years ago. Just as the Word became flesh back then, so the Word must continue to become flesh in our lives each and every day.

Now that you've got a sense of what prayer is, in the next post, we will talk about some of the best ways to do it. But I'll give you this much for now. Simply saying, "Lord, I don't know how to pray, teach me to pray," is a prayer. God bless!

P.S. - Since this is the half-way point of a two part Blog, I can now sing: "OOOOOOH, we're half way there!"

The Way God Works

2009-01-17T15:38:00.007+01:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Amazing story to share with you, and this takes us back to a bit before Christmas.

So first, the background information. There are several families that sit/walk around outside of the University I attend in Rome, and they are always asking for some help ("qualche specie" - "some change"). A lot of people have given them the unfortunate title of "gypsy," which, while it may have some sort of historical root, has become a name meaning, "Someone who is just trying to pull one over on me, so I can ignore them." Now, some of them may be trying to pinch an extra buck here and there, and they may not always be telling the truth. The fact is, however, that they are poor, and the Gospel tells us to help the poor. It doesn't tell us to audit their taxes and see where they spent their money. And we should always love our neighbor, even if that's only with a listening ear. Okay, my soapbox is getting a little flimsy from standing on it for so long, so back to the story.

Well, there is one family in particular that spends a lot of time out front, and they have two young boys both under the age of 4. Some of us seminarians have decided to make sure they always get the food and other things they need, so we chip in every once in a while so they are taken care of. Well, as it turns out, they were hoping to get back to Romania so that the husband could see his mother, who is sick and in the hospital there. They were also hoping to catch up with their family, and get some medical attention with help from the government of their homeland. The husband had already collected something like 200 Euro to get back, but he needed more to pay for the 4 bus tickets.

Now for a little more background: Many of us, as you know, were going to be headed to the Holy Land starting the Friday before Christmas, and the last chance for the Romanian family to get back home was that Saturday, the day after we were set to leave. So his days were numbered with many potential helpers leaving before he would get the money.

Some guys heard about this, and one guy even went around trying to collect some money for the family. He was able to collect a little, but not too much--at least not enough to add up to what the family still needed. So he put that small amount, 20 Euro, in an envelope, and put it under the door of a guy who was not going to the Holy Land and would therefore be able to deliver the money to the family.

Well, I heard this whole story later from a friend of mine, who we will call Jack, who told me how the rest of it played out. Jack was the guy who received that one envelope with 20 Euro in it, but, as it turns out, he also received 2 or 3 other envelopes that same Friday morning, all of which were slid under his door during the night by guys who were heading to the Holy Land. None of the guys knew about the other ones, they simply all felt called to offer some money, and they thought Jack was the best guy to deliver it. Jack told me that one of the guys who had slid an envelope under his door had written in the envelope, "You know that guy that sits out in front of the Greg [our University]? I can't explain it, but this is supposed to go to him."

So that Friday morning, after all the Holy Land go-ers had departed, Jack met up with the guy whose family still needed a substantial amount of money to get home to see his mother. And he asked him, "How much money did you still need to get home?"

Disappointed that he was not going to be visiting his mother, the man responded, "I was so close, but I still need 120 Euro, and it's just too much."

Jack told him, "That is the exact amount I have in these envelopes."

Amazing. God answers prayers, and He uses us, with whatever openness we have, to deliver exactly what we need. Now, that family is back in Romania, spending time with their Mother/Grandmother, and hopefully they enjoyed the holidays together. The husband and father is also seeking some medical help while he is back home.

God really does move in our hearts to give others what they need. Yes, it stings a bit some times, but it's amazing to see/hear the results. As Jack tells it, the man practically did backflips when he heard the news. He was going to be able to see his mother at Christmas! And yes, it did require an openness on the part of some of the seminarians, but we gain more from the whole thing: we get the chance to practice love. That is what the poor always offer us, the chance to be loving, to grow in love. And so we should thank them more often than they thank us.

Again, Happy New Year, and please pray for our upcoming final exams (still from first semester...it's Italy, remember?). God bless!

So Happy, I Can Barely Move

2009-01-14T21:41:00.009+01:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Consider my New Year's Resolution met for the month of January. Only 11 months to go....

Okay, so in this post, I thought I'd change the pace a bit, and offer you a reflection on the Gospel of Mark from a passage that I was praying with earlier today. So you know the drill: everyone get out your Bibles...even you Catholics out there (it's the big white book under all the other books on your coffee table...you know, the one with your family marriage history in it?). Okay, here goes something.

First, the passage is typed out here, because I don't know how many of you actually follow links that I post (shameless soliciting for comments attesting to this fact, *cough *cough). This is from Mark 2:1-12, but I will only post Mark 2:1-5, for the very excellent reason that my reflection only focuses on these verses. The reflection itself immediately follows:

"When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it became known that he was at home. Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them, not even around the door, and he preached the word to them. They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him. After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Child, your sins are forgiven."

"Child, your sins are forgiven."

With what tenderness these words were said! How moved was the Heart of God with Love of His creature that longed to be close to Him! Fighting crowd, roof, and his own weakness, with the help and faith of his friends, the paralytic draws close to His Savior.

And yet if the paralytic longed to be close to His Savior, how much more did the Savior long to be close to Him. Nothing compares to the gap of infinity bridged by the Lord in His Incarnation, His kenosis* of Love.

Taking on the limits of human flesh, boundless love was bound to one place. Every crowd He taught left others untaught. Every roof under which He stayed shut out the heavens above. And who was more limited? He or the paralytic? For though the paralytic could not walk, the God of all the Universe could only walk to a small portion of His creation. How desperately He longed to heal and forgive them all, and yet He too was practically paralyzed. If only all creation would seek Him who was seeking all creation!

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*kenosis: The self-emptying of the Second Person of the Trinity when He became man, especially referred to in St. Paul's Letter to the Philippians (2:7). Yes, I am in seminary.

So there it is. It all came to me in prayer. Just a work of inspiration. The only thing I ask is that if you plan to use it in a Homily (I'm speaking now to a very specific group of individuals), please site the Source (i.e. not me...though you can send any "loving contributions" my way if you think royalties are necessary.)

God bless!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T17:10:00.013+01:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Happy New Year! Welcome to the year 2009! The year you've all been waiting for--simply because it hadn't come until now.

Here are my 2009 New Year's Resolutions:

Spend less time on the internet

Update blog more often

Find some way to make both resolutions work at the same time

Basically, I hope to be providing you all with more updates more often, at least every 2 weeks. That would be ideal. And I figured the new year is the best time to start.

In all honesty, I do enjoy setting a goal for the year, but a spiritual goal, and not just a resolution to exercise more often (that's for next year). I think it's awesome, though, to bring something you struggle with to God in prayer and ask Him to lead you through it throughout the course of the year. We all take time to grow, and a year's a pretty good chunk of time in which to do it. And the best way to grow is when God works that growth in us. So I figure it's a two-for-one deal. Offer Him the desire to grow in patience (not all at once) or the fear of surrender (surrendering surrender?). When we say in prayer that this year is "The Year of Surrender," it gives us permission to work patiently toward a goal, and it gives God the permission to accomplish it within us. That's my little tidbit for the start of the year. Now, time to get to the gym.

But first, I wanted to let you all know that our pilgrimage to the Holy Land was amazing. There's too much to say right now, so I will have to parcel it out a bit.

One thing I want to say right off the bat: I prayed for all of you at the Holy Sites in Galilee and Jerusalem. Yes, they are real places and not just creative locations for God-made-man to work some awesome miracles. They really exist, and it was powerful to spend time in those locations; it changed the way I read the Gospels.

For instance, we were able to visit the Mount of the Beatitudes on the edge of the Sea of Galilee. This is the place where Jesus taught the crowds, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven," and all of the other "Blesseds" or Beatitudes. Basically, He was both outlining the way to be happy and offering consolation to those who already experienced these things. So the Beatitudes told those "who mourn" that they would be comforted, but it also meant that those who take on an attitude of mournfulness would be spiritually comforted. Does that make sense? In other words, those already mourning would be consoled, both now and in the next life, but others could purposefully decide to mourn, for their sins or those of the world, in order to receive the consolation that comes only from Christ. It's hard to go into it all here, but please read and pray with Matthew 5. Here's a picture from the Mount itself:

You can see the mountains in the distance, which would have been seen in the background by those looking on Christ as He taught. And they would have seen the city of Tiberias, which rests on the mountains in the distance. So as Jesus taught that "A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden" (also in Matthew 5), they would have been able to glimpse a very large city set on a mountain which cannot be hidden (unless your camera isn't zoomed in enough...but it's there, trust me). The point being that as Jesus taught the crowds, He related things to them in ways that were accessible to them, in ways they would have understood. In fact, all of the cities of that time were set on hills, and most of them still stand that way. So this analogy came easily for people in that time and place.

This fits perfectly, in fact, with the Mystery which we now celebrate in this Christmas season, the Mystery of the Incarnation: God became man in a particular time and place. The way He taught and teaches us, therefore, relates with that particular time and place. His teaching, like Himself, is incarnational. It takes flesh so that we can understand it. This reflection on Christ's humanity struck me all throughout the Holy Land.

And through this, another thought continually came to mind: It all actually happened. Now you may be thinking, "Paul, shouldn't you, a seminarian, have already believed this?"

And I would respond, "Yes, of course, I did already believe it, and now I do believe it. Capisci?"

Basically, the reality of it sunk in even deeper than I could have imagined. It all really happened in a real place. The story of Jesus Christ is not just a nice story with tidy little moral implications. No. It actually, really, historically happened. Capernaum is a real town where Jesus taught and performed mighty miracles. Unfortunately, the people of Capernaum did not repent and believe, as Christ lamented in the Gospel of Luke, stating, "And as for you, Capernaum, 'Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld.'" (SEE Luke 10:15; this is also a reference to Isaiah 14:13-15) And all that exists today are some excavated ruins of that town. Coincidence? I think not....

But it was just beautiful to be there, absorbing it all, soaking in the sights, sounds, and smells of the countryside of Galilee. And it's no wonder God chose to become man there: it's beautiful. The landscapes are captivating, and there is a strong sense of peace about the place, but that might have something to do with the fact that God lived there for a period of time...which at least ups the resale value of a place for sure.

So there are some of my early reflections on our Pilgrimage to the Holy Land. And now for everyone's favorite part: pictures. God bless, and Happy New Year!

It begins...

This was the happiest place in that whole airport.

The Sea of Galilee itself. Just think: Jesus might have looked at the exact same view. I mean, He looked at the exact same Sea and mountains, but He may have even stood in the exact spot where I took the picture.

Redundant Reiteration of a Statement Previously Made Already

2008-12-13T23:33:00.007+01:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

"God loves you. God loves you. God loves you, and God will never stop loving you."

I have heard that Archbishop Nienstadt of the Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis uses these words often to begin his homilies, and I thought they were worth repeating. Even worth repeating again and again.

So I just wanted to put them up here as a reminder to all of us that God does in fact love you, without conditions, constraints, or limits. His Love for you is boundless. And it is His Love for you, for us, that was born on Christmas Day, and really every day since then.

--------------

And then as a brief story: The other day I sat down in the Chapel, getting ready to pray Evening Prayer with the rest of our community. The only problem was that I did not have my breviary with me (that's the prayer book that seminarians and priests pray out of each day), not because I had forgotten but because some seminarian had stolen it...but if he was that desperate to pray, who was I to be upset?

So anywho, I didn't have my breviary with me at prayer, and I thought I'd just look on with someone. Thank goodness that someone plopped down right next to me, and can you guess who it was? None other than the famous biographer of John Paul II as well as esteemed Catholic author, George Weigel. Only in Rome.

(NOTE: The link I have pasted here takes you to his blog, which looks suspiciously like my own. Well, if he can steal my style, I suppose I'll just change the title of my blog to Witness to Pope.)

(FURTHER NOTE: Unless you already know George Weigel's books, that joke may not be funny to you.)

(FURTHEST NOTE: Even if you know George Weigel's books, that joke may not be funny to you.)

Thank you for taking the time to read. I have been thinking about you all a lot lately, and I just want you to know that I'm praying for you. God bless, and happy Advent Season!

Late Night Revelation

2008-11-19T00:02:00.003+01:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

So I was praying tonight (yes, it does happen from time to time) down in the chapel, and I had a bit of a revelation. Basically, God is always trying to speak to us. Always. But we have to seek Him to hear His voice.

Much like a t.v. that is left on in the other room, God's voice can be heard here and there when we are not distracted by other noises or other tasks. We just sort of pick it up in the background, but to us it remains only a constant stream of garbled noise. When we move towards the room where the sound is coming from, each step reveals that the garbled noise is actually something meaningful, a message of some sort, though it still remains unclear. When we arrive in the room at last, it becomes clear what that message is and who is speaking it. As with the t.v., the difference in our understanding comes from our closeness to Him, but He is always speaking.

Though I should note that His message is a bit more important than the ones on t.v.--just a bit.

God bless, and please pray for my presentation on the Gospel of Mark tomorrow! And please don't tell my Bishop that I was up late the night before a major presentation!

Had to Get One in During October!

2008-10-31T17:36:00.012+01:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Okay, I owe you all an apology. I'm sorry that it's taken me so long to post again. School has been crazy, what with it being school and in Italian and such. So now that I've managed to get you on my side by playing the Italian card, I hope you enjoy this post. I'm going to post a recent homily that I had to write for my homily practicum yesterday. So here it is.

First, here's the readings that this homily was focused on:
http://www.usccb.org/nab/103008.shtml
but you can focus especially on Lk 13:31-35, which is the Gospel reading for yesterday.

So after reading that passage here's the homily:

Who is Jesus?

Growing up, I remember always seeing a large picture of Jesus hanging in the hallway of my home parish. It showed Jesus down on one knee, surrounded by little kids of every race and background, with the words “Let the Children come to me” featured prominently at the top. While it does show who Jesus is, this picture seemed to offer an image of Jesus the Gentle, a Jesus who is kind, gentle, and loving. You can almost hear Martha Stewart decorating in the background. Kidding of course. Now it is true that Jesus is kind, gentle, and loving, but something seemed to be missing.

So, Who is Jesus?

The Gospel today offers what appears to be a startling contrast to this image of the Lord. The Pharisees approach Jesus, telling Him to “Go Away,” because Herod wants to kill him. And what is Jesus’ response to this death-threat? “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons, and I perform healings today, and tomorrow, and on the third day I accomplish my purpose.” Sound like someone who is willing to simply roll over and die? Hardly. If anything, it’s apparent that Jesus knows exactly Who He is, exactly what His mission is, and He’s not afraid to stand for both even in the face of death. This is Jesus the Warrior. Which fits nicely with the first reading today in which St. Paul tells us to “Put on the armor of God.” Paul is telling us to suit up and prepare for battle, to be able to “resist on the evil day and having done everything to hold your ground.” We are being called to fight, to stand our ground, to resist evil--and this is exactly what we find Jesus doing in the Gospel. He’s fighting, standing His ground, resisting evil, because He knows who He is and what He’s fighting for.

But what is He fighting for? Us. He wants us.

This becomes clear in the next part of the Gospel, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how many times I yearned to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were unwilling.” Your children. Seems to connect right back to the picture from my home parish. So yes, we see that the gentler image of Jesus from my home parish does capture who He is, but it was missing something, something that the first part of this Gospel fills in.

The picture didn’t show how much Jesus loves us. Jesus loves us so much, and wants us to receive that love so much, that He’s willing to fight for us, to stand for truth, to denounce those who get in His way.

That is Jesus.

Christ’s love is not soft, it is fierce. His love is not weak, it is powerful. Jesus Christ will fight for us until we are willing to be gathered together, and right now, right in this very moment, we have that chance. In a few minutes, we will approach the altar where Christ will be present in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Now, right now, let us be willing to be gathered together in Christ’s love, a love that yearns to be received.

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And I think you will all be happy to hear that my homily took 3 minutes and 20 seconds to preach. The catch? You would have to come to a weekday Mass to hear it.
*wink-wink *nudge-nudge

Please continue to pray for us as we seminarians discern God's call for our lives. Pray that we become holy. Thank you, and know of my prayers for you. God bless!

Clarification Station

2008-09-26T00:12:00.010+02:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Okay, I know I said the next post would be The Story and More, which is coming (don't you worry!), but I thought this too important not to post. I just think this article makes things very clear, and in light of some fairly recent events, I wanted to make sure clarity was achieved. In a world of confusion, it helps when someone says something so well. I especially like the reference to the Didache, coming from the Greek word "Teaching." It's a real historical document from the first century. So I hope you enjoy this article, and feel free to comment. God bless!

August 29, 2008 12:00 PM

Don’t Blame the Bishops
Catholic means pro-life.

By Father Thomas D. Williams

You are unlikely to ever come upon a group called Mohammedans for Polytheism or Environmentalists for Seal Slaughter. A Muslim who espouses a multiplicity of deities has, ipso facto, placed himself outside the Muslim confession. Polytheism is not an Islamic thing. An environmentalist who patronizes anti-ecological activities is not an environmentalist at all, but a subversive. This is because the monikers “Muslim” and “environmentalist” mean something; they carry with them a series of necessary consequences. Certain terms — like “Muslim” and “polytheism” — simply can’t be squared, and combining them is nonsensical.

The recent ecclesiastical backlash to Nancy Pelosi’s unfortunate remarks on Meet the Press should have surprised no one, least of all Speaker Pelosi herself. Her attempts to squeeze abortion rights into Catholic moral teaching were no more credible than trying to pass apartheid off as a legitimate goal of the civil rights movement. The bishops — some seven have weighed in on the matter so far — had no choice but to speak out.

People — including apparently some “ardent” Catholics — seem to forget how central the pro-life issue is to Catholic morality and why that is so. We are not quibbling here about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin. It is no exaggeration to say that the inviolability and sacredness of innocent human life is to Catholic morality what the doctrine of the Holy Trinity is to Catholic dogma. Both are not only non-negotiable; they are foundational. I would challenge Speaker Pelosi to come up with any moral question on which the Church has expressed itself with greater clarity than on the intrinsic evil of abortion.

A solid core of beliefs or principles undergirds any human organization. These beliefs constitute the cement that binds the society together and determine its identity. Obviously plenty of issues fall outside this fundamental core, and there is a difference between legitimate pluralism of opinion and arrant contradiction. Environmentalists, for example, can disagree about many things — such as strategies, priorities, tactics, funding and the like — but devotion to the environment and its logical corollaries are not up for debate. If you sport a mink coat, you’re out of the club.

Being Catholic is no different. The title “Catholic” presumes a whole string of basic beliefs, succinctly laid out in the Apostle’s Creed. Catholics believe in one God, creator of heaven and earth, in Jesus Christ his only begotten son who became man, suffered and died for us, rose from the dead on the third day, and so forth. Along with this canon of doctrines, Catholics also embrace a body of moral teaching (summed up tidily in the Catechism of the Catholic Church) which governs their understanding of right and wrong, what is pleasing to God and what offends Him.

From the earliest days of Christianity, Jesus’ followers distinguished themselves from those around them both by their doctrinal beliefs and their moral code. The earliest known work of Christian antiquity outside the New Testament is called The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, known also by its familiar Greek appellation, the Didache. This catechetical manual makes no bones about what it means to be a Christian. It begins with the stark admonition: “Two ways there are, one of Life and one of Death, and there is a great difference between the Two Ways.” Included in the explanation of what it means to love one’s neighbor, as part of the “way of life,” first century Christians read the words, “Do not kill a fetus by abortion, or commit infanticide.” Such has been the consistent teaching throughout the history of Christianity and no amount of political posturing will change that.

Some people think that when Catholics compare abortion to slavery or to Nazi anti-Semitism they are engaging in hyperbole. They couldn’t be more wrong. Abortion is not only the greatest social injustice of our century; it is arguably the greatest social injustice of all time. Abortion circumscribes an entire class of human beings (the unborn) as non-citizens, excluded from the basic rights and protections accorded to all other human beings. In this way abortion mimics the great moral tragedies of all time, which always began with the denigration of an entire class of people as unworthy of life or freedom.

The evil of abortion is compounded by the magnitude of the problem. Though completely reliable statistics are unavailable, conservative estimates place the number of legal abortions performed worldwide each year at 25-30 million, a figure that alone makes abortion a social problem of staggering proportions. “Humanity today offers us a truly alarming spectacle,” wrote Pope John Paul in his 1995 encyclical letter Evangelium Vitae, “if we consider not only how extensively attacks on life are spreading but also their unheard of numerical proportion.” The legal, systematic elimination of the most vulnerable members of society is the most heinous crime known to man. To fail to oppose it is to make oneself complicit in it.

The most disturbing element of Speaker Pelosi’s comments, however, was not her historical fudging, her disingenuous misrepresentation of Catholic moral teaching or her implicit adoption of cafeteria Catholicism. It was her insouciant dismissal of the moral significance of abortion. She said that in the end, it didn’t matter when life begins anyway. Her exact words were: “The point is, is that it [when life begins] shouldn’t have an impact on the woman’s right to choose.” No matter when human life begins, a mother’s right trumps a baby’s, and that right includes the choice to destroy the child. This is irreconcilable not only with Catholic morality, but with the most basic natural ethics.

Pundits and liberal commentators have predictably accused the bishops of playing politics and using Speaker Pelosi’s comments to further the agenda of the Republican party. Any objective observer knows this is not the case. If Speaker Pelosi didn’t want a response, she should not have forced the bishops’ hands. And if the Democrats’ star running back steps out of bounds, it’s not the referees’ fault for calling it.

Speaker Pelosi can campaign for abortion all she likes, but to do so as an “ardent, practicing Catholic” is to invite a stiff correction. Americans still value truth in advertising, and know that words have meanings. “Catholic” means pro-life.

— Father Thomas D. Williams, LC, ThD is Vatican Analyst for CBS News and author of Knowing Right From Wrong: A Christian Guide to Conscience (Hachette, 2008).

Hope: More Than a Four-Letter Word

2008-09-11T22:56:00.010+02:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

I just felt really moved to write this, and I hope it reaches the person it's meant for. As a bit of background: This post follows on a week of spiritual conferences we had here in the Seminary on continued conversion. It has been an awesome week, and I wanted to present you with some of what we have been learning. So sit down, buckle up, and hold on to your rosary beads, because it's gonna be a wild ride! But I warn you, it will be a bit more in depth than some of my other posts, so I ask you to read with an open heart. Thank you, and enjoy!

There is so much hurt in our world, so many problems, so many wounds. We all make mistakes, mistakes that have affected our lives and the lives of those around us. Other people have made mistakes that have deeply affected us as well, mistakes of which they may not even be aware.

But the message I want to give you is one of hope: You do not have to live out of that hurt, those mistakes, that pain, because God is always bigger--and He wants to heal you. God wants to give you a life filled to the brim with joy, in spite of your sufferings (or perhaps even through them). As we read in the Gospel of John, "I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).

Oftentimes, I think we cannot believe that God actually wants joy for us because we get stuck on an old and tattered image of God, one which prevents us from knowing God for Who He really is, for Who He wants to be for us. We often see God as vindictive or judgmental, or waiting to catch us in our faults--the old man with a gray beard on a golden throne, far from my experiences but ready to judge them.

The reality, however, is that God loves us, and He wants us to know of His love and His delight in us. I repeat: God delights in you. As parents delight in the presence of their children, even so God delights in you.

The problem is that our sin prevents us from experiencing this closeness of union with God. So it's not so much that God sits there condemning us in our sins, but rather that He longs for us to let go of our sin (and/or the sins of others that we have allowed to ensare us) so that we can experience the joy He longs to give us. And the beautiful thing: God has already done the work. By becoming man, God has taken on our sins to save us from them. Now the image of God becomes that of the young man with a brown beard on a wooden cross, near to my experiences and ready to heal them. All we have to do is accept this, and seek His grace in the Sacraments, especially the Sacrament of Penance (Confession) and the Eucharist (Holy Mass). Through the gift of these Sacraments, God offers us the chance to be free of the burden of our sin and to experience the joy of His presence.

I encourage you to live the life God is offering you. He wants to give you so much more right now, and in the life to come, but we have to be willing to invite Him into our hurts and then let go of them. But if I let go, what will fill the emptiness? God, and He's more than enough.

And if you'd like some suggested reading to help you swap any old, tattered image of God for the new one, I suggest reading C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia. They are easy, enjoyable reads, and they offer readers a great glimpse at Who God is in the character of Aslan. Seriously, give them a shot. I would also recommend reading Psalm 139, especially verse 14. Good stuff. This is good stuff. I hope you agree.

Thanks again for reading. I am constantly humbled by the feedback I get. Thank you for your loving and prayerful support. Look next time for the second installment of The Story and More, continuing stories from the summer.

God is good! Please keep us in prayer as we in the second year leave for retreat on Sunday! Ciao for niao!

The Story and More...

2008-09-07T00:24:00.013+02:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit! God is good!

Okay, okay, okay, I know...I promised stories. So this will be the first in a several part installment of those stories, with some pictures here and there. I'm sorry for stringing you along...but it's just so fun!

Well, where to start? The beginning? I'm glad we agree.

As you may know, some of my last posts came from the land down under ("you betta run, you betta take cover"). But I think all I gave you was some of the lingo and the next thing you knew I was writing you from Singapore, possibly not in the best of moods.

So now I want you to hear some of the amazing graces I received while in Australia. Well, one of those amazing graces came in the form of World Youth Day, the single largest gathering of Catholic Youth in the world, and it happens every three years in a different location. This year was Sydney, Australia, and in 2011 it will be in Madrid, Spain. So every part of the world gets to experience a little of the grace.

As for World Youth Day, just imagine the biggest rock concert you could possibly conceive of, including people from all over the world, throw in the Pope, extend it over a week's time, focus it all on Jesus, and you've got the event pretty well pictured. The city was literally flooded with pilgrims, romping through the streets, flags from every nation waving in those Southern hemisphere winds, and all of them were singing, laughing, and trying to outdo the other groups chants, yells, and songs. It was truly a joyous occasion. I think we rocked Sydney's world (not to mention boosting their business for a week).

Well, in the course of that week, some awesome things happened. For one, I got to meet up with my little bro, Kevin. It was really great getting to see him...from my clearly superior vantage point, being that I'm still taller than he is. I like to think that he looks up to me in multiple ways.

But honestly, it was a blessing to catch up after not seeing him for 7 months or so. And the whole group of Jesuit guys that I joined up with are great guys. They all have a lot to offer: so many gifts, great senses of humor, and they are really trying to think it all through and be good men. I told them as much while I was with them. It was just plain inspiring to see, and I'm thankful for my time with them. They don't know this yet, but I've submitted all of their names to the Diocese of Dallas for their own good...I mean, uh...pray for vocations.

Now, I also should mention that on the second day of the official WYDSYD2008 events, we had catechesis at one of the Jesuit schools in the area. That day, as it turns out, Steve Angrisano was our music leader, helping to get all of us awake and focused for the early morning session. He was also accompanied by Tony Melendez, the toe-pickin' guitarist. It was an awesome way to kick off the session.

As it turns out, though, my brother noticed an empty drumset on stage. He mentioned something to the effect that I was a drummer with no drumset and there, lo and behold, sat a drumset with no drummer. So I casually strolled up to the stage, cleric-clad and all, asking the man running the stage if I could sit down at the set. He said, "Go for it!" So I dropped down on the throne (that's really what drummers call it) and joined in. Mr. Angrisano later introduced me to the auditorium of teens, saying, "If you go to seminary, they teach you how to play drums like this." Honestly, you never know how God wants to use your gifts to reach people. God willing, a few young men just might think a bit more about seminary as a result.

And then just to let you know, I think I ran into someone I knew everyday, either from Saint John Vianney Seminary, the North American College, St. Ann's, or from A&M. It was just awesome the way it all played out. God is good!

So that might be a good refresher to get the stories flowing. Thank you for any and all prayers you have offered for us seminarians. I tell you God has been at work in our lives. Many graces.

And I couldn't let you go without a picture or two from our time there, with more to come of course.

Kevin, Sydney, and I.

An artsy view of our group crossing the bridge. Nice shooting, Kev.

Even St. Aloysius was there.Kevin, Danny, and I with our host family.

Alright, more to come. Thank you for your patience. God bless you, and please keep us in prayer. Ciao for niao!

Another Post!

2008-08-27T01:53:00.002+02:00

...is on the way!

But until then, please keep all of the New Men in your prayers. We've got 61 new seminarians on their way from the States and Italian studies. So please pray for them in this time of transition.

And then of course I've got a ton of stories to tell. God is good, and He's not slowing down! So just you wait, and until next time...

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Ciao for niao!

Makes My Soul Want to Singapore

2008-08-09T17:10:00.002+02:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Imagine that I'm writing this in Singapese (?): "Hello from Singapore!" They have free internet access here in the airport, so I thought it'd be fun to update the ol' blog while in between flights back to Europe. One 9-hour flight down, one to go. I never thought I'd complain about just sitting around, but I'm going to: it's awful. Live active, healthy lifestyles, and make sure to eat plenty of greens, get exercise, and brush your teeth twice daily (another privilege I have to forgo at this time...heh).

I will be filling y'all in on my Awesome Australian Adventures soon, but now is not the time. It currently is 11:15 p.m. in Singapore though it feels like it's 1:15 in the a.m. to my body. So I'm a little tired (read as "cranky"). But the first flight went well. The steward served us before we even took off, and he kept insisting we were "party central" as he delivered us flight-sized bottles of wine we did not order (nor could I possibly down...). So that made for an interesting first half. Please pray for the second leg, that we may arrive safely in London.

Know that I'm praying for you, and again, look for a more substantial update soon! God's blessings in Australia were abundant, so I have a lot to say, unlike ususal....

Now, I know I'm tired: I can't tell if I spelled "ususal" correctly in that last paragraph..., even now it look funny.

Okay, time to go. God bless, and live for the Lord!

(NOTE: Due to the lateness of the hour, please forgiv all of my speling misteaks.)

Learning to Speak...Australian

2008-07-31T04:58:00.004+02:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Well, it's been about 3 weeks for me here in Sydney, Australia. And I have to say it's everything that Finding Nemo had prepared me for. That movie is dead on! Everything from the accents, to the Opera House, to the way the seagulls all say, "Mine! Mine! Mine!" as they surround anyone who so much as opens a packet of saltine crackers. Basically, I'm trying to tell you that everything you see in movies is true....

I'd have to say that the thing I've enjoyed most down here is trying to learn the Australian Language.

"But Paul, don't they speak...English?" you ask, looking at me like I'm as slow as a koala bear.

Reading your mind, I respond, "First, koalas are not bears, they're marsupials. Second, saying that Australians speak English is like saying that French Fries are actually French. It sounds good, but it's just not true." (Note: As far as I know, French fries may actually originate in France...)

So I thought I'd introduce you to some of the fun colloquialisms that I've discovered in my time here, in order to dispel this so-called English speaking myth.

For one, I found that they end all of their sentences with a "full-stop" and not a "period." I will now continue blogging from a telegraph--full stop.

Sorry that last joke really threw a "spanner in the works" (pronounced "spanah een thah wuks"...this is really difficult), as they say. This is Australian for "wrench in the gears," a much simpler and commonsensical expression.

There's also...

Chunder (pronounced "Chunduh"), Australian for "Vomit." (The Chunduh from down unduh...)
"Hooroo," Australian for Goodbye.
"G'day," Australian for "Hello, how are you, it's been too long, and I'd very much enjoy getting together sometime in the near future if you're so inclined."
"Good onya," Australian for "Good for you!"
And "Foster's," Australian for beer.

So it's been a fun time getting to know the locals down here. I will try to catch you up when I have more phun phrases phor you.

Alright, now I'm just getting loopy. God bless, and please keep the parish here in your prayers! They've got to deal with the same guy who writes these bizarre blog posts. Hooroo!

G'day from Down Undah!

2008-07-28T06:28:00.004+02:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Crickey! It's been a while since I've been on this thing. So as a quick catch-you-up-in-less-than-10-seconds, here's what I did/what happened to me in the last month:

- Finished exams on June 19th

- Slept for 22 of the first 48 hours after that...

- Spent a week and a half trying to talk the Indian Embassy into granting us a Visa

- Said attempts failed due to Anti-Catholic sentiment.

- Canceled flight to India, set to depart on July 1st, in the year of our Lord 2008.

- Spent a good week and a half frantically considering other plans, including but not limited to:

Visiting Fr. Mark and helping at his Parish in Nigeria
Going to Mexico for a Parish experience
Helping the Missionaries of Charity in any of their locations in Europe
Watching Sleepless in Seattle
Helping at World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia

As you can see, there were some awesome options still available, despite how impossible some of them might have seemed (I was really gunning for number 4!). In the end, my Vocations Director wanted me to help at World Youth Day 2008. And so I hail you from the great land mass known as Australia: G'day, mate!

And I've got to say, it's been a real trip. Even though our trip to Calcutta fell through, our spiritual plan did not fail. The four of us who were originally planning to serve in India had all decided that we wanted to learn from Mother Teresa, and God gave us our chance by letting the trip fall through.

"What?" you ask. Yes, that's right. Even in apparent "failure" we still were being instructed in the ways of holiness. Mother Teresa would always say, "I take all He gives, and I give all He takes...with a big smile." So while I'm usually very practiced in the first part of that pious statement (gotta love gifts!), I still struggle to really surrender what I want, giving it to God if He wants to take it from me. That's where God wanted us to grow; He wanted us to experience some of the poverty of Mother Teresa, at least in her poverty of self-will.

But God granted us all a chance to serve Him elsewhere in the world. Indeed, God never takes unless He's got more to give. He's usually waiting for us to give up what we think we need, so He can give us what He knows we need. The tension comes because we hang on, desiring to control the situation. When we surrender, however, we have peace.

Please pray for me, that I may continue to surrender. God bless! Know that I'm praying for you all!

It's the End of the Year as We Know It

2008-06-30T00:02:00.002+02:00

Pax Christi Vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

*Blink*

A year is now gone. Unbelievable. I do not think it was until my last exam finished that I realized what all had happened in this past year. So much happened in such a short period of time, and I grew a ton, both inwardly and outwardly (no such thing as an Atkin's diet in this country). I'm not even sure where to start.

So I think I will just leave you with some lessons I have learned or been learning throughout this year, and I hope they help you as much as they have helped me.

1) Patience is a virtue. The only thing Italian businesses do on time is close, so needless to say, I had to grow in patience just trying to run errands in the city. But on a more serious note (and please know that I love the Italians, no matter how many jabs I take at them), I have learned that life is a step-by-step process, and growth comes little by little. God directs us if we are willing, and He is always after us. Even as He helps us to grow, however, we must realize that He has His plan, and it does not always happen as fast as we may want. I have had to learn to "wait for God."

2) "Life is a limited experience." - This one came from my spiritual director. I have always wanted to do every good thing that comes my way, which is not possible if you desire either to keep your sanity or get any sleep. This year, however, I have learned that real freedom comes not from having many options but from choosing one of them and going for it, even if I make a mistake. Because I can never really live if I am always worried about having options. But learning the lesson and living the lesson are two different things. The latter may take a bit longer...see #1.

3) "Ordinary but good." - This year has been a year of both highs and lows, but all of them blessings, I would say. When the excitement calmed down at times though, I would think that something was wrong, that I somehow wasn't living the faith if there wasn't something big constantly happening in my life. This bit of advice helped me to relax and trust that even in the ordinary moments of the day God is at work. Because we can't always do something big...see #2.

4) "Get some sleep." This one also comes from my spiritual director. Rest is very important. Because if I am not rested I cannot pray, and if I cannot pray, I cannot really love those around me or accomplish the work before me. Ironic that I'm writing this at 1:30 in the morning....

5) "You're doing what most virtuous people think they have to do: be something they are not." This one came to me from a priest in Lourdes. He was trying to teach me that to be virtuous, to follow God, does not mean we have to become a different person, even if that person we desire to be like is Mother Teresa or Pope John Paul II. He said that it is who I am that God wants to use--and that I need to offer myself to God, not anyone else. This has helped me to just be at peace in myself, trusting that God will draw out of me the good He desires.

6) Get some sleep.

7) "Wherever you are, be all there." This one comes from back at Texas A&M. Remember how I always wanted to do everything? Well, that left me not only tired and worn thin, but I never enjoyed the present moment--I was always looking to the next thing or worrying about something long gone. I couldn't just be in the present, where God is at work. I mean, if I can't enjoy the present moment, what do I have?

8) Nap.

9) "Attitude of Gratitude." Cheesy-sounding but true. When I am thankful it is difficult to be upset about anything. It may take a conscious and active choice on my part, but even attempting to be thankful for everything I have been given helps me to lift my eyes from the mess below to the Majesty above.

10) "Love Alone is Credible" - This one is the title of a work by Hans Urs von Balthasar (doesn't the name just make you want to read it?), a theologian of this past century. I think the idea is perfect, though: everyone knows what love is when they experience it, and it is love (or should I say Love?) that brings people to believe in the Faith. I hope to witness to that Love.

Well, I think that covers it.

I leave you with those reflections as I now prepare to head to Calcutta, India. Mike, Chris, Chris, and myself will leave on Tuesday to serve the poorest of the poor with the Missionaries of Charity, the order founded by Mother Teresa. Please pray for us, both that we get there safely and return safely. Please pray also for those many souls who suffer much there in India.

Thank you all for reading and for your constant, prayerful support of all of us seminarians. God bless! Now it's time for me to practice lessons 4, 6, and 8...in that order. Ciao for niao!

Hope in the Young

2008-06-18T00:49:00.004+02:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

I just wanted to drop a note of encouragement to all the youth that may read this, whether of their own free will or at their parents' behest.

I just wanted to say that you (the bold italic lets you know I mean it) can make a huge difference in this world. You are capable of bringing the love of Christ to a hurting world. You can listen and respond to God's call to draw this world back to Him.

You all have so much energy for a reason. Let me put it this way: Jesus, at age 12, was already stirring things up: He did not go with His parents in the caravan but remained in the Temple in Jerusalem "listening [to the teachers] and asking them questions" (Luke 2:41-52).

I love this story, because it captures the whole dynamic perfectly. The young are always ready to get going, ready to get out and accomplish something, to learn, to love, to change the world. The parents, however, get all anxious when something happens that they were not expecting. Indeed, in this passage, Mary says to Jesus, "Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety." Sound familiar, parents?

So the dynamic seems to be that the youth are ready to get out while the parents know that their kids still have something to learn, that they have some growing to do. How do we resolve this tension? First, we have to recognize this is a healthy tension. There is something to be learned on both sides.

Adults and parents can and should recognize that God calls us often from a very young age. Jesus' reply to Mary in this passage is indicative: "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" (Luke 2:49) Don't you bet Mary just wanted to slap Him? Kidding of course. But it does seem that Jesus is being a little insolent here, but of course He is not. He is God. He is perfect, and He would not do that to His mother. Though He did make them look for Him, and the next verse is great: "But they did not understand what he said to them." How many teenagers can relate to that feeling? Heh. It can often be hard for the parents to understand just what is going on in their teenager or adolescent child, even if this be for good.

The other side, however, is that Jesus, though fully God, responds as any 12 year old should respond to His mother: with obedience (insert collective groan from all youth). Yes, in Luke 2:51 we read, "He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them." We young-ins must learn that following God requires that we obey those set over us, for this is the surest path to God's will. In fact, in John's Gospel, it is Mary who brings about Jesus' first miracle at the wedding at Cana (John 2). So she tells him at 12 years-old that it is not yet time, only to usher in His time when He is older and ready. Obedience, therefore, brought about the right timing in Jesus' life.

Youth: "Ha, but I've got you now, Paul. My mom is not Mary, who was conceived without sin, who was therefore a perfect mother. So clearly I shouldn't have to obey her."

Me: "You're right, she's not Mary. But then, last I checked, you aren't exactly Jesus either."

Youth: "I have been schooled."

Okay, but seriously. My whole point is that there is a healthy tension. Parents need to realize that God calls early, and this is good. The Youth need to realize that this does not mean they are free to disobey and make trouble for their parents.

You youth, however, by living your faith within obedience can profoundly change your parents' mindset of your call. I mean, what parent can object to you living your Faith more fully if it makes you more obedient to them, as well as more loving and patient...? And by your faith, they too will be more fully converted, and all of you will move ever closer to the path God has planned for you, a path that can change the lives of so many for the better. And let me tell you, it's an amazing path!

Lest the parents think they got off too easy (obedience sounds great!), I simply wish to remind you of the following: that in the very same verse that Jesus was obedient to His parents, we find that "his mother kept all these things in her heart" (Luke 2:51). So I charge you parents, like Mary, to seek within your heart and pray, asking God to guide you to make the right decisions for your children. If your child is expressing a desire to seek the Lord, to follow His call, please encourage your child, talk with your priest, and pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit so that God's will may be done. Parents, do not be afraid to let your children follow God's call. If Mrs. Wojtyla (Woh-tee-wuh) had been afraid to let her child follow God, Karol Wojtyla might not have become Pope John Paul II, one of, if not the Greatest Pope ever. Trust in God. His plan is always amazing!

And just for a little inspirational music dealing with this topic, check out the song titled, "Hope in the Young" (where I got the title for this post) by Jenny Klement at her website (I also have a link in my "Check These Out" section of the blog). It's a short clip, but it's very good, and I love this song.

God bless, and keep seeking the Truth!

Rocky Mountain High

2008-06-16T21:30:00.005+02:00

Come Holy Spirit! Pax Christi vobiscum!

Monks are awesome! (Bet you didn't see that line coming. Got to keep you guessing somehow.)

Friday afternoon, after having completed quasi (Italian for "almost," used by Italians quasi all the time) all my exams, I decided that it would be best to get out of town for a bit, to get refreshed, relaxed, and reloaded for my last exam and for a month of service in India this coming summer. Pray for the four of us going out there by the way. We'll need it.

So to get recharged, I decided to head to Norcia in Umbria, quasi near Assisi. Basically, think beautiful, and you've got the right picture. The town of Norcia (also known by its Latin name Nursia) is a small, medieval, walled town, in a valley completely surrounded by mountains, complete with Basilica, clock tower, and, yep, you guessed it, it's very own set of Benedictine monks.

There's a pretty good shot of the piazza right there. You can see the Basilica on the right side with the Rose Window as well as the statue of St. Benedict right there in front of it. The other building pictured is some awesome looking (government?) building, including the aforementioned clock tower. And yes, those are mountains in the background. You may now wipe the drool off your keyboard.

A bit of background: Norcia just so happens to be the birthplace of St. Benedict, the founder of the Benedictine Order of Monks. He is also known as the Father of Western Monasticism, meaning if there are Monks that are not from the East, he probably had a hand in it.

Therefore, when I say that I went to see some Benedictine Monks in Norcia, I'm telling you I saw it at its heart. These guys are all on fire for Christ, and guess what? They're all American. You can check it out for yourself. One of them, Br. Peter, is actually a good friend of mine from St. Ann. Pretty awesome, huh?

Then today, Br. Peter and I hiked up one of them there mountains. Well, actually, we drove up most of it...and then hiked. But we hiked enough so that I am not lying by saying "we hiked up it." It was an amazing view all the way up. To give you an idea of the landscapes, I'll just say that a good portion of our conversation was on Lord of the Rings. Capisce?

The best part of the trip had to be the top. The peak had a huge metal cross standing on top of it, overlooking the valleys on either side. A truly powerful image. Then there's the deep symbolism: the cross, much like the mountain, is the place where heaven meets earth.

After our "hike" down the mountain. I loaded up and headed back to Rome. I was blessed to have a wonderful conversation with this older woman from Rome. As the conversation progressed, she ended up telling me what she thought Priests needed to do. She said, "I sacerdoti hanno bisogno di inspirare i giovani." OH, sorry, I need to translate. (Heh.) Translation: "The priests need to inspire the youth." I couldn't have agreed more, and I asked her to pray for me, that I might do just that, God willing I become a priest.

Then, as I arrived in Rome, taking the Metro and walking back to the Seminary, something was weighing on my heart. It was hitting me that no one really believes in God anymore, no one really cares. There was just a sense of a void. I looked around at everyone I passed, and I could see that the eyes of many of them were filled with hurt, confusion, even hopelessness. They did not know the joy that is in our God. Then it occurred to me: if there are a billion Catholics in this world, and even more Christians in general, how can that possibly be? How can anyone possibly be without the consolation that comes only from God?

I can tell you why. I was walking proof of it. I saw all of that, and I didn't try to offer what I could. But that's just it: if we simply reach out, and even try to talk about God, about the love of Jesus Christ, a huge difference could be made in a world so desperately in need of it.

So I leave you this week with a challenge: find some way to show to someone else the love you have received from God. Offer to say a prayer for them, ask them how their faith is going, or just ask how they are doing and really listen. We've really got to start showing the love of Christ to those around us if this world is going to get any better. And if you feel like you yourself do not know this love, say this prayer:

Lord my God, I trust and know that You are there, that You love me more than I could possibly imagine. And yet I do not know You as well as I would like, and I have difficulty trusting the truth of Your great love. I also know, however, that You give to those who ask, and so I ask You in faith: please show me Your love. Grant me the peace of resting in You. I open myself to receive all that You have for me. Let Your will be done. Amen.

I ask you, please give this a shot. Our world needs it...we all need it. Count on my prayers for you, and thank you for all of yours. They are felt. God is good, no quasi about it! God bless you all!

Curtain Call

2008-06-03T23:23:00.004+02:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Okay, okay, I know I promised stories, but I need to write a reflection first, because I want to get this out there and also because I have an exam tomorrow (and procrastination reigns supreme!). So pray for us with our exams. Yes, I know it's June, but again, everything is later in Italy.

As I was visiting St. Peter's one day a few weeks ago, I ventured into the Adoration Chapel off to the North side of the Basilica. I often visit there to pray a Holy Hour in front of our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. It is an absolutely beautiful chapel, constructed and painted by Bernini and company (who the heck is Bob Ross?). The best part, though, is the golden monstrance on the altar, holding the Eucharist, which if you know Catholic Teaching, holds that Jesus Christ is truly present there, though it appears to be a simple piece of bread (see all of John 6, especially verse 55).

Well, I was on my way in, collar-clad and all, but being gentlemanly (that is a word), I decided to hold the curtain open for those passing through. You see, the doorway to the Chapel is just an open door with huge drapes or curtains hanging down in the empty space. This curtain-door reduces noise in the chapel...and it's fun to watch swing back on an unsuspecting tourist...uh, which of course is why I was holding it for them....

So as I was standing there, holding the curtain, it hit me (not the curtain): this is what a Priest is meant to be. The Priest is the one who stands at the threshold between Jesus and His people, pulling back the veil so that they may discover Him in the Sacraments. That is what it is all about.

And in light of that, I wrote a little poem. It's not complete, but I figured I ought to share it with you all. Please enjoy and then pray for Priests! God bless, and know you are in my prayers!

Doorway to Adore

There is a room of purest gold

whose beauties fly aloft,

where gather those on bended knee

whose whispers echo soft.

They gather there, from whence who knows?

Intentions all the same:

To see the One who rests within,

and softly calls their name.

And I, I stand here at the door,

the curtain mine to hold.

A collared usher leading them

to One who heals their soul.

Pentecost!

2008-05-11T21:02:00.004+02:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit (especially today)!

(Sound of pitchpipe hitting middle C)
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear Holy Mother Church,
Happy Birthday to you.

Today is Pentecost! That is, today is the day that the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles and Mary in the upper room in tongues of flame. And as they spoke people from many different countries heard the words that they were saying in his or her own native tongue (see Acts 2). Because the disciples then went out to evangelize the world, bringing the Good News to everyone, this day is held to be the birthday of Holy Mother Church...which is why it's also incredible that today happens to be Mother's Day. What a coinkidink (if you know a better way to spell that let me know...I spent 5 minutes trying to put that phrase to paper...err, computer screen).

So in honor of this incredible feast, a group of us ventured down to the Piazza di San Pietro. There we listened to the Holy Father, Papa Benedetto, deliver one of his Regina Caeli (Ray-gee-na Chay-lee) addresses...good as usual.

Then two of us, including me, slung our guitar straps over our shoulders (guitars included) and we started singing some praise and worship songs (Kumbaya ain't got nothin'!). I blinked and there were more than 40 people gathered around, either joining in or just absorbing the scene. And they all stayed there for almost the entire thing. We had our very own little Pentecost, right there in front of St. Peter's. What a blessing!

As the two of us (Keith and I) played the songs, a couple of other men in clerics walked around and talked with the pilgrims that were gathered there. A couple of people started to cry, only one of whom I had hit with my guitar. Seriously, it was a sight to behold. I think people are just aching for a chance to rejoice, to be free in praise of our God. That's what it is: there is true freedom when we realize it's not about us, that our worries don't amount to a hill of beans half the time, and if they do, God's got it under control anyways (we also need to let Him take control though, a.k.a. surrender).

So thank God for all that you have, place your trust in Him, and pray that we seminarians can do the same. I hope you have a wonderful Pentecost, and again, those other stories are forthcoming. God bless!

P.S. - I'll see if I can find some pictures from the event. I saw a ton of cameras, so there have to be some pics. Ciao for niao!

Receiving is Believing

2008-04-30T23:30:00.003+02:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

...

That ellipsis stands for me catching my breath after the rush of amazing things happening this week, and I will tell you about all of those subito (translation: "soon"...a word rarely used in Italian...unless referring to the next meal). For this blog, however, I really wanted to focus on one thing, one lesson God has been trying to teach me that I have been slow to learn: Receive, receive, receive.

Here in the seminary, we often have a little problem called "Pelagianism," an early heresy in which Pelagius, its overachieving patron, decided that original sin hadn't really messed things up that bad and that we could reach God on our own, without His help. Two words: BIG MISTAKE. DOESN'T WORK. DOOMED TO FAILURE. I CAN'T EVEN COUNT WITHOUT HIS HELP.

Now, I am not saying we in the seminary are a bunch of heretics. Let me make that perfectly clear. Seminarians = good. But we have a tendency to want to be more good, and we think we have to do it all by our lonesome (and if I continue to use the words "by our lonesome," I will probably end up that way).

Okay, so my point, without digression, is that I need to receive God's love, not try to earn my way there. He's not sitting there in heaven eating Ben & Jerry's and watching Matlock, occasionally glancing down to see if I'm getting any closer. God is knocking at--scratch that--knocking down the door of my heart trying to get in so that I can receive His love for me. That's it: it's all about receptivity. God is the One Who by His grace accomplishes all things. So we just need to receive that grace and be thankful for it.

As this wonderful little pamphlet published by the Missionaries of Charity (Blessed Mother Teresa's Order) puts it, "I THIRST FOR YOU - just as you are. You don't need to change to believe in My love, for it will be your belief in My love that will change you."

I love that quote. It hits me every time.... And what a consolation! To know that I don't have to do it, I just have to let it be done to me...according to His word. Who does that sound like? I'll point you to chapter and verse using a hyper-link; you don't even need a Bible handy (the Catholics among you are already wiping your foreheads): The Gospel of Luke, Chapter 1, Verse 38.

So when you feel like you can't do it, just remember: you can't, but God can. Let Him.

"I thirst for you." Now that's a statement I can really drink in. God bless, and I'm praying for you. Oh, and some great stories are on the way.

Homework, Featherweight: Buy a flower for your Mom, just cuz.
Homework, Heaveyweight: Buy her a flower, then tell her you love her.
Homework, Heaveyweight Champ: Buy her the flower, tell her you love her, then pray with her.

Dad's on a Business Trip

2008-04-18T23:45:00.008+02:00

Come Holy Spirit! Pax Christi vobiscum!

So I don't know how closely you've been following the news, but our Holy Father has left the Vatican...and gone on a business trip to the States. It really is kind of weird. Being over here, Pope Benedict has become a real father to us. Having him away, then, is really like having your dad leave for business. There's just something odd about thinking he's not in his rooms there just above the Piazza di San Pietro.

But, I am PUMPED for you all back home, who get to see just how wonderful, humble, brilliant, and holy a man the Holy Spirit has selected for our Holy Father. He is exactly who we need right now, and his two primary concerns: showing us God and loving us back to Him. Tune in to the broadcasts online at http://www.ewtn.com/ or on any of the news networks. Just remember that they're not all going to cover everything he says.

I ask that you pray for our Holy Father during this visit, and even more, I ask that you pray for our nation. He is a great source of hope to everyone, Catholics and non-Catholics alike...and it shows. Check the Dow-Jones. I'm not saying anything with utter certainty; but what I will say is that he arrived last Tuesday, and the stock market has climbed everyday since then. Coincidence? ...or Providence?

Well, God bless you all as you seek Him during this Easter Season! Thank Him for everyday!

Easter Season Reflection (remember, it's still Easter until Pentecost): Easter Sunday was the one day the Son rose before the dawn.

Easter Homework, a.k.a. Random Act of Kindness: Hold the door open for someone...and not just someone you would like to go to lunch with later (I'm talking to you, young men). To Kick it up a Notch, pray for them as they pass through the door.

I Can Relate...

2008-04-07T21:58:00.005+02:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

I just have been doing some reflecting lately (not in front of a mirror, like usual...uh wait), and I had something occur to me. Basically, as I've been discerning, I've been trying to figure out what it is I'm getting into here, seeking to live life as a celibate priest of the Roman Catholic Church. What have I found? It is fitting that in the Catholic faith we are seeking a relationship.

Allow me to explain: What are all of us looking for in this life? If we are all really honest with ourselves, we are looking for a relationship. We desire to love and to be loved. All of us long for someone to share our most intimate self with who will respond in kind: a true relationship. (Or maybe I'm the only one...?)

Then what do I find in the Faith but the fact that God has been doing the same thing and to a much higher degree. Get this: the Faith tells us that God so desires a relationship with us that He became a man, born of a woman, Mary, in order to seek us out and draw us back to Him. The second Person of the Trinity, the Word of God, fully God Himself, became flesh and dwelt among us (see John 1:14). Jesus Christ, "Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross" (Philippians 2:6-8, emphasis mine).

Stay with me here. This means that the Son of God, Who already shared in the eternal glory and majesty of the Father before all the ages, humbled Himself to become human (it would be similar to one of us becoming an ant in order to draw all ants to a relationship with us) and then humbled Himself even more when He died for us. Now that's what I call seeking a relationship.

Even if you don't believe it, you have to admit the idea of it is staggering...and it's also exactly what we desire.

So that's where I say it is fitting. It is called an argument from fittingness. Our desire lines up exactly with what we find in the Faith. And if the God Who creates is the same God Who reveals Himself to us in the Faith, then this only makes sense: God created us for Himself (and our hearts are restless until they rest in Him, as St. Augustine reminds us), and so we should find that the desire within us matches up with the God we find in revelation. In other words, the person I was created to be should line up with the information I have about the God Who creates. And we do indeed find this correspondence between the claim made in revelation (that God created us for Himself and His love) and the fact found in my life experience (that I desire to be loved perfectly).

I mean, who doesn't want to be loved perfectly just as they are? I could sure go for some of that.

So in my reflection I have realized that I too will be entering into a relationship with my Bride-to-be, the Church, and through her, a relationship with God. That's right, as a Roman Catholic Priest, I will be marrying the Church.

The only difference is that in this marriage, I will wear a collar, not a leash.

God bless you all! And know that I pray for you constantly. St. Peter and St. Paul, pray for us!

Picture This

2008-04-04T21:13:00.010+02:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Just wanted to slap up some pictures for your viewing enjoyment. These are shots taken in Ars (French Pronunciation: "Ahrs", Pirate Pronunciation: "ARRRRRRRss"). Enjoy!

From the hilltop overlooking Ars, this picture shows St. John Marie Vianney speaking with a small Berger (French for "Shepherd", pronounced "Ber-GEHR") who had shown him the way to Ars. Upon finding the village, St. John Vianney said, "You have shown me the way to Ars, now I will show you the way to heaven." Hence, the hand pointing upwards.

You know a city is holy when it's roadsigns display the Mass times. Pretty sweet.

The Tomb of St. John Vianney. If you look closely, you can see that he still has his skin. He is what one calls "incorrupt." Certain Saints are discovered to still have their skin long after their death, usually when they are being moved from one burial plot to another. The reason? They lived such a holy life that their body does not suffer decay or corruption, a result of the first sin - see Genesis, chapter 3. These Saints lived a life so free of sin that God offers them as a witness to us: they do not decay after their deaths. They truly appear to be merely resting in peace.

The Basilica and the town from the hilltop where St. John Vianney spoke with the Berger (pronounced: "Ham-Ber-GERH!")

I don't know what's over there, but there are a lot of them. I'm glad they told me just how many though.

Shot of the French countryside, also taken from the spot where St. John Vianney encountered the Berger (pronounced: "Big Mac").

So there are some of the pictures from the trip. Again, it was an incredibly blessed trip, and it was really confirming in my call to the priesthood. If you get the chance, I suggest you read more about St. John Vianney's life. Then pray constantly for our priests.

God bless you all, and know of my prayers for you! Enjoy this Easter season! He is Risen! Alleluia, Alleluia!

Happy Easter!

2008-04-01T22:14:00.001+02:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

A quick side note to begin: I thought about titling this post "A New Post," and then simply having the text read, "April Fools." But I didn't think that would be in the spirit of Easter. So instead I'm going to tell you about how I got to go skydiving above Vatican City....

April fools.

Okay, now that I've got that out of my system, a real post.

Wow, well I hope your Easter has been as grace-filled as it has been around here. So much has been happening. We had a beautiful Holy Week as well as beautiful Easter Triduum liturgies in the seminary, and then I was able, along with 25 or so other seminarians, to visit Ars, France, for a retreat. And if you didn't know, Ars is the town where St. John Vianney lived and moved and had his being. The whole town of Ars was converted by this parish priest's constant prayers and holy witness to the love of Christ. Did you know that later in his life, he would sit in the confessional for 14 hours a day, listening to countless confessions? (I would at least need a nice seat cushion.) It was amazing to see his confessional and the stone floor with grooves in it on which walked the thousands of penitents on their way to confess their sins. They literally wore the stone down over time. Holy erosion, Batman!

Just being on a retreat in France (which I also found very appropriate...retreating and France just go hand in hand...sorry to the French among you) was a gift in itself. Having the chance to discern in such a beautiful countryside, in a country with such a rich Catholic history, so close to the Patron Saint of parish priests...deep sigh. Praise God for His many gifts. It also really helped my discernment to read about and walk in the footsteps (literally) of this great Saint who lived his priesthood so well. In his own words (get ready), St. John Vianney said, "The priesthood is the love of the heart of Christ." If that statement doesn't pack a spiritual wallop I don't know what does. As a priest, God-willing, I hope to bring that love to the people I am called to serve. Start praying...now...a lot. Thank you.

But seriously. And pray for your parish priests. As we heard on our retreat, "There are no bad priests, only priests who are not prayed for." Another power-packed statement. Priests hang on every prayer you offer for them, so please, please, please, PRAY for them and for those on their way (not mentioning anyone specifically). Thank you, and God bless you for the sacrifices you make for them.

Well, until next time, Dieu ti benedique (pardon my French)!

An Epic Faith!

2008-03-12T22:35:00.003+01:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Well, I just came across this great video that one of the priests here at NAC pointed out to me. It is incredibly well done, and it is super-charged with the truth of the Faith. Please check it out. It's well worth it, and if you needed a jump start to your own faith, this will help. If you do have questions afterwards, I suggest that you visit their main cite: www.catholicscomehome.org.

Here is the video:
http://www.catholicscomehome.org/epic/epic120.phtml

Happy Viewing, and God bless you as you seek the Truth!

(Two posts in one day...don't think I'm setting a standard.)

Live to Love

2008-03-12T15:28:00.003+01:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

I just have a message that I think really needs to be said, and this one is specifically for the youth who may be reading this. It's also for the parents of those youth...and really for anyone. But I thought this needed to be targeted more specifically this go-around.

So I ask all of the youth out there (or at least the young at heart):

What do you want out of life? Let me ask that again: What do you want out of life?

Because I know you have big dreams. I know that you want to get out and do great things in the world. You want to own your own business, you want to be President of the United States, you want to do mission work, you want to be an actor (and I can sympathize here)--you want to make an impact.

I mean, how many people sit back and say, "I strive to be mediocre when I grow up." No one. We all want to do something amazing with our lives. Do you want to know why that is? Because God wants us to do amazing things. He wants to do amazing things in us. Let that sink in.

Now, I am not saying that God is calling all of us to be President of the United States or a major actor, but this is what I am saying: God has given you a dream for a reason, and He wants to use it, and He wants to transform it.

"What are you getting at, Paul?" you ask.

"That's a good question...," I respond, not because I don't know, but because it's just a good question, and I'm glad you're paying attention.

Back on task: The reason we have big plans for our lives is because God has big plans for our lives. From all eternity, God knew He would create you (see Psalm 139, especially verses 14-16), and He didn't make you for nothing. Guess what: only you can accomplish the unique mission He has for you.

"What?"

"That's right."

"No wa--"

"I'm gonna cut you off, because it's true."

So if you have dreams right now (which I know you do), God wants to use them and make them even more than what you are allowing for yourself. A brief autobiographical note: I have always wanted to be an actor. I love being on stage (whether people love being in the audience is a different story, but stay with me). There is a real rush that comes with the whole experience, and in the end, the sense of accomplishment at bringing life to people is overwhelming.

"But Paul, you're a seminarian, not an actor."

"Right."

"So where does your dream fit with what you're doing right now?"

"Thought you'd never ask..." I reply as I delightfully type whatever I want you to say.

True, I am no longer doing acting directly, but God has transformed that dream on the way. I have been blessed with the opportunity to give talks on retreats and at a Parish at which I served, and now the sense of accomplishment at bringing life to people is even more overwhelming: I get to bring Life to people (see John 14:6). And in the not-too-distant future, I will have a captive audience every Sunday...heh. Also, God has taken me amazing places on the way. It has not always been easy, but it has been worth it. And I know God's only got more in store.

So I dare you to dream big. Then ask God how you can dream bigger. Be Saints!

May God bless you with His grace and His peace. I pray your Lent draws you deeper into the mystery of Christ's burning love for us.

Another Post...

2008-03-10T20:02:00.002+01:00

...is on the way. Sorry for the teaser, but I just wanted to let you know I have not forgotten you, and I hope and pray that the season of Lent is bearing great fruit (not grape fruit...random? yes; true? also yes) in your life. Seriously, I pray for your spiritual growth in this beautiful season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving!

I will post again soon. Just to drop you a little line, though, guess what happened in my Credibility of Revelation class last Friday.... Give up? Well, since I don't know how you responded I will tell you anyway: our professor, Fr. Pie-Ninot from Spain, was teaching us about how man seeks answers to life because he is oriented toward the future, love, and death; to really make his point clear, he played the song "Everybody's Got a Hungry Heart," by Bruce Springsteen (which he spelled "Bruce Springteen"). Only at one of the oldest Theological University's in Rome....

Well, that's it for now. Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

I am the Lourdes of the France said He...

2008-02-17T16:54:00.003+01:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

God is good! There have been "tante benedizioni" (many blessings) over the last week. What a trip! Where to begin...the beginning?

So Matt, a friend and fellow seminarian, and I decided a while back to make a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France, to be present there for the 150th Anniversary of the first apparition (which happened February 11, 1858) of our Lady (Mary, the Mother of God) to St. Bernadette. The entire trip was, appropriately enough, full of grace. And we knew it from the moment we got in line for the airplane.

A young woman of college age who was studying abroad in Grenoble, France, asked us if we were from the States (we are). And as it turned out she was from Canada. "Canada, eh?" we rejoined, and the conversation took off from there. As we got on the plane, we discovered that she was a devout Christian and that God had healed her: one of her legs used to be shorter than the other, giving her terrible back problems. In a prayer meeting, the leader prayed over her and she saw her leg lengthen before her eyes. (I wanted to make a joke here about how prayer really stretches you, but I didn't want to take away from the truth of the situation...and yet I managed to get the joke in.)

Let's just say, we knew at that point that we were in for a grace filled experience. God blessed us in so many ways. For one, just being there was a grace: the castle-like facade of the Shrine rises up out of the side of a wooded mountainside, the slope descending into a blue river running past it. Beneath the Shrine is the Grotto itself, the place where our Lord's Blessed Mother appeared to St. Bernadette, asking her to pray for the conversion of sinners. Powerful stuff. We got to pray in that spot, walk into the Grotto, and we were able to bathe (a.k.a. submerse) ourselves in water from the spring that welled up under the Grotto as a reminder of our Baptism. Tons of healings happen there all the time, and God is in the air. Divine electricity, and we wanted to get struck.

Well, on the night of the 150th Anniversary itself, after a day filled with prayer, good conversations, and a Eucharistic procession, we found ourselves waiting for the start of a torch-light procession with 80,000 other pilgrims. (Plymouth Rock ain't got nothin' on Lourdes.) And in the midst of that throng of people holding their candles aloft, Fr. Ryan, one of the Priests here at the NAC, emerged from the crowd right in front of us, like Moses parting the Red Sea. He then ran into another friend of his, Barbara, and in his amazement, he said, "When I got here, I said 2 prayers to Our Lady: one to find you guys and one to find her. Our Lady's good." The rest of the trip changed from that moment on.

Basically, we got to have Mass with Fr. Ryan at the formation house of his friend Barbara (who is part of a Diocesan house of formation for women). A couple of days later, we returned to that house to eat lunch (read as banquet). Fr. Ryan's friend then took us to see the countryside of Bartres (pronounced Bar-trez'), the area where St. Bernadette pastured flocks as a teenager when her family was too poor to support her. We got to walk in the footsteps of a Saint. If only I could learn to do that on a daily basis....

There was also a young woman staying in our same religious hostel whom Matt and I got to know while we were there: Laura. She has been trying to find her vocation, and because we "ran into" Fr. Ryan and therefore met Barbara, she might have found it (Laura, if you read this and have found your vocation, let me know). She met Barbara through us, and Barbara gave her information on the house of formation she runs. Providence? I think so. It's just amazing to be able to see God unfolding His plan all around you. You never know what He's lining up if you just open yourself up to His Will.

And then we finished it all up by returning to an in-house retreat back at NAC--as though we needed it. Yes, there was even more grace. God really is good.

Well, back to school this week. Please pray for us, that the graces may continue to flow into our ordinary experience (you know, ordinary...like having classes in Italian). Thank you, and God bless you all! OH, and I prayed for you all at the Shrine! Peace be with you! Another exclamation point!

Saying What I Need to Say

2008-02-01T23:26:00.000+01:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Just a quick note...

Best song I've heard in a while: "Say" by John Mayer. The main line of the song is "say what you need to say," and the one line I like the most: "It's better to say too much than never to say what you need to say again." I think that sums it up. Don't wait to tell your family you love them. Don't wait to apologize and let go of the past. Don't wait to consider giving everything up to follow the One Who can actually offer you happiness. Live the life you need to live right now. It's the only one you have.

May God bless you with His grace and His peace. He really wants to.

P.S. - Please pray for us as we continue exams, and know you are in our prayers!

Two Down, Two to Go...

2008-01-31T21:16:00.000+01:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Wow, well there's been a lot going on these last couple of days--and though the date may say that I'm writing this on the 31st of January, I got interrupted yesterday and couldn't write the entry... So, to remain true to the blog, I will write it as though I were writing it yesterday.

Frid...err, Thursday, January 31st, 2008:

Have I got some stories to tell you all....

Heh, okay, so let's just say that finals found me a bit, shall we say, un-prepared. Not that I didn't know they were coming; I knew we would have finals in late January/early February ("Why not the normal time?" you ask. You obviously haven't been to Italy...), but I guess it didn't hit me that I would have to study.

So yesterday (remember, it's Thursday), I had my first exam in Italy, and the exam was in Italian, but I could answer in English, which helped to say the least. This test was over the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke (so called because they are very much alike (from the Greek parts "syn" meaning "together" and "optic" meaning "seeing" ("seeing together" (I guess I learned something in Greek (another parenthetical)))))). (That was a bit absurd (yes it was)).

So...to get back on track. This particular class taught us the Rhetorical Method for analyzing the Synoptic Gospels, which I have really come to like. Basically, we analyze a series of passages to find similar words and then compare them to each other to discover what that series of passages is trying to say. The result is often quite awesome, and it should make for good homilees in the future...that's right: good, long homilees....

When I received the test, I handed it right back in completely blank, because I realized they were all Rhetorical Questions.

That test went really well though, and it was all due to Providence (quickly becoming my favorite word). That is correct: the night before the exam, I had studied 10 of the 11 passages that we could possibly be tested on the next day--our professor would give us 2 of the 10 and we had to complete 1 of them. Well, it just so happened that one of the other seminarians, Phil, was walking by my room the night before the exam and asked how studying was going.

I said, "Pretty well, but I haven't really studied the last passage, but it should be fine."

He replied, "Oh, that one's easy. Here, let me show you."

Then he explained it to me in about 5 minutes....

Can you guess which passage showed up on the exam as one of the two options????? (I'll give you a hint (really? (yes)): you already know which one because I've given too many hints already, and this story can now really only go one direction without you getting upset at me...) You guessed it (you're good): I got that passage. And I told Phil that night that it would be on the exam "due to the providential nature of this encounter."

Sure enough, when I was fretting and trying to turn it over to God, He tossed me a bit of a soft ball.

Lest you think it pure coincidence, allow me to tell you of my second exam that I had today: Church History. Because of the other exam, I hadn't prepared near enough...much...anything but one question prior to the night before the exam. Well, as I got to looking over the material, I realized I still remembered a bit of it, but that wasn't enough. And I had to have 7 questions out of 14 ready, and the professor would pick two of those to test me on interview style. That is correct: I had to sit in front of the professor and chat with him about the material--no faking that.

So I prayed really hard, and I also asked for St. Joseph of Cupertino's intercession. Quick digression: St. Joseph of Cupertino desired and felt called to be a Priest, but he wasn't the brightest halo in the heavens. He could speak really well on one passage of Scripture, and that was about it. When it came time for his final examination before ordination to the Deaconate (the step before Priesthood), he was asked one question, and it was the one he knew really well. Providence.

Then before he was ordained a Priest, he was to be tested once more. The examiner asked the first 3 deacons some questions, and then something important interrupted him that required his attention. Since those 3 spoke so articulately on the matters discussed, the examiner assumed the rest to be equally as prepared and passed them all. God wanted St. Joseph of Cupertino to be a Priest, so He helped him past his limitations.

Well, back to my test. I went in with a good 4/7 of the 7 questions really ready, and the other 3 were, shall we say, not yet at their full potential. I could have spoken on them, but it would not have been too pretty. (Quick Sidenote: it is not that I didn't study before at all, but you try taking classes in Italian....) So I said my prayers, asked for St. Joseph's intercession (similar to asking your friend to pray for you for something, except we know this man to be in heaven--an added perk, you might say--which means his prayers get to God via Fedex, as opposed to Ground), and then I went to take the test.

The professor/examiner asked me the first question on the list, which just so happened to be the one I was most prepared for. I spoke pretty well on it, and then he said, "Well, you know a lot about the development of that most very important creed [the Nicene Creed]," and then he told me we were out of time. I only had to answer one question, and it was the one I knew the best. Thank you, St. Joseph of Cupertino. Glory to God!

Again, it's not that I didn't study. St. Joseph of Cupertino also studied a lot. So I am not advocating not preparing for an exam and assuming God will get you out of it. That's called presumption, which is a sin. So don't do it. What I do know is that, if we are trying to seek His will, God takes care of us when we can't always get the job done ourselves. It really was amazing, and I was just blown away by how it all worked out.

God is good, and if we are seeking to serve Him, He will take care of everything or show us the way out.

Oh, and I will try not to use too many parenthetical statements in the future (seriously)--or dashes. You all are in my prayers. Keep seeking the Truth because He's seeking you! God bless!

Six Month-iversary!

2008-01-16T22:25:00.000+01:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

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That's a really bad firework explosion, but it's celebrating a really good event: James and I have now lived in another country for 6 months, to the day! And neither of us are legal citizens yet! Only in Italy!

It is amazing, first, how fast the time flew by (the only thing that moves quickly in this country is the time), and, second, how much has happened. There have been so many graced moments, many challenges, and a faithful God behind them all. I need to be more thankful than I am, at all that I have received. Even the challenges have been blessings, and I have grown so much. I know I have a long way to go, but I look forward to every step, because I know Who is guiding me. As C. S. Lewis said, "I may not know what the future holds, but I know Who holds the future." We really can have a lot of peace when we entrust our lives to God--I'm definitely still working on it, but I know that much. I may struggle with the surrender, but at least it's a struggle...I suppose, right? (insert ceaseless affirmations from you here). Aw, shucks. Thanks, guys.

Well, now that I feel so good about myself, I should tell you that I can now read! Some of you are saying, "About time," while others are saying, "No way," and the other (wiser) ones among you are asking, "Whatever do you mean, Paul?"

"Good question," I respond.

"I know," you all reply.

"Get over yourselves...I mean, *cough, cough*, absolutely right," I say as I hastily move on.

Well, I am now an officially instituted Lector or Reader for Mass and Morning and Evening Prayer (from the Liturgy of the Hours, which can be prayed by clergy or the laity)--basically, I have received the second order of Holy Orders. So I have taken one small step for me, one giant leap for me-kind (i.e. the other guys in my class). I received Candidacy before I left the States, meaning that I am now a Candidate for the Priesthood, and just this last Sunday we New Men were instituted as Lectors by Archbishop Gregory of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, Georgia. He handed us the Lectionary, or the book of Readings for Holy Mass, and he said, "Take this book of Holy Scripture and be faithful in handing on the Word of God, so that it may grow strong in the hearts of His People."

"Amen," was our response. Now we have been commissioned by the Church to proclaim the Word of God. It may not seem like much, but it is, and it really was a good discernment opportunity for me; it really gave me a sense of what it will be like on my Ordination day, God willing. I will kneel before the Bishop, and he will lay hands on me, and I will be ordained. There's more to it than that, but it's a good taste of what's to come; and it all seemed right. So praise God for that!

Well, please keep us in your prayers as we take on this new ministry, that we may be faithful in our duty and help bring others closer to God. And please pray for our exams! They are rapidly approaching, and I have a lot of catching up to do (remember that whole thing about time moving quickly? Well, my study habits didn't...). So please keep us in prayer, and know that you all have been in mine. Remember, God is good!

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, on your own intelligence rely not. In all your ways be mindful of Him, and He will make straight your paths." - Proverbs 3:5-6

Crossed My Mind...

2008-01-06T23:27:00.000+01:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Just had a thought that I had to say (and if you know me, that happens with most of the thoughts I have):

Perfect Love could only show itself perfectly in being completely rejected by the beloved and loving her all the more anyways.

That is why the Cross is the only place you will find perfect love (read as Perfect Love): Love Himself was rejected but did not refuse His Love.

Happy and Holy New Year to you all! God bless!!!

Buon Anno!

2008-01-05T00:44:00.001+01:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Happy New Year or Buon Anno, as they say over here in Italia! I hope that you are enjoying the Christmas Season and are ready for an epiphany, the Epiphany to be exact, this Sunday. I also hope your new year is full of life...and not just credit card debt from the Christmas rush.

Well, I have to say that New Years over here was truly a blessing in just about every sense of the word...come to think of it, I can only come up with one sense. But still, it was awesome. First, my family was here, which made my Rome away from home more like home. It was great to see my family and share my experiences over here with them. In fact, I shared with them all the restaurants I had been wanting to visit but could never afford....

They arrived on Christmas Eve, and like true troopers (truepers?), they managed to go to Midnight Mass with the Pope the same day they arrived. Talk about jet lag. I had them on a Coffee IV and they still couldn't stay awake. They made it though.

Then, after a week filled with Churches, good food, and me still being taller than my youngest brother Kevin, we rang in the New Year on the roof of the North American College. There we were able to witness, in stereo (where available), a full bombardment of fireworks that would have made any pyrotechnician light up. It was the one time that I've seen that many Italians do something on time or even early (some started before midnight). Amazing. Italians: "you can learn all there is to know about them in a month, and after a 100 years, they can still surprise you" (Gandalf to Froddo in The Lord of the Rings). (Just kidding of course.)

I digress. After my family walked home that morning (only because there were no taxis...honestly), I went to bed trying to get what rest I could before the big day. Yes, that is correct, God blessed me with the grace of getting to serve Holy Mass for the Holy Father. At 10 o'clock that morning, while most parties were just beginning to die down back in the States, I walked out from the Sacristy of St. Peter's, about 10 feet behind the Holy Father, the Successor of St. Peter, Pope Benedict XVI. It was like walking in a dream. And as we rounded the high altar and reached the back, I was handed his crozier--which is the bishop's staff (for lack of a better term). This crozier, however, was the same one used by Pope John Paul II, which he took with him all over the world. I was utterly speechless (which I guess was good since Mass isn't a good time to be talking).

There's more: after the consecration, where the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ (See John 6:55 - "For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink."), they led all of us servers around to the front of the altar, where we waited to receive Holy Communion from Pope Benedict himself! As if it's not a big enough blessing to receive God, I was graced to receive Him from the Rock of the Church, the Pope!

To summarize: God wants to bless us abundantly! If I have learned anything at all, it is this: following God is not always easy, but it is the best and only real way to live, because God loves to give. And we cannot see all ends, but God can--and everything He lines up is not only for our good but for the good of so many others. So I dare you, this new year, try a resolution that you will not only keep, but that is actually worth keeping: offer each day (only one at a time) to God, and see where He takes you. Just say, "God, I offer you this day." If you do this, you will find that the year of our Lord, 2008, is a year unlike any other you have ever experienced.

Although, now that I've begun my year with an unbeatable experience, I suppose it's all downhill from here....but then, God always has something up His sleeve...I mean those have got to be some huge sleeves.

Well, I love you all and am praying for you. Please pray for us seminarians. Remember, God is good, and He loves you more than you know! Peace be with you in this New Year!

Buon Natale!

2007-12-21T22:37:00.000+01:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Buon Natale (Italian for "Merry Christmas!")! I hope that these last days before Christmas are grace-filled as you prepare for the birth of our Lord!

As it is, we have a couple of days left to prepare for the Lord's Birth! What a blessing! I encourage all of you, if you haven't already, to tell your family that you love them; give them the gift of your presence, more than the gift of your presents. (I know, I know, you want the gift of fewer puns...)

I just have to share that it really is a blessed time to be in Rome. For one, things are far less commercial over here, just kind of on the whole. There are still plenty of shops open and selling gifts, especially in certain higher-end areas, but there just does not seem to be the same over-kill to selling and buying presents. I don't know if that means people are more focused on love...or just less willing to shell out the dough. Just kidding. I seriously am thankful for that less commerical aspect.

I am also incredibly thankful to be so close to the Holy Father during this time. I don't know if I've said this before (and I really don't care if I have): we have an awesome Pope. He is truly a humble servant of the Lord who only desires that we come to know Christ more fully, so that we may have the peace that surpasses all understanding (see Philippians 4:7). He is not afraid to proclaim the truth in love in order to bring more souls back to the Church, in order to bring souls back to true happiness.

Think about it: how many people can you honestly claim are sincerely happy, even overjoyed, at the life they are living? How often do we want to run and hide in things that will never satisfy us, things that will only distract us from the deep hunger to love and be loved? Our Pope, however, wants us to know love, the Love, the only One who will satisfy us.

This Love, says our Pope in Spe Salvi, the new encyclical on Hope, is the source of all hope. Quoting Saint Josephine Bakhita, he points to the Love of God as our only hope: "I am definitively loved and whatever happens to me--I am awaited by this Love. And so my life is good." When we know true Love, we can be assured that the future will be a bright one, regardless of difficulties encountered, because we will still be moving towards that Love.

This Christmas is a perfect time for Hope, because we are celebrating the birth of that Love into the world. Jesus Christ, a.k.a. Emmanuel, a.k.a. "God is with us" (see Matthew 1:23), is the ultimate Hope, because with the birth of Jesus Christ we no longer are separated from God. God has become man and dwelt among us (John 1:14). The Hope we have is a living Hope, quite literally.

So remember what a joyous occasion this is, not because of the iPhone one might find in his stocking or the countless new neck-ties my aunts will give me, but because of Jesus Christ, Who will be born among us. And He is the greatest gift we could ever receive.

May God bless you all with a peace-filled and truly joyful Christmas as you remember the source of your joy! Buon Natale!

Life Keeps on Rollin' Along

2007-12-16T00:38:00.000+01:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

I hope everything is going well back in the States! I definitely miss seeing you all, driving in a car that shifts gears for me...or at all, and hearing my own language...oh, and hamburgers, huge, juicy, send-you-to-a-hospital-(a good American hospital)-good hamburgers.

I have to share some of the great things happening over here lately. Let's see...

1) Last Saturday, December 8th, on the feast of the Immaculate Conception we had something of an immaculate reception, since Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception is the college's patroness. It was a wonderful Pranzo (Italian for "lunch so good you won't have to eat lunch again"). Afterwards, Deacon Tom, Father Jason, and I all went for a Rosary Walk descending from the hill, dipping into part of ancient Rome, and then heading back up the Via Conciliazione to La Piazza di San Pietro (the Plaza in front of St. Peter's). We finished at 6:00 p.m. (Eleven o'clock your time), in time to pray the Angelus while facing the Marian Mosaic on the side of St. Peter's. It was truly a blessing.

2) Then, later that night, I think I became the first person to "skype" into a wedding. That's right, I got to watch my good buddy and and his fiancee, also a friend of mine, get married back at A&M, LIVE from the comfort of my own PJ's...err, I mean room. It was the closest I've ever been to bi-locating. Actually, it was like having my own personal, interactive EWTN Mass. Though I couldn't interact much...they muted me. Who would do that...don't answer.

So yes, I got to be "present" for their wedding from the balcony, watching the whole wedding unfold, live before my own eyes on a skype video call. How amazing is that? Then I actually got to talk with some of my old friends from A&M and even the Bride and Groom, after all of their pictures and such. It was really something else. And yes, I must admit, it was my idea. I thought, "John Paul II encouraged us to use our new technology for the new Evangelization, so why not for a wedding?" Go big or go overseas, right?

I thank God for the opportunity though, and it really was a blessing to see them. I had trouble believing it was happening the whole time I was watching it.

3) The next day, Sunday evening, some of us went to a Legionaires of Christ dinner. A smaller group of us were asked to put together a little musical ensemble to play a few Marian songs as entertainment. Well, Mike, Luke, Llane, Joe, and I all got up there and sang/played the guitar...and they liked it. Even after they had their entire 40 piece orchestra perform Neil Diamond's "America"...those Legionaires. I must admite though, it was pretty sweet (Caroline).

Actually, though, the whole experience made me realize how much I want to glorify God through that kind of performance. Having acted in the past, I realize how easy it can be to have the act become about yourself--it can be a real fight to give the glory to God. This time, however, since the songs were so clearly directed to God's Mother, Mary, it was easier to make it a prayer. I think that's why it got so much applause.

4) Then, on Monday, I attended a Scavi Tour led by one of our very own NAC seminarians, Adam, and attended by a lot of Australians...including one of their Cardinals. Ironically enough, we then proceeded to go down under...the Basilica that is, to see the Tomb and the Bones of St. Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, the first Pope, who walked with Jesus, on water to Jesus, away from Him, and back to Him on the shore. And Peter's tomb is directly beneath the high altar of St. Peter's Basilica, where the Pope celebrates the Holy Mass. Thank God for the Roman Catholic Church!

Well, I need to get going. But I hope to update soon and very soon. Remember to really prepare for Christ's coming. Make room for Him in your hearts through small sacrifices, that when He comes He may find more than just a manger in which to rest. Only 9 days til Christmas!

Oh, and please pray for my family as they prepare to visit, that their pilgrimage here would be rejuvenating both physically and spiritually. And pray for their safety. Thank you so much, and know you all have my prayers. God bless!

Service with a Smile

2007-12-07T21:54:00.001+01:00

Come Holy Spirit! Pax Christi vobiscum!

What a day! First of all, our two professors for today decided to cancel class, so we got a three day weekend. I found this out after I decided to sleep in this morn...I mean earlier this week, yes, earlier than this morning...and therefore I knew I could sleep in this morning.... Heh.

So I got up this morning and did a ton of laundry and finally got my room back in order. I do this about once every 2 or so weeks...about the time I realize I can no longer see the floor.

On to more interesting things. This evening, I was privileged enough to help out with the St. Vincent de Paul Society in their service of the poor. Basically, I got to walk down Humility Lane...and I tripped. These people basically have nothing, nothing but a plastic bag with some food or an umbrella, maybe. And we went out to give them food cooked by this one family that has been doing this service for 25 years (venticinque anni).

I talked with a couple of people from Poland who moved to Rome to find some work and were unable to do so. These people have real need...and they are real people. I think often I only recognize the first one, if that, but it's a lot harder to want to look them in the eye and see a person in them; because once I look them in the eye, recognizing their personhood, then I will hurt for one of my own that has far less than I have--and I will have to give, at the very least my time, if not more.

That is what I recognized as I spoke with Matteo from Poland. He is just like you and me, except he doesn't have a home. He has a great sense of humor and was enjoyable to speak with, but he struggles with things (or absence thereof) I take for granted on a daily basis. I tried to assure him that with God all things are possible, and I offered him my prayers, but that was the best I could do for the time. And I ask you all to pray for Matteo, that God would direct him out of his poverty and help him find work for his and his family's sake.

As a further reflection, I found a great freedom in serving them. For by serving these people, created by God, I both helped them and forgot me. I was free from worrying about myself, and it felt great! And I got the chance to smile and hand food out to people who need it far more than I do. And that is just how good God is: doing a service for someone else is never a one-sided thing. When I serve someone, both of us gain from it. On the other hand, I have noticed that when I seek only my interests, I don't even seem to get anything out of it. This is as Pope John Paul II said: it is only in a sincere gift of self that I truly discover who I am.

Service frees us from servitude...especially when it's service with a smile. May God bless you with His grace and His peace in this Advent Season, and Happy Feast of the Immaculate Conception!

Providence: The Only Cardinal Direction

2007-11-28T21:49:00.000+01:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Wow...

Simply wow....

I seriously have just had about the 5 most blessed days of my entire life. Please, share my joy. You read some of what happened on Saturday, but it's taken off almost exponentially since then. Allow me to bring you up to speed.

So Saturday: The Consistory -- I got to see the Pope elevate 23 Archbishops to the College of Cardinals (which is not a school for birds, by the way). That means that the Pope made 23 new Princes of the Church. Let me put it this way: the Church is HUGE! It is truly Catholic--"Catholic" meaning Universal. There were Cardinals from Italy, the United States, even Iraq (among other places). Not only that, but God is constantly renewing His Church! These men, acting under the guidance of the Holy Spirit will select the next Pope...or possibly become the next Pope.

Saturday evening: The Reception in the Papal Palace. Yes, you read that correctly. Now, here's how the event played out for me, quite Providentially. The event began around 4:30, but I allowed myself a chance to rest up a bit (and write a blog post), and then I ventured down to St. Peter's to wait in line, arriving around 5:15 p.m. Well, the lines, true to Italian fashion, were actually just an amorphous blob of people trying to force themselves through 5 tiny metal-detectors. Except there was a problem: they weren't allowing anyone through for 45 minutes. So this amorphous blob was also immobile. Fun, huh?

Well I was just saying, "God, if you want, you can get me in." The event was only supposed to last until 6:30 or so, so I was concerned when I was just getting through the security gates at 6:15. I turned left to approach the bronze doors where stood the ever-present Swiss Guard (or La Guardia Svizzera). Unfortunately, I discovered, that there was another line (amorphous blob) forming to the right of the doors...meaning I couldn't just waltz right through. I would have had to wait another who knows how many minutes there. Well, sure enough, as I was turning back to get in the "line," the Diocese of Tyler (neighbor of Dallas) showed up. Nolan and Brandon (friends of mine) and their Bishop and the Rector of their Cathedral showed up just then. They said I could join them, and we plowed right through those doors (Let's just say, Bishops are good for more than putting Kings in check...I just got it!).

So we proceeded all the way into the Papal Palace, no problem, and then we were able to jump the lines as well. I got to see 6 Cardinals in 45 minutes--it's good to have the Bishop there.

I praise God for arranging that so perfectly! I was on cloud-nine for quite some time after that--I'm telling you it's Providence. When you let God write the story, He always gives you a good one to tell (that's also the point of the Bible--greatest story ever told). I mean, I think it takes more faith to say that this event was the product of mere chance. But either way you try to call it (Providence or chance), you are making an act of faith--I just happen to be making the right choice--heh.

But that's not all....

Sunday: I woke up a bit late and was probably not going to make it in to the Mass of the Rings without a higher ranking ticket than my general admission white ticket. But I knew that if God wanted me to be in there, He'd take care of it. Well, on my way out, I ran into a certain Priest I know who happened to have an extra blue ticket (for a better section). He gave it to me, and get this: not only did I make it in no sweat, but I also got to walk up the center isle to get to my section. That...was pretty crazy. When I got to my section, I met an awesome Priest from Mexico City, and we spoke in Italian...all fits together, right? Only in God's awesome way.

Then, Tuesday: I got to serve at the Mass of Thanksgiving for Cardinal DiNardo, the new Cardinal for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston...in Santa Maria Maggiore (one of the 4 Major Basilicas of Rome). What a blessing! Check it out here:

http://blogs.chron.com/dinardo/2007/11/glittering_like_gold.html

It was truly a beautiful Mass, and I am excited for the Church in Texas! What hope we have, and what a gift we have received in the person of Cardinal DiNardo! He is a great man who will serve faithfully the people of Texas and the United States.

Then, as icing on the cake, I got to meet Cardinal McCarrick today. He was so fatherly and really down-to-earth, and we had a great conversation. I just can't put all of this together....

So basically, I don't know what to do...other than thank God. I arranged none of this; I sought none of it out...at least not more than putting myself there and trusting in God. I'm telling you, God just wants to give us every good gift if we would simply turn everything over to Him. Even just most of what we have. As long as we are taking steps to get there, asking God to take more and more of us--so that He can give us even greater gifts in return. I'm not saying it will be easy, but it will be worth it. If we just turn it over, He will Provide. I promise you. Trust in His Providence, and ask Him where He wants to take you. You will not be disappointed.

Glory to God!

St. Louis's Cardinals Ain't Got Nothin'

2007-11-24T16:10:00.000+01:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Wow, what a day...actually, what a week. There has been a lot going on lately...where to begin?

Last weekend: Three of my seminarian brothers and I all went to Leuven, Belgium. I of course immediately thought of the McDonald's theme, "Ba da da da daaa, I'm Leuven it." (That should tell you how it's pronounced.) And I really was: we got to eat some Belgian waffles, fries, and chocolate. I will now begin the penitential season of Lent early to make up for the inordinate amount of food I consumed. And yes, we did have some good ole Belgian beer (I'm old enough now--okay, Mom?).

The crowning point of the whole trip was getting to stop in the chapel where Blessed Peter Damian of Molokai is buried. He was the Priest who went to the Hawaiian Island of Molokai to serve the leprous people there. He would always begin his homilees at Mass with the words, "My Lepers." One day after serving them for quite some time, he began with the words, "My fellow Lepers," letting them know that their Priest was now one of them. He died there, heroically sacrificing his life that others may have the Life, Jesus Christ.

So we prayed our Holy Hour there, and I prayed for all of you readers, in fact. So you have Blessed Peter Damian praying for you, and he's pretty darn close to God right now...which is sweet...and an understatement.

This last week we also had our Thanksgiving dinner. We were allowed to miss classes, which were still held since the Italians do not celebrate that holiday--a faculty encouraged skip day...got to love it. We had the New Man/Old Man (flag) football game, known affectionately as "The Spaghetti Bowl." We lost the game, but we did beat them in the second half (we outscored them there, but they way outscored us in the first half).

And we finished it all off with a nice Turkey dinner, and let's just say I am a huge tryptofan. And just so you know: Texas was true to its size. We had 8 tables with a total of 50 guests (or so), compared to most other tables which were grouped by region. So we had 8 tables all to Texas. I guess everything is bigger in Texas (including our egos?).

We come to the present moment, where I just finished helping clean up our main hallways after a reception with tons of guests. This reception was for the consistory where Pope Benedict elevated 23 Archbishops to the College of Cardinals, and the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston was one of those made Cardinal. So I actually got to shake hands and speak (briefly) with his Eminence Daniel Cardinal DiNardo. What a blessing. It's just so cool to see the Church be continually reborn. Allow me to put it into perspective for you: I just met a man who will vote for the next Pope. There's more to it than that, but that should give you a good idea. His Eminence Cardinal Foley was also at our seminary. So we had two Cardinals in the house, and it wasn't because we left the window open.

Well, praise God for His beautiful Church! Like St. Peter in the presence of Christ's Transfiguration, all I can say is, "It is good that we are here" (Luke 9:33). What else can I say? Praise Him!

Alrighty, time to check out. I pray that God blesses you abundantly with an ever greater knowledge of His love for you--may you find the peace that is only found in Him! Pax!

Check back soon for footage from the Consistory!

The Cross

2007-11-15T23:59:00.000+01:00

Come Holy Spirit! Pax Christi vobiscum!

Wow, so I was just reading an awesome book, titled, The Fulfillment of All Desire (sounds good, doesn't it?), when something of a revelation hit me. As I looked at the San Damiano Crucifix I have in my room, I realized that it looked like Christ had his arms outstretched as though waiting to hug or embrace us. Then it hit me: Christ came to redeem suffering. Before you say, "Duh," or "It's in the Catechism," or "You had to go to Rome to figure that out?" follow me for a sec.

Allow me to put it this way: all of us have crosses in our lives, some big, some small. The beauty is that when Christ told us to take up our cross, to embrace our cross, instead of embracing cold and splintering wood, we embrace Christ who hangs there with arms outstretched as He welcomes us into His loving embrace. If we approach Christ who hangs on the cross, all of our crosses become bearable. That is why He came--not just to throw crosses at us, forcing us to suffer for our "own good" as it were; rather, He came to give Himself to us on the cross, to attach Himself to our crosses, so that all of our suffering would bring us closer to Him. That way we can bear our burdens because of Him Who bore them first.

I'll update you more on life soon, but I had to get this reflection written. And remember, whenever you see Christ on the Cross, it's as though He's saying, "I love you...this much." Think about it.

Please pray for safe travels for us seminarians this weekend.

May God bless you and give you His Peace! And I prayed for you all in front of the relics of St. Therese of Lisieux today. Pax Christi!

Get Out and Live!

2007-11-11T20:10:00.001+01:00

Come Holy Spirit! Peace of Christ be with you!

Wow, what a day! First, starting off with Mass, which is always a great way to start a day, I felt a lot more peace than I have in a while, knowing that the Lord is working in and around me to bring me closer to Him. It's nice just to sit back and let Him do the work for a change--still working on it though (I'm the patient who keeps waking up on the operating table--if only God would give me the scalpel...but when it comes to surgery, God is a cut above the rest).

Well, from there I met my friend Eric and his friend Matt who are studying abroad at A&M's campus here in Italy. It was great to see a familiar face from back home. Eric and I were actually in Fish Aides, a freshman leadership organization back at A&M together. So it was a real treat to be able to connect.

After we grabbed a good ole American (pronounced " 'merican") style brunch at the Seminary here, we all departed for St. Peter's Square out in front of the Basilica. There we awaited the Pope's appearance at his apartment window, where he would deliver the Angelus address and then lead us in the Angelus (a traditional prayer concerning the angel Gabriel's announcement to Mary of God's desire to become flesh through her). But when I say, "awaited," I don't mean we just sat there--quite the opposite: we broke out our guitars and started singing some Praise and Worship songs. Yes, you may re-read if you like...I got to play guitar (and people didn't leave) in front of St. Peter's. After the Angelus and Apostolic Blessing, we continued to play for 30 minutes or so. It was something else! Praise God...wait, we did. Ha. ...Okay, sorry.

I share all of this to say that it was a truly powerful experience, and you could tell that people just want some of the joy that we were experiencing in that moment (there were also about 20 Steubenville students praising with us, and they know how to praise...it's what they do). And all of this came about because we were living what we believe, thanks to the grace of God.

And that's just it: God has awesome adventures planned for our lives. Adventures. God just wants to write a story with our lives, and it will be the best possible story that could be written for us. Yes, it will be difficult at times--part and parcel of Adventure. Yes it will be uncertain at others--Adventure yet again. And yet it will be easier and more certain than any other life that we could live, for God is the author of it, and God's the best story-teller there is (the Bible anyone? Oh wait, we're Catholic...just kidding...but seriously read it).

Honestly, though, who doesn't love a good story? Now why do you think that is? And what if you could be living a great story? I'm going to ask you to do something here, so follow me if you will. This may be too much for some of you at this point, but that's okay; we are all at different points along the road. But please give this a shot.

Try to say this prayer: God, I want to have a life worth living. We all do. But I know that only in You will I find the life I truly want to live. At least, I think I know that. I also know that You are patient, O Lord, and Your hand is always there guiding me on the path I should go. So with the strength I have, however small it may be, I ask you, help me to surrender to You and to let You be the author of my life. Then I will have all I can ever desire and more, for You alone are Lord.

Just remember that living an adventure is not always easy, but it's worth it. I promise you that. Know that you are in my prayers as you take this step, and please keep me in yours. We all need support on our way. May God bless you and give you His Peace that are ours in Christ!

It's All Greek to Me

2007-11-10T21:58:00.000+01:00

Come Holy Spirit! Pax Christi vobiscum!

Wow, okay, so I know it's been a while since I've posted on here, and I'm sorry. No, please, please, stop throwing tomatoes at me...I mean, it's your computer screen.

Well, I just finished studying Greek for about 2 hours, and let me tell you, my head is dead (or esti nekros...I think). Let me just say that I wish I were learning it in Italian so that I could have an excuse not to understand it. In all actuality, I am enjoying it though, and not only because it makes for a great penance. What I do understand (and some of it is coming quickly) really gets me excited, because I hope one day to be able to read a lot of the Greek New Testament, the original language it was written in. We can lose so much of what was said just because of the translation.

Anyways, I don't want to bore you with academics. I want to bore you with the stories of my life. So here it goes. Just a brief one, and then I will update again.

For now, I just want to touch on the beauty of Providence. No, I am not refering to the one city in Rhode Island that people have heard of--I am speaking about God's Divine Providence. Basically, God wants to be an active and intimate part of our daily lives, and He shows us this by arranging things in too-good-to-be-true ways. I have seen many of these lately. The one I really want to speak about is my trip 2 weeks ago with Fr. Jason (of the Diocese of Dallas) to San Giovanni Rotondo, the town where (now Saint) Padre Pio lived and moved and had his being. It was such a blessing to go there. We rented a car and, as if making it out there driving through Italian traffic weren't Providence enough, we managed to get put up in a hotel for free...yep, free. Gratis, as they say. The Franciscan Capucin brothers we were going to stay with didn't have any more room in their house, so they walked over to the hotel next door and got us a room. The Capucin Mafia...I mean Monks, hooked us up.

The next day, we were allowed into Saint Pio's private chapel, where he celebrated Mass for 2 years from 1931 to 1933, when he was not allowed to celebrate the Mass publicly. Fr. Jason celebrated Mass for the two of us there on that same altar. What a blessing!

The following day, as we were finishing breakfast and preparing to return home, we were blessed with one last treat: we met a personal friend of Saint Pio. He was finishing his breakfast as well, seated next to an Italian police officer. The reason? This man was not only a good personal friend of Padre Pio's; the Saint had also entrusted this man with his own crucifix that he prayed with for years. This monk, having been granted permission by the Vatican to do so, proceeded to bless Fr. Jason and me with Saint Padre Pio's crucifix. We were told that most people wait in line for a couple of hours to receive this blessing (the reason for the police officer)--we ran into him at breakfast. I'd say that proves Providence once again.

So, I guess we had a bit of an eventful weekend, you might say. I write all of this to say that if you really turn everything over to God, you will be amazed at how much He wants to bless your life. Most of us think that if we give Him everything, things will start to go horribly wrong--but they won't. They will go mildly wrong. No, seriously, if we entrust ourselves to God, He will ask us to carry our crosses, but He will make them a source of great blessings for us, Providing for our every need.

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat [or drink], or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? Your heavenly Father knows that you need [these things]. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself." - Matthew 6:25, 27, 32-34

May God bless you and give you His peace! I prayed for you all in Adoration in St. John Lateran, the Cathedral of Rome (and therefore the world) on the Feast of the Dedication of St. John Lateran! Praise Him!

What on Earth Are You Doing For Heaven's Sake?

2007-10-23T19:55:00.000+02:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Ciaody from Roma! Well, I'm now into the 3rd week of class here in Rome, and it's amazing how much Italian you can forget over the weekend. I think I just hit an altopiano, which means plateau, but if you translate it directly, it means, "highfloor," which you could interpret to mean that I have been able to reach really high.... <*insert ceaseless affirmations from you here>. Aww, thanks. You're too kind.

Well, now that I'm feeling really inflated, to the message for today. Today was interesting: it was my first sick day. Yep, it all caught up to me today...I guess I really hit that highfloor. Which actually is part of my...

Top 10 Ways of Knowing I am Living in Rome:

10) Returning from a vacation...to Rome.
9) Getting sick and being able to spend the day in bed (where's Mom's soup when you need it?)
8) Having a mailing address in Italy....
7) Running through Rome for exercise, and not just because I'm late for a train.
6) Discovering that it's okay to be late for an Italian train.
5) Getting to know the Pope's schedule like the back of my hand.
4) Getting lost in Rome and not being lost in Rome (you figure it out, but it works).
3) Waking up in the morning to find I am where I went to sleep the night before.
2) The street vendors know me buy name.
1) The Pope calls me to find out his schedule.

The only two I haven't realized yet are numbers 2 and 1. But I'm sure they'll happen sooner or later (banking on later).

It was actually really nice to get the day to just relax in bed, even while being sick. I think God is trying to get me to realize that I need to stop living on my own strength and start living on His. Today really afforded me an opportunity to retreat from seminary life (which gets pretty busy), and to reflect and pray. So it was a blessing in disguise.

I also got to watch a documentary on my hero, Pope John Paul II. He really was an amazing man, and I'm convinced he's praying for us right now in heaven. I pray that I get to be here when he is beatified by the Church--what an event that will be!

But to the point: I was inspired again to watch how radically this man turned his life over to God, and look how God used him! He inspired millions...actually, billions! The world knew this man was a holy man, even if they disagreed with him. But JPII was not afraid to face contention, to fight against lies and darkness, or to bring people closer to Jesus Christ! In fact, he really wasn't afraid of anything! And those where his first words at the start of his pontificate: Be Not Afraid!!! So I encourage you all, be not afraid! Because "God is love," as we read in the first letter of St. John (and also as Pope Benedict's first encyclical reminds us), and "perfect love drives out fear" (1 John 4:16-18). And we have the strength for everything through Jesus Christ who empowers us (Philippians 4:13).

I address this next part specifically to any teens reading this right now: Do not be afraid to follow Christ, to give Him your dreams, your aspirations. He will give you more than you can imagine...and then some. I'm not saying you should be able to do this overnight--it takes time. But what I am asking you to do, challenging you to do is to say, "Lord God, show me how to give you everything." Or if that's a bit too hard (which is fine), say, "Lord God, show me how to want to give you everything (or even how to want to want)." Even if you do this much, you will be amazed at how God begins to work in your life. Trust me. The only reason I am here right now is because God gave me the people to encourage me to do the same. And I'm encouraging you now: Don't just rock the boat, get out of it--then you can walk on water.

Re-reading that now, that passage can also apply to the adult readers here. I'm telling you it is never to late to turn to God, giving Him everything we've got--He will only give us more.

May God bless you with His abundant grace and peace that are ours in Jesus Christ!

P.S. - Oh, and here is a link to the pictures from our beginning-o-the-year events (just click "events").
P.P.S. - Thank you, Fr. Tom, for the title.

Missionaries of Clarity

2007-10-13T23:26:00.000+02:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Well, the first week of school is over, and if I didn't know any better, I'd say that all I heard this week was a lot of gibberish--not because the professors couldn't speak but because I couldn't understand Italian. It used to be that if I did not understand a concept in class it was because the concept itself was difficult, not the language. The professor, for all I know, could just be standing up there saying "Americans are a bunch of idiots," and I would be hunched over my notebook, sweating, rapidly jotting down what I thought I heard.

Okay, but in all reality, it went pretty well. I am actually learning the language quite a bit faster than I thought I would, which is encouraging. Sitting through 3-4 hours worth of Italian Theology, however, is enough to wear anyone out; in fact, by midday, I almost have to take a nap simply because my brain has been fried...in vinegar and oil of course.

But here I am on the first day (read as "week"...I was a little late on taking the pic) of school.

That one's for you, Mom. I thought you'd like it. And I'm wearing a uniform again (this one perhaps for life). It is really great, though, to don the clerics and head off to school--which is the ministry that we can offer at this point in our lives. Since we are not yet Priests, our studies become our ministry, and the material we learn will be nourishment for our future parishoners. And, as our academic dean at the NAC has reminded us, our desk is our altar where we offer our sacrifice. Quite a strong image. It really helps me to approach my studies with reverence for the task God has placed before me, and I'm happy to accept.

It has also been great to stop in the many beautiful Churches here after class and pray (you would too if you had to sit in Italian classes). In all seriousness, it is a real blessing to be able to spend some time in the classroom of Rome itself, where the Saints, their relics, and the Churches built in their memory instruct us in the Faith. I especially like Chiesa Nuova, where St. Philip Neri, the Apostle of Rome, rests. The Church itself is Baroque style architecture, kind of like a miniature St. Peter's (but then all Churches are miniature compared to St. Peter's). And fun fact: Chiesa Nuova means "New Church," which means that it was built 500 years ago....

But now I must take a moment to share with you a gift God granted me the other day as I ventured off to visit my first Apostolate. Some quick background: our first semester here, we do not actively serve in an Apostolate (i.e. Service Work, but for the Faith). Instead, we learn Italian and visit one of the many possible Apostolates (say that five times fast) to discern which one we will dedicate our time to in the coming years. I decided to visit the Missionaries of Charity, the order founded by Blessed (Mother) Teresa of Calcutta. God, knowing that I would do this from all eternity, had a little surprise in store for me.

Two quick facts: 1) I am still working on my Italian; 2) This trip gave me a chance to do so.

The place we went to is a soup-kitchen of sorts, and the part we worked on was focused on feeding the men of the streets of Rome. Well, one of the Sisters approached Greg and me, to ask if one of us would read the Gospel and then give a short reflection on it afterwards...you guessed it, in Italian. I don't know why (must have been the Spirit), but I volunteered, saying, "Provero" (which means, "I will try"). I then started to look over the Gospel and thought to myself, how am I going to do this? Immediately the words from Luke 12:11-12 came to mind: "...do not worry about ... what you are to say. For the holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say." I promptly said, "Come Holy Spirit," and started to get an idea.

Sister called me out, sooner that I would have liked, in front of the whole group of Italian men (50 plus), and I began. Sure enough, God pulled it off. I basically said, "Dio ci ama," which means God loves us and moved forward from there. What a gift that was! I got to proclaim God's Word and invite these men deeper in their own language. Afterwards, I was able to serve them and talk with them--a true joy. Praise the Lord for His many great gifts, and please pray for those men. They need help; but more than that, they need to know they are loved. That is the greatest poverty today: not knowing God's love. The beauty is: all we have to do is ask Him, and He will let us know it (...and we will receive).

That's enough for now. Please continue to pray for me, and again, know that I pray for all of you. Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, pray for us!

Too Much to Say to Say Too Much

2007-10-07T22:54:00.000+02:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Wow, so time has flown by, and so much has happened...too much to tell you about it now (sorry for the Teaser). But suffice it to say that God is alive and well. I'll give you a quick recap of the things that have happened, so you know, and then I hope to get a more substantial update soon. I wanted to make sure you got an update though.

Last week: Silent Retreat at the Palazzola, a.k.a. the English Villa, a.k.a. Heaven. It was a glorious week filled with so much grace that I wanted to shout out loud...which would have defeated the purpose. It was such a wonderful time, and I will get some pictures up soon. I also realized, while out there, that I should turn to the Stations of the Cross more often in my spiritual journey. We draw so much strength from the Cross of Christ. I also realized that life is short and that I need to be living for the next life. God is good!

This week: Deaconate Ordinations in St. Peter's Basilica, a.k.a. Heaven. After practicing with the choir here at the NAC, we actually received the great privilege of singing in St. Peter's Basilica, our voices resounding off of the towering marble walls--a perfect way to come off of a silent retreat. The Liturgy was glorious, and the 4th year men were ordained deacons. Please keep all 21 of them in your prayers, and thank the Lord for the service these men will offer the Church all over the United States.

This weekend: Le Cinque Terre, Italia, a.k.a. the Cinque Terra (had you fooled didn't I?). It was like Heaven on earth (there it is). Imagine five cliff-side villages lining the coast of the Mediterranean Sea (long sigh...go ahead). And the best part of the whole thing was God's providence through it all. Luke, Jeb, Rheo, and I all showed up ready to camp outside (in a random vineyard if need be). Unable to find a place to camp, we decided just to go to Mass on Friday night and then figure it out...but God was a few steps ahead of us (infinity to be exact). After Mass the Priest approached us and asked us, in Italian, where we were from. Letting him in on our story, he became extatic and offered us a place to stay at a Church in a neighboring town. Basically, we ended up with our own Hostel all to ourselves, complete with bathroom, kitchenette, dining area, and two bedrooms with three bunks each--all attached to a beautiful Church we attended on Sunday morning. God: the best travel agent.

Rheo and I returned earlier than Luke and Jeb, finding ourselves in different compartments of the train. I had the privilege then of speaking with a couple from L.A. and two Italians (in their own tongue). Once they discovered I was a seminarian in Rome (plug for the blog), a wonderful conversation ensued. God is so good! Please keep those four people in your prayers.

Well, that's it for my "quick" update. I hope that catches you up a bit, since I've been slacking in this area lately. Thank you for your prayers, and count on mine! God bless you all!

The End and the Beginning

2007-09-22T14:32:00.000+02:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Well, it is hard to believe that we New Men have been here in Italia now for over 2 months. Time flies when you're having food, I suppose. Actually, at this pointI would just like to take a moment to stop and reflect on some things, some more serious than others. And this is a perfect time to do so, since we are finishing one phase of preparation, and moving into a more spiritual time before classes start.

First: I really enjoy Italian food, but more importantly, I enjoy the fact that eating is truly a social activity. People sit around the table and actually talk; in fact, there are no TVs looming overhead to distract one out of conversation, no matter how great of game may or may not be on. It was tough at first, but I've come to love it more now. I am simply able to focus on the people in front of me and come to know them better. Now, whether the people with me are enjoying coming to know me better is a different story....

Second: I have come to have a greater appreciation for the gift of life, just by simply stepping out into a cross-walk. Yes, the road is a great place of sanctification, because it quite literally scares the hell out of you. Whenever you step out into traffic, which you have to do or they just plain won't stop, you recognize the gift of life and the power of Divine Providence. It's also quite exhilarating.

Third: Having just finished our formal Italian studies, we have discovered some fun phrases:

- "basta pasta" = "enough pasta"

- "tutti i frutti" = "all the fruit"

- "molti tipi di cibi tipici" (NOTE: i's are pronounced "ee" and c's are pronounced "ch") = "many types of typical food"...and you have to admit, that's just plain fun to say; go ahead try it...seriously.

Fourth: The Three Most Important Italian words/phrases are, from least to most:

- "piano piano" = "slowly slowly" - One must have patience when learning Italian, and really with anything in life.

- "mangia" = "eat" - This one...should be quite obvious.

- "vino" = "drink of little memory that goes well with mangia-ing" - I am not endorsing anything here....

Fifth: The collar just seems to fit. Check it out for yourself (cue the MIB theme):

This is James, my DB, and myself, and, if we do say so, we make this look good. Heh. But honestly, it is both humbling and exciting to don the collar. And it's fun to see the looks I get walking around in one on the street. One story: when Fr. Rudy, our Vocations Director, was here, someone approached me asking if I could bless a crucifix for them.... Yeah, so I referred them to Fr. Rudy, because I can wave my hands over it, but I'd only be shooting blanks right now (not to mention the impediments I'd incur for pretending to be a Priest). Wearing the clerics, however, is like a discernment highway: people approach me like they can trust me, and that is a humbling experience. It helps me to realize very quickly that I need to get ready to be constantly at the service of others--it's not an easy call. But I thank God that I get a chance to both literally and figuratively try it all on right now, before I'm a Priest.

Well, please keep the New Men and the 4th year Men (soon to be Deacons) in your prayers for this next week. We are both going on retreats, and I guess they thought the New Men were too talkative; they're sending us on something called a, um...silent retreat? Yeah, that's right. Something like that. I guess the staff doesn't know me well enough...or maybe they do and think I need it. Heh. "But for God all things are possible" (Mt 19:26). I am really looking forward to it. I've never been on an 8 day silent retreat before, and how often do we really get a chance to spend that much time only with the Lord? So please keep us in prayer. We want to encounter the Lord and receive all that He has for us.

God bless you all! And I have prayed for all of you reading this at St. Peter's Basilica while in Adoration. (And I'm not just saying that to get more readers....) Pax Christi!

Once Upon a Tour

2007-09-15T22:54:00.000+02:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Wow, today was something else. We got a break from everything today as today was Saturday (yes we do get to rest every so often). And this worked out perfectly as a friend from A&M, Mariel, and her sister were visiting Rome today. Once they got in, we were able to meet up and head over to Saint Peter's. It was good getting to catch up, and I got my first chance to give a tour of Saint Peter's Basilica.

I have to say, there's nothing quite like showing people around that makes you realize a place is your home. Unless you count having a mailing address, which I guess would be a pretty good tip-off. But it really hit me, I know this place more than I thought I did. Some of the things coming out of my mouth, I had not realized I picked up during my time here.

So, dressed in clerics, I got to show some friends of mine around the place I have now been living in for over a month. God decided to add another element into the mix, though.

On the way in, there were a couple of young women (one from Florence, the other from England), one of whom was unable to enter since her shoulders were not covered (they take dress code seriously here, praise God). Well this young woman randomly (read as providentially) asked Mariel for her sweater so she could enter. And Mariel, being a good Aggie grad, gladly offered it to her. So the tour of 3 became a tour of 5.

And they all seemed to really respond to the tour. It's a catechetical tour, meaning that it's meant to instruct on the faith, and some of the seminarians at the NAC give some of these tours. So I gave it an unofficial shot, and it worked out! Praise the Lord. And at the end of it, we closed in prayer!!! What a blessing, and completely the providence of God!

Please pray for those two young women, because I think they may have really seen the true Beauty of St. Peter's, behind all of the art and architecture, for the first time. I'm just glad I had been on the tour before, or it would have been a short tour....

Thank you again for all of your prayers and support. It is always nice to receive letters and emails from you all (note: I'm not shamelessly plugging for letters and emails...yet). But just so you know, your prayers are greatly felt. And I would ask that you pray for 21 men who will be ordained to the Transitional Deaconate in just 3 weeks time. Praise the Lord. God bless you all, and I prayed for you all in Saint Peter's today during my Holy Hour there!

The Word of the Day: Hope

2007-09-15T00:04:00.000+02:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Okay, so I have been reading St. Maria Faustina's Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul, which is excellent, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking to grow in their relationship with God. There is one section in particular that gave me great hope, and I just could not wait to post it; it could be just what someone needs to read.

"Let no soul, even the most miserable, fall prey to doubt; for, as long as one is alive, each one can become a great saint, so great is the power of God's grace. It remains only for us not to oppose God's action" (Notebook I, #283).

That's all we have to do: ask the Lord to give us His grace to pick back up and start again, even when the going gets tough. He wants to take us and make us more than we are. For while God loves us right where we are, He loves us too much to leave us there. And that gives me great hope. And that's the word.

Oh, and check the Castel Gandolfo post. There should be a pic there now.

God bless!

On the Way...

2007-09-11T23:57:00.000+02:00

Pax Christi vobiscum!

I am sorry for the teaser, but I am only writing to say that another post is on the way. The good news is that our vocation director came in yesterday to see us...apparently the Diocese thought we already needed a check-up.

It has been great to have him here, and he has really taken care of us. It is nice to know that we have a home, even when we are away from home. Please pray for Fr. Rudy and for the Diocese of Dallas. There are some exciting things going on right now.

Also, I just wanted to share with you a reflection I had while we were in Assisi for our end-of-orientation retreat. While at Holy Mass at the hermitage of St. Francis, my mind wandered...not away from the Mass, but into it (had you fooled, didn't I?). The Priest was only using simple vessels for the bread and wine, soon to become the Body and Blood of Christ, when a thought hit me. These vessels were earthen vessels, but usually we use golden vessels. Why? Because, golden vessels help us to understand the true dignity of what happens within them: the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ, and, of course, the vessels that carry them should be precious, helping us to see this great truth.

Then it hit me: what is the ultimate destination of the Body and Blood of Christ? The golden vessels? I think you're catching my drift.... God desires to be in us. The golden vessels are only the road to us.

Now, with that in mind, what do the golden vessels say about us? In God's eyes, we are more precious than the finest gold, than anything this world holds valuable. God did not come to sit on a golden throne. God comes to us each day in the Eucharist to sit on the throne of our hearts, if we let Him. That's what He desires. He wants us to knock down whatever sits there now and let Him be Lord of our hearts, of our lives. Then we will find the true peace that comes only from God!

Look for another update soon. There's been a lot going on, and I am so thankful to be here right now. And I am also thankful to get to wear clerics regularly (yesterday was the first day to start doing this). It's definitely humbling, but it is confirming my call.

God bless you all!

Papal State of Mind

2007-09-01T22:22:00.000+02:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Wow, it's been a while, and so much has happened in such a short time. There's a lot to cover, and I don't have a lot of time right now--so I'll just hit a couple of highlights. Believe you me, you won't be disappointed....unless you don't like hearing someone say, "believe you me."

On Saturday, August 25th, we were privileged to receive a tour of St. Peter's from one of our very own seminarians (they do let us off the leash every once in a while...). The tours given by these men are intended to be catechetical, and thus the information was quite inspiring--I really want to learn more about St. Peter's after this tour. We learned about the original basilica built on the vatican hill, about the necropolis that was there prior to the basilica (and even now, underneath it), about the statues of the Popes that line the walls of St. Peter's. So many of the things we heard you never get on a regular tour. And I loved that we didn't have to hear any secular speculations on how the incorrupt bodies of saints in the Basilica were actually being preserved by a wax that somehow keeps their skin from decomposing (I'm sure if this wax existed, the number of face-lifts would decline). Some people will honestly take greater leaps of faith to avoid believing the infinitely simpler explanation that God exists and that He shows this to us through miracles. Why is that so difficult? ...End rant.

Sunday, August 26th, as a class, we visited Castelgondolfo, the summer residence of Pope Benedict XVI. We went out to hear his Sunday Angelus address to the expectant crowds from many different nations. I was in eager anticipation prior to the address at noon: I have never seen this Pope in person before, as I had with Pope John Paul II in 2002 at World Youth Day Toronto. My anticipation increased due to the fact that JPII was the only Pope I had ever known prior to Benedict XVI. What was it going to be like to see a Pope other than John Paul the Great?

We were moved out of the general receiving area, a large courtyard, to wait as the rest of the crowd moved in. We had it made in the shade, both metaphorically and literally: we didn't have to worry about the heat, and when the crowd was all safely behind the barricades, they allowed us to assume our spot just in front of and off to the side of the barricades. It made for a close view of the balcony where the Pope would appear. And when he did, the air was electric.

I could just feel, in the air, the presence of God. The Pope, the successor of Peter, the first Pope, was standing there before us, robed in white, waving and smiling at all of us. I could tell, however, that unlike the celebrities whose fame makes them like gods, this man's fame came from a humility that is actually of God. He loved us from the balcony, and his words told us to seek after our salvation even though the path to heaven is a difficult one. That is true love: to tell us what we need to hear and not simply what we might want to hear. (And I could understand most of it, though he spoke Italian).

After praying the Angelus in Latin, he took the time to recognize the groups present, speaking to them in their native tongue. When he got to the English group, he recognized the "new seminarians of the North American College." Yes, he addressed us specifically. We then sang "Ad moltos annos vivas" to him (translating roughly to "Long may you live"), and he clapped for us, telling us afterwards, "I pray that your formative years in Rome may help you to grow in wisdom and pastoral charity." Yes, we got a specific prayer from the Pope. That's got to be like praying 100 times (so I'd have to sing 50 songs to get there myself).

After all of this excitement, we toured the gardens where he feeds the fish, and where he and Pope John Paul II (and I'm sure other Popes) have walked and prayed and written encyclicals and such. Following this, we had a wonderful meal and tried to take in what in the world just happened. Praise God for this opportunity! It is wonderful to be Roman Catholic!

Well, that's all I'm going to be able to get for now. I'm trying to get a video of the experience uploaded, but I keep running into problems. Don't worry, I'll get it posted somehow.

Oh, and now pictures won't work. I'll see what I can do to update this one later.

God bless you all, and you are in my prayers!

Pax Christi!

THE VIDEO!!! http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4625429804690221214&hl=en

This Tomb Rocks...

2007-08-24T23:33:00.000+02:00

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit!

Wow, okay, things have been a real rush lately, and I haven't done the best job keeping up with it all. I don't really have a lot of pictures for this segment here, and I'll have to catch you up on the end of the Verbania Trip.

So...Verbania ended on Wednesday the 22nd with a train ride back to Rome (everything between Monday of the last post and this Wednesday I will update you on subsequently; for now, I'm going to hit the last few days). Altogether, the trip was about 6 hours long; not too bad. And it was made better by what I call my final exam. After 4 weeks of Italian, I now had the chance to test my ability to say more in Italian than "How are you?" or "More gelato, please" or "Why is the train delayed again?"

I would have to say I passed. I had a discussion with 4 native Italians on the train, and I told them, in Italian, that I was a seminarian from Texas studying in Rome. I also found out that one of them lived in Rome while the other three lived just south of Rome in the equivalent of a suburb of Rome (senza SUV's, however). As we got further along in conversation, however, they asked me to pray for them, and we agreed to pray Hail Mary's or Ave o Maria's for each other. It was really something else. I also got to tell them a little of my vocation story (again, all in Italian...with help from them on many words). They seemed moved by the whole encounter, and so was I. The whole thing made me realize how much good we can do if we simply start a conversation with people and share with them our journey in the Faith. And people are aching to hear it.

After arriving back at the Seminary, I was privileged to serve at Mass. We then prepared for the first day of orientation...with vino....

Thursday, August 23rd: I awoke a bit startled that I was not back in Texas. Never before have I come back from a month long trip somewhere and not awoken at home. That being the case, I realized that this would continue to be an adjustment. I went downstairs as we prepared to welcome the other men just arriving for the first time from the States and Australia. As we waited we all caught up; as not all of us studied Italian in the same place, there were many stories to tell: some studied in Siena, others in Assisi, and the rest of us in Paradis...uh, Verbania, all with their own accounts of gelato, piaza concerts, and hiking expeditions...and learning Italian, yes.

Once they arrived, we all lined up and processed around to the "front" of the seminary, or at least what is properly the front, and would be if the Italians had finished building the main road to the seminary. As we processed around, we found the seminary faculty waiting on the main steps, applauding as we entered. We prayed daytime prayer together as a class in the Assumption Chapel (Chapel: Italian for "small basilica"). It was really an amazing way to start off our time here together, and we finished it with an American style brunch in the courtyard.

The afternoon allowed us the chance to walk around the city and view the Trevi Fountain, the Gregorian University (where I will be studying), the Roman Forum, and the gelateria (heaven in a cup...or cone). While walking, Fr. Tomasek mentioned that "Rome" used to mean "Civilization." It conquered most of the known world at the height of its power, civilizing the lands under it in the process. It is interesting to note God's ability to tell a story: the Church, the civilization par excellence, has superceded Rome, quite literally being built on Rome's ruins; however, what Rome conquered with the sword, the Church has conquered through the love of Christ, extending herself throughout the entire world. Che incredibile!

Oh, and I guess I should mention today's events...since they provide us with the title. You know, I guess it's worth talking about....

This morning, August 24th, in the year of our Lord 2007, I awoke early, and dressed quickly into clerics. That's right: I wore clerics for the first time today, and it was something else. All 52 of us New Men, in clerics, ventured over to St. Peter's Basilica this morning, where Msgr. Checcio, the Rector, celebrated Mass directly in front of St. Peter's Tomb. What a blessing!!! And his homilee was very moving: in 3 short years, we seminarians will be lying on the floor that was directly above us, in St. Peter's, laying down our lives to be ordained Deacons in the Church of our Lord. We will not be there saying, "I'm ready," or, "I'm worthy," but only, "Present." And that is all God needs, for His grace can do the rest.

As we left St. Peter's I spent some time in prayer in front of the tomb of Peter, the first Pope and Rock of the Church, and then I moved about 15 feet to the right to pray in front of the tomb of John Paul II, the most recent Pope. A great historical distance spanned in a few feet. We then walked out in front of St. Peter's, not altogether but in small groups. As we passed the Swiss guard, each group received a salute. That is correct, I was saluted! I guess I'm sort of a ranking officer as it were.... I'm going to wear clerics around here more often! We then posed for a group picture, and returned for colazione (breakfast).

The rest of the day was fairly relaxed after that; just some time for meeting the guys and getting to know the area. Oh, and I did Whoop as I introduced myself and bragged about the greatness that is Texas. Got to know your roots.

I am so thankful for my first days back in Rome and for the start to this journey. And just so you all know, I am continually humbled as I continue to get to know these men. All of them are gifted and have wonderful experiences, and, most importantly, they love God and want to serve Him in His Church. These are prayerful men, and the future of the Priesthood is a future full of hope! Praise the Lord!

Please keep me in prayer, and know that you are in mine! God bless!!!

Holy Rusted Metal, Batman!

2007-08-13T23:31:00.000+02:00

Pax Christi vobiscum!!! Come Holy Spirit!

Well, here is another post, and I hope you enjoy it all. It's got a few more pictures than the others. I always did love pictures. Another post is on the way in the near future.

Wednesday, the 8th of August, il Museo di Pallanza. Venturing out into the nearby town of Pallanza, Corey, Matthew, our three teachers, and I all visited the the Museum of Art there. This region is known for its art...though I did not know that. The art especially covers the history of this region, depicting Pallanza and Intra in their earlier, less-developed stages. There were also several sculptures, and we discussed all of the art in Italian. That was no work of art, however.

I also wondered what Matthew had in his hands....
A portrait of the life of San Rocco, a Saint from this region. He was infected during the plague, and an Angel appeared to him, presenting a fountain (see picture); he washed in it, and, after being healed, went and preached to those affected by the pestilence.

It was an enjoyable trip all in all. Matt said he learned more Italian that day, because he spoke a lot of Italian (which really does help). He actually made some good observations about some of the pictures; I just can't remember them...come on, it's a new language.

Thursday, the sun rose and set. I used this day as a day to relax and study somewhat. Miracles do happen. (Despite my use of humor in this situation, this statement is true in real life.)

Friday, the 10th of August, siamo andati (we went) a Isola Bella! And this locale is true to its name: Isola Bella is Italian for "Island Beautiful, And Therefore Expensive to Tourists." One of the three Islands on Lago Maggiore, this Island holds the Majestic Palace of the Borromeo family (from whence comes Saint Carlo Borromeo).

There's a room in the Borromeo Palace where many people go to reflect....

The group that went to Isola Bella: From Left to Right: The back 6: Nick, Matt, Adam, James, Jason, Ray. Front: Brian, Bill, and myself.

Saturday, the 11th, began with morning Mass, a Holy Hour, and a trip with Bill (from Green Bay) to Moka Sirs, a local coffee shop. While at the Coffee shop, it hit me that we have a great need for leisure in our society back in the States. Yes, I have complained about the slower pace of life over here in Italia at times (especially when it results in a delayed train), but I am coming to see more and more the benefits of working to live, versus living to work. And true living flows from having leisure. This means not simply time to rest so that we can work again, but truly resting and reflecting on the abundance of blessings God has given us. ...I think all deep philosophical ponderings revolve around coffee.

Later that day, Mike (from New York, complete with accent), Bill, and I made a trip to Arona to see the Colosso di San Carlo Borromeo - standing 95 meters tall (over 100 feet) and placed on the top of a "hill" (Italian for mountain) this statue overlooks Arona and much of the lake, reminding the people nearby of St. Borromeo's roots in Arona and of their roots in the faith.

After getting off the bus, we began walking in the direction of the Statue, supposed to be in Arona. We asked for directions to what we thought would be an obvious landmark but was nowhere to be seen. A young woman at a cafe told Mike that we were heading the right direction and told us where it was. Everything sounded great.

The sign told us we were on the right track, and we had found the stairs the young woman told us about.

After about 200 yards of stairs, we arrived at the base of a hill. There we began to pray the Rosary as we walked, and we turned what we thought would be a tourist stop into a pilgrimage.

I promise, it's just over the next hill....

Bill reaching to the heights of Sainthood!

At last, we arrived, finished the Rosary, and visited the Church and the Statue. Here are some pictures from our climb, yes climb, inside the Statue. The Italian word for the "stairs" inside the statue, la scala, actually translates more readily to "ladder," or, alternatively, "precipitous climb resulting in great view or unfortunate death." No it wasn't that bad. Just check the pictures.

You really get to see the world through the eyes of Saint Borromeo.

From the Terrace of the Statue. Yes... I think... yes, it is a New Yorker!

Sunday, the 12th, a day of rest. In the evening, however, I enjoyed a trip to O'Connors, an American-styled, Irish restaurant with some decent hamburgers. We New Men all went out with Don Cristoforo, the new Polish Priest (replacing Don Mariusz in a parish just North of us), and enjoyed an evening of fun, burgers, conversation in Italian, and gelato. These Polish Priests are great too. Praise God for their Priesthood!

And today, the 13th, a morning of difficult study with an afternoon to relax the ole noggin. Praise God for the time here, and thanks for checking up on the seminarians over seas. Ciao, and God bless!!!

A Series of Fortunate Events: Part Tre (Forgetting How to Speak English)

2007-08-07T16:29:00.000+02:00

Pax Christi Vobiscum!

Here is the third in the three part installment of A Series of Fortunate Events. A more substantive update is coming, but I wanted to make sure we're all caught up. This part covers every major event from August 1st to today. Enjoy!

Thursday, the 2nd of August: Ate, learned Italian, prayed, ate, prayed, and slept...the essentials.

Friday, the 3rd of August, James, Bill, and I went to the Botanical Gardens, Villa Taranto. We thought we'd take a break from learning Italian to go see what this region is known for: it's flowers. Tourists flock from all over to see these flowers in the height of their season. ...Our first clue was that there were no tourists other than ourselves; ergo, there were no flowers. That's not entirely true: there were flowers, and we frolick...erhhm, I mean walked about amongst them. You can see the activity below:

Another Dallas DB picture (best Diocese in Texas...nay, the world...erhmm, other than Rome).

Hands down most beautiful Putt-Putt course I've ever seen....

As you can see, we really got a taste of the gardens.

Saturday, the 4th, Jason, Brian, Bill, and I went to Milano (a.k.a. Milan), which is just a quick one and a half hour train ride away...if you're not on an Italian train. Then it's a quick 2 hour becoming 2.5 hour train ride with the random stops for no reason. Luckily, that's not always the case...at least they're inconsistent. Uno scherzo (a joke). But seriously, Milan was gorgeous and the Cathedral grand. Apparently, it took over 400 years to build the Cathedral, from whence Italians derived their expression for something lasting forever: "like building a Cathedral." Seriously. At least, according to Rick Steves. We also got to see the remains of San Carlo Borromeo, kept in the Cathedral. See the view below:

Statue of St. Bartholomew - One of the original 12 Apostles, he was skinned alive because he would not renounce the faith. This statue shows the skinned Bartholomew with his own skin wrapped around him.

Before we left, we descended beneath the Cathedral to see the ruins of what was once the Baptistry where historians believe St. Augustine was baptized by St. Ambrose. All-in-all an amazing trip. What a blessing to be able to pray at these places as well!

Sunday, the 5th, a group of us all went to Stresa by ferry to walk around and enjoy the shops and street performers and such. This was simply a nice way to unwind after a busy weekend, and week of class as well. The Church there was gorgeous (the same one we went to on August 1st with our teachers). And it was a good chance to continue to get to know my seminarian brethren.

Hotel Astoria, one of the many luxurious hotels on the lakefront in Stresa (this one's for you, Patrick).The view from Stresa.

What? I couldn't let that fountain show me up.

And yesterday, the 6th was pretty low-key. I was quite productive, however, with practicing guitar (I'm now able to play Twinkle-Twinkle Little Star, and the ABC Song...yes, they are the same tune), practicing Italian (I'm now able to sing, in Italian, Twinkle...), and with getting a nap and a run in. In all seriousness, I also had a good Holy Hour and have been able to turn more and more of my time here and myself over to God. It's not easy, but I am letting go a little more easily each day. But I don't know why it's so hard...I mean, He loves us perfectly.

Well, that's it for this update, but expect another good look into the lives of us seminarians soon (scary I know). God bless!!!

A Series of Fortunate Events, Part Due (Getting Lost in Adventure)

2007-08-07T15:51:00.001+02:00

Pax Christi vobiscum!

Okay, so I've got a lot to catch you all up on. What is it, Tuesday already? I tell you, the days have just flown by after the first week. I've got to stop and continue to thank God for this opportunity, and not just let it disappear.

I'm going to be very methodical about this one, and I'll try to hit the highlights of the first part of the last week and a half. The next section will have the recent activity. So, here goes nothing.

Last Sunday, the 29th of July, Ray, James, Bill, Corey, and I went to Svizzera through Domodossola. It was a wonderful trip through the mountains and woods in a little train. When we arrived in Svizzera (Switzerland), we walked around a bit, and I saw a McDonalds (they are everywhere...do they use Swiss Cheese with their cheeseburgers?). We ended up taking a funicolare up the mountain to La Chiesa della Madonna del Sasso. Che bellisima! See the pics below:

Above and Below: Madonna del Sasso, and the view from Madonna del Sasso (they also have Stations of the Cross on the road up to the Chiesa. You can walk it if you don't take the funicolare.)Me and James, my DB (Diocesan Brother)...oh, and I promise we were happy to be there; I think we were caught off guard.

Monday, the 30th of July, I went on two trips: one up the mountain, and another to Malpensa Airport (Mal, Italian for "bad" and Pensa Italian for "thought"...it's not a popular airport). The first adventure was a journey up the mountain with Jimmy and Nick--to get to the top, one must jump into a the equivalent of a moving garbage can, seen below.

After getting to know Oscar the Grouch quite well, I got out of the funivia and beheld the majestic view at the top. It was quite amazing, for it was a windy day, which kept the air clean of smog, improving visibility. We climbed the rest of the way up the mountain to see the entire view of Lombardia and beyond. It was a spectacular view and an amazing place to do Daytime Prayer (from the Liturgy of the Hours, or, La Preghiera delle Ore). In all seriousness, I can see why Christ went up the mountain to pray--you get a God's-eye-view of the world: everything that seems big down below becomes miniscule from above, and it is easier to focus on God. If you ever get the chance to hike in the mountains, I highly encourage it. And pray while you're up there--no better way to hike.

Oh, and there was a ramp that launched off the side of the mountain...no rail guard, nothing. Just an all-access platform for hang-gliders...or 3 year-olds with no adult supervision; this kind of thing would never fly in the States (pardon the pun).

Later that evening, I went for a ride with Don Mariusz and Jimmy to the Malpensa Airport to pick up a friend of Don Mariusz', another Priest from Pologna (Italian for Poland). It was quite an adventure (meaning we got lost on the way back). But it was at that moment that the sense of adventure really hit me: 3 weeks ago, I would have never imagined that I would be in a car with a seminarian from Alabama, and two Priests from Poland, all of us speaking Italian about how we were lost. When does that ever happen??? I could never have expected it, and yet there it was. What a gift from God to be here right now!

Tuesday, the 31st of July, the big event was an evening out at the Costello Ristorante with our teachers. We ate well, spoke in Italian, and had a good time all around. I even joked around in Italian. Quite a good time.

And the post from Wednesday, August 1st, starts where this one ends. This catches us up to my last post. Check the next post for the major happenings of the last half-a-week or so. Thank you again for stopping in. I really appreciate all of the support, and I pray for all of you who read the blog. Dio ti benedica! Ciao!

P.S. - Here is a picture of my neighbor across from the hotel. Apparently "The Thing" of Marvel Comics fame lives in Verbania.

A Series of Fortunate Events: Part I

2007-08-01T23:11:00.000+02:00

Pax Christi vobiscum!

Ciao-dy! This is your Texan Seminarian reporting from Verbania, Italy. I hope and pray that all of y'all are doing well and growing in your faith.

Well, there is a lot to catch up on...so much has happened, which is why I have titled the next string of posts A Series of Fortunate Events. I should have updated a little each night, but things get busy. So here is my alternative: I will post a little bit over the coming days concerning the last weeks adventures in the hopes of catching everyone up. So that I do not get too far behind, however, I will begin with the present.

Today, I awoke after a night of fun, food, conversation in Italian, and vino. After morning prayer, I went downstairs for Italian lessons, which went pretty well. We worked on the Simple Past Tense and the Imperfect, but the way I was speaking, it was all imperfect (wah wah). But in all truth, I had a couple of breakthroughs in Italian today. You’ll see them as they come up.

After lunch and a quick nap, Adam, Nick, and I all went over to our tutor’s home. She and one of our other tutors had invited us over in the afternoon to see her home and practice our Italian. You can see the home below:

As you can tell, it is a modest home with absolutely no view. It is difficult to study in such an environment. To make things easier for us, Giuse (Italian for Josey), whose home we were at made us a torta or cake and served it up with coffee and conversation. You can see our two teachers below (Giuse alla sinistra and Monica all destra…the right):

Here was where I had my first breakthrough. I was listening to a lot of the Italian, and we were all having a good time, and I commented on a funny situation in Italian. I actually made a joke (a feat in itself) in Italian! Giussi said that I must be getting pretty good at the language if I’m joking in it. Praise God!

Another wonderful situation occurred near the end of our torta. Giuse was testing our knowledge of Italian by asking what a washing machine was called. We replied, “Lavatrice,” (pronounced la-va-TREE-chay). She then asked what a dish-washer is called, to which Nick promptly responded, “Mom.” We all got a kick out of that, and Nick got a couple of punches too. Giuse and Monica both called us maschilisti (I.e. chauvinists) and lamented our sick sense of humor. The laughter died down a couple seconds later…. They then proceeded to pick up our dishes and take them to the kitchen to clean them for us.

We then ventured out into the town, Stresa (STRAY-zuh). It is a quaint old town with some beautiful old Churches, which I would like to helicopter back to the States. We saw the tomb of soon to be Blessed Antonio Rosimini (his beatification will be held in August). He was apparently quite the philosopher, comparable to JP II for his focus on the dignity of the human person. What a blessing to be able to pray in that Church!

In front of the Church where Rosmini rests (Dalla Sinistra alla Destra: Monica, Giuse, Adam, and Nick)

We hopped a ferry back to Intra, the town we stay in within the region of Verbania. I relaxed a bit and prayed a Divine Mercy Chaplet. It was such a wonderful way to wind down.

After La Santa Messa at 7:00 p.m., we all went to dinner, where I had another Italian breakthrough. For dessert, we have the option of frutta or gelato. I chose frutta, and the waitress brought out an apple, which in Italian is a mela, the plural being mele. Upon receiving the apple, I, being polite, wanted to “thank her a thousand” by saying grazie mille. Instead, I said, “Grazie mele.” as I received the apple. I got quite a kick out of that…let me emphasize: I got a kick out of that…and no one else. But it does show that I am learning Italian if I can make puns with it!

Well, that’s about it for the day. I had Holy Hour after dinner, and it is really a blessing to have a Tabernacle right here in the Hotel. Praise God! Now I’m just ready to get some sleep. Praise the Lord for a wonderful day. God bless, and please keep me in your prayers. Know that you all are in mine! Dio ti benedica!

Io Parlo Italiano!

2007-07-28T22:56:00.000+02:00

Pax Christi vobiscum!

Well, I went to the store today to buy a scale, not because I needed one but because my other scale broke already. That's right, I've been eating like an Italian over here...and apparently not walking like one. I don't know how they eat this much! Or at least eat this much pasta. It's served as a first course (or primo piatto) with both lunch and dinner. I mean, I'm grateful, but my belts are not.

On another note: Io parlo italiano, e io ascolto italiano anche!

Translation: I speak Italian, and I listen Italian too! Okay, so maybe I don't quite get it yet. Maybe I could just blame it on something being lost in translation....

Well, things have been going really well. I've been getting to know the guys here better, and these are some amazing guys. The future of the Church is in good hands. Just wait, in 10, maybe 15 years, you will see the bomb of vision and passion that's going to explode back in the U.S, and people will definitely get hit with holy shrapnel. In all seriousness, there are some great things going on here, and God is behind it. Praise Him!

The reason I say that is that Jim and Bill and I all sat around in a cafe after morning Mass and Holy Hour. We talked about the Church and vision for the future of the Church. Truly inspiring! These guys want our parishes to be true centers of a culture of faith, where people can come to be nourished in the Lord in the Sacraments and then share that faith with others. There's more than that, but then, I'll let you see it for yourself in about 15 years.

Just a quick update for now. But I'll publish something more soon. God bless!

Don't get any Verbania on ya.

2007-07-25T00:02:00.000+02:00

Pax Christi Vobiscum!

Ciao! Adesso, io sono in Verbania! Which, for most of you, means something about being "in Verbania." Which is great! Because you're now undertanding Italiano! Well, just a quick update for you, since it's late, and I have to learn more Italian tomorrow.

The basic breakdown of our time here thus far:

We arrived here on Sunday in the late evening, ready to eat. Conveniently enough, because, being in Italia, they are always ready to feed us. It's a cultural thing...and I don't mind. We are staying in a hotel named Il Chiostro. It's a nice little Catholic hotel, with crucifixes on the walls in some spots (or at least crosses), and there is a Chapel where we have Mass or La Santa Messa. It is celebrated in Italiano.

The next day we began Italiano in earnest. I began instruction in Italian at 9:00 a.m., but we met up at 8:45 to introduce ourselves, which consisted of the ensegnante or teacher making a bunch of noise. I later realized that she was saying real words, at which point I discovered that the lessons (le lezione) had already begun. And of course, la mia ensegnante (my instructor) e una donna bella (is a lovely young woman); I guess they want to make sure we're always discerning.

It was great though. We walked around the town and went to various shops. My teacher and I, along with another student-teacher pair (it's one-to-one tutoring for two sessions of 1.5 hours each, a different tutor for each session) walked around the town together. Our teachers decided to gossip about other students of theirs, and then to legitimize their conversation, they tested Adam and I over what they had been saying. It was a lot of fun though, and we got gelato (Italian for "cup of goodness") out of the deal.

And then today, Don Mario, or Fr. Mario, who is here from Poland studying Italiano, took a few of us to the "beach," or at least it will be a beach someday, when time, friction, and erosion have turned the many large rocks into much smaller rocks, or sand. The view was okay, I guess. You can see what I'm having to put up with below (il panorama, dalla sinistra alla destra...the view, from left to right):

That's supposed to be a smile...not a yawn.

So that's kind of it for now. I have a lot to learn in a short time, but I am honestly very happy to have such a wonderful opportunity. I thank God for the chance to learn from another people and to learn how to communicate with them. There is nothing better than learning how to reach people where they are, and I pray that through this opportunity, I can share my experiences and my faith with others from different countries. Praise God!

Thank you again for stopping in to "see me." I hope you will email me every once and again. Know that I miss you all, and David, if you start a blog, I will check in on you as well. God bless, and may the Peace of Christ be with you all!!!

Overfed in Orvieto

2007-07-21T20:39:00.000+02:00

Pax Christi Vobiscum!

Ciao! I just want to say first off that I am so thankful to all of you for your support and comments. I'm glad to know people enjoy reading what I write...oh, wait, you just enjoy the pictures? Oh...I see....

Well, I'll keep writing anyways.

I have a lot to be thankful for in these past couple of days! Praise God! Yesterday, we were able to visit Le Catacombe di Priscilla, which in Italian means, "The Catacombe di Priscilla." (I haven't been to language school yet....) So we went to the Catacombs, and these particular catacombs, you will be interested to know contain the remains of the early Church martyrs, those who died rather than renounce their faith. That means it dates back to the 2nd or 3rd Century. That's not all, however, as these particular catacombs have about 8 miles of tunnels underground, holding the remains of nearly 40,000 people. We of course only got a peek at it, but what we saw was amazing.

Though I was concerned about what I was breathing in a place housing so many dead people, I did not let that stop me from exploring this place of new birth, as the early Church saw it. They did not count the death as the end of life but rather the beginning of new life, a new birth in Christ. The paintings there reflect these themes: the raising of Lazarus from the dead, Noah coming out of the Ark, and the three wise men coming to see the baby Jesus. This brings up two very important points: first, these paintings are at least 1700 years old, preserved over these many centuries; second, two of the ones I mentioned (there are many others, though) are from the New Testament, which at that time, was not yet compiled by the Church into the Bible. This means the oral tradition of the Church was alive and well, preserving these accounts through artworks such as these. Amazing!!!

We also saw the oldest known depiction of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is 1800 years old. You can find a copy of this picture in the newly published Catechism of the Catholic Church. I had seen it in there before, so I was not so impressed...just kidding. ...Please do not tell on me to the Pope.

We then celebrated Mass on top of the catacombs, in a chapel built by Saint Silvester. The chapel originally had no external door. Those seeking to come to celebrate the Mass would have to descend into the upper levels of the catacombs and pass through the dead to the new life of the Mass!!! Saint Silvester knew how important our experience can be in helping us come to believe the truths of the faith. It is such a blessing to be formed into the faith in the place where the faith first formed.

That was Friday. As for today, we visited Orvieto, where a Eucharistic miracle occurred. During consecration, the bread actually bled onto the corporal, and you can still see the blood stains on the corporal preserved in a side chapel. We also had an amazing lunch or pranzo in Orvieto, which I will draw nutrients from over the next 3 days. The pictures speak for themselves.

It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words, which means that I just wrote 5,000 words! And you just read 5,000 words! I love literacy! And exclamations!

Well, thank you again for tuning in. I will be off to my next assignment, Verbania, tomorrow morning where I will learn Italiano. The classes consist mostly of sign language. It is only by week 3 that we learn how to add real Italian words to the hand motions (yelling comes in at week 4).

I am not sure whether internet will be readily available, so it may be a while till my next post. Rest assured, though: it will be filled with info and pictures. Like this one.

Oh, that's good.

May God bless you now and always! Thank you for your support and prayers, and I pray for you too!

Pax!

Rome Sweet Home

2007-07-19T16:46:00.000+02:00

Pax Christi Vobiscum!

Ciao, fratelli e surelli. I write to you from Rome, the Eternal City, almost at the end of the week here before departing for Verbania, Italy, up near the Alps. There I will begin my 4 week immersion in Italiano so that I can parla la lengua (which will be good because I think I just mixed Spanish with Italian there). I will have to know the language for my studies at the Gregorian University--where I will not only be learning new and difficult theological terms but will also be learning them in Italian.

So in a few weeks I hope to post an update in Italian...that way I can force you all to learn Italian with me, and we can all suffer together!!! In truth, I am looking forward to learning a new language and being able to relate to a people different than my own. What a blessing!

As a quick note: I will probably only be posting every week or so, unless something really big happens. That way, I will always have a lot to tell without wearing myself out on the computadora.

Now for the update:

I am becoming more and more accustomed to the fact that I wake up in Rome each day. I practically have to convince myself that this is happening...I mean, has happened. See what I mean? I am in Rome...weird. But as I realize it more and more, I thank God for the opportunity, and I try to keep Him at the forefront of my mind, because one can easily get lost in the wonders of Rome without directing thanks to the Lord.

Tuesday morning we began work on our Sojourno papers, which make us legal residents of Italia for a time. The paper work apparently changes every year, not because it has to but because some Italian bureaucrat thinks it would be fun to watch the confusion that ensues. After finishing the papers, we then had to take sesanta euro (60 euro) to the poste office to finish the deal...but that didn't happen until Wednesday.

In the mean time, I managed to get volunteered to sing and play guitar for Mass on Tuesday. So thank you, Mom, for insisting that I take my guitar right away. We had Mass in the American Martyrs Chapel of the Seminary, which is more intimate than the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception, or of the Assumption, but not more than our Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament. Yes, we do have 6 Chapels here on our 7 floors of space (I still haven't found the other 2). I will post pictures of the Seminary at some point.

Later that night, I decided to get out of the Seminary and head down to the Trastevere, the river near the Vatican. You can see all the traffic at the intersection and the river...behind my big ol' head.

So that's what I did that afternoon. And the next day, Mike, Jim, and I all walked around St. Peter's and some of the shops there to see some religious goods. And whoever is the nicest to me may receive a post card...fight for my love! I mean...uh....

Oh, and today was no big deal. We went to the beach. So that's about it...oh, wait, you want to know more about the beach? Okay, I guess I could tell you about that. Basically, we hopped on a train an hour north to Santa Severe (S-on-taw Say-vair-ray), jumped off, walked over, and plopped down in the sand. It was pretty nice, and the water was crystal clear. Personally I wanted to stay inside all day and kneel, but, under obedience, I went to the beach.

Well, that's it for now. Time to apply some Aloe Vera and then go pray in Adoration. I hope that I get a Son burn there too.

God bless, and you are in my prayers!!!

(And sorry Scott Hahn for stealing your title...)

Planes, Pains, and Un'automobile

2007-07-16T22:08:00.000+02:00

I awoke this morning with my head in the clouds. Was I dreaming? No. I was at the tail end of a trans-Atlantic flight to Rome. I had been sleeping upright in the oh-so-luxurious coach chairs for about 2 hours of an 8 hour flight when I awoke. I caught a brief view of the clouds. It was quite brief, however, for the sharp pain in my neck (and the gradual deceleration of the plane) brought me back to earth.

After a frenzy at the airport, I found that I was blessed enough to receive all of my luggage at the baggage claim (usually, at least one piece of luggage takes a siesta). The bleary-eyed group of seminarians all ambled out of the airport and onto an autobus, which is Italian for bus. We arrived at the seminary, and then the fun began.

Here is a quick look at my room and the view from my room (Praise the Lord!):

We went to the Chapel of the Assumption for a Rosary at 12:50. The Chapel is gorgeous and is one of about 6 Chapels (that I know of) in the seminary itself. It was amazing to get to consecrate my time here at the seminary to Mary, our Mother, from the beginning of my journey here.

After feeding our souls, we promptly moved to the refectory (the dining hall), where we fed our stomachs. The meal was filled with pasta, vino, and mystery meat. A delightful combination, to be sure. But honestly, the meal was fantastic. In Italy, lunch, or pranzo, is the biggest meal of the day. I enjoyed it immensely.

Then, we began our tour, which took us all around the seminary, and served primarily to keep us standing upright. But the seminary is fantastic. I don't know when we're suppposed to study with the many opportunities to pray, workout, socialize, and travel that are available to us. What a blessing! Praise God.

The day ended with a gelato run and hamburgers on the roof. You can see some of the activity here.

All in all, I'd say it's going to be a great time here. Praise the Lord for the chance to learn and grow here in the Eternal City, to study the Church at her heart. And I don't think we could get into too much trouble here. I mean if we do, the Pope might see us.