A day of rest

My plans changed a bit this morning.  I had wanted to go to one of the local churches for Mass but my stomach has been a bit upset so I decided to go to Mass in the house.  I've restarted taking a probiotic which seems to have helped.

The rest of the day was just a time to rest and relax.  The meals today were on a modified schedule as the seminarians have brunch after Mass on Sunday morning.  I decided to forgo that and later in the day headed down the hill for lunch at one of my favorite restaurants when I was a student - Sor'Eva.  It is literally at the bottom of the hill.  I had a nice, typical Roman lunch - Spaghetti all"Amatriciana (tomato sauce with onions and pancetta) and a breaded veal cutlet.  Every bit as good as I remember.  I made it up the hill, once again without getting too winded.  Always feels like a bit of a victory.

Tomorrow we start the program in earnest.  The last few days have been getting acclimated to Rome and to the house.  It is a great group of guys.  The last of them arrived today.  On Friday we had an opportunity to introduce ourselves a little more fully and it was interesting to hear the wide variety of experiences and places we are in our priesthood.  The youngest of the group are in their 40's and the oldest in their '70s.  We have participants from the U.S., Australia, England and New Zealand.  There are 29 of us in all.

This week we will have classes every day, mostly in moral theology and spirituality.   On Friday some of head to Vienna which should be fun.

I am praying in a special way for all of those suffering from the deep freeze that has settled over the mid-West.  It was 51 here today.  By midweek there are windchills of -50 forecast for Minnesota. That's a difference of 100 degrees.  Wow.

Several of the men are of Filipino descent.  I saw the reports of the bombing at the Cathedral in the Philippines.  Definitely holding them in prayer.

Tomorrow I turn 62.  Dinner is planned with Msgr. Tom Cook, a priest of our dioese, who is working at the Congregation for Clergy here.  It will be great to see him.  I have saved my first Spaghetti Carbonara for my birthday.  My mouth is watering already.

Comments

Mary lindberg said…
Thought of you as I know it’s your birthday. Hope you have a great day and enjoy your birthday meal. All is well here except for the temps. Just hanging out at the apt, not even sticking my nose out there.

Thanks for the updates on your daily doings. Really enjoy reading all the fun stuff you are up too.

Got the chair back from being uplostered. It looks great. So next time you are in town stop in and take a look.
January 27, 2019 at 5:45 PM
Fr. John Sauer said…
Mary - thanks for thinking of me. I will definitely have to check out the chair. I was hoping to stop by the house one more time before I left but couldn't make a trip to St. Cloud work. Steve promised pictures. I've been integrating the pieces I brought from the house into the rectory. Little by little.
January 29, 2019 at 2:06 AM
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