The halfway point
It is hard to believe that we have completed week 6 of our 12 week program. The time has really flown by. We have just six weeks to go and one of those weeks will be a retreat in Assisi. Most of the guys are going to the Holy Land next Thursday. Because I had the opportunity to go to Egypt I decided to forgo this trip although I am hoping to make it to the Holy Land in the not too distant future. I will head to London for a couple days.
A tourist visa from the US gives us 90 days to stay in what is known as the Schengen Zone. It encompasses most of Europe. In fact, since my last sabbatical Hungary and a couple other countries have joined as well. Since my extension means that I will be here 106 days I need to get out of the Schengen Zone for a few more days. That suspends the count of days. So, my trip to Egypt took care of some of those days and the time in London (which surprisingly is not part of the Schengen) will take care of the rest, I am looking forward to revisiting London. I spent my diaconate summer there in a parish so had an opportunity to get to know the city and the Tube fairly well. I feel pretty comfortable going there by myself since I can communicate easily and have some experience of the city. I leave on March 11 and return on the 17th.
This week, like most, has been a mix of experiences. I began Sunday morning by going to Mass at a Church right down the hill from the college. It is the Church of St. John the Baptist of the Florentines. I had forgotten that one of the relics of the church is the foot of St. Mary Magdalen. Here is the silver reliquary. Mass was in Italian and I was glad to see that I had not lost my facility with the language too drastically.
On Sunday I accomplished one of the items on my bucket list. I finally got to the Borghese Gallery. It was under renovation the entire time I was a student and on my return trips to Rome I did not have time to get to see it. I met Msgr. Tom Cook, from our diocese who works over here, and we took the excellent English tour. There are lots of Carravaggios, Berninis and many other amazing pieces of art. I did not take many pictures but these were too amazing to pass by.
After the museum we went for lunch at one of my favorite restaurants from my time in Rome - the Abruzzi. Had a great meal of rigatoni alla carbonara, lamb "scottaditta" and gelato. I was so full I almost had to be rolled home.
On Monday and Tuesday we had a continuation of our study of St. Paul's Letter to the Romans for the first part of the week. It will have been the lengthiest of the presentations we receive.
On Tuesday I hosted Vicki Thorn, founder of Project Rachel (a post-abortion reconciliation ministry), for lunch and an informal presentation. She was in town as a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life. Her husband, Bill, accompanied her. I met Bill and Vicki when I was a student and Bill was teaching at the Gregorian University. As my apostolate I helped with music at the American Parish in Rome at the Church of Santa Susanna. Bill and Vicki and their children were a part of the community. Over the years we have kept in touch and Vicki has spoken in our diocese a number of times. It was great to see them again and reminisce. Her presentation was wonderful.
On Wednesday we spent the morning at the Church of St. Mary Major, one of the papal basilicas. Once again, Liz Lev was our guide. We also had the opportunity to celebrate Mass at the basilica. Our group is divided into "Liturgy Groups" who plan and lead the daily liturgies. Wednesday happened to be our day and I was assigned as the celebrant at Mass. What a thrill to be able to celebrate at that incredible basilica. It was very moving. We were fortunate enough to be assigned the Borghese Chapel which contains the famous icon of Mary, Salus Popoli Romani (Health of the Roman People) which is the icon that Pope Francis visits before and after each of his international trips. I offered my Mass intention that day for Bishop Quinn, the people and priests of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, and the people of Sacred Heart and Holy Trinity Parishes.
A tourist visa from the US gives us 90 days to stay in what is known as the Schengen Zone. It encompasses most of Europe. In fact, since my last sabbatical Hungary and a couple other countries have joined as well. Since my extension means that I will be here 106 days I need to get out of the Schengen Zone for a few more days. That suspends the count of days. So, my trip to Egypt took care of some of those days and the time in London (which surprisingly is not part of the Schengen) will take care of the rest, I am looking forward to revisiting London. I spent my diaconate summer there in a parish so had an opportunity to get to know the city and the Tube fairly well. I feel pretty comfortable going there by myself since I can communicate easily and have some experience of the city. I leave on March 11 and return on the 17th.
This week, like most, has been a mix of experiences. I began Sunday morning by going to Mass at a Church right down the hill from the college. It is the Church of St. John the Baptist of the Florentines. I had forgotten that one of the relics of the church is the foot of St. Mary Magdalen. Here is the silver reliquary. Mass was in Italian and I was glad to see that I had not lost my facility with the language too drastically.
On Sunday I accomplished one of the items on my bucket list. I finally got to the Borghese Gallery. It was under renovation the entire time I was a student and on my return trips to Rome I did not have time to get to see it. I met Msgr. Tom Cook, from our diocese who works over here, and we took the excellent English tour. There are lots of Carravaggios, Berninis and many other amazing pieces of art. I did not take many pictures but these were too amazing to pass by.
Bernini's, The Rape of Persephone (from the Greek legend). It is amazing that Bernini was able to make the fingers of Pluto pressing into her flesh so life like. That is marble!
The second is the story of Apollo and Daphne. She turned into a tree and you can see how her toes are sprouting the tendrils that will become her roots. Amazing.
On Monday and Tuesday we had a continuation of our study of St. Paul's Letter to the Romans for the first part of the week. It will have been the lengthiest of the presentations we receive.
On Tuesday I hosted Vicki Thorn, founder of Project Rachel (a post-abortion reconciliation ministry), for lunch and an informal presentation. She was in town as a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life. Her husband, Bill, accompanied her. I met Bill and Vicki when I was a student and Bill was teaching at the Gregorian University. As my apostolate I helped with music at the American Parish in Rome at the Church of Santa Susanna. Bill and Vicki and their children were a part of the community. Over the years we have kept in touch and Vicki has spoken in our diocese a number of times. It was great to see them again and reminisce. Her presentation was wonderful.
On Wednesday we spent the morning at the Church of St. Mary Major, one of the papal basilicas. Once again, Liz Lev was our guide. We also had the opportunity to celebrate Mass at the basilica. Our group is divided into "Liturgy Groups" who plan and lead the daily liturgies. Wednesday happened to be our day and I was assigned as the celebrant at Mass. What a thrill to be able to celebrate at that incredible basilica. It was very moving. We were fortunate enough to be assigned the Borghese Chapel which contains the famous icon of Mary, Salus Popoli Romani (Health of the Roman People) which is the icon that Pope Francis visits before and after each of his international trips. I offered my Mass intention that day for Bishop Quinn, the people and priests of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, and the people of Sacred Heart and Holy Trinity Parishes.
The entrance procession
Praying the Collect (Opening Prayer)
Preaching on Mary, Seat of Wisdom and Health of the Roman People
Eucharistic Prayer (you can just make out the icon above the altar)
Final procession with a view of the side aisle
On Thursday we had what I call an "only in Rome" experience. Cardinal O'Brien who is the Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre invited us to join him for Mass at St. Peter's Basilica and then to come to the headquarters of the order for coffee and pastries. The headquarters are just up the street from St. Peter's in the Palazzo Domenico Della Rovere. It was a lovely morning. Here is the group with the Cardinal after Mass.
That afternoon we had a tour of the Church of San Clemente which is one of the oldest churches in Rome. Clement was an early pope (number 4 I think) and is buried in the church. In addition, St. Cyril who evangelized the Slavic nations is buried there. San Clemente is built over an earlier church which has been excavated and below that is a first century Roman house that contained a temple to the god Mithras. The Christians often built their churches above ancient temples as a way to "sanctify" the spot. We had an excellent tour from one of the American Dominicans who lives there.
On Friday we had a talk on Current Issues in Bioethics. Well done and thought provoking, We had a good discussion. By the free afternoon I was ready for a relaxed weekend.
Most of the guys went to Montecassino this weekend to learn about the Benedictine monastery and the WWII battleground. I decided not to go since I felt the need to just rest after the busyness of the last couple weeks and to save a little money for my trip to Milan later this month.
I spent Saturday walking around the neighborhood and had lunch at a restaurant near St. Peter's. There was a large group there and I should have gone somewhere else. However, I did have a nice meal.
On Sunday, I went to Mass at the College Chapel. I had been back to Rome during my last sabbatical and had attended Mass in the chapel then but other than that it has been a long time. Mass was lovely and it was great to be in that place where so many prayers were offered over the years and I received my ministries of Candidacy, Lector, and Acolyte.
This week I also tried to get some organization to the rest of my time here. I made my plans for Milan (including an opera at La Scala). I also made my train reservations for my trip to Salzburg at the end of the program. I am also finalizing the paperwork for the Camino. Things are falling into place but I am also conscious of how quickly the time is flying. It won't be long before I am heading home - just two months.
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