Learning Great Silence

On Father Corapi and a Lesson Learned

2011-06-20T21:14:00.002-04:00

My mother, who passed on four years ago, absolutely loved Father John Corapi. She never missed his television show on EWTN, hanging onto his every word. His message was a straight-up orthodoxy in Catholic teaching that is rare to see these days, a message that we need to hear more and more in a Church that is perceived by many to be losing itself in a secular age that eschews all things holy. It certainly bolstered mom up in a time between my dad’s passing and her own. Father Corapi was my mother’s hero, a true champion of the Catholic Faith that she loved so very much.

So what is with this recent announcement from him, stating that he is leaving active ministry and taking on a persona with the name “The Black Sheepdog”? Like many I have read the statement and watched the video, and it leaves me with two reactions. The first is, “Thank you, God, that my mother was not alive to see this happen”, for it would have broken her heart completely. And the second reaction is one of “Yes, I get it, I understand. But ---“

About the second reaction: Yes, I do get it. I understand Father Corapi’s apparent reaction to the way he has been treated by the Church in regards to allegations that he has had an “inappropriate relationship” with an adult woman formerly under his employment. The system of dealing with accused priests is very, very flawed, we know that. The way it grinds on and on with no resolution is certainly unbearable. To have so many walls put up to block your progress towards a timely resolution of your innocence would drive many to do what he has done. But does any of this justify his action? No, it does not.

Again, I get what Father Corapi is going through. True, I have not experienced it on the same level of publicity and scrutiny he has, but I have had my own difficulties with certain people in the Catholic Church's authority. It can hurt very deeply and yes, it is very frustrating. But does the way one has been treated make the message of the Catholic Church all wrong? No, it does not. The Catholic Church and the Gospel it proclaims is true and worthy of belief. It always will be. The human part of the institution may fail or delay, but God will not. In time things will be made right, maybe not in the way you want it, but it will be to your benefit as long as trust is given to Him. What is not to be done, though, is taking up your ball and going elsewhere. You stay and let God do His work. Otherwise it becomes all about you or someone else, and not all about Him. That would be unacceptable.

Now where did I learn this? Though some of it has come from tried and true experience, I first learned it from my mother. Long ago she taught me about Psalm 146:3 “Put not your trust in a prince, in a son of a man, in whom there is no salvation”. People in the Church may fail you, she taught, and the system may let you down, but God will not. Turn your matter over to the Lord, she would say, and trust in Him. I always have done so, I still do, and I always will. Hopefully Father Corapi will come around and do the same.

Remembering Dad

2011-06-18T20:01:00.009-04:00

George Mozier was not an easy man to know. He was about as rock-solid as they came: a US Navy veteran, a hard worker who rarely missed a day of labour, a devout yet quiet Catholic, a loving husband who was completely dedicated to my mother, and a honest and punctual man who had the respect of everyone he met. And yet, as his son I really did not know him well. Oh yes, I knew he loved me and was a very good father in many ways. His excellent traits were ones that I have always sought to emulate, and whatever is best about me was learned by imitating him. Yet he never did open up to me and share any deep thoughts or experiences with me. He was indeed the most difficult-to-understand man to ever walk the earth.

I always wanted to know him better, but there was this barrier up that told me to not go there. I suppose he felt the need to have this distance between a father and a son because it was just the way such a relationship was supposed to be. The rare times he would open up just a bit, like sharing a story about his Navy days or teaching me a song he and his friends used to sing together in his youth, were very special. They form for me fond memories of him, but they are far and in-between.

I always wanted to let him know how much I loved him, but to say so would have caused an uncomfortable silence between us. It did the couple of times I tried, with him looking away and once muttering “I love you too, Steve”. Praise was rare from him, and the one time he said to me, “Steve, I believe you are finally an adult man” - that just made me break into tears when I was able to be alone after that. I still tear up thinking about it.

I remember the last time I saw him. Dad was dying from cancer by then and he looked very drained, with his voice raspy and his body shriveled up in a way I had never seen before. I tried to say one more time that I love him, but he brushed me aside. “No, Steve,” he said, “I don’t want any of that mushy stuff from you, and I don’t want you feeling sorry for me. I am not afraid to die, and you and I know how we feel about each other, so just leave it at that.” Leaving him, I glanced back one more time to see him hunched over, so gray and old, sitting on the bed in a room down a hall. I kept walking and never saw him alive again.

Today on Father’s Day, I give tribute to my father. In my mind, I see myself running down that hall one more time and embracing him, and to his embarrassment - but with no shame from me - saying, “I love you, Dad! I love you!” I am sure he would have muttered one last time, “Um, I love you too, Steve. Now get going.” God rest his soul in eternal peace, Amen.

Our Pilgrimage To Rome: Saturday (Final Day)

2011-06-02T20:05:00.000-04:00

This has taken a few months, but I do need to close up our sharing of the Pilgrimage of Thanksgiving that the Lady Julieta and I took to Rome and other parts of Italy. On our last day, which was a Saturday, we had to hurry up and finish a quick breakfast at the excellent hotel buffet. This was really sad, for it would have been great to have had a nice, leisurely breakfast and enjoy it one more time at a comfortable pace. But it did not open until 6:30 and our driver was coming at 6:45 to take us to the airport, so we had to hurry. Thankfully we placed our luggage down with the front desk and I settled the bill beforehand, so at least we were not shoveling it all down at warp speed.

After finishing and quickly picking up a couple of items to go, we went down to the lobby and were delighted to meet up once again with the same driver we had upon our arrival ten days before - the surly, impatient, beaten-down-by-life guy who drove like a maniac yet handled Rome traffic like a pro! He was glad to see us too, though not overly expressive of it (he had an image to maintain). With a quick loading up and goodbyes given to the excellent staff of the Hotel Diana gathered around the front desk, we were off.

Our trip to the airport was about as quick as you can get there, and we made sure to tip our driver well. I hope whenever we return to Rome some day, we get this guy again! A surprisingly quick trip through check-in, and we were at the gate and subsequently on our flight home.

The journey was marked by this sadness as Lita and I both looked out the window and watched Italy fade away into the distance. We sighed and smiled at the same time as we held hands, a great pilgrimage finished and a wonderful experience for both of us shared together. We continued to look out the window and saw these small yet striking islands below, surrounded by the bluest water. Soon we were over France and the beautiful mountains below filled our view.

I would like to say that the rest of our trip was wonderful, but I had the terrible inconvenience of the guy sitting in front of me reclining almost completely onto my lap! I tried to get him to move it a bit forward, but he was actually ignoring me! Sighing, I just offered it up to God as an exercise in patience and accepted it, though I have to admit I would "adjust" occasionally and bump him!

Time passed, a little bit of turbulence, some food, a brief nap, and three movies, and finally we found ourselves over Newfoundland and back in the Western Hemisphere. I watched in amazement as Atlantic Canada soon became the East Coast of the United States, and then we descended safely to a soft landing in Atlanta. We were almost home! But first there was Customs. It was an obstacle course of this line, this check in, go here, go there, show this, show that, go through it, pick up your luggage, put it here, come back here, no don't go there, and finally freedom!

We had to wait a while for our last plane to Tallahassee, so we ate a terrible food court Chinese food supper, which only underscored just how awful the food is here in America compared to excellent fare we had back in Italy. Ah well, that is what antacids are for, right? We felt better when our plane departed Atlanta on time and we had a smooth flight all the way back home.

Upon disembarking in Tallahassee, we were met by our daughters and we embraced them like never before! It was great to be home. After such a long journey, al done in a Saturday, we were indeed quite exhausted. Still, we got home late in the evening and were met at home by our happy dogs and our wonderful Tempurpedic bed! Afer unwinding for a while as we shared gifts brought home for the girls, we finally retired for the night.

So ended our Pilgrimage of Thanksgiving to Italy. Deo Gratias!

Remembering Mom

2011-05-08T12:44:00.003-04:00

Today is Mother's Day, and this is about my mother.

I have very few pictures of my mother, yet I can see her clearly in my thoughts. She was a wonderful woman, not always perfect, but that is what made her human. I find that I can overlook her mistakes and find comfort in all the things that she did right.

Mom could cook like no one else, and I can still smell the wonderful odors that permeated our home. She was always there when I was in need, giving her love and support as best as she could. She was well thought of by all and gave acceptance to people even when they did not deserve it. She was very religious in her Catholic way, and often thought much about God and what eternal life would be like after death. We had many conversations about God and Faith, something that we could spend hours and hours doing. She did not understand things in a theologian kind of way, but she believed and trusted in God very deeply.

Mom also could be stubborn and moody, and sometimes held grudges for far too long. She suffered greatly from her own circulatory illness (which would claim both her legs) and missed my dad terribly when he passed on. I came to realize that there was a lot of hurt in her life, especially in the relationship with her own father, who was indeed a very cold, hard, and distant man. I am happy to know that they reconciled as he appproached the end of his own life, making his peace with God and family.

Mom passed on in 2007, finally joining my dad in eternity as well as the God she longed to truly know. On this Mother's Day, I remember her with great love and fondness, and will miss her while at the same time smile in all the good memories of her.

Pax Christi

Pictures from Friday in Rome 3/3

2011-05-04T20:24:00.002-04:00

Pictures from Friday in Rome 2/3

2011-05-04T20:20:00.003-04:00

Pictures from Friday in Rome 1/3

2011-05-04T20:16:00.003-04:00

Friday In Rome

2011-05-04T14:41:00.002-04:00

Friday in Rome marked the final day of our Pilgrimage of Thanksgiving, and it was an eventful day. The Lady Julieta and I began with our usual wonderful Hotel Diana breakfast, taking our time since our final breakfast the following day was going to be brief due to the timing in getting us back to the airport. We wanted to savor this one! After being well-fed and ready, we departed and made our way to Roma Termini and the subway system.

The morning was going to be marked by a visit to what turned out to be the most moving part of the journey – the visit of St. Paul the Apostle’s tomb at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. What a church it is! Most of the churches in Rome are quite large and filled with art, of course, but this church was really exceptional. Upon our arrival we attended Holy Mass and received communion, enjoying that the Mass was held “ad orientem” (the priest facing the same direction as the congregation) since the altar was old-style. I really like Mass done this way!

After Mass, we made our way to the main altar and went down some stairs into the area of St. Paul’s tomb. Pausing there, I realized that I was in the presence of the actual tomb of the man who wrote a significant section of The Bible’s New Testament, and felt completely overcome with awe. Feeling the need to say something, I said quietly, “St. Paul, --- love your work!” I am hoping he appreciated that! Lita and I knelt there for a while, looking at the tomb and the chains in a display case above it, which are the actual chains that held St. Paul’s wrists close together in his final days of house arrest in Rome.

One nice thing about St. Paul’s is that the staff there was not so tight when it came to taking pictures. We had a great run of the place, being able to take as many pictures as we could without being hassled. One very significant thing that we came across in our exploration was an authentic relic belonging to St. Benedict himself. Being a Benedictine Oblate, I am very devoted to the example of this saint in living the Christian life, so it was quite profound to see something that is so closely associated with him.

After more photos outside the church, Lita and I boarded the subway and made our way to Roma Termini where we met up once again with Remy! We got back on the subway and traveled to our next destination, St. John Lateran Basilica.

This church is the actual cathedral of the Pope in his capacity as Bishop of the Diocese of Rome. I found it to be a very large (yep), pleasant church, with incredibly huge statues of each of the twelve apostles (with St. Matthias instead of Judas Iscariot, of course) and a very beautiful high altar. We had to dodge a series of gypsies in the front in order to get in, but it was worth it. Once inside, all three of us attended Holy Mass in a side chapel (two masses in one day for Lita and me!) at 12 noon, which was standing room only.

After Mass, we went across the street to have lunch at this corner diner. We had pizza slices that were very basic but nicely filling. While eating I noticed this Franciscan friar come in and buy some food. Not that unusual really, but it is interesting to see how common it is in Rome that priests, nuns, and religious are all over the place and no one acts differently. In America, a man or woman wearing robes like that would certainly be stared at.

After lunch we boarded a bus and made our way to this one plaza. Along the way we passed The Coliseum. Lita and I still somewhat regret not getting to it, but time was constrained. The place is also crawling with gypsies and actually can be dangerous to go to at certain times and circumstances because of thievery. I feel bad in typing that, but it is true – and after what happened on our train going to Assisi (mentioned earlier) and just trying to get somewhere without being accosted, I really cannot have sympathy for their methods. As people, God bless them. But I would not put myself in their way, either.

Once arriving at the plaza, we met up with another old friend of the Lady Julieta: Chino! An old and very distinguished Italian gentleman, Chino is Remy’s companion of whom she takes care. I was completely charmed by him, noting his wonderful manner and delightful smile. We all sat at an outside café and had coffee and dessert while Lita and Remy conversed in Italian with Chino. I was relieved to be able to sit down, for throughout the day my MG symptoms were coming back in full force and making it hard to walk or stand up completely without drooping my head.

After our refreshments and delightful conversation (Chino’s English was adequate enough), we walked to a nearby church that was quite remarkable. I almost want to call it St. Mary of the Angels, but am not quite sure the exact name of it. It had a very interesting piece of equipment in it: a pendulum that was made by Galileo himself!

After returning to the hotel for a brief rest, we rejoined Remy and went for a final visit to St. Peter’s Basilica and Square. By now the night was falling, and the square’s lights illuminated the church in front of me as well as the papal apartments to the side. I stood there for a while, by myself while Lita and Remy were elsewhere. I leaned against a barrier as I prayed from my heart. I had gone through so much before and since my diagnosis of Myasthenia Gravis and could not find the words to adequately thank God for all He had given to me. So instead of words, I just prayed from my heart. After some time, and with complete peace and joy, I rejoined Remy and Lita and we departed St. Peter’s Square.

We walked through the streets of Rome and ended up in a simple restaurant that served us some adequate food, good enough for a final supper in Rome. A sad feeling fell over us as we later said goodbye to Remy after we finished eating, but we firmly stated our intention to return to Rome someday soon and visit once again. After saying our farewells to her, Lita and I returned to our hotel room and retired for the night.

More to Come ----

Surrexit Dominus Vere, Alleluia!!!

2011-04-25T16:53:00.000-04:00

Jesus Christ is Risen! Glorify Him!

A Happy and Blessed Easter to Everyone. We find ourselves experiencing the greatest joy as we revel in the Resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. From absolute death and defeat, He showed that nothing could hold Him back. He arose from the dead, just as He said He would, and confounded the Devil and all things evil once and for all.

And so we Christians revel in the happiness of our Resurrected Lord, not just for ourselves but also to share with others. Christianity is not only for us to greedily hold! All who are truly open and repentant of sin are happily welcomed to the table of Our Lord Jesus Christ.He will lovingly accept you in His arms and gladly lead you to your place at this table. And a great place it will be!

So in this Easter Time let us rejoice, be happy, and make merry, for Christ is Risen and we are His people Born Anew in Him!

Surrexit Dominus Vere, Alleluia!!!

Good Friday

2011-04-22T10:26:00.000-04:00

A blessed Good Friday to all

Is Good Friday a "good Friday"? Yes, it is, and it should be. Today is a sad day, for indeed we do hurt in considering how our Lord died for us and our sins on this day.

But it was necessary. We say we are a Resurrection People, and we are indeed. But to be so, we also have to accept that to have a resurrection, there had to have been a crucifixion and death.

But what a Good Friday this is! For in this sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, death was destroyed once and for all and humanity was reconciled to God. So yes, this is a "Good Friday".

Still, we mourn today and tomorrow, contemplating sin, ours and that which we see in our world. But come Sunday, we will rejoice.

Holy Thursday

2011-04-21T12:25:00.004-04:00

Returning to blogging after being treated for my illness (Myasthenia Gravis) and getting my energy back, I will finish up after Easter Sunday the highlights of my trip to Rome. For now I would like to post my thoughts on the Triduum.

Today is Holy Thursday. On this day in many dioceses, priests gather with their bishop and renew their vows at what is known as the Chrism Mass. They also receive from their bishop the sacred oils (chrism) that will be used in their parishes throughout the year. Some dioceses by necessity have this Mass on an earlier day in the week, but regardless the Chrism Mass is a very important one for what it signifies: Christ is present with His Church, ministering to it through His priests and bishops, who serve as God's servants to His people. From this Mass the People of God have their priests "re-equipped", so to speak, and so go back to their parishes and communities renewed and ready for the Triduum.

The Evening Mass of this day is the Mass of the Lord's Supper. Christ's Church commemorates the establishment of the Eucharist, offered for the first time at that table and completed when He was sacrificed on the cross for our salvation. Also at this Mass the establishment of the Catholic Priesthood is marked. The priest washes the feet of twelve men, tying into the notion from the Chrism Mass that his role is first and foremost that of a servant. At the end of the Mass, the Church is emptied, the Eucharist is moved out of the main church and into another place signifying Gethsemane, and we descend into the darkness of Good Friday.

Stand with our priests, for they indeed do so much for us. Most are holy and decent men, and they suffer great dismay over the actions of a few in their number who have forsaken their lives by giving into sin and harming others.

Pax Christi

Photos from Florence

2011-03-22T19:49:00.000-04:00

Thursday In Florence and Bologna

2011-03-22T19:45:00.000-04:00

Our Thursday in Florence started with a serious challenge: the last days had seriously taxed my health with all of the standing and walking I needed to do. Because of this, my Myasthenia Gravis (MG) symptoms were acting up and hampering my movements, making it difficult to walk. In addition, my neck and shoulders were weak and I had to rest frequently. Still, I was determined to make this into a great day, so after a good breakfast at the excellent Hotel Diana, the Lady Julieta and I were on our way by train to the great city of Florence!

But first, we had a side trip to take: Bologna. Lita's cousin Jojo lives there and we were making sure to get there to see him. The Eurostar took us past Florence and up to the more cool, snowy climate of this great Italian city. How it would have been nice to have spent an entire day or two just in this place! But no, we only had so much time, plus Jojo only had about an hour to see us before he needed to work, so we made the best of it.

Despite its brief time period, the visit with Jojo was very nice! He is a very friendly gentleman, so I found, and my heart warmed when I saw him and Lita embrace after not seeing each other for many years. We all went into the train station's coffee shop and ordered espresso/cafe americano and pastries to enjoy with our conversation. Lita and Jojo talked mostly in Tagalog, catching up on news of the family and about his work in Bologna. At one point I needed to excuse myself to make a phone call (to confirm our airport shuttle two days hence) and use the washroom. Much to my surprise, I was introduced to the pay-bathroom, with one euro needed for entrance! I have to admit it was a very clean bathroom.

Our time eventually came to say goodbye to Jojo and so we did. I hope to be able to meet up with him again and spend more time! Such visits are never long enough. As he departed we boarded the train and made our way to Florence.

Upon arrival we noticed this magnificent church, so we went in to see it. It cost us 2.50 euros each to enter! This was to be a trend in Florence, so we would find out. And then once inside, we were strictly forbidden to take photographs! I did manage one on my iPhone before being shut down by an attendant.

After this we made our way to the main square and found ourselves in front of the grand church itself, the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore. And how grand it is! It is an amazing structure, to put it mildly. In the same square is this round building, a baptistry named for St. John the Baptist. Dante and others had been baptised there, with the building going all the way back to the 11th century. Unfortunately, though, it would have cost more euros to go in, so we did not. Besides, I needed yet another euro to use the washroom (!).

For lunch we found this delightful pizza place. I had a pizza with meatballs on it that was too good to want to have it finish! It was just as well that we rested by this time, for my MG symptoms were challenging me more than ever. Thankfully, Lita was completely understanding and supportive, helping me along the way and making sure I rested to get my strength back up at regular intervals.

Thankfully the basilica itself did not have an entry fee (though you would have needed to pay for the tour - we passed on that) so we spent some time there. Afterward we found these shuttle buses that went around town, which we then used as "tour buses" to see the city for free! Our intention was to get up to the top of the hill that overlooks the city, the Piazza Michelangelo, but our problem was finding out how to get up there since the shuttle buses did not go past downtown. Thankfully, the built-in Filipino Information Network (FIN) came through, for a Filipino gentleman was on our bus and gave some good direction on what regular bus goes up there and how to catch it. Thanking him, we disembarked near the basilica church of Santa Croce (the main Franciscan church in the city) and waited for a bus. In time one did come, and so we made our way up the winding road through a very beautiful neighbourhood until we reached the destination.

Once at the Piazza, Lita and I took some wonderful pictures of the city and the magnificent dome of the main Basilica. Soon the wind blowing up there got to be cold enough for us to board the bus and come back down to the main square.

By now it was getting dark, and Lita and I found ourselves back at the Basilica to attend 6 pm Holy Mass. Being that it was St. Blase Day, we had our throats blessed. This was quite significant for me, being that throat problems are a problem with MG and I was having such all day with my neck and shoulder strength. After Mass, we found this really nice, simple cafe that was serving homemade Italian fare that was quite delicious! We had sausages and pasta, with green beans and drinks. A refreshing change from the pizzas (good as they are!).

After supper we made our way back to the Termini and boarded our train back to Rome. The ride itself was uneventful and soon we found ourselves back in Rome, then to our hotel for some much needed rest after a very long day. Tomorrow was Friday, our last full day in Rome, and we were going to be ready and well-rested for it!

More To Come ---

Our Time With The Pope!

2011-03-14T23:28:00.005-04:00

The Lady Julieta and I ended up seeing the pope three times during our pilgrimage to Italy. The first time was on Sunday after we had been to the Sistine Chapel. We made our way back into St. Peter’s Square
where a huge crowd had already gathered. This is quite typical of Sundays in the Square, for at noontime the pope comes out to the balcony of his apartment and does both the Angelus prayer and a talk to the crowd (and subsequently to the world through the media). The atmosphere was very festive, with music blaring and the people quite enthusiastic with anticipation.

Finally the noon bells rang and out came the Holy Father himself! He was way, WAY up there, basically a white speck at the window, but it was him. I cannot begin to tell you how excited I was to see him with my own eyes in person, being that I have followed his career and writings from the time he was known as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger to now as Pope Benedict XVI. What a thrill to see him, even if only at a far distance! The pope addressed us mostly in Italian, with his voice booming through the amazing sound system in the Square. He did switch briefly in sequence to Spanish, French, German and English, then did the Angelus Prayer in Latin, leading us through it as we all prayed it with him. He then waved at us and eventually went back inside, just as some raindrops were starting to fall. Lita and I quickly made our way into the Basilica for Sunday Mass.

The second time was on Wednesday for his General Audience. Here Lita and I were completely blessed, for we arrived at the Vatican’s Pope Paul VI Conference Center about two hours before the address and found ourselves in some excellent third row seats! Thanks once again to the Diocese’s bishop’s office for arranging for our tickets. We spent the time before the audience conversing with a nice older couple seated ahead of us and also with an Indonesian bishop that we initially mistook for Filipino! The only drawback during our waiting time was this idiotic girl behind us, some theology student from DePaul University (so she said). She kept droning on and on with irrelevancies like, “Oh my god, like, I don’t understand why this is so important, like, I know the pope’s important and all that, but like oh my god, for sure, like, this is all too much and not all that important!” I kept my mouth shut and ignored it, but if my good friend Rushad had been with us, he certainly would have turned around to the girl and in his most polite way would have told her to stuff it!

Finally, the time came and it did not disappoint. The doors opened and out came the pope! What a great line of sight to see him this time. He was all happy, waving to the crowd as we all went absolutely nuts in greeting him! He took his seat and began addressing the crowd (about 3,000 people) in various languages, essentially a message of examining the life of St. Teresa of Avila and how close she was to our Lord Jesus Christ. By her example of devotion to him, may we do the same!

The audience was marked by a very humorous incident: a young boy, about 5 years old or so, somehow got by the security and came running up to the pope! He got there with the security men trying desperately to catch up, but the boy made it and immediately knelt in front of the Holy Father to ask for his blessing. The delighted pope talked with the boy for a minute or so before he was led back to his father. Definitely an event to remember!

Once the audience was completed and we all filed out, the Lady Julieta and I made our way to Piazza Navona and discovered this most excellent restaurant named Tucci’s. We had an excellent lunch of pasta and mushrooms and risotto, and finished with this chocolate dessert that almost made me want to weep since it was so perfect!

After lunch we made our way back to St. Peter’s Basilica for the third sighting of the pope, Evening Vespers. Since it was a solemnity on this day (Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple), the pope was going to lead a special evening prayer service (Vespers). But despite our tickets, we had to get there early. And were we glad we did, for after we got into the line it soon stretched literally around the circle of the columns (and then some)! We were in a good position for a good seat.

After waiting two hours in the line, we finally got into the Basilica and immediately made our way to the aisle seats. It was not really that important to get close, for what we were going for was a great view of the pope as he both entered and later exited. And we were not disappointed - the seats were perfect! A bit far to the back, but they would provide an excellent opportunity to see the Holy Father up close.

Vespers began with Lita and I being literally crushed up against the railing by these overly enthusiastic nuns who were likewise determined to get a good view of the pope as he passed. I swear, they were like crazy teenage girls at a Justin Bieber concert! Still, we were in prime position as the procession began and a long line of priests and servers went by, followed by some bishops and cardinals. Then there he was - Pope Benedict up close and almost within reach! He was surrounded by tight security, but we still got an excellent view of him as he made his way to the altar up front to begin Vespers.

The service was very well done, mostly in Latin and followed along by us with our programs that were given earlier. All the while I bowed down and worshiped my Lord, God, and Saviour Jesus Christ, giving Him thanks for blessing me with this wonderful opportunity to be with my Lady Julieta in St. Peter’s Basilica and praying with the pope! That I did not die last year in my MG health crisis overwhelmed me with great significant joy that I cannot describe!

Vespers eventually was completed and the pope made his way down the aisle to depart. The crazy nuns went wild again as I made sure to capture the moment of my beloved “Papa Ben” going by me one more time. And he did not disappoint, smiling and waving all the way. And I got it all on iPhone video! The perfect end to a great day of pope-seeing.

We made our way out of the Basilica along with a huge wave of nuns and got onto a bus that took us to an area of Rome where we were going to meet up with a good friend of Lita’s from her 1980's Rome days: Remy! And how it was a great reunion of old friends! This always warms my heart. After proper introductions, Remy led us to this really delicious pizzeria where we stuffed ourselves silly with some great and authentic fare. But unfortunately the time moved by too quickly, so we had to make a quick goodbye and return to the hotel. We would see Remy again on Friday, but Lita and I needed our rest as we prepared for a great Thursday in Florence!

More to Come ---

The Pope Enters The Room!

2011-03-07T19:54:00.004-05:00

This was taken at the Papal Audience that the Lady Julieta and I attended at The Vatican. We were in the Third Row, and the camera (taken by my iPhone) does not really convey just how close we actually were! It was an excellent view of the pope. That "art" in the background, by the way, is supposed to be a modern sculpture depicting The Resurrection of Jesus. I know, it looks very weird at first glance, but as you keep looking at it it actually does start to make sense - the grotesque, twisted, dark world of suffering and death, and Jesus coming out triumphant and rising! Death is conquered and we obtain salvation through the Resurrected Saviour!

Photos from Tuesday in Venice and Rome

2011-02-26T11:47:00.001-05:00

Tuesday in Venice and Rome

2011-02-26T11:42:00.001-05:00

Tuesday morning dawned very nicely in Venice as we checked out from our hotel on the San Marco Waterfront. The Lady Julieta and I passed by this tray of all sorts of coffees near the elevator in the lobby, and for a brief moment I thought of getting a cup for myself, thinking it was complimentary. Thankfully though I did not, for a hotel employee walked by with a huge tray of breakfast, placed it on the cart, and proceeded to take it upstairs. It was someone's breakfast, and I almost partook! Soon we were checked out and went out into the cold morning.

As the sun rose and it got a bit warmer, we made our way by water bus to the main Santa Lucia Termini stop for our departing train back to Rome. With an hour to pass before departure, though, we made our way around that waterfront and found a nice place to have some breakfast of our own. A nice "Cafe Americano" and these wonderful small pastries were just perfect! Time passed and we made our way to the train station.

Once on the train and on our way, I noticed that we passed through the town of Padua, where Saint Anthony is from (The city of San Antonio in Texas is named for this 13th century Catholic Saint). It was interesting how I was becoming more familiar with the Italian geography! The train made its way back to Rome, passing by all sorts of wonderful landscapes and scenes, including this one hill completely filled with sheep.

Once back in Rome we passed through our hotel to drop things off and then made our way to the Trevi Fountain area. We needed to pick up our tickets at the nearby North American College (a seminary in Rome for American and Canadian men studying for the Catholic priesthood; blessed is the man who gets to study there!) for the following day's events with Pope Benedict XVI: A General Audience and then Papal Vespers later in the afternoon. Once at the College we were greeted by a very delightful young nun who gave us our tickets and allowed me to rest for a few minutes. By now with all of the exercise I was doing through walking, my MG (Myasthenia Gravis) symptoms were starting to act up and make it difficult for me to keep my neck and shoulders up and steady. After some time resting and getting my strength back up, we departed and made our way to the Trevi Fountain.

Once at the Fountain, Lita and I took pictures and threw coins over our shoulders into the fountain! A lunch of pizza and gelatto (yum!!!) was eaten as well. We had to dodge more gypsies who were trying to rip us off, but thankfully we were wise to them by now. The rest of the afternoon was spent sightseeing of various churches in the area, including San Silvestro, a very beautiful church that Lita used to attend regularly during her time in 1980's Rome.

Evening came and we decided to dine differently: we had to try out McDonald's in Rome! It was quite interesting, with some foods the same and others different (like a "1955 Burger" that look quite good, but also about a million calories!). We decided to just keep to the basics, so we had Big Macs (delicious!) and split a large fries. I noted that they did not do free refills and that their breakfasts (listed on their menu board) did not have the huge meat-egg-cheese sandwiches that are common at our American McDonald's. They actually served cappucinos and cornetto (glazed croissants) instead, as well as various pastries!

We made our way back to the hotel and retired for the night, for the next day was going to be a big one!

More to come ----

On Needing To Step Away

2011-02-20T14:32:00.000-05:00

Back in 2009 I was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis, an autoimmune/neurological illness that led me into a devastating state of being - grossly overweight, completely lifeless, and suffering from an extreme sleep deprivation disorder that was breaking me down mentally as well as physically. Since then, my health has dramatically improved, with almost 150 pounds gone (so far), the sleep disorder now completely gone, and a much better outlook on my overall mental and physical health. I even survived a near-death experience this past year from it, but came out much better in the end! God is indeed good.

Still, I am not completely well and never will be. By the end of each day I am drained to the point where honestly I only want to lie down and rest for about ---oh, the rest of the week! Seriously, I have tried very hard to not do so, working to adapt myself to daily life as best as I can do it by giving of myself completely to the activities that I love to do most, mainly, church activities.

I have indeed been quite active in my parish, from teaching RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) to the 9th grade Confirmation Class to doing lector duties on Sundays to participating with an enthusiastic group that wants to get a Gregorian Chant schola going. As well, I have been working hard to try and organize a regular Latin Mass ministry in my parish (and subsequently for our section of the diocese).

This last point has proven to be a huge cause of stress for me (something that I must completely avoid with MG). When I heard of Pope Benedict's motu proprio, Summorum Pontificum in 2007 which called for a more open and regular use of the old Tridentine Latin Mass, I was very happy. Being a "liturgy enthusiast" brought out the best in me, for I could definitely see it at my parish, the Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More, in Tallahassee. And so along with others we organized it and got it all going, obtaining the necessary permissions and setting it all up.

After initially starting off very successfully and with great coverage in both the secular and church media, the Latin Mass ministry became bogged down with a sense of apathy and even hostility from some quarters. Perhaps the most perplexing of all was the perceived negativity from my own bishop. We met both the conditions of Summorum Pontificum and his own directives, yet we could not get it established with a regular priest and consistently scheduled masses. Excuses followed other excuses, promises were made and then not followed through, and even the promised "quarterly" masses have never gotten off the ground. This has dismayed and disappointed many and even angered some, leading to complaints to Rome and threats of widening a schism that is already in place (with the local group of Traditionalist Catholics, which I always hoped would be reconciled with the diocese through our efforts).

This is not to say we have not tried to make it work, believe me. Yet even in this past year, with a very generous offer from the Fraternal Society of Saint Peter (FSSP) to come to my parish and do a weekend Latin Mass Conference and promises of "definite Latin Masses starting first thing in 2011" --- we have seen nothing, with the former eventually denied permission and the 2011 Masses apparently not going to happen.

I have had enough. I cannot carry on any further with this, and honestly I have lost my enthusiasm for it all. With my daily struggle with MG I cannot go on leading it. Perhaps with the recent news of my bishop's resignation, things may change (or they may not). Personally, I love my bishop very much and have always hoped that he and I could work out a plan to have regular Traditional Latin Masses in our part of the diocese. But now this will not happen, at least not from me nor from him. I am stepping away from leading this charge and will leave it to others to carry on.

As well, I will most likely need to cut back on my other parish activities and take better care of my health. I am blessed by God to still be able to work and drive daily, and I find a deep and lasting peace at just praying with my family, attending Mass as a "regular Catholic", and practicing my Christian life as a Benedictine Oblate. So in the words of John Lennon, "And so you will have to carry on, carry on." Carry on without me. God bless you all, and I will see you around.

Pax Christi.

Venice (photographs)

2011-02-19T09:35:00.000-05:00

#6: Venezia! (Venice)

2011-02-19T09:26:00.001-05:00

Monday morning found us leaving early from our hotel (needing to unfortunately skip the most excellent Hotel Diana breakfast!) and boarding our train to Venice. While at the Roma Termini, the Lady Julieta and I had a quick breakfast of cornetto (glazed croissant) and espresso. Really good! Our train departed just before the sun began to rise, leading us on a journey to the north of Italy as the countryside slowly brightened up along the way.

The Eurostar train that we were on is one of those really fast trains that stubbornly will never catch on in America. But what a shame, for it is an excellent way to travel! A journey that could take up to eight hours by car took only about three hours and forty five minutes, including brief stops in Florence and Bologna (where it was snowing!). Before we knew it, we were in Venice.

Now how can I describe Venice to you, the good reader ---- it is a lot of water. Seriously. Water water everywhere, and that doesn't even really begin to describe how much water there is there! It was very impressive to say the least, how they have a completely functional city and an excellent transportation system to serve it while it slowly is sinking into the Adriatic Sea.

Lita and I disembarked at the Santa Lucia Termini and found ourselves at --- a church! Right next door was this absolutely beautiful church which we entered and prayed at for a while. After some time, we left and went down to where the "water buses" stop. Instead of commuter buses on land, Venice has an amazing system of commuter buses that are boats. They stop at various docks just like ordinary bus stops, letting passengers on and off. It was really something to behold! We got on and began to make our way to San Marco Square and its basilica. Along the way, the view of the buildings on the shore was just beautiful (no other way to put it).

We disembarked at our stop and made our way to Saint Mark's Basilica. It was almost noon, so we entered the church and was able to attend Holy Mass there right at mid-day. Here, though, our visit was hampered a bit by a strict "no photography" policy, which was disappointing but understandable. We looked around the basilica and were awed by the numerous pieces of artwork including an altar that is built for the remains of Saint Mark the writer of the Gospel that bears his name. The story of how his remains got there is strange to our modern ear, but typical for the time: back in the 900's some Venetian merchants went down to Alexandria and stole his body! Taking it back to Venice, they built the basilica for it.

By now we needed to check into our hotel for our overnight stay. Ah, but here is where I completely messed up! I made a terrible mistake in booking the hotel through Hotels.com, under the mistaken impression that I may "complicate" our travel package with American Express Travel (it would not have, so I later learned much to my humility). We arrived at the hotel that I had gotten such a "good deal" on, and they did not have our reservation! Calling Hotels.com with my confirmation number ( I also realized that they had not sent a confirmation email), they told me that since I had booked online and did not have an active Internet account with them, they could not help me, even with my confirmation number! Now completely messed up, and with my MG symptoms beginning to surface with the stress, I called American Express Travel. The man I spoke with turned out to be an alumnus of Florida State University, where I work! He literally saved our day, booking me at a really decent hotel at a fair price and marking the Hotels.com charge as up for a challenge (I am not going to pay it). Lesson learned --- always go with American Express Travel!

We arrived at our hotel right on the docks, overseeing one of the many famous Venetian canals. And it was a nice room! The bathroom alone was worth the cost, but we soon noticed a lot of "traps" in it. Touch this, extra charge. Use this, extra charge. That is normal of course, but still we made sure not to touch the bottled water or nuts or anything in the pantry!

Lita and I made our way back out and began to explore the streets of Venice. The paths are narrow, let me tell you! Very tight buildings filled with numerous shops and restaurants. No cars can get through them, so it is all pedestrian. We did some shopping for our daughters and also stopped into this bakery-delicatessen that housed all sorts of good things. We bought some treats and chocolates, and downed them with espresso (I could not get enough of it while in Italy! I am now a confirmed espresso aficionado). As we continued to walk around the narrow streets, we kept getting accosted by gondoliers, trying to get us into their canal boats! It was very cold though, and the idea of going on a gondola with this weather was just not appealing. So we came across an idea to get onto the water bus and just "sight-see". And it worked! We found our way to the back of one boat where there was outside seating. Though cold, we found ourselves warmed by a bit of sun just enough to be comfortable. The bus took us around the waterway, going as far out as Lido di Venezia

By now the sun was going down and we were hungry, so we ended up eating at --- a Chinese restaurant? Sure, why not! It cannot always be pizza and Italian food. The place was great and a nice change from what we had been eating. A nice walk in the night back to our hotel and we retired for the night.

More to come ----

Sunday in Rome (photos)

2011-02-15T18:53:00.000-05:00

#5: Sunday in Rome

2011-02-15T15:21:00.001-05:00

To begin sharing our one Sunday in Rome, I need to start off by writing about the absolutely delightful breakfasts at the Hotel Diana. Located on the top floor of the hotel, where in warmer weather one can sit outside and eat while watching the sun come up over the city, the breakfast area was the best! It had all sorts of items to choose from in a nicely arranged buffet, from high-quality bacon and eggs to blueberry and glazed cakes (cake for breakfast - sure, why not?!). There was also granola and sliced salami, and these prunes that were about as delicious as I have ever had them. They also had a coffee dispenser machine that gave one choices ranging from espresso to “café americano” to even hot chocolate! I do not exaggerate when saying that a trip to Rome could well be worth the cost just to have breakfast there once again.

After a wonderful breakfast, the Lady Julieta and I made our way to Bus 64 at the Termini and subsequently back to the Vatican. However, being that we intended to see the Sistine Chapel first, which is on the other side of the square, we got off the bus just before it crossed the Tiber River. We ended up crossing the river on a pedestrian bridge in front of the Castel Sant’Angelo, the papal castle that is connected to the Vatican itself. In earlier times, a pope could have made his way on the wall walkway to the castle for protection in the event of a sacking of the Vatican by angry mobs or overwhelming armies. Such is history! But today, it is more of a landmark and museum. Still, a very impressive building!

We made our way up this main street named Via della Conciliazione. This is the street one always sees on television when they have events in St. Peter’s Square like a papal election or funeral. You see this long, straight road right at the entrance to the square. Well, that is this street. As we walked up it, the basilica got closer and closer. Along the way, I was delighted to find the Canadian Embassy to the Holy See!

The Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museum waives their entrance fee on the last Sunday of each month, and since we were there on that very day we knew we had to get there early, for there was certainly going to be a long line. So we turned this one corner, and oh my goodness --- the line went down at least a few blocks! Sighing, we got in at the end, figuring that eventually all lines move forward. Already we knew that our plan to attend the High Mass at 10:30 (in Latin with choir) at the basilica was not going to happen. But that was all right, for we were going to see the Sistine Chapel!

The wait in line was hard on the feet but had a nice, relaxed atmosphere. People were chatting with each other and the weather was cool but sunny. The Lady Julieta and I figured that the line would move, so it was all good. And indeed, in time the line severely increased behind us! Many people wanted in, for sure. Eventually the line began moving in spurts and we soon found ourselves at the entrance.

The Vatican Museum is indeed quite impressive! All sorts of treasures are here, making the basilica’s museum look almost like nothing! Walking down the long hallways, we were amazed at all of the artwork not just on the walls but on the ceiling as well! So much time and work went into all of this for certain.

Now finding the Sistine Chapel – that was a challenge! The signs were good and easy to follow, but it was a very long obstacle course of stairs, long corridors, more stairs, and corners. Each time, we expected to turn a corner and finally find ourselves in it, but we kept getting fooled. In fact, upon entering this one room’s entrance I did not even realize at first where I was until I noticed a huge crowd of congregating people. I turned to look over my shoulder and there in front of my eyes was Michelangelo’s “The Last Judgment” on the wall. I was inside the Sistine Chapel!

The room was a sensory overload, to put it mildly! All of Michelangelo’s work, from the Last Judgment on the wall to the painted walls and ceiling of bible scenes that I have seen so many times through various media, was now in front of my own eyes. It was surprisingly cool in the chapel as I sat down to rest on the marble benches that line the chapel walls. I kept looking around and taking it all in. So much history in this very room, with centuries of papal elections and Holy Masses held. Sigh! What a place. I then looked to the left and noticed that as I looked towards the Last Judgment painting, I found that I was at the right hand side of Christ the Judge, the side of the sheep! I could practically hear him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant!” Oh Lord Jesus, I said to myself as my heart warmed up, may I indeed hear those very words from You spoken to me on the actual Last Day!

After leaving the Sistine Chapel, Lita and I made our way to the basilica for a Sunday Mass at 1 pm. But first, we saw the pope doing his weekly Angelus talk to Saint Peter's Square! But more about that in a future post. After seeing the Holy Father, we passed through the metal detectors we went and into the church. The Mass was held on a side altar instead the main one, but it was still just as grand! We can now say that we have attended Holy Mass at Saint Peter’s Basilica!

After Mass we made our way back to the hotel and rested for the rest of the afternoon. That evening was going to be very special, for we were going to have supper with the family whom the Lady Julieta once lived with as their nanny back in the 1980’s! The mother and father were Flavia and Riccardo, along with their children Dario and Diana, both now in their 20’s. Flavia can cook, let me tell you! She served up a great Italian meal of pasta carbonara, sliced beef roast, salad, and a delicious blueberry cake with blueberry sauce and whipped cream. Riccardo tried his best in speaking English to me, and Dario the boy told us of his hopeful plans to do PhD work in America. Dario is quite a handsome young man, and Lita and I laughed later over how our daughters would have been swooning over him! It was a delightful reunion.

But as the hour was getting late, we eventually had to say our goodbyes until a future time to meet again someday. Riccardo drove us back to our hotel and we retired for the night. Tomorrow would take us on an amazing trip up to Venice!

More to come -----

Photos from Assisi

2011-02-13T22:48:00.000-05:00

Some photos from Assisi. The first five are of San Damiano, followed by a the tomb of Saint Francis and finally the body of Saint Clare (San Franesco et Clare, Ora Pro Nobis!)

#4: Assisi

2011-02-13T21:42:00.000-05:00

Our Saturday afternoon trip almost started with disaster. The Lady Julieta and I arrived from Saint Peter's Square to the Roma Termini to get on our train to Assisi. The Termini is a center point for the subway, the buses, and of course all of the passenger trains coming in and out of Rome. We bought our tickets but had trouble finding the correct train. After some help from a train employee, we found the correct platform and got on.

Trying to find our seats proved to be confusing too, for the numbers did not seem to add up right. As we were scrutinizing seat numbers with what was on our ticket, three teenage girls came up and offered to help. One of the girls, who spoke English quite well, was telling my wife about how the seat numbering system worked when suddenly there was a "slam!" sound. I looked down to the floor and saw our black-coloured planner folder (with our passports zipped into it) on the floor! I pointed out to Lita that our planner had fallen out of her purse, which then caused the three teenage girls to quickly run out of the train car!

Completely confused, Lita said that the girls had actually followed us onto the train, and she just assumed they were fellow passengers. But how did our planner fall to the ground? That was impossible, said Lita, for it was deep in the purse. Suddenly, it hit us --- those girls had tried to pickpocket us! Lita then said that this confirmed what she had heard from her friend Remy --- the girls were gypsies, and unlike back in the 1980's when their clothing would have given them away (back when Lita lived in Rome), they had become more sophisticated, passing themselves off as "regular locals" in order to target unsuspecting tourists like us. We completely checked everything and thankfully nothing was stolen. Our passports were safe and nothing else was missing from the purse. We were, without a doubt, very blessed this time! No doubt "watched over" on our pilgrimage. As the train pulled away from the station, Lita saw the girls being held by the train station police, apparently catching them in the act of trying to steal from someone else.

In just over an hour we found ourselves in Assisi, the place of Saints Francis and Clare. Anyone who has seen the film "Brother Sun Sister Moon" can imagine just how beautiful this part of Italy is! And it certainly is, with the olive trees and rolling hills that shoot up into towering mountains. On the side of one hill is the small town of Assisi, which needs to be accessed by taxi once we embarked at the train station. Soon Lita and I found ourselves in the city itself, making our way to the Basilica San Francesco. This is the part of our journey where we needed nerves of steel, for the roads in Assisi are very narrow and the taxi driver was zooming through them at lightning speed, narrowly missing pedestrians and parked cars. But what a sight, these buildings! Tight brown buildings with various shops and restaurants in them, all catering to the tourists.

Thankfully we made it to the basilica in one piece and entered the church. What a sight! A friendly Polish Franciscan Friar chatted with us for a while as he told us of his story of coming here after working the mission field for the Christian Faith in, of all places, Pakistan (a dangerous place to be proclaiming the Gospel, that is for sure!). He then invited us to stay for Mass in about an hour, which we promised to do. But first, we had something to see.

The tomb of Saint Francis of Assisi. Surrounded by an Altar on one side (for Holy Mass) and a grill to make it seen but not touched, here lies one of the greatest saints (and human beings) to ever walk the face of this earth. The city of San Francisco is named for him, and with his reputation of loving animals and the environment, choosing to embrace poverty so that we could be shown that life is not all about things, Saint Francis has been a great inspiration to many people over the centuries (Lita and I included!). We prayed at his tomb for a while, then departed.

A more sane taxi driver took us to the other side of town and we found ourselves at the Church of San Damiano. This was once an abandoned church back in the early 1200's, with only an icon crucifix exposed to the elements. Saint Francis, inspired after his conversion and complete abandonment to Jesus Christ, had a vision in which the image of Christ on the cross spoke, telling him to "rebuild the church". Though he would eventually understand this to mean the entire Christian Church, Francis took the vision literally and began to rebuild this very church, San Damiano, with his own hands. Soon, other young men joined him and the church was finished. On this day, the Lady Julieta and I went in and saw the small church within a church that holds where Saint Francis and his followers worshiped together. Ah, what a wonderful, moving experience! After spending some time there, we went back to the basilica for Holy Mass (but not before a quick stop through the gift shop!).

After Mass with the Franciscan friars and fellow tourists, we realized that darkness was falling quickly! We took another taxi to one more place: the Monastery of Saint Clare, where the Franciscan nuns pray and live together in a community that began with Saint Francis taking in Saint Clare and having his movement include women. Unfortunately, the church was about to close, but a young postulant girl offered to let us in "for a few minutes" so we could take a quick look. Going downstairs, we saw through a screened window the actual displayed body of Saint Clare, which has been experiencing the phenomenon of "incorruptibility", that is, slow decomposition to the point where she looks surprisingly good after almost 800 years! I took a quick photo (had to record this amazing phenomenon, with complete respect and honour for Saint Clare) and then made my way back to the main church. By now, the young girl was telling us that it was time to leave "now", but I had to take a quick look at the actual San Damiano cross that talked to Saint Francis. This cross, now housed at the nun's monastery, hovers by chain over the main altar. Ah, but now the girl had turned the lights out on me! An attempt to take a quick photo brought on a scolding from her, though she softened with my gentle apology. I understand her position - she probably did not want to get into trouble with her superiors. So it is!

A taxi ride back to the train station brought some difficult news: there may be an impromptu train strike, which could strand us out of Rome! It was suggested that we take the train to Foligno and then connect to another train bound for Rome, as long as it was done before 9 pm (when the strike was scheduled to commence if it was in fact going to happen). So off we went to Foligno, a small town with a train station without an ATM machine! We were soon to find out that the convenience we take for granted here in the USA regarding cash machines everywhere is a luxury unknown in most parts of Italy. Foligno included! All but three euros of our cash had gone to taxis, so now we were practically broke. There was a snack shop, but they did not take credit cards. So what could we buy but two espressos at one euro eighty cents, leaving us with just one euro and 20 cents to our name at that moment. But we were all right, for we had an hour to pass and some nice expresso served to us by a counter lady with a bad attitude. God bless her!

After finishing the espressos, we went over to the station's Catholic chapel. That is right, the station actually had a small church in it, with an altar for Mass, a tabernacle with red vigil light, and some chairs. It was cold, but better than the bitter wind outside and the icy stares from the lady in the sandwich shop. I prayed my rosary while Lita did something on her iPhone. It was a very pleasant and peaceful way to pass time! We also ate some of the Franciscan candy that we had bought at the gift shop earlier. Soon, it was time to board our train at 8:20 pm, and thankfully the train to Rome was on time! The strike ended up not happening that night after all.

Back in Rome, we went a direct line from the Termini to our hotel room and promptly fell asleep. What an eventful day for us! Protected from theft by God and His angels (along with a kind regard from Saints Francis and Clare) while kept warm in the love we share for Christ and each other despite the cold weather. The next day was Sunday, with Holy Mass and some time in the Sistine Chapel next on the agenda.

More to come ---

Saint Peter's Basilica (photos)

2011-02-13T13:05:00.000-05:00

#3: Saint Peter's Basilica

2011-02-13T11:52:00.000-05:00

Saturday morning brought the weekend on to our pilgrimage, and this was the day where we would see Saint Peter's Basilica. A friend of the Lady Julieta named Remy (whom we would meet in person later) told her that the best way to get there was to take Bus 64 from Roma Termini. So off we went to the Termini where sure enough Bus 64 was waiting for us. We bought Day Passes and boarded it for a delightful ride through the heart of Rome.

As we made our way through Rome, we absorbed all of the wonderful architecture along the way. The buildings were incredible! We passed an opera house and the government building where the Italian Parliament meets, as well as some buildings that were certainly around from the time of the empire's better days. We then crossed the Tiber River, which made me laugh inside as I considered that phrase "Swimming the Tiber", a reference for those who convert to the Catholic expression of Christianity. A couple of streets and a tunnel later, we found ourselves off the bus and in front of a huge wall. We walked down the street with this wall as our guide until we turned a corner and found a series of columns that looked vaguely familiar. As we got closer, I recognized them as the "circle" columns that make up Saint Peter's Square! We passed between the columns, and in so doing left the nation of Italy and found ourselves in the officially independent Vatican City State.

I gasped in awe as it appeared all in front of us: Saint Peter's Square and Basilica! After years of seeing it on television, reading about it in books, and following it on the internet, the official church of Roman Catholicism was right in front of us! Lita had seen it many times before, but for me it was the first time. And what an experience! All of that history, all of the work that has gone into it --- absolutely overwhelming.

We crossed the square, observing the huge obelisk in the center that is crowned with a cross, symbolizing the triumph of the Christian Faith over the persecutions of a previous pagan system that sought to destroy the faith at its beginning. After taking some photos of both the obelisk and also the basilica's front, we got into line to go through the metal detectors. That is right, metal detectors. Back when Lita lived in Rome, one could just go up the steps and enter the basilica with no obstacle. But now, the front is all sectioned off due to our modern-day fears of terrorism. So after being cleared by security, we walked into the basilica itself.

Oh my. If only I could truly describe it with words! Art, history, beauty, art (did I say that already?), --- it is all that. I will post some photos in my next post, for indeed that will have to suffice. It is really a beautiful church! Walking around, I came across so many paintings and sculptures that I had read about in books, but now finally saw with my own eyes. The statue of Saint Peter, with the toe worn away from centuries of people touching and kissing it, was right in front of me. So was the main altar, with the baldacchino hovering over it. Below the altar was the Tomb of Saint Peter the Apostle, which unfortunately was sectioned off so no one could go down the stairs to it. Still, you could see it from the main floor, but the experience would have been better up close. Regardless, it was a sight to see after watching papal masses for years on television and online. To have the entire basilica built over the grave site of whom we Catholics consider the First Pope and the Prince of the Apostles was very impressive to behold!

While moving around, I came across an old style kneeling confessional, and would you not know it --- a priest was available to hear confessions in English. And so I knelt and received the Holy Sacrament of Confession in Saint Peter's Basilica! Lita took some photos of me afterward, and much to our surprise my face kept "whiting out" in each photo, though the rest of my clothing and body were all normal! We laughed with delight over this strange phenomenon --- no doubt the mark of a soul cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

We then went into the basilica's museum. There was a wondrous collection of vestments, chalices, monstrances, candle stands, crosiers, and all other sorts of treasures that have been used throughout the centuries for the worship of God. It did come to my mind all of the criticisms that certain people have made at various times about how "shameful" all of these treasures have been accumulated with such expense while "the poor are starving". The answer for me is always the same: Judas Iscariot said just that very same thing! As well in the time of the ancient Hebrews, God commanded Moses to always offer the best when making offerings to God. One did not offer weak or cheap materials. Same with these items: they were made by artisans and craftsmen to be used for the worship of God. Of themselves they never deprived the poor of any food or help, for indeed their purpose never took away the Church's mission to minister to the poor. Even Saint Francis of Assisi himself, the most humble and poor of the saints, recognized the value and need to give the absolute best when making anything for use in the worship and honour of God. So these items are all fine and good, for would we want to see something on display or used in worship that was about as cheap as cheap can get? Of course not.

After this we made our way to the tombs of the popes. This was a very interesting part of the basilica, for there are many of them below the church. Some of the popes I was not too familiar with, but others did stand out to me quite well. First there was Pope Paul VI, the man who was pope in my early years. He finished up the Second Vatican Council and then guided the church through the difficult years of the 1960's and 70's. Next there was Pope John Paul the First, pope for only 33 days back in 1978. I felt a closeness with this one, for indeed I believe he would have been a great pontiff if not for his demise.

And then, with many people around it, there was the tomb of Pope John Paul II. Sigh! So much to say here, but suffice to say that it was very heart-moving to be there. Ora Pro Nobis!

Next was a glassed-off brief corridor, but at the end of it was the Tomb of Saint Peter himself, now being seen from a different viewpoint. Ah, to have been able to approach it! When I consider all that this man did, from being called by Jesus in Galilee to his denials of Him to his restoration after the Resurrection to his sermon on the Day of Pentecost (Acts Chapter 2) to his imprisonment to his leadership in the early church to his eventual martyrdom and burial here in Rome --- all I can say is, "Thou Art Peter (the Rock) and upon this Rock I shall build my Church" (Matthew 16)!

Finally, there was one more tomb that stood out for me - Pope Pius XI. Pontiff from 1922 to 1939, he did a lot for the Church as the dark clouds gathered over Europe with Hitler and Mussolini about to lead the world into Hell. This pope was the one man who warned of the horrors and Nazi-ism and the need for humanity to be truly free from tyranny and injustice. God bless and rest his soul.

After all this, Lita and I left the Vatican (and subsequently back into the nation of Italy!) and had a wonderful quick lunch of pizza and panini served from a side stand just outside of the columns. We had a train to catch to Assisi that afternoon!

More to come -----

#2: First Day in Rome

2011-02-12T18:52:00.001-05:00

The first day in Rome actually did not get started until we slept for a few hours in our comfy hotel room. By around 2 pm, the Lady Julieta and I were up and out to explore the surroundings. Heading towards Roma Termini we came across an eatery which was just perfect. We ordered pizzas with prosciutto and "Coke Light" (same as Diet Coke). I was to learn later just how expensive soda is in Italy! At 2.50 Euro, that is starting to push $4 for a bottle!

The pizza was just the way you may have seen it in the film "Eat Pray Love". And really, is that not what life is? Eating, Praying, and Loving! The pizza was heavenly, practically too perfect to even eat. At first it struck me as so large that there was no way I was going to be able to finish it. But the crust was surprisingly light and thin, but with a melt-in-your-mouth texture that filled me up without overwhelming the stomach. And the prosciutto!!! Paper thin, not overly salty, and just the right amount of flavour. Pure, unapologetic bliss!

After stopping by our first church Santa Maria Maggiore (mentioned in the earlier posting), we returned to our hotel room to rest a bit more. We passed time watching Italian television and CNN (nothing but the revolution in Egypt, 24/7) before going out in the evening. We found it to be raining, but much to our surprise, one of the many Roman entrepreneurs was just outside the hotel entrance, selling umbrellas! A purchase later, we were out and walking to the Spanish Steps.

The walk took much longer than the GPS was telling us, and it was indeed quite cold and damp. Still, we happily made our way through each block, absorbing the fact that we were, indeed, actually in Rome itself! So much dreaming went into this, and now it was all real. The city has this wonderful hustle and bustle feel. Everyone walks everywhere, but one notices that the sidewalks are not wide enough to really handle all of the pedestrian traffic. It is also noted that one has to be very careful, for the step off of the sidewalks and onto the street can be quite a stumble, so do maintain one's balance at all times!

The Lady Julieta and I walked for quite a ways with darkness falling before we finally reached the Spanish Steps. And what a sight! Ah, but it had to be ruined by our next encounter with a gypsy trying to push "free"flowers onto Lita. At first, he tried to give her complimentary roses, but she refused. He persisted, so she took them. Then he tried to get me to pay him for the "free" flowers! I gave him 2 Euro, which he did not take too well! He grabbed the flowers back and then sort of shoved one onto Lita as a consolation. We then went down the steps, only to be accosted by another gypsy trying to sell us this green laser pointer! No thank you.

After getting to the bottom, we found our way to a nice church and took some shelter from the cold weather. Some Dominican friars were in there praying the rosary and preparing for Holy Mass. It was very comforting, and we would have stayed if we had not been so hungry again! We left the church and tried to find this other church that Lita tried to recall from her earlier memories of living in Rome years ago, but it was just too dark and dreary.

We walked a ways further until we finally came across a nice little restaurant on a side-street. And what a find it was! Supper for me was spaghetti carbonara with caramel flam for dessert, along with water and the expensive Coke Light. After getting well rested (and completely full!) we resumed our night trek around Rome.

By now the Lady Julieta and I were indeed getting quite tired, so we decided to take the Metro (subway system) back to the Roma Termini since walking was definitely not an option! We had seen a Metro station at the top of the Spanish Steps, so up we went while dodging two more aggressive gypsies before finally getting to the station. Once on the train, it was a quick jump back to the Termini and then the hotel. By now the rain had stopped and we were ready to collapse! I joked with Lita that we just may catch Criminal Minds (one of my favourite shows) in Italian! And when we got back to the hotel, strictly by the oddest of coincidences (or did I somehow catch it as a background commercial? I don't think so, but still), there was ---- Criminal Minds, dubbed in Italian!

More to come ----

Dominicans in Prayer

2011-02-12T14:47:00.000-05:00

This was something that the Lady Julieta and I came across after supper on our first day in Rome. I did not get the name of this church, but it was near the Spanish Steps. The rosary prayer is being done by a group of Dominican friars, who were getting ready for Mass afterward. It was cold and rainy outside, so we stayed there for a few minutes and prayed along with them.

Santa Maria Maggiore

2011-02-12T14:16:00.000-05:00

This is Santa Maria Maggiore (St. Mary Major), the Basilica especially dedicated in honour of the mother of Jesus Christ. At first, the Lady Julieta and I thought that the church was closed, for we approached it from the back and it was all gated up as if they were doing construction on it! But thankfully it was open and we were able to get in. We encountered our first beggars here, too. Lita told me to be very careful here, for indeed there are a lot of "gypsies" around who will beg from you, but then in your charity to help them they will rob you or slip a hand into your pocket in a way that you will not notice! Sigh, this was to be discovered to be true as time went on (more of that later).

The altar with the columns and "canopy" (baldaccino) is quite reminiscent of the one we would see later in Saint Peter's Basilica. The art work in the place was incredible, including a side chapel were they were having prayer in front of the Blessed Sacrament (with a strong hint of incense still in the air that suggested a just-concluded Benediction).

This church holds a special place in my heart, for back on August 5, 1986, while on my way to Vancouver, I had a spin-out in my car as I lost control of it while trying to stop in a sudden traffic halt on the highway. Somehow, as I fully expected an impact and possible death or damage, my car managed to stay on the road, literally skidding past a few cars without touching them, and then finally come to a rest on the side of the road with no damage other than my furiously pounding heart!

I placed the car in gear while still in shock and slowly drove to the nearby off-ramp where there was a gas station. Upon my arrival, this guy came up to my car and said, "Dude, was that you that spun out on the road there? That was amazing! Your car missed so much and I tell you I never saw anything like that! You are definitely watched over, man!"

The day, August 5th, just happened to be the day on the church's calendar as "The Feast of the Dedication of the Church of St. Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore)"! So every year on August 5th, I pray a prayer of thanks to God for the miracle of that day and add a special thanks to The Blessed Lady Mary, whom I believe had a hand in it all. As the Mother of All Christians, we do believe that Mary "pulls for us" as we live for her Son, Jesus Christ. So at this very church, I offered my thanks to Lady Mary and my worship to God.

Trip To Rome #1

2011-02-12T11:23:00.000-05:00

I have been out for a while due to going on a pilgrimage to Rome (and other parts of Italy) with the Lady Julieta (Lita). We covered 10 days of prayer and church attending, food like you would not believe (!), a lot of wonderful time together as couple, and a lifetime of memories that have already inspired us to make sure that we travel there again in the next few years.

After almost dying last summer due to a toxic reaction to new medication for treating Myasthenia Gravis - my autoimmune/neurological illness (combined with developing pneumonia), Lita and I decided that life is too unpredictable to put things off, for indeed we really do not know what tomorrow will bring. We had long talked about a trip to Rome, where Lita had once lived for a few years back in the 1980's. As well, the Roman Catholic in me has always wanted to see all of the churches and perhaps even see in person the pope! So we decided to go ahead with it and make it not just a vacation, but also a "Pilgrimage of Thanksgiving" for Life and Faith, trusting in God's mercy as we cherish each day received from Him. So with that resolve, we planned our trip.

The trip almost did not start off at all, though, for as we waited for our plane in Tallahassee, there was a delay! Some sort of hydraulic problem that should be fixed "soon". We got a bit nervous, for if we could not make it to Atlanta for our connecting flight to Rome, then we may never get there! Ah, but patience is indeed a virtue, for the repair was a quick one and we were on our way just about three-quarters of an hour late, but still with enough time to make the connection.

We did not have much time in Atlanta, though, for indeed the airport is a city unto itself and getting to our gate (which naturally was practically on the other side of the place from where our Tallahassee plane dropped us off!) was quite a hike. But make it we did and soon found ourselves zooming off into the sky with a plane full of happy people (including more than a few priests!) on our way to the Eternal City.

Nine hours and forty-five minutes later, we arrived at the Rome airport. The flight itself was, well, long! The movies were uninteresting and so I found myself reading on my Nook the biography of Pope John Paul II by George Wiegel (definitely recommend it!). We did hit some turbulence over the Atlantic, which always makes me cringe even though it was not too severe. Seriously, how can one not think of the beginning of "Lost" and not worry when the plane starts shaking? Still, the flight was good and even the food was not too bad (surprise!).

Once in Rome we cleared customs and then came up with the first test of our American Express Travel arrangement - the ground transportation! Like beautiful clockwork, though, they were right were they were supposed to be and they took our voucher with no problems. Our driver showed up, this slight fellow with glasses and a rather sullen, scowly face that gave one the impression that life had beaten him down somewhat. Still, he was friendly enough as he loaded our bags into a really nice car (I want to say it was a Mercedes). We zoomed out of the airport, and by "zoom" I mean fast, as in the driver was an absolute maniac! Tailgating, close-calls, and even swearing at another car as they did not look where they were going --- all in a day's work with this guy! But we did not care, for soon we were to realize that this is the way to drive in Rome. The traffic there was beyond description. "Absolute Mayhem" may be the best way to describe it! This driver was really good.

We arrived at the Hotel Diana, near the Roma Termini, at 9 AM local time (we had been up since the the morning of the previous day, having lost 6 hours in time zone adjustments). This was the second test of AMEX Travel, and we were not disappointed. The hotel was indeed quite nice, though at first it does not look like much from the outside. The staff was good, our check in went well, and our room was ---- small. No really, it was a closet at first impression! When one is used to the spaciousness of the Holiday Inns and Marriotts, this was very different. Sure, we had read about hotels in Europe having small rooms, but this was small! More like someone's bedroom, almost --- perhaps bit larger. But then, we noticed something: the room was just right! It was immaculately clean, with wooden floors, a fourth floor view (fifth floor, actually, for floors in Europe include a "0" floor which is the ground floor), a really nice bathroom, and a very firm, comfortable bed! As we settled in, we realized that it was just what we needed, and indeed we needed it as the Lady Julieta and I promptly fell asleep for an "adjustment nap" to get used to the new time and surroundings.

More to come ----

Resolutions

2011-01-05T15:35:00.000-05:00

Hallo To All, and Happy New Year!

As we get going in the New Year, I would like to share some resolutions for 2011, under the hope that I may actually keep these.

1. Continue with my weight loss. 140 pounds gone since August 2009, now hoping to get down to 199 by the end of the year. That would be about 68 pounds to go! If I make it, I will mark the occasion by skydiving.

2. Live well with Myasthenia Gravis, and never let it get the better of me.

3. Re-learn French and learn more Latin.

4. Continue my work in Anglican-Catholic ecumenical relations.

5. Read at least one book per month (thank you, Nook!)

6. Pray more regularly the Liturgy of the Hours. I am missing too many of them lately.

7. Eat at Little Italy at least once a month! Excellent food, great service, and wonderful ambiance.

8. Blog more regularly! This one I will certainly keep.

9. Download at least one song per week on iTunes.

10. Exercise more often just for the fun of it! And try a new exercise (perhaps more Wii!)

11. Hang out with my dog Fred more often (and yes, daughters, Georgie too).

12. Have more regular lunches and coffees with my daughters.

13. Attend more films, plays, and concerts with the Lady Julieta.

14. Make time for a retreat at the Benedictine Archabbey

15. Travel with the Lady Julieta.

There we go!

You Got To Pray!

2010-11-10T11:36:00.000-05:00

As morning breaks, I look unto thee O God to be my strength on this day, Alleluia.

I will be the first to admit that I am one of the worst when it comes to rising in the morning. After being jolted awake by the bell chime alarm of my iPhone, I get up, take my 6 AM medication, then go back to bed and its delicious warmth. But then I am jolted again by either the alarm going off until I shut it off or having the Lady Julieta grab my foot until I get out of bed (and stay out of it this time).

I certainly do need to work on my waking routine, but there is one thing I never miss as I take on the day: Daily Prayer. A few years ago I professed as a Benedictine Oblate. To belong to the Oblates of Saint Benedict, one needs only to be a layperson (married or single) who agrees to apply the Rule of St. Benedict to one’s life and offer Morning and Evening Prayer as do the Benedictine monks and nuns who live in the monasteries. The 1500-year old Rule is based on the gospels and offers a steady routine that allows one to commune continually with God as the day unfolds. The Oblate also agrees to support the abbey/priory one has associated with by both prayer and (as you can) finances, as well as attend a regular retreat there as one is able to travel.

In praying the formal prayers and offering my own-worded prayers, I find that God’s presence and influence is continually with me throughout the day. My senses become very high and alert, aware of all the beauty in God’s creation. Indeed, I find that when I fail to pray either by circumstance or by my own personal weakness, the day seems to unravel to the point where sin enters in. Therefore, I do make it a regular point to “keep to the schedule”, so to speak!

The evening before a day is marked by something called Matins, in which I pray the prayer of monks and nuns that are done during the night. Then after rising from sleep the day is marked with Lauds and Prime, which are prayed before starting my daily work. I pray these either in the silence of my home, the quiet of my car, or even the noisy surroundings of the local coffee shop. Then throughout the day I pray three times: Terce (9 AM), Sext (Noontime), and Terce (3 PM). If I cannot get to all three, I make sure to do at least one. Later after work, I happily pray Vespers, followed by Compline after supper. Then before bed I pray the next day’s Matins, which starts the cycle once again.

These daily prayers are marked by psalms, scripture readings, writings from all the different times of church history (from the earliest of days to the modern day), and prayers for the church and for the world (it is here that I add my own prayers for those who have asked me to pray for them). All together they form what is known as the Liturgy of the Hours, which is offered in a book named The Breviary. And in addition to this cycle, I pray the rosary, read from The Bible, and attend Holy Mass daily if possible (and of course, every Sunday).

Now THE question to ask is: WHY??? Am I holy or weird? Well the latter definitely, but holy – I leave that call to God. No, I do not pray this way to make “points” with God or to impress anyone. I just share it here to emphasize the need for prayer - whether formal or in one own words - and how important it is to maintain the constant communication and communion with the God who loves you (the reader) beyond words and feelings. However you pray – just be sure to do so!!! You will find the day will work better if you do, and you will also find yourself growing in the holiness that God intends (Matthew 5:48). I promise that you will find that inner joy that marks the believer of the God who has made you and will always stand with you (Hebrews 13:5). So do pray, even if you remain in bed! At least you will go back to sleep with a warm heart and a peaceful happiness beyond compare. Just do not blame me if you end up late for work!

Pax Christi,

Stephen +

Christ the King Seminary/Westminster Abbey

2010-09-26T11:08:00.000-04:00

Today I share this video for Westminster Abbey/Seminary of Christ the King in Mission, B.C. Canada. My first year of seminary was here, and it was a beautiful time (which did not prefigure just how bad things would eventually get down the road). Memories of this place contributed to my return to the Christian Faith and also to become an Oblate of St. Benedict - a Christian layman who lives the life of a Benedictine monk out in the world (though can be married or single).