San Lorenzo in Piscibus

Benedict XVI celebrating Mass at San Lorenzo in Piscibus, does the guy on the far right look familar?

This is our second visit on this blog to the little church of San Lorenzo in Piscibus (literally, Saint Lawerance in the Fishmarket) near Saint Peter's. It is the tiny old brick church almost completely surronded by the building containing Ancora bookshop and a half-dozen Cardinals' apartments.

There is nothing that outwardly would impress a passing observer. In fact Pius XII wanted to have it torn down during the contruction of Via della Conciliazione. The Christian historian would note it is one of the oldest churches in Rome, serving as the fish market chapel for a number of centuries. Eventually the fish market left the neighborhood, and this little church became obsolete in the city filled with churches.

Benedict XVI leaving the International Youth Center at San Lorenzo in Piscibus, he looks revived doesn't he?

John Paul II established the Vatican's International Youth Center here over twenty-five years ago. And the youth come to gather there everyday. It is their own place in Rome to pray, to be free to pray. At first it seems odd that it is hidden away, but it is exactly this that makes it what it is. Here young people can pray and be nourished, hidden like an arrow in a quiver (see Isaiah, chapter 54 I think, but don't quote me). They come to be nourished by the water that wells up from within quenching all thirst, for the bread given by Moses in a forgotten time, but given in this moment by our Father in heaven. Strengthen they can face the battles they face as soliders of the "culture of life."

The Cross of San Damiano. It is through this cross that Christ spoke to Saint Francis, which started his Christ-centered revival of the Church.

Is this the renewal the Church needs? It is part of it. What makes this retreat so succesful is that in the center it there is Christ. The tabernacle and the giant Francisican crucifix that hangs above it form the visual axis of the church, letting all know that Christ is the center here in this place. This is the secret of every renewal movement that the Church experienced, it was Christo-centric. There was no agenda placed in the center -- be it women's ordination, married clergy, or lobbies for loosing Church roles about all sorts of things from inter-communion, to sexual morality, to abortion. Just the same there was no agenda about restoring a replacing the liturgy with the "mass of the ages," are returning the Church to a bygone golden age (that very well may only exist in the imagination). No -- all this is set aside -- Christ is put in the center -- and He is the center of all renewal and revival.

This was true of the great Apostle we celebrate this year – Saint Paul, who always preached Christ, and Christ crucified. This was true of Saint Francis, who was so Christo-centric he shared the very same wounds as Christ. And this was also true of John Paul II, who in his final days pointed to the crucified Christ instead of himself. And so it is true of us.

So let us for a moment of prayer put aside our agendas, what ever they happen to be. Let Christ stand central in that moment. Let him quench your thirst for goodness, let him satisfy the hunger for holiness. This is what will renew and revive our hope, our love for one another, and our faith in him, who only wishes to bless us.