Its beginning to feel a lot like Christmas...

Its beginning to feel a lot like Christmas here in Rome. It is not just that classes are off for the next three weeks. Nor is it the annual tradition of the Mexican seminarians at the Gregorian filling a pinata with candy and cigarettes for the other students to break (a fine Roman Christmas custom? - perhaps not). It is that Rome is actually frozen. Yes, frozen. This is a rare thing for southern Italy, even in the winter. Here are some pictures of the fountain in the courtyard of the North American College. It even threatens to snow. Snow! With lots of people travelling please send up a prayer that everyone will be safe and delays will not be too bad.

Duruflé's Messe "Cum jubilo"

One of the most interesting things I've been a part of in recent months (or really ever, for that matter) has finally come to fruition. No, I am not a priest yet. No, I have not managed to find the money to build one of the many cathedrals that fill the margins of my note book. No, I have not...

Last Spring, the choir of the Pontifical North American College recorded a full-length CD of a Mass setting by the 20th century French composer, Maurice Duruflé. The record, his Messe "Cum jubilo" is now available through JAV Recordings here. For anyone interested in classical/sacred music, it's a great buy!

Altogether, the CD is an entire Mass (sung the way it ought to be!) comprised of both Gregorian chant (Introit, Alleluia, etc.) and Duruflé's compositions, which use Gregorian chant as the foundation, of the Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus/Benedictus and Agnus Dei. It even includes all the prayers, propers and readings from the Mass of the Immaculate Conception—the College's patronal feast (you can see a picture of the chapel above, with the prominent Immaculata mosiac above the main altar).

Maurice Durufle at the organ

What's more, there's a great deal of organ improvisation as well, done by one of the most influential and noted organists in the world today: Stephen Tharp. From the bells on the first track to the organ sortie on the final, this recording is something worth checking out. Even the CD booklet has some cool pictures, and some interesting (and meditative) shots of the NAC that some might enjoy. (The cover photo, above, is the mosaic in the apse of the Immaculate Conception chapel at NAC.) Plus, you'll get to hear me sing—and you'll be supporting a good cause.

So visit JAV and pick up a copy. And play it for your kids. They will like it too! [And if they don't, you can teach them!]

Here is my practice homily from two days ago:

Please leave comments, suggestions, etc. in the comments

Reading for the third Sunday of Lent: First: Exodus 17:3-7, Psalm 95, Romans 5:1-2.5-8, JOHN 4:5-42
A reading from Saint Augustine that I used in preparing the homily: from a Treatise on John by Saint Augustine, bishop and doctor (scroll down to the bottom)

The homily:

For a number years I worked in a men’s shelter ran by the Sisters of Mother Theresa. In every one of their chapels next to the crucifix it is always written, “I Thirst.” This comes from Mother’s first inspiration for founding the Missionaries of Charity. She had seen a dying man in a train station in India, and through that man Jesus revealed to Mother these words, “I thirst,” and his deep thirst for souls.

These are also the first words of Jesus in today’s Gospel. He sits with the woman at the well and says, “Give me a drink.” He is thirsty. “Give me a drink of water.”

This woman is an outcast. She is a Samaritan, so she is not considered to be one of the chosen people of God. Even still she is outcast from among Samaritans, since she must gather her water during the heat of the day. Yet, alone at the well she meets Jesus. He thirsts, and says, “Give me a drink.” At this moment Christ is inviting us to join this woman at the well. He is inviting us to sit with him, and listen to his words. He is asking for a drink from us, but soon he will offer us a NEW DRINK.

In these words, “give me a drink,” Christ is revealing to us the heart of the Father, a heart that seeks us to worship and love him in spirit and truth. Soon we will pray during the preface of the Mass: when he asked the woman of Samaria for water to drink Christ had already prepared her for the gift of faith. In his thirst he awakened in her heart the fire of your love. Christ is thirsting for our faith, and for our souls, so that we can return his love through worship.

Jesus is not the only thirsty one in this Gospel. Like the woman of Samaria, we are also thirsty. We have come with her to draw water. She, the outcast, is thirsty for love; and we, who at times are distant from God, thirst for his love. Like in the psalm, “Like a deer that yearns for flowing waters, so my heart yearns for You.”

As we sit with Christ at the well, he gazes at us – He knows that we are thirsty. He offers us a drink saying, “Whoever drinks the water I shall give will never be thirsty again; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Jesus has asked us for a drink of water, but now he offers the most amazing drink – one that will satisfy all our thirst. At this moment the thirst of God for our faith and love meet our thirst for him.

What does he offer? He offers a “spring welling up to eternal life,” but where is this spring?
Let us remember these words, “There is no greater love than this; to lay down your life for a friend.” We meet this spring of eternal life at Calvary, where Jesus is dying on the cross. As Saint Paul teaches us in today’s second reading, “God proves his love for us, in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” God speaks to us and tells us, “My children, I love you so much! I come to you as a little child! I am even dying for you here on the cross! I thirst. Give me a drink of your faith. I thirst for you.” At this moment a solider pierces his side and out of his side flows “blood and water.” This is the spring welling up to eternal life, and he is living out the words of consecration, “Take this all of you, drink from it: this is the cup of my blood, the blood of a new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you and for the many, so that sins may be forgiven.” This is the “spring welling up to eternal life.”

Paul continues to teach us about how we respond to this love, as he writes, “[Our] hope does not disappoint because the Love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

We have been given the Holy Spirit at our baptism, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are brought again and again to the spring of eternal life.

The spring continues to well up to this day. It wells up not only in the sacrament of baptism, put also in the sacrament of the Eucharist in which we are celebrating.

This love calls for a response.

For Mother Theresa the response was a radical call to love in return; to love Christ in the poorest of the poor. During this season of Lent, we join her in her call to return the love of Christ with our own life. We are given main ways to do this: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Let the love that we will receive in this Eucharist, allow a spring to well up in our own hearts and lives, so that like the woman, we can say, “We have found the Messiah, we have found the spring of eternal life, and all our thirst have been satisfied.” And so draw others to the fire of God’s love.

God bless you, and may the name of Jesus be praised.

Learning how to preach:

Yesterday evening a typical thing at the North American College: the preaching practicum for second year theologians. Preaching is important in the parish life. For many Catholics this is the only opportunity in which they hear the priest speaking to them and with them. So it is taken serious here, and this is shown by starting to work on preaching a full four years before we are released on the parished of the United States and Australia. The next post will be my practice homily.

Saint Peter in Chains

It is Monday of the First Week of Lent:

God our Savior bring us back to you and fill our minds with your wisdom. May we be enriched by our observance of Lent. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Saint Peter in Chains: It is a quiet and simple church located close to the Coliseum and the Maritime Prison (where Saint Peter was keep before being executed). Traditionally this church is thought to be on the sight of the house of Saint Balbina, the daughter of Peter's jail and who was converted by Peter while in prison.

What a great reflection for Lent. The chains of Peter -- chains in general. Peter was often chained down by hsi fear -- this lead him to deny the Lord three times -- to abandon Christ on the cross.

Can we reflect on the chains that hold us back from loving God with all our heart and loving our neighbor as ourselves? These are hard to face. But in the prayer today we asks God's help to be released from these chains, and this is what Lent is for -- to cooperate with God's loving call back. We acknowledge like Peter did, that we deny the Lord when we sin. But the Lord wants us to meet him on the sea shore, like He met Peter to ask us, "Do you love me?"

More about today's church:
North American College Guide
Saint John Cantius Parish Guide

Jazz Brunch

The question is simply: So how exactly do you celebrate Christmas over in Rome?

Well it is different! Many of the traditions are the same. We decorate Christmas trees on each corridor, we have a big Christmas party and dinner, and set up a a precepe in the chapel. It is different though being away from family. This is good preparation for the priesthood though when most Christmases will be spent away from the family. Some things are also unique to Rome. First of all is midnight Mass with the Pope at Saint Peter's (I will make sure to post pictures of that one). It is not just that. Seminary life changes. On the last day of classes many of the men empty out of the house and head to all sorts of place to travel for a few weeks. Some make it all the way to South Africa and others only make it to Norcia (a short train ride away).

Over the years a certain cycle of celebrations has developed at NAC to remind us of the season. The first of these is the Jazz Brunch. Unfortunately I did not take any pictures. On the first Saturday of December the student kitchen is overtaken with a number of priest and seminarians. Some are cooking, some a plucking the strings on the string bass, and others are singing jazz-fied Christmas carols. (I was the official pancake flipper).

This kicks off the holiday season, and is also a great community builder. If I can round-up some pictures I will make sure to post them.

(re-post Dec. 7)

Going up the mountain to pray...

Death of Saint Francis Xavier by Peter Paul Reubens

Dec. 3 is the feast of Saint Francis Xavier, a saint that I have a great devotion to since he is the patron of the diocese of Green Bay.

He is know as the Apostle to the Indies, since he brought the faith there. As the first missionary in the area, he made a number of mistakes, but he also laid down the ground work for further missionary work that has changed these cultures ever since.

He used artwork to evangelize, since it was difficult to explain the faith in the languages of the different peoples he encountered. For that reason I keep this post short, and leave you with some art.

Relic of the hand of Saint Francis Xavier in the Church of the Gesu in Rome. This is the hand that baptized "100,000" men, women and childre. You can see why I refer to Saint Francis as the "high-five" saint.

Wisconsin Thanksgiving in Rome

Even though we are Rome, the men of the Pontifical North American College still enjoy a fine traditional Thanksgiving.

Just like how everyone has a day of vacation from work, Thanksgiving is one of the few days that we are officially allowed to cut class. Most of us take advantage of this to sleep in, and so did I. For me this mean I slept until the incredibly late hour of 6:00 AM. I honestly could not sleep any later! This is very different from my university days! I decided to spend the morning by going to Saint Peter in the Vatican. While it is always beautiful to visit, this holy sight of Christendom is especially prayerful before the tour groups start arriving at 9:00 AM. I prayed for the Pope and our bishops, our nation and her president-elect, and I prayed for my own family.

Cooking breakfast in the corridor. This is "scraple." One great thing about corridor breakfast is that we welcome back our priests alumni, this year Rev. Fr. Nick Dudo (on the far left) and Rev. Fr. Joe Freddy (on the center). In the far right is my next door neighbor, Deacon Jesse Burish of the diocese of La Crosse. Keep him especially in your prayers since he is preparing for his ordination to the priesthood this upcoming summer.

Returning to my corridor I found preparations for breakfast well on the way. Each corridor prepares its own big “American-style” breakfast. It is almost as much of a highlight as the turkey dinner later in the day. My corridor enjoyed Virginian-fried apples, egg-bake, Southern biscuits and gravy, and most especially the Philadelphian specialty of “scraple.” We make out own, and I inherited the recipe, so next year I will be continuing the tradition. This breakfast is really a welcoming event for all the first year men, since it feels so much like home.

"New Men," Brian Romportl of the diocese of Green Bay is looking at the turkey and stuffing with hungry eyes.

We celebrate a beautiful Mass, and after Mass we enjoy the traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinner. We have everything you could expect: turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, pasta, and cranberries. Well maybe the pasta is not traditionally a Thanksgiving dish, but in Italy they just cannot imagine a formal meal without pasta. This is followed by the Ambassador to the Holy See, Mary Ann Glendon, reads President Bush’s Proclamation of Thanksgiving, and than there is the long awaited presentation of the pumpkin pies. They are usually paraded out an original comical-musical-number.

"New Men," Jacob Strand from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee is enjoying a great pumpkin pie!

The great thing about Thanksgiving at the Pontifical North American College is that so much effort is put forth by our employees to help us feel at home. It shows that they consider us family, and this helps us to remember the family and friends that we miss back in the United States and Australia. It is also a time that the College really demonstrates its generosity, as the refectory (dining room) is over-filled with Americans from all over Rome. If it was not for the College, most of these Americans would not be able to celebrate the holiday.

Thanksgiving dinner with all the traditional trimmings!

Well each of us misses our family and friends during these holidays that focus so much on spending time with family and friends, it is also a time to call to mind what we are thankful. There is much to be thankful for. It is a great opportunity to live, study and pray in Rome. It is great to be called to the priesthood. Each day I become more and more thankful for being called to this holy vocation. Hopefully each of use have given thanks to God for the vocation we have received, whether it is to be a spouse, a parent, a child, a doctor, a teacher, whatever, since each of our vocations is the way that God calls us to holiness and happiness.

I hope that each of you had a blessed holiday.

Master it is good for us to be here...

Jesus took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." (He did not know what he was saying.) While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him." When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves, and told no one at that time what they had seen.

Luke 9:28-36

An image of the Transfiguration, apparently Saints Dominic and Catherine of Siena were there too!

Returning from Chinese food, Brian and were walking in through Firmum Est, and as we entered the corridor on zero-level we could look up through the big windowns and see the dome of Saint Peters illuminated and sort of hoovering over the college. At that moment I thought, "Wow - it is good for us to be here..." And I really do mean that -- last year was very difficult, but -- it's good for us to be here. Even in the difficulties I can say -- wow, it was good that I was here. This brought me to reflect on the Transfiguration of the Lord. Since the disciples -- Peter, James, and John said, "It is good for us to be here..." They were invited to see the Lord Transfigured before there eyes, and the vision was so amazing that they wanted to remain in it. This was not the Lord's mission though. He lived in the glory as bright as flashing lightning, even if it was hidden while here on earth. His mission was that each of us should live in that same glory, for as Paul writes, "He predestined us to be his adopted sons through Jesus Christ." And we were adopted through the Blood of the Cross. This is why Jesus was discussion the fulfillment of his departure in Jerusalem with Moses and Elijah, and this is why they could not stay up on the mountain.

Mosiac representation of the Transfiguration from the apse of the church at Mouth Tabor, traditional location of the Transfiguration

We follow the same path as the Lord. We will be glorified like him, as bright as flashing lightening. This Transfiguration is given a name in among our brothers of the Eastern Christians, deification -- in other words: becoming God like. This starts here and now. For me being in the seminary is a big part of this transformation. I can see how I have been transformed during this past year. It has been great. But this "way of transfiguration" must follow the same way that the Lord took, and this is the "Way of the Cross." This means suffering. There is much suffering in the world, and in our own lives, so I am not saying seek out to suffer more. What I am saying is seek out to let this suffering be a gift -- yes a gift -- a gift to the Lord. He has the power to Transfigure this suffering into our glory -- this is the promise that Easter holds.

Feast of the Dedication of Saint John Lateran in Rome

This is the full and somewhat imposing title of Saint John Lateran:

Arch-basilica of the Most Holy Savior, and Saint John the Baptist and John the Evangelist, Ecumenical Mother Church of the Whole Inhabited World

Facade of Saint John Lateran, in the orange building next door is the office for the cause of the canonization of Venerable Servant of God John Paul II, if you stop in they will give you great holy cards

This probably seems like an excessively grand title, since this church on the far side of Rome is often skipped by religious tourists. When you come to Rome though please pay it a visit. The significance of this church is that it was the first church dedicated in the whole world. Before this Christians were forced to worship in their homes due to persecutions. At times they might have been able to build a hall for worship, but never before this a church.

The interior of Saint John Lateran, the table of the Last Supper can be found to the left of the main altar, the skull of Saint Paul is in the canopy above the main altar, the bapistry can be found by exiting through the door to the right of the main altar and walking to the octangal building to your left, and the most precious treasure of them all can be found half-way down the farthest left aisle (the Blessed Sacrament chapel)

As such this church is actually much higher ranking than Saint Peter in the Vatican and the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. It is the “parish church” of the Pope since this is where He fulfills His function as the Bishop of Rome. Since He is the Universal Pastor, in many ways this church can serve as a parish church for all Catholics and all Christians. Here you will find the table used at the Last Supper, the head of Saint Paul, and the baptismal font where Constantine was baptized. Near by you can climb the “Sante Scale,” the stairs that Christ climbed in Pontius Pilates house (usually you climb on your knees), and down the viale you will find the church of the Holy Cross where the instruments of Christ’s passion are kept.

Holy pilgrims climbing the Sante Scale to have a bodily reminder so that their hearts may be closer to the heart of the Lord.

Come for a visit, and hopefully you find here a spiritual home – a place where all Christians can be gathered to pray to the one God.

Saint Augustine of Hippo preaching

What was done here, as these walls were rising, is reproduced when we bring together those who believe in Christ. For, by believing they are hewn out, as it were, from mountains and forests, like stones and timber; but by catechizing, baptism and instruction they are, as it were, shaped, squared and planed by the hands of the workers and artisans. Nevertheless, they do not make a house for the Lord until they are fitted together through love (St. Augustine, Sermon 36).

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.

REVIEW: Seminarian Summer Update

Market Square in Krakow, picture courtsey of Michael Nowak.

Peace and blessings to all of you. I hope that the summer season has found each of you as well as it has found me. My summer was divided between three main activities: Tertio Millennio Seminar on the Free Society at Krakow in Poland, parish internship at Lancaster in England, and an orientation team member back at Rome for the men just starting out at the North American College. Each offered its own rewards and challenges, but God graces worked through it all.

At the Tertio Millennio Seminar I learned about Catholic Social Teaching, especially as envisioned by Pope John Paul II. This area of Catholic teaching is very dynamic at this time. It offers a truly Gospel challenge to a world that seems to turn away from the Gospel more and more each day. It explores the place and voice of the Church in the world and in politics. It looks at the Churches role in addressing poverty and other injustices. It included the study of the “just war theory,” also is the place of public moral reasoning – so it looks at issues like the “culture of life” vs. the “culture of death,” the death penalty, and other current issues like embryonic stem cell research. It as the question: What should the response of the Church be to each of these issues? How does the Church bring about a more just society?

It was particularly interesting studying it in Poland, since it was the principles of the Church’s social doctrine that inspired the revolution of 1989, which overthrew communism in Poland and the rest of Easter Europe. This was dramatic and a significant victory for the Gospel – but it is not an event that can remain in the past. The mission to justice and charity lays always before us, it needs to be constantly maintained, and constantly informed by the Gospel. Since the Gospel ultimately stands for justice, truth (which is true for all people), and above all Love, having the Gospel inform decisions such as voting and public policy is never an injustice and never a violation of religious freedom.

View of Lancaster from Saint Mary's Priory (unfortunately a Church property stolen by the Anglicans, but never returned and Castle Hill overlooking the town of Lancaster. The steeple is of the Cathedral where I did my apostlate, and the bell tower is the town hall, paid for by a Catholic family which remained faithful to Mother Church during the "penal days" when Catholicism was illegal in England.

Peace and blessings to all of you. I hope that the summer season has found each of you as well as it has found me. My summer was divided between three main activities: Tertio Millennio Seminar on the Free Society at Krakow in Poland, parish internship at Lancaster in England, and an orientation team member back at Rome for the men just starting out at the North American College. Each offered its own rewards and challenges, but God graces worked through it all.

At the Tertio Millennio Seminar I learned about Catholic Social Teaching, especially as envisioned by Pope John Paul II. This area of Catholic teaching is very dynamic at this time. It offers a truly Gospel challenge to a world that seems to turn away from the Gospel more and more each day. It explores the place and voice of the Church in the world and in politics. It looks at the Churches role in addressing poverty and other injustices. It included the study of the “just war theory,” also is the place of public moral reasoning – so it looks at issues like the “culture of life” vs. the “culture of death,” the death penalty, and other current issues like embryonic stem cell research. It as the question: What should the response of the Church be to each of these issues? How does the Church bring about a more just society?

It was particularly interesting studying it in Poland, since it was the principles of the Church’s social doctrine that inspired the revolution of 1989, which overthrew communism in Poland and the rest of Easter Europe. This was dramatic and a significant victory for the Gospel – but it is not an event that can remain in the past. The mission to justice and charity lays always before us, it needs to be constantly maintained, and constantly informed by the Gospel. Since the Gospel ultimately stands for justice, truth (which is true for all people), and above all Love, having the Gospel inform decisions such as voting and public policy is never an injustice and never a violation of religious freedom.

The parish experience, along with the silent retreat at the end of the summer, served as a great stimulus to my vocation. Just as Jesus instructed the woman at the well to draw deeply of the waters of eternal life, he instructed me to do the same. As I was feed by the daily experiences of serving at Mass and visiting the homebound, by desire to be a priest – one who lays down his life in sacrifice for others -- has grown. I know though that I cannot be a good pastor without drinking of these waters, and a vital reconnection was made between the Lord and myself during the retreat. Perhaps the married couples reading this update can relate to this experience. Ever get so busy in your married life and family life, that you forget to spend time with your spouse and your family? Well it can happen to a seminarian and to a priest too! So this retreat was greatly appreciated – and I hope to spend more time with the Lord this summer.

Finally some really great news – the Pontifical North American College has welcomed sixty-one “new men” this year. These are over sixty men who in four years will be raised to the order of priesthood in four years to lay down their lives for you as your pastors and teachers. This is part of a greater trend throughout the United States of more and more men saying “yes” to the Lord and the awesome call to be a priest. As many parish communities in our diocese continue to face the difficulties of not having a pastor to be with us, we must listen to the Lord when he say, “pray to the Father, that he may send harvesters…” Please pray for more men to answer the call. Encourage your sons, nephews, brothers, cousins, and friends – if they have a call to priesthood, God will provide all that they need to be happy, healthy and holy.

Lastly pray for me that I may be a happy, healthy, and holy priest.

Saint Isidore Farm Club

May 19th Feast of Saint Isidore the Farmer

Rome is a beautiful city, and for this I am very thankful. I can enjoy over twenty-five hundred years of history, beautiful architecture, and all the amenities of living in a large city afford. It is beautiful and I am very grateful for the opportunity. But the fact remains – it is still a city. I am a country boy. A country boy will always be a little uncomfortable in a city. There is an allure about the open space, the nature, and just the attitude of the country that stays in a country boys heart. So alas I enjoy the city of Rome, but still long for the country. But really there is always a little bit of country in the city. The North American College even has its own “little farm” up on the hill over looking the college. Really it is just a small vegetable plot, but it serves my green thumb just fine. There is also the fraternity among country boys. Much to my surprise a few weeks ago I came into the refectory (dining hall) for pranzo (lunch) and four table where put together decorated with flowers, toy John Deere tractors -- It was Saint Isidore day. Saint Isidore is a Spanish saint, and the patron of farmers. He was so devoted to praying at the local church that his field work was getting neglected. Worried about this he prayed to God. Much to his surprise upon returning to his farm he say what was left unplowed, was now plowed; and what was left unplanted, was now planted. It was a miracle. So Saint Isidore continued his prayers each day, and each day his work was finished. Soon he began to wonder about these miracles. So leaving church early one day he snuck back to his farm to discover angles guiding the plows and picking the fruits of the vine and tree. The lesson that Medieval preachers often took from this bit of hagiography (holy writings, usually about a saint) is the same lesson that is contained in the sixth chapter of the Gospel according to Matthew: Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added onto you.This is a very important lesson in today’s world. It seems like everyone is traveling faster than a mile a minute with no time to prayer and rest – no time to rejoice in gifts given, no time to talk with Our Father in heaven who wishes to bless us in all things. I know that I need to remind myself of this lesson often in seminary – it can get very busy, so busy that I can forget to seek first his kingdom – really there is nothing more important. Papers need to get written, books need to get read, and jobs need to be completed, but perhaps spending a few extra minutes in prayer God will send a little angel to help in all these things.