The Heart that Prays is the Heart that Loves

My latest missive runs today at Catholic Exchange, and will eventually appear in the Catholic Telegraph:


‘In the New Covenant, prayer is the living relationship of the children of God with their Father who is good beyond measure, with his Son Jesus Christ and with the Holy Spirit.’ With these words, from the introduction to the fourth section of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we are reminded that the life of the Catholic Christian is not simply about blindly following a set of rules, but is ultimately about being drawn deeper into unity with our Triune God.

For those who have read it, this last section of the Catechism is amazingly beautiful, as it is profound. Describing the joys and struggles of personal prayer, as well as the history and development of prayer in the Scriptures and life of the Church, it provides a wonderful basis for all of us wishing to grow in prayer; for left alone, we do not know how to pray as we ought.

While there is much to recommend, I want to focus on one section: paragraphs 2725-2745, entitled ‘The Battle of Prayer.’ Acknowledging that ‘prayer is both a gift of grace and a determined response on our part,’ these paragraphs affirm that prayer is not always easy, sometimes there is dryness in prayer and the heart aches for a response from God, yet only silence is heard. When one experiences such things, it is tempting to think that the method one is using for prayer is wrong or that God has somehow left you alone in the desert to wander on your own.

Rather, it is often the case that God might be asking for strength and discipline in prayer, refining the impure motivations and helping to dispose the heart to be set only on Him. Many of the spiritual masters in our tradition talk of prayer like a muscle, that unless it is exercised, it will atrophy and disintegrate. Then when need arises and one turns to prayer, nothing happens. The will has been so weakened, it is unable to respond, truly a frightening proposition!

But the Catechism gives some helpful guidance in this regard. In the face of difficulty in prayer, the Church calls for vigilance. The bridegroom comes in the middle of the night, and blessed are those who are prepared for his return. This vigilance calls for an attentiveness of heart to the promptings of the Spirit, but the heart will only hear those promptings if it has been conditioned to do so.

The Catechism also highlights temptations found in a lack of faith and acedia. The prior is getting caught up in the cares and concerns of this world, only turning to the Lord as a last resort, highlighted by the phrase: ‘I have tried everything else, I might as well pray.’ Perhaps if we had the habit of praying first, God would help us find the pathway out of this particular mess quicker! Acedia, on the other hand, is becoming too comfortable, a ‘lax ascetical practice.’ In this, the will is not conditioned to deny itself, untrained by fasting and almsgiving; even the smallest temptations are unable to be resisted.

As we grow in prayer, three fruits begin to manifest: trust, hope and charity. The heart that prays trusts in God’s providential care that no matter the storm, the Loving Father will help you to see it through to the end. In essence, ‘Do not tell God how big the storm is, but rather tell the storm how big God is!’ The heart that prays is formed to hope that that there is more here than meets the eye. It recognizes that this world is not all there is, but that there is a paradise awaiting on the other side. Finally, the heart that prays is the heart that loves. It is the power of love for both God and our fellow men that enables the heart conditioned by prayer to persevere over difficulty for the sake of the other, that they too might dwell in God’s Eternal Home in the life to come.

Christmas in July?

Last week, the whole Schnippel Clan finally got together in celebration of mom and dad's 40th Anniversary of Marriage. (Their anniversary was in April, but we had this trip planned out in celebration for some time, as it was the best slot that worked for all of us.)

Seeing as how we come from Western Ohio, Cincinnati and Eastern Iowa; we tried to find a place that was (somewhat) convenient for all and settled on Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana. (Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, Indiana.)

We left a week ago this past Sunday and returned on Wednesday, July 21. And while my snarky side really wants to come out, we did end up having a pretty good time, all in all. (which is no small feat when you bring 31 different personalities together!)

The reason for my post, however, is that Holiday World makes no apologies about being a Christian environment. There is a large nativity set displayed prominently upon entering the park, the dress code is strictly enforced: nothing too revealing (i didn't venture into the water park), no offensive slogans on t-shirts, etc. One of the sound stages was playing Praise and Worship music during the day. The park was clean and well kept, the staff very friendly and cooperative, and best of all: free drinks! They have Pepsi Oasis stations around the park, go in, grab a cup and fill-er-up. When it is well into the 90's, as it was last week, these are life-savers!

If you are looking for a good, family-friendly vacation spot in the eastern Mid-West, consider Holiday World.

A Special Thanks

goes to the Knights of Columbus of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

On Saturday, July 17, the Knights of Columbus from the Archdiocese gathered for the annual State Officer Training/State Tour, something like that. Anyway, it was mostly the heads of the local councils to bring them up to speed on what the initiatives and agendas will be for the upcoming year.

Over the last few years, the state treasurer presents the diocesan vocation office with the funds collected from the diocese through the Knights' Pennies from Heaven Campaign. (Side note: the Pennies from Heaven is the jar that the Knights pass around during their meetings and they collect the spare change and pennies from members' pockets; all to be presented to the local Vocation Office.) This year, I was presented with a check for a little over $15,000, which we can all agree is a bunch of pennies!

We use this money for our media outreach and development, setting it aside until we can do something big with it. Past examples: the revisions that brought about www.cincinnativocations.org when I came on board four years ago were paid for out of these funds. The 'Man Behind the Collar' videos were paid for out of these funds. The upcoming revisions to the main page of the Vocation Office are also funded by this. We use any left over funds to support the production of our annual Vocation Awareness Week Materials as well. We try to stretch each penny to it's max, and I think we have been successful in developing a good product with what we have been given.

As I had a Mass that I needed to get back for, I was going to leave right after the check presentation (I know, ingrateful lout that I am!). However, they told me to hold on for a few minutes.

Unaware, I sat back down to be awarded with the 'Religious of the Year' award from the Knights in Archdiocese of Cincinnati for my work in the Vocation Office: helping raise the awareness of the importance of vocations, for diligience in traveling far and wide for the work of the office, and for the long hours it seems I work. (Yes, Dad, more than three hours a week!)

I was truly humbled and thankful for the recognition. However, as I said in my remarks upon receiving the award, I truly feel that this is just what I have been obliged to do. I very much enjoy the work I get to do as Vocation Director, and am just trying to be a servant in the vineyard of the Lord.

Anyway, a special note of thanks for all that the Knights of Columbus, both here locally and nationally, do to support vocations to the priesthood.

Fr. Michael McGivney, Pray for us!

Thank a Priest

Dr. John Zmirak, author of the riotessly funner 'Bad Catholic's Guide to ....' series, has an article over at Inside Catholic: 'In a State of Grace? Thank a Priest!'

His second paragraph, after talking about the joys priests have in celebrating the Eucharist, states:


I cannot imagine taking the same satisfaction in hearing confessions. In the church where I go to be shriven here in New Hampshire -- no, it's not my parish . . . I don't evacuate where I eat -- the priest who faithfully staffs the booth each Saturday sounds like he's in his 70s. His old voice creaks through the grille, gentle but serious, and on my way out after penance I find myself wondering about the man. What path drew him to this place? Is he sick at heart, after all these years, of hearing week in and week out how stubborn and irreformable are our hearts? How is his health? And then, more selfishly: What will we do without him?

Truthfully, this is one of the hardest things for laity to understand. Until you sit 'in the box' and hear Confessions, you can never know how you will react, and the graces that flow directly in front of your eyes during these moments. Many priests, this humble scribe included, report never feeling more like a priest than when sitting in the box, 'shriving' the faithful.

Why is this? First, as mentioned, grace is palpable in this Sacrament. Hearts open up before you, not because of any particular talent or gift you may have as a priest, but simply because you are a priest. It is in the Confessional that the priest is truly called to be an 'Icon of Christ,' merely a bridge between this person and the saving grace of Our Lord on the Cross. It is humbling that some will tell me their deepest, darkest sins and fears, faults and failings, not for me to hear, but for Christ to hear. To offer a bit of counseling, at which I often feel very inadequate, and to echo the prayer of Absolution. I tell you, I can often feel the power of Christ channeling through.

Does this mean that every Confession is like this? Unfortunately not. Some, one can tell, are reciting the same laundry list of sins since their First Confession. Yes, they are there, but as a priest, I want to work with them to get at the heart of those sins that they might not fall back into the same traps. Some, I can tell (and I do not have the gift of reading hearts, that would be very scary!) only mention a few minor things, and I wonder what else is there. (Six months between Confessions, and all you've done is look cross-eyed once?!?! Should I start the canonization process now?) It happens infrequently, but does happen that some confesses something but does not have firm purpose of amendment to change their ways, and yes I have refused absolution, but only very rarely and never lightly, as a way of trying to help bring about the conversion. I hope and pray I was right in these situations.

One last point: anonymity and 'remembering' the sin. As priests, there are particular graces that do help priests forget the sins, whether face to face or behind the screen. Plus, I know I make a conscious effort not to remember, but when I am finished with my 'session' in the box, try to say a short prayer before the Blessed Sacrament: 'Lord, these were offered to you, I place them at your feet that you might take them all and forgive these sins offered in hope.'

It helps me, and I imagine other priests have their own way of coping, too.

That, and we hear so many confessions, it is hard to remember what went with who. In the box, you're not that important, Jesus is.

Why Visit Rome?

Having returned from a visit to Rome, my fifth visit to the Eternal City, I have recapped the events of the journey, but am yet to offer the 'why' of a visit.

Why should a Catholic, otherwise of good standing, visit the Eternal City? It is certainly not a requirement, for many a good Catholic, even Saints of the modern times, have never visited. But ask anyone who has journeyed to the Tombs of the Apostles, and they will relate a lasting impact.

What is this lasting impact? I have five thoughts:

1) Universality. To visit Rome is to experience the universality of the Church, which is rarely experienced in the local parish. At the Pallium Mass on the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, 38 Archbishops from all five inhabited continents were present: the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa; each bringing his own local flavor and character; exemplifying 'unity in diversity.' For while there were many languages spoken, we were united in Latin and by our common Faith in Christ Jesus under the leadership of the Holy Father.

A quick story illustrates: While the pilgrimage group was in St. John Lateran Basilica, a priest approached me and asked in, I think, either Italian or French, if I could hear a few confessions. Um..., 'Inglese?' Nope, he didn't speak English. German? AH! We have found a common language and could discuss what was needed. He was a chaplain of a small boys boarding school, high school or college, I couldn't tell which, and the eight or so young men would like to avail themselves of the Sacrament. I couldn't accomadate, as I don't speak French, but here we were, all pilgrims from various lands, seeking out a commong heritage.

2) Historicity. The Catholic Faith lives and breathes History, and in fact is the author of so much history. To visit Rome is to be steeped in the movement of the Spirit across the sands of time. It is a relatively short walk from the Mamertime Prison, where St. Peter was held prior to his trial, to the famous basilica bearing his name. In Rome, it is so easy to make those connections, to walk the levels of history to experience the growth of the faith from a persecuted minority, the Church of the Martyrs, to some small remnants of the medi-eval times, through the glory of the Renaissance and the emergence of the Modern Papacy, and so much inbetween.

Yet, it is not just the 'impressive' stuff, that attracts. The tomb of Philip and James are kinda off the beaten path and you have to know they are there to find them. The smaller Churches in and around Rome fostered the devotion of countless saints and heroes in the faith, many of whom have been lost to the passage of history. The Catacombs reveal a tenderness for the body which we have lost today. Yet, in all of this, one recognizes very clearly: Catholicism loves history, embraces her past and looks forward to the future.

3) The Papacy. We have been blessed in the last 30 years with exceptional Popes, and one could easily extend that over the last 100 plus years. Freed from the confines and trappings of the Papal States (even if I did not honor the tomb of Vittor Emmanuel in the Pantheon!), the Modern Papacy has had some of the clearest teachers and defenders of the Faith among those who have sat on the Throne of Peter. What treasures they are. It has been an honor to be at Masses celebrated by both Pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI, and while it is the same Mass, the same Lord Jesus Christ as is present at any Mass, to experience the charisma of JPII and the quiet power of BXVI is to experience the Mass in fullness. What a blessing it is that we have been given the Papacy, men to lead us through the trials and tribulations of the Modern World and to constantly remind what it is to be Christian and Catholic. Long Live the Pope!

4) Cultures. One of the charms of the Eternal City is the mixing of many cultures present therein. To walk from the Flavian Ampitheatre (aka Colosseum) up the Via Forii Imperiali, past the Vittor Emmanuel Moment (aka Wedding Cake) and continue past the Gesu to St. Peter's and the Vatican is to experience 2000+ years of cultural development, and how the Church has 'inculcated' herself across time, even in the face of difficulty. The Church does not exist in a vacuum, but has constantly upheld what was good in the culture in which she dwelt, while simultaneously challenging that which was evil. I thought of this as I passed a Methodist Church yesterday while driving back to the parish. The sign on the door: 'Open hearts, Open minds, Open doors.' Yes, fine, ok; come as you are; but with Catholicism one must add: 'be conformed to Christ, Crucified!' The Church has always been the leavening agent to bring Him into what we do.

5) Art. (possibly tied with the last point.....) Rome is a city of Art, and so much of it free to view. At the dawn of the modern age, the Church was the patron of the Arts, she commissioned the best and brightest artists of the day to compose phenomenal works that still imbibe a passion: the Pieta, the Sistine Chapel, works of Caravaggio, the Gesu, etc, etc. The Church has seen these as part of not only her patrimony, but the patrimony of the human race, expressing in form St. Augustine's maxim: 'Our hearts are restless until they rest in you, O Lord.' We have all heard the critique that 'the Church should sell off all those works and give the money to the poor!' (Haven't we heard this before, from lips I don't want to be quoting!) Yet, if the Church did indeed sell the Pieta to the highest bidder, one would no longer have the free access to see one of the most powerful sculptures ever made. What would be the cost of admission to that museum, if it was even shown?

I am sure there are more, this is what I could think of for the day. Every time I visit, I see something new, experience something deeper and come home enriched in my faith and more in love with the Church. Hopefully those who have not yet made it to Rome will experience something of the Eternal City in these humble reflections.

Back to Rome, pt 2

Saturday morning again dawned bright and clear, hardly a cloud in the sky during the entire week.

We headed down to St. Paul's once again, this time for Mass as a group. We were originally assigned to a small chapel, but we wouldn't fit, so we moved into the apse chapel. Hard to pay attention.... Anyway, St. Paul welcomed us to his Church.


and Pope Benedict smiled down upon us with all of his predecessors, right up to Peter himself!


With the connection to our Cathedral Church, we had to make a stop at St. Peter in Chains, to see the very chains themselves! Back into the City we went.


Moses shook his horns at us, I couldn't get closer for a better pic, alas!

A short trip down the Esquiline (?) hill to the Flavian Ampitheater, aka 'The Colosseum' Tempting to call it a 'big pile of rocks', but impressive none-the-less. A cross now marks where the emporers sat and condemned so many of our early Christian brothers and sisters to their death, (but NOT the Apostles, it wasn't built yet!)

From there, we went back out of the city to the Catacombs of St. Callistus, I had some shots of the grounds, but nothing too impressive, shots underground were forbidden. The one teenaged girl in our group started to sort of freak out a bit while in the catacombs, but she made it through.


From there, back into the city for Mass at Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, the Domincan Parish in town. Below is a pic of small chapel dedicated to St. Catherine of Sienna, big enough for three people, I think.

From there, to dinner! And what's this, Opera Singers?!?! Too Cool!

The male singer, mysterious missing from the above pic, was proud to say that he was a Cardinal, once upon a time! He played a Cardinal in the movie about Pope John Paul II and still had the pic on his cell phone, he was sure to show allt he priests in the group!

Alas, RomeTrip2010 was coming to an end, an early, early morning pic-up at the hotel (3:30 AM) for the flights back, one through Frankfort and Chicago to Cincinnati, one through Paris to Detroit, and the process of beating jetlag begins. I think I am mostly over it by now.

I will offer one more set of reflections on the impact of the trip and some further thoughts, stay tuned.....

Back to Rome, pt 1

Last week, Friday and Saturday, saw more visits to Churches in and around Rome, plus a few other stops.

Friday morning, we had Mass in St. Mary Major, the main side chapel to the left as you face the Main Altar. The section on the other side, where I had Mass with my folks on my last visit to Rome, was closed. :(

In the above, we can see St. Pius IX praying in the Confessio of the main altar. Why Pio Nono? He declared the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. Notice the size of that statue, as well. He'd be well over 10 feet tall!

We had a quick tour of the church before going to the Church of St. Alphonsus, which is the shrine of the Icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, with the original icon, at that. My first time in this Church, it was a nice little church. Below is the main altar/apse area.

After, we jumped back on the bus to visit and tour St. John Lateran, where we had Mass earlier in the week. One can always tell pics of SJL b/c of the massive statues of the Apostles along the nave, here my confirmation patron: James the Greater. Remember, this is the Pope's Cathedral Church, not St. Peter's.

After St. John Lateran, the group returned to the hotel and had time for some shopping. I would rather pluck my eyeballs out, so I noticed from the map that the last two pilgrimage Churches in Rome were nearby, so I started walking.

To go down the boulevard directly out the front doors of John Lateran is to come to Sante Croce in Jersulam, the Church of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem. Alas, LOCKED for siesta! How are pilgrims supposed to take advantage of all that Rome has to offer when one encounters Siesta?!?!

Alas, I continued on, outside the walls to Saint Lawrence, which, conveniently enough, we ALSO LOCKED! Strike TWO! (lesson: don't explore during Siesta!) Below is a pic of the front square of St. Lawrence. As a side note, this was the home parish of Eugenio Pacelli, aka Pius XII. This is where he stood during the bombing of WWII, with arms outstretched, interceding for the city and the people. Beautiful spot!

Ok, fine, I succombed to Siesta and took the Metro back to the Hotel.

After Siesta, I journeyed out again, this time on search of Caravaggio's, wishing for more luck that pilgrimage churches.

First stop: Santa Maria del Populo, which was a rather short walk from the hotel. Alas, I found what I thought was the right Church, turns out there are two of the same name, or that it is a 'split church,' only Romans would think this a good idea! I was in, what I would learn, is the wrong one! To find the paintings of the martyrdom of St. Peter and the calling of St. Paul, go to Piazza del Populo, on the north end of the old city, the two Churches at the north end of the square, and they are in the one closest to the River Tiber. Now I know.....

Not to be totally thwarted, I did find the Madonna with the Peasants at San Augustino's, which is a truly stunning work. Earlier in the week, we had visited Sante Luigi dei Francesca (St. Louis of France) and the Matthew Chapel to see his works there.

Back to the hotel for dinner and a sleep.

Rome Through New Eyes

My latest missive runs in this week's Catholic Telegraph. Be sure to also catch their coverage of Archbishop Schnurr's reception of the Pallium.


“Um, Mom, this is the small one.”

Two years ago, I had the opportunity to travel to Rome with my parents. They had never been, while I was making my fourth trip to the Eternal City. I had a sense of the city, the scale, the majesty, prior to our arrival, but it was fascinating to experience the ‘newness’ of entering Rome for the first time through the eyes of my parents.

Mom’s jaw had dropped upon entering the Basilica of St. Mary Major, one of the four major basilicas in Rome. The gold leaf on the ceiling, the altar and canopy that dominate the space and the shear volume of space was overwhelming for a first time visitor, yet St. Mary Major is dwarfed by her three larger sibling basilicas — St. Peter’s, St. John Lateran and St. Paul Outside the Walls. As my mother experienced, the faith was much bigger than our little parish in western Ohio.

As I write this, I am preparing to return to Rome for the fifth time, this time with a group of pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati who are journeying with Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr as he receives the pallium from Pope Benedict XVI. I can’t wait to once again see the look of awe as someone enters St. Peter’s, or experiences the joy of flipping a coin into Trevi Fountain or strolling through the Roman Forum for the first time.

For those who make a trip to Rome, the impact can be lifelong. To walk the streets where Peter and Paul walked, to visit the prison where Peter was held before his martyrdom, to see the altars built up over the remains of the names we hear in the Roman Canon, our faith comes alive. There is a strong recognition of the universality of our Catholic faith, a universality that is both across history as well as across the globe, for in Rome you truly come into contact with your brothers and sisters in Christ from all corners and all times.

The testimony of history and of cultures worldwide, however, can lead to a trap: one can become obsessed with the outward gleanings of the church. St. Peter’s Basilica is phenomenal, one of the largest structures in the world. The art contained in the churches and museums in Rome is priceless and transcendent and the cynical sort might ask, “Why doesn’t the church sell all this stuff and give the money to the poor?”

True, we could do so, but then we would lose the deeper meaning. These artistic treasures are the patrimony of the faithful, and so many of them are available to see without cost (well, except for the plane ticket to Rome!), which would surely change if they were sold into the halls of a private collector.

But even deeper, the many works and treasures in Rome are there because they express something, they teach, they form you as you walk among them. The Eternal City is just that because her very DNA is wrapped in Christ, and Rome expresses her faith in Christ in all the beauty and treasure that is contained in her ancient walls. Rome expresses not a dead faith, but a living reality — Christ.

To visit Rome is to meet our ancestors in the faith, to walk in the footsteps of martyrs, churchmen and women, great teachers and humble workers with the poor.

The difficulty is that we cannot all make this same trip, so what are those who remain to do? Luckily, here in Cincinnati, there are numerous churches and sites that serve as possible local pilgrimages. While not as epic in scale, they can serve much the same purpose. The two cathedrals in the Greater Cincinnati area, the Shrine Chapel in Maria Stein, St. Meinrad Archabbey in Indiana, or Gethsemane in Kentucky, all provide much the same encounter as Rome.

No matter the location, the universality of the church of Rome shines forth in all her splendor, and we thank God for the gift of the church to guide us closer to Him, both on earth as it is in heaven.

This is just what priests do.

On the flight back from Rome, I had the chance to read through (finally) Fr. Brett Brannen's excellent new work: 'To Save a Thousand Souls: A Guide for Discerning a Vocation to Diocesan Priesthood.' As a Vocation Director, this is the tool I've been looking for in helping men discern the priesthood.

A former vocation director and now director of formation at Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland, Fr. Brannen has a unique insight into what it takes to make for a successful vocation to the priesthood, steering young men (and perhaps not so young) through the sometimes difficult and complicated maze of discernment, with clear and practical ideas.

Beginning with personal anecdotes of his priesthood, he starts in a very positive light that shows the impact one priest can have on a family, a village, a country and the world. Moving on, he outlines basic steps for discernment, spiritual direction, virtue, dealing with parents, celibacy and cheerfulness all the way up to daily life in a seminary of today and the new priest's ordination day.

Acknowledging that a vocation is only heard in prayer, he also provides rosary meditations for those discerning a call to the priesthood.

Chapters 9 (The Seven Stages of a Diligent Discernment) and 10 (Practical Ideas for Discerning Diocesan Priesthood) provide clear and concise steps in discernment, such as 'God can't drive a parked car, it's time to move!' 'say three Hail Mary's every day,' Pray before the Blessed Sacrament,' 'write down the pros and cons of marriage and priesthood,' 'do a 'what can't I live without' exercise,' and many more.

In short, I certainly learned a great deal to help in my work, and men discerning will certainly benefit greatly from this work.

Assisi

Last Thursday, we broke from the heat of the city of Rome for the sleepy hamlet of Assisi, home to one of the greatest saints of all-time: Francis.

While there, we visited the Basilica, pictured above through the gate leading into the square before the Church.

Roughly, what, 3 hours north of Rome by bus, we reviewed the story of the little poor man and hit the sites which he made famous: San Damiano and St. Mary of the Angels (right?) down in the valley.

As we were making our way home, it struck me the impact that St. Francis continues to have in his home town, even 800 years later. One man, striving for holiness, continues to have a lasting effect.

I wonder what would happen if each one of us strove for the same thing in our lives: each person striving for holiness in the midst of the Church. How would our world be different?

Papal Events

Ok, we're home, resting, catching up on news and stuff, and finally getting around to posting events from last week, please forgive the delay!

Monday evening saw a portion of our group journey to the residence of the US Ambassador to the Vatican for a short reception in honor of the Archbishops receiving the pallium the next day. I got to meet a few of my brother priests from around the country as well as the members of the NAC class of 1975 who were in town for their 35th anniversary. I lost track of the number of bishops in the class, alas.

From the Janiculum Hill, we traveled down to St. Paul's Outside the Walls for Evening Prayer with His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI.

At first, I was seated fairly far back because I was talking to some folks and didn't get a spot with our group (a common occurrence), but Fr. Hadden, a fellow pilgrim, called me forward for spots for priests. (How Biblical! (Ah, Rome, where clericalism still lives...))

Evening prayer was quite beautiful, but alas I don't speak Italian, so I didn't understand the homily. I have yet to look it up and print it off, but I have time this week for that.

We heard about the US Supreme Court case at the end of Prayer, too, so something extra to pray about.

Afterwards, we journeyed by bus back into the city for dinner on our own. I took a group to Abruzzi's, which any Casa Santa Maria alums would recognize, as it's right around the corner. Yummy!

Tuesday morning dawned bright and clear and a short jaunt over to St. Peter's Square for admittance to the Pallium Mass. I waited for Archbishop Schnurr, as he was 'passing me off' as his secretary for the Mass, all so I could get a better seat, :)

It WORKED!

I was a Communion Minister for the Mass (note: NOT a concelebrant, on the honorees concelebrated, everyone else, bishops and Cardinals alike, attended in choir) which means I was seated right by the choir, to the rear of the Confessional Altar, ie Main Altar that only the Holy Father gets to use.

The Mass was better than I could have hoped, and while I didn't have a view of the pallium conferral itself, we did get to see the freshly donned pallia as the Archbishops walked back to their seat. Above, you can see Archbishop Schnurr holding his new pallium after the Mass.

During the Eucharistic Prayer, us poor Eucharistic Ministering Priests (yeah, really 'poor'!) were to stand at the bottom of the steps while holding a ciborium of hosts to be consecrated by the Holy Father. We then went down the main aisle to minister Holy Communion. I guess it worked as smooth as Communion for several thousands can be? Still, a true thrill! Again, the music was unbelievable!

After Mass, up to the North American for a reception and that was that.

Wednesday, General Audience time. Archbishop Schnurr was able to snag us some 'reserved tickets,' in which we were seated immediately to the Holy Father's left, up on the same level. Again, three days in a row to be in proximate locale to the Holy Father! A true blessing!

Prior to Pope Benedict's arrival, we had an epic 'Battle of the Bands' as an 'oompa' band from Switzerland staged off against a bagpipe and drum corps from Saragossa, Spain. I thought the Swiss had it, but the votes were still out by the time we left.

The Holy Father showed and took the tour around the square in the Pope Mobile and made his way up to the dais for the address. Again, no Italian, gotta find the English text somewhere. (I'll post the links when I get the time/energy to look them up.)

By the time it was over, I would say it was at least 90 degree F in the square by the time it was over, and in the black suit, HOT HOT HOT! Alas, a good reminder of where I'll be if I don't change my ways!

Afterwards, Fr. Hadden and I toured a bit of the city before returning to the Hotel Cicerone (near Castle San Angelo) for dinner.

So, three days, three papal experiences. Can't ask for much more than that!

More soon to come.

Checking in from Frankfurt

Well, I didn't get to post much over the week, alas! I will catch up on posting, hopefully writing some while in the air.

The plane is a few minutes from boarding to Chicago, talk to you then.


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