GRAZIE e ARRIVEDERCI

I thank all who have been a prayerful support and have shared my sabbatical with me.  Enjoy this farewell video.

PETER REMEMBERS

Relic of the chains which bound St. Peter during his captivity in Rome

The final week of my sabbatical program here in Rome was a retreat given to us by the theologian of the Papal Household, Fr. Wojciech Giertych, O.P.  Fr. Giertych's led us in examining the discipleship of Peter, as seen from the perspective of Mark's gospel. It has long been a tradition in scripture scholarship that the author of Mark's gospel is a companion of Peter, who writes for the Christian community in 1st century Rome.  For the purpose of the retreat, Father asked us to read this gospel as Peter remembering his time with Jesus.  From this lens, we were seeing the gospel's perspective not as one of triumph but also a reflection of Peter's regrets and failure's along the way. Peter is harsh on himself and the other disciples and therefore tells the story of the Good News, from one who was weak, sometimes failed and maybe perhaps wished he could go back and re-do what he had missed.  As Peter approaches death, he remembers what he has done and what he has failed to do.

Fr. Wojciech Giertych, O.P.

We were blessed with many insights during the talks, but the overall theme stuck with me.  As I leave Rome, part of my sadness is that I look back on the 7 weeks and reevaluate what I could have taken better advantage of.  I know that in my life too, I can get stuck on past failures and missed opportunities. Our meditation on Mark's Gospel, as Peter's reflection on his past, brought us to a closer realization and acceptance of the fact that it is not about our accomplishments and satisfaction.  "Thy will be done," we pray.  The Father's will is done, not through me but through Christ who chooses me as he chose Peter, with human weakness clearly evident. I may never feel completely accomplished, but the real measure is what has God accomplished through me. 

I don't think in offering us these insights we were being encouraged to not worry about our shortcomings, but rather to recognize the love of Christ for me, who fails, and because he loves me, he asks me as he asked Peter, "Do you love me?....Feed my sheep."

Celebrating Mass at the nearby church dedicated to St. Onafrio.
The rector of the church is the brother of a Holy Family parishioner

SHEPHERDS WITH THE HEART OF CHRIST

Fr. Gerard Gentleman with Diocese of Rockville Centre Seminarians
Alexander Turpin, Michael Bissex and Leo Song
after celebrating Mass together at St. Peter's Basilica

"I will give you shepherds after my own heart" (Jer. 3:15).

In these words from the prophet Jeremiah, God promises his people that he will never leave them without shepherds to gather them together and guide them:

MALTA - A Pilgrimage Experience

St. Paul's Island, Malta - The sight of the shipwreck of the vessel carrying the imprisoned St. Paul to Rome

In reviewing the outline of my Roman sabbatical program, the pilgrimage to Malta intrigued me on two levels.  First, I questioned how this fit the theme of the sabbatical module on evangelization and second, I wondered, what there really was to do in Malta. My questions were more then answered in these five days. 

IMAGINATION, The Art of Faith Proclaimed

The Chapel at Casa O'Toole - the site of the Institute of Continuing Education for Priests
at the Pontifical North American College

These days of sabbatical, which have been devoted to preaching, have often evoked a discussion on imagination.  Through these discussions I have come to a renewed understanding of the importance of creativity in preaching.

ASSISI - Discerning God's Holy Will

The Church of San Damiano outside of Assisi
The original cross was moved by the Poor Clares
to the basilica in Assisi dedicated to St. Clare

St. Francis of Assisi's Prayer before the Cross

Most high, glorious God, 

illuminate the darkness of my heart. 

Give me right faith,

certaihope,

perfect charity,

profound humility.

Give me Lord,

judgement and discernment

to fulfill your true and holy will.

The first time I can recall the word, "discernment," it

FAMILY - Our deepest experience

 © Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk

Pope Francis prays before an icon of the Holy Family at the prayer vigil ahead of the opening of the Synod on Families

As the first week of my sabbatical nears its conclusion, I am very much mindful of my parish family back home.

OPEN THE WINDOW

When I arrived here at the Casa O'Toole on the grounds of the Pontifical North American College for the beginning of my sabbatical program, I was welcomed and taken to my room on the 3rd floor.  "Go over to the desk and open the window," the director of the program said to me.  When I did so, the view above is what I saw.  Today I moved some of the furniture around so I did not have to reach over the desk each day to open the window to let the awesome view of St. Peter's Basilica into my room.

In looking out onto this historic symbol of the Church and the incarnation of Christ from my room, I recalled words from Saint Ambrose that I read on the flight over.  In speaking of the admonition of Jesus to "go into your room (to pray,)" St. Ambrose comments...

But by “room” you must understand, not a room enclosed by walls that imprison your body, but the room that is within you, the room where you hide your thoughts, where you keep your affections. This room of prayer is always with you, wherever you are, and it is always a secret room, where only God can see you.

A hope for me during this blessed time is that I am opened in a new way to the voice of God.  I pray that I may open the window of my soul a bit more, so as to let the grandeur God enlighten my innermost being.  This too is the goal of preaching, the subject matter of my first 3 weeks here.  As a preacher, the words preached are most effective when they touch the inner soul of the hearer.  As a preacher, one must first be able to encourage the hearer to open the window of the soul, to let that word in.  
  
Before obeying the direction to "open the window," I asked, "why?"  "Just do it," my host said.  How often we are reluctant to be open, without knowing the outcome before hand.  As I begin my weeks here, I ask you to pray that I may be open to the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. Through this openness, may I grow in my own faith and therefore be able to offer to you God's word in a more effective way.  

Know that I pray for you, that you too might, "just do it," and open the window of your soul to the greatness of God.