New Guys in Red

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On Saturday, February 18th, 22 new Cardinals were made of which there were two American bishops. This was a proud moment for our nation but also for the seminary. The now Timothy Cardinal Dolan and Edwin Cardinal O'Brien are not only US bishops but they were also at one point rectors of the NAC. Needless to say, this was an exciting event for us, particularly as we hosted their reception at the seminary.

This was a tangible way we were able serve two men who have served our seminary for a number of years. As Kevin, I, and the other seminarians were put in charge of serving drinks and snacks to the many friends and family members of the two new Cardinals, we had the neat opportunity to talk to many people who had known the Cardinals for many years and see their own excitement for their election.

I spoke with a a couple of men who had gone to high-school with Cardinal O'Brien. Others who were priests who had been in seminary with him. I also got to talk to some people who had been staff of the first diocese of which Cardinal Dolan had been bishop. There were also many cousins, siblings and other relatives of each, including Cardinal Dolan's mother. All expressed a real joy and excitement for the big honor their dear friends had received. It was neat to see the real, down-to-earth side of the new Cardinals.

Having spent many years at the NAC, both Cardinals celebrated Masses of Thanksgiving here with their friends and family. On the whole, it was awesome to see, by the testimony of so many people, that both of these men have truly spent their lives in generous service as holy and happy priests.

It is no wonder that Pope Benedict XVI entrusted to them the responsibility of Cardinal as he defined below:

The new Cardinals are entrusted with the service of love: love for God, love for his Church, an absolute and unconditional love for his brothers and sisters, even unto shedding their blood, if necessary, as expressed in the words of placing the biretta and as indicated by the colour of their robes. -Excerpt from Pope's reflection during consistory

Let us then pray for these two new Cardinals and thank God for all the priests who have laid down their lives to serve those entrusted to them by God.

A to Z

In the down time between the end of exams and the beginning of the new semester, there have been a number of reasons to celebrate here at NAC.  And though we will share the other major one with you in the next post, the first was the anniversary of Great State of Arizona.  The 100^th birthday of AZ was a unique opportunity for Fernando and me to make our mark on the community here and show that this young, up and coming state has a lot to offer. 

On the eve of the anniversary, we cooked (ok, Fernando cooked and I gave the moral support) some Mexican food, and it was delicious.  Though there are only the two of us official from Arizona, there are a few other seminarians that lived in AZ at some point in there life, so we made sure they were around to celebrate with us.  Then we also thought we’d invite our brother from the bordering states, so we were happy to have seminarians from New Mexico and Utah as well. 

The next day, what came to be know around here as Arizona Day, was simple enough.  We made a giant Arizona style rice crispy treat that seemed well received by the rest of the community, because it did not last long.  Then we put on the movie Tombstone to give them some perspective on Arizona culture.  I think they have a new respect for us....

Though all in all it wasn’t much more than a good excuse to have party, I think it meant a lot to both of us.   It was good for us to reaffirm our connection to our home and think about again the people we will one day return and serve.  Though I know I have said this before, drawing nearer to the people we are going back to, allows us to draw nearer to Christ, the motive and strength of our service.  Ultimately, our whole seminary journey, our whole formation, has an AZ flavor; it is all influenced by our home, from beginning to end, or, if you will, from A to Z.

The End is Near! Repent and believe in the Gospel!

Though we probably aren’t coming to the end of time, as one would think walking the streets of Rome these days, the unbelievable has been happening in Rome the last weeks.  Snow.  Serious snow.   We are not talking here of a flurry or two, but snow that has blanketed the city and, like any good Italian, has refused to go away. 

This isn’t to say that it hasn’t snowed in Rome before.  Sure it has.  But not for whole days and then remain on the ground for days afterward, this is truly unique.  As you might imagine this ancient city is not really snow plow friendly, so the roads are covered with snow and ice.  What for a normal US city would be nothing to think twice over, Rome just shuts down (despite the mobilization of their fleet of street sweepers).  Buses wont go, trains are shut down, and most people find it a good enough excuse not to go to work.   It has been fascinating watching this.  And though I am a little bitter about leaving seminaries in Ohio and Indiana to come to the Mediterranean and still have snow, the city has a certain beauty covered in white.  So though I may play the cold hating desert dweller, a part of me is enjoying this.

Besides from the apocalyptic weather patterns, here at the NAC we are coming to an end:  the end of the first semester.  I have two more finals this coming week and that will be it; the following week is the new semester.  These kinds of endings, though as dramatic as the work ending spectacle of the movie 2012, definitely brings with it the encouragement of look back at your life (or at least the last semester) and see what you’ve made of it. 

Though survival was goal number one my first semester in a foreign country, it not hard to find where other important goals got ignored along the way.  To be fair with myself, there were many challenges that took my attention away from these things: the language barrier, a new culture, new classmates, new people to live with, new routine, home sickness, etc.   Yet these are excuses, good excuses, but still excuses.  They tell why it was easy for me to do (or not do) the things I did (or didn’t do), not why it’s ok that I did them.  In fact, there is something refreshing about taking a frank look at my failings (read sins), acknowledging that it was me that did them and not my circumstances, repent, and receive forgiveness (read confession).  So now this new semester, instead of looking like 5 more months of the same struggles and same stumblings, is a wide open and clear as the Roman sky after a snowfall (?) and I’m filled with the joy of freedom that only the grace of Hope can provide. 

As lent approaches, I highly recommend this kind of apocalyptic introspection (if you were looking for my recommendation) or perhaps more simply- Repent and believe in the Gospel!

 Well….I still have tests to get ready for….that whole repentance thing, you know…refreshing and joy and …something like that…. 

A Simple, Spontaneous Burst of My Joy of Being Catholic

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After six months since our arrival in Rome, four months since our first day of classes, and one month after Christmas, Kevin and I have finally arrived at the end of classes and the beginning of the "exam period".  Yet, not only are final exams more than a month later than students in the US would be taking exams, but we had to register for each exam.  Thus, our exams are spread out over a three week period: yeah, weird.  And, as if all that wasn't weird enough, most of our finals are oral, and, as it turns out, I've never had a comprehensive oral exam.

And though most of us students would like to be doing a million other things instead of studying for exams, they are a very real way we learn to lay our wills aside for a higher call - the higher call in this case being fundamental learning that will benefit my future as a Catholic priest, not to mention obedience.

I wanna add, also, that I am very excited right now to be a Catholic and to be in seminary.  Yeah... what? Yes! There are so many attacks that the Church is experiencing in the world today - most recently, and concerning, from the US government - and we as Catholics have a grave responsibility to proclaim the Truth to the world with great love and passion.  That Truth is found in Jesus Christ, Who speaks to us today through Sacred Scripture and the Tradition handed down to us by the apostles and their successors (popes and bishops).

And this isn't some oppressive, archaic, lifeless faith: this is the Truth that gives our lives full meaning, joy, and excitement. Friendships are stronger, marriages more full of love, old-age more meaningful, and youthfulness more exciting and free when Christ is the center of our lives.  Even playing rock music is more fun when one has the peace of living in truth! In every circumstance of life, we have all the intimacy, love, and freedom we could ever desire when we have given our whole life in loving surrender to a personal God who created and loves and sustains each and every person and desires nothing but our total, authentic love in return.

(For a better articulated and enthusiastic testimony of someone else who is excited to be a young Catholic, take a gander at this article)

I will leave you all with some pictures of my Christmas travels. I spent the break with three buddies of mine who went to the Josephinum with me for college seminary and are now with at the NAC.  Beautiful cities where the faith used to be a rich treasure valued by the majority and are now almost totally secular. I hope we as Catholics realize that what we have is not some private religion we keep to ourselves but a rich and beautiful truth that sets people free and should transform every aspect of our lives and of our culture.

Paris

Paris

London

Catholic Cathedral in London

Ireland

Eric and I trying leaning into the strongest wind ever!