St. Teresa of Avila

This morning I woke up early and went to Mass a Santa Maria Maggiore. It is one of the four Papal basilicas in Rome. Without a doubt, it is a stunning Church--a must see for any visitor of Rome. I might add that the mosaic in the apse is from the 13th Century, and is fascinating, filled with rich Christian symbolism. It's emphasis is the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Sancta Maria, ora pro nobis.

Mass this morning was part of a very, early Christian tradition/pilgrimage in Rome. In the early Church, pilgrims would join together every morning of Lent and celebrate Mass together. This tradition developed quickly into traveling to different and special or significant Roman Churches in order to partake in the Eucharistic feast in the fellowship of community and fraternity. Now, the Pontifical North American College essentially runs it. Hence, the Mass was in English, and there was quite the number of priests, seminarians, and religious brothers and sisters, too. A wonderful experience!

After Mass, I had class: Art in Rome. This is my favorite class here. It is taught on-site, and the professor is awesome. He is an "encyclopedia", and I've been lucky to have a couple of extra conversations with him outside of class: great guy to talk to. 

One of the churches we went to today was Santa Mara della Vittoria, a Church that is deeply baroque. Without a doubt, it is very dramatic, and the decoration is intense. Nonetheless, sitting in the Church, I did experience a sort of peace, a calming presence that, amidst all of the artistic movement, God--the Highest Beauty--was there. In the Church, in one of the side aisles, there is a beautiful sculpture of Saint Teresa of Avila, an incredible saint, mystic, and nun in the late middle ages (d. 1582). She joined the Carmelite order, and was a reformer; eventually finding a reformed convent of the Carmelites, in which the rule of prayer, meditation, penance, reverence and poverty was to be followed for love of Jesus Christ. 

Saint Teresa was a mystic. She had a deep, intimate and personal relationship with the Divine. Her writings are clear about this. (It is no wonder why she was, in the 20th C, given the title of "Doctor" of the Church, meaning that her writings are well worth a read--to say the least.) In her Autobiography, she details one of these mystical experiences she had:

It pleased the Lord that I should sometimes see the following vision. I would see beside me, on my left hand, an angel in bodily form--a type of vision which I am not in the habit of seeing, except very rarely...He was not tall, but short and very beautiful, his face so aflame that he appeared to be one of the highest types of angel who seem all afire...In his hands I saw a long golden spear and at the end of the iron tip I seemed to see a point of fire. With this he seemed to pierce my heart several times so that it penetrated to my entrails. When he drew it out, I thought he was drawing them out with it and he left me completely afire with a great love for God. The pain was so sharp that it made me utter several moans; and so excessive was the sweetness caused by this intense pain that one can never lose it, nor will one's soul be content with anything less than God. It is not bodily pain, but spiritual, though the body has a share in it--indeed, a great share. So sweet are the colloquies of love which pass between the soul and God that if anyone thinks that I am lying I beseech God, in His goodness, to give him the same experience.

I loved this sculpture. It is certainly worth looking at, praying over. It is beautiful, and it reminds one of the importance to seek internally the charity of God, that His Love is satisfying, full, and, always characterized by excess, is able to fill the human heart's thirst for eternity. Indeed, His is the only Love able to bring each of us home--He is our origin and destination, and the fullness of life is rooted in living within the fullness of His Love.

^ The Tabernacle and design over the altar

^ Ceiling of the Church and organ in the back

These two pictures are of the St. Teresa sculpture:

Well, I wanted to share this with all of you. The pictures do not really do it justice, but it is better than nothing. Tomorrow morning I am going to Chrism Mass with the Pope. Friday: Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum with the Pope. Saturday: Easter Vigil with the Pope. St. Teresa of Avila, pray for His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, a great and honorable Vicar of Christ and Bishop of Rome, and pray for us that we may be made worthy to experience anew the Easter season of the Godman Jesus Christ!

Svizzera!

I am sorry that I have been so lazy. It must be this whole, you know, living in the Eternal City thing that is making me slack when it comes to keeping an online journal. I am going to blog about Switzerland right now. Then, I promise, very soon, I will blog about Tunisia and Germany.

Switzerland:

Perhaps the most beautiful country... The Swiss Alps drench this country and the landscape with such a natural beauty that my words are completely worthless in trying to describe how great it was. 

Thursday night, Morgan, Courtney and I hop on a plane to Milano. There, we stayed with Andrea (Chiara's cousin). We had a very nice night. Andrea was overly nice and hospitable to nice. He took us out to a quite delicious pizzeria. I enjoyed a spicy salami pizza, with a beer, and a caffe to top it off. :) I love Italian dining. We went back to his place, talked for a bit, and then went to bed. Good first night.

Friday morning: we wake up and walk with Andrea to his work. We say our good-bye's and then walk into the amazing and mesmerizing Cathedral of Milano.

I would put up more pictures of the Cathedral, but the only way to do justice is 1) visit it yourself, or 2) look it up online--the pictures will probably be better. Anyway, the architecture is gothic, and it took 400-500 years to construct. All I can say is that when I entered into the sacred space, my eyes were oriented toward a greater reality, that in fact I was not walking into another building, but I was walking into a majestic temple, a sacred space where the Sacred rests. I was walking into a sanctuary where God, in Jesus Christ, meets man.

Leaving Milano, we took the train to Switzerland. This country is so beautiful. We stayed in Interlaken ("between the lakes"). It is a small town resting in between the lakes and the Swiss alps. Every direction I looked, I was just taken by the natural beauty of the land and sky. The mountains reaching into the skies, and clouds and fog animating them by touching the tops of their bodies. Always a touching experience to see the glory of the Divine Creator shine so magnificently within creation!

So, Friday. We get to Switzerland, and find out very cool hostel: Balmer's. It's one of the most famous hostels in Europe. It basically rocks. We met some sweet people, and had some fun (maybe too much fun!). Friday included going to the grocery store, Mass, walking around town, walked into a crazy cool chocolate store, watched a movie, and at night, we went to the bar at Balmer's, and hung out, talked, and danced--of course. 

Saturday: the day for sky diving. So pumped. We get the the sky diving place, and all the divers are really cool people. Morgan and I are incredibly excited, and the anticipation and excitement only grew as we saw the first group take off and fly into the open sky. It was so cool seeing little dots fall from the sky--very fast--and eventually open up into parachutes as they soared through the sky. Then stupid clouds decided to wreck havoc upon our lives. We were unable to sky dive on Saturday. Heart broken, distressed, and everything else sad, we returned to our Hostel, but hopeful that Sunday--the Good Lord's day!--would bring us better luck. 

Saturday night: what a night...

Sunday! We did have better luck. This was the day when I would fall from the sky, over 11,000 ft high, for a good 45+ seconds. So let me give you the story. I walk into the plane. It's a small, small, small thang, and 12 of us with the pilot pile in. At this point, I am just pumped up. Flying into the air, my professional strapped me to him, and I took some pictures. It was so, so, so beautiful! I loved it. Then, the door opens on the side of the plane. Holy hell... That's when it got just a bit scary, but at the same time, a bit more crazy. I felt like a basketball I was so pumped up. Then, all of the sudden, a jumper and his jumpee dive off the plane. Wow. Then, three other jumpers dived out at the same time. My turn. I can't even explain the feeling. I sit on the plane, and my feet are dangling off the side. Then the professional I was jumping with says, "here we go!" and bam we roll out of the plane doing flip after flip after flip. I was screaming my lungs out and put out my hands like Superman. I flew and I loved it. Can't wait to do it again. I would tomorrow. 

Leaving Interlaken, we spent the night in the airport at Milan and arrived back to Roma this morning. It was a great weekend, and all I want to do is dive again. I'm starving and am going to get dinner now, but I will put up some pictures shortly.

Assisi + Norcia

So I realize that I have not yet written a post about my adventure to Assisi and then Norcia with the wonderful Catherine. 

Assisi, once again, proved to be mystical and amazing. I was in awe all over again. The small city is simply fascinating.

When we arrived, we went to the Basilica di S. Francesco. There, I looked for Fr. Noel, a friend of a Franciscan priest at SLU. I saw a friar walking by me, and I turned to Catherine: "He kind of looks American...I wonder if its him?" She said, "Just ask!" So I did, and sure enough, it was him. We caught him just in time to give us an awesome, private tour of all three levels of the Basilica. He explained to us the many different frescoes, detailing their symbolism and meanings. I saw the Basilica in a whole new light, and I loved it even more. So beautiful.

He then showed us the friary where he lives. It was sweet. Very tranquil, peaceful--such a setting for prayer, conversation, fellowship; it was, indeed, a great place for a spiritual way of life. He took us up to a balcony that over looked the land of the Umbria region. Walking outside, I could not believe my eyes. Catherine, after a few seconds, even experienced a couple of tears fall from her eyes. We said simultaneously: "This is the most beautiful sight I have ever seen". It is no wonder that Francis had such a deep love for creation, had such a keen, and even divine, insight into the importance of creation, that God saves us through creation, that the Incarnation is God, in the flesh, entering into and therefore recapitulating the history of creation. I will always remember what I saw. Standing and staring, I was actually flying, soaring through the sky: ascending to God through a sense of wander and awe.

The following morning, Fr. Noel was nice enough to celebrate Mass in private with Catherine and I. It was so peaceful. We were so thankful to have that opportunity. The chapel was a small room in the friary. Very simple, yet it radiated in its simplicity. An awesome place to celebrate the descent of God, and so the ascent of man.

At Assisi, we also saw a few of the other beautiful churches, as well the Basilica di Santa Chiara. Saint Claire, during this one small trip, became one of my favorite saints. She had such a deep understanding of simplicity, poverty, and joy. In fact, Saint Francis actually suffered from depression. But always, in those time, Santa Chiara was a cure. Santa Chiara: pray for us, that we may communicate the joy of knowing Christ!

In the Basilica di Santa Chiara, there is the original San Damiano crucifix that spoke to Saint Francis: "Rebuild my Church". I loved just sitting in a pew, staring at the beautiful crucifix. It was touching to know that what I was looking into was, in a however imaginative, mystical, and spiritual setting, the voice that spoke to a holy Saint. I love Assisi!

Early in the afternoon, we set off to Norcial--the birthplace and hometown of St. Benedict, the founder of the Benedictine order. When we arrived, it turned out to be a great weekend because it was a festival weekend. Of what? Of a mushroom. Really, Italians are unbelievable. However, I dare not complain. I ate so much free samples of food. I felt like I was at home in Grandpa's kitchen again: sausage, prosciutto, mozzarella, vino! Che squisito!

We met up with some Benedictine monks and prayed Vespers with them. If you heard their voices! The Gregorian Chant was so fascinating. I was mesmerized. Why more liturgists do not enforce the official music of the Roman Church, which is simply a music for the soul's ascent--and this is clear--I do not know! My praying the Psalms was a mere listening to the voice of men who have given their lives completely to Jesus Christ through silence, meditation, and prayer. It was beyond words.

How important it is these orders of religious and contemplative men and women. Their prayers are immensely important if we want peace. How blessed we are that the Church takes seriously Paul's invitation to "pray without ceasing", and literally there does not exist a second in time when there are not bodies of men and women adoring, praying, and singing to Triune King. May their prayers encourage us to live in a holy way, spreading the Gospel, and living in the Kingdom, the Lordship, of God.

Overall, our time in Norcia was great. I had dinner and breakfast with them (they eat all their meals in silence), and we prayed Night prayer on Saturday night, as well. On Sunday, I woke up quite early for morning prayer at 6 (might I add that they wake up even earlier to pray at 4 AM), and enjoyed breakfast with them. Then, we participated in the celebration of the Mass before we departed back home to Rome.

Assisi and Norcia were both wonderful. It was a very peaceful and spiritual trip.
Sts. Francis, Claire, Benedict, and Scholastica: Pray for us!

^ View from Santa Chiara

^ The chapel where Fr. Noel celebrated Mass for Catherine and I

 ^That really pretty view. It doesn't cut it. And where we were was awesome, too. We were on an balcony supported by columns and arches.

^ The Friary: Sacro Convento

^ Norcia Festival!

Ciao San Benedetto!

^ Look at those blown up intestines... Mother, remind you of your basement back in the hometown?

^ Yum...

Coming Soon: Tunisia! (If you have facebook, my friends have tagged me in a bunch of pictures, so check it out.) 

Pax et bonum!

Out of the Continent

Family, friends, and followers of Casus Romae... I am bout to leave for Tunisia. I will be there until March 15th. I cannot wait! One night we are getting on some asses and going camping in the desert. One night, we'll be at a freaking 5 star hotel--pray I don't get kicked out. One night we are going to party with some Tunisian students. One day, we are going to have a presentation from the US Embassy and Tunisian scholars. One day, we'll be going hiking. One day I'm going to get my father a rock.

Ah, I'm so excited! I already am excited to write about it upon returning.

One last thing, I want to apologize that I never put up a post about Assisi and Norcia with Catherine. I have to do that still, and I promise that I will. It was an incredible weekend trip!

Well loved ones, God speed.

By the way, I'm practically going to another universe. After all, Tunisia is the home of Star Wars... (I get to go in one of the Star Wars "bars" too!) This is crazy. Oh, and I'm going to hunt an Arabian Knight. Wouldn't that be sweet?