Bus and Train tours

Last Saturday and Sunday all of us on the sabbatical program went on a bus tour to visit an Etruscan city filled with lots of burial grounds - necropolis, near the town of Cerveteri. We were amazed how many mounds of burial grounds were in the area. Later that afternoon we visited Lake Bracciano and had lunch at one of the local hotels along the lake. This lake reminded me of Lake Tahoe with beautiful mountains surrounding the lake. On Sunday several of us went by train to the medieval city of Viterbo. I was impressed by the number of churches in the area pocketed throughout the city. In the 12th century there were a number of Popes who lived in the city during the turbulent times in Rome. Pope John XXI is buried in the basilica of San Lorenzo, a beautiful Romanesque Church. There is also a beautiful church named after Santa Rosa where the remains of St. Rose are buried in a side chapel of the church. On September 3rd of each year, the parishoners have a procession in the city in honor of St. Rose; they carry a "machine" - longated candle that is well lighted and luminous. We began this week with sessions on the 3rd age spirituality. Sr. Margaret, Daughter of Mary and Joseph, from England is our facilitator for the sessions focusing on the later stages of life; growing gracefully with age and wisdom. On Wednesday we continued our sessions on life-long learning focusing on Jung's psychology. During the second session we focused on the importance of prayer especially contemplation - long, loving, look at what is. I am reminded of the classical definition of prayer: lifting up of our minds and hearts to God. Here at Manziana we have time for meditation besides our morning and evening prayer along with Eucharist everyday. This place is very conducive for prayer; nice garden and apple grove with lots of trees and plants around the property.

Manziana

We arrived in Manziana on Sunday afternoon after an hour's drive from Rome with the Marists and Marianists brothers; there are 16 Marists and 5 Marianists men here for the spiritual renewal program. After unpacking our bags we had a social before a light dinner that evening. It was great meeting the brothers from all over the world. Sharing our charism and histories of our congregations is so enriching and gives me a breath and depth of our ministries in the Society of Mary. We began this week with orientation - getting acquainted with the residence and having a tour of the city; places like post office, bank, stores, bus and train stations. This morning we began sharing our personal histories of our vocations and ministries. The staff includes Bros. Des Howard from Australia and Bro. George from Chicago and Fr. Rob from Australia. The staff began the rounds of personal history this morning. I will be sharing my personal journey with two other Marist brothers this evening before evening prayer and dinner. It is an enriching experience for me to be here and witness the lives of these brothers. Photo of Manziana taken from the roof top of the residence. The weather is getting colder in the mornings and early evenings; rained for the first time on Thursday and today at noon; hopefully the weather will be fine tomorrow when we will take a bus tour of Lake Bracciano and towns near Manziana. Sunday will be a free day and the five of us may take the train to another town about an hour's train ride from Manziana.

Leaving Rome

This afternoon after the main meal we are leaving for Manziana to begin our renewal program joining fifteen Marists at their International Spirituality Center; there are five Marianists who will be participating in this English program. The Third Age program (ages 65-80) also are in French and Spanish languages. Bros. Jose DeGorio and Bob Maruyama comes from Honolulu,Hawaii; Bro. Charlie Wanda hails from Dayton,Ohio and Bro. Richard Schrader is from the state of Texas living in San Antonio. It has been great to have this week exploring the historical and religious sites of Rome together. Yesterday, the GA and Seminary communities celebrated two birthdays at the main meal at 1:00 p.m. They really know how to celebrate here in Rome with lots of pasta, salad, meat, wine, brandy, coffee and conversations. Every Sunday both communities gather together for the main meal. Eucharist is held at the GA chapel for the members of the community and for the local parishoners; also the seminarians go out to the local parishes too. The seminarians are responsible for the Sunday meal and light dinner. The fellowship and hospitality of our Marianist brothers is very good to experience here in Rome.

Walking tour of Rome

One of the best ways to see Rome is to take a walking tour of the city. Our General Administration of the Society of Mary (Marianists) is located at Via Latini 22. The Curia Generalizia is located just outside the Porta Latina (Latin Gate) of the ancient Roman wall, on historic Via Latina. Via Latina runs very close to the ancient road Via Appia Antica. It is very easy to visit most of the religious and historical sites of Rome by using public transportation; just one euro for metro or bus. By walking through the Roman wall I can visit the Baths of Caracalla, Circus Maximus on my way to the Roman Forum and Colosseum. Another way to see the city is to walk to San Giovanni and take the metro to other historical or religious sites. Yesterday I took the metro to Piazza di Sgagna- Spanish steps which is very close to the shopping areas of Rome. From there I walked to the Trevi fountain, Pantheon, and Piazza Navona. Visited Chieso Nuova where St. Phillip Neri is buried and another beautiful Church, St. Andrew where the Order of Clerics Regular Theatine, founded by St. Cajetan of Thien, have their residence. Also visited Gesu Church where St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, is buried. I took the bus from Piazza Venezia to San Giovanni, then walked to the General Administration in twenty minutes passing shops, bars, and restaurants.

Shrine of our Lady of Divine Love

Most of the churches and basilicas here in Rome are historical sites being built many years ago. I found a "modern church" - Shrine of Our Lady of Divine Love just outside the city of Rome. The history of the Shrine dates back to the XIII century. In the Roman countryside where the present shrine is situated, there was a fortress belonging to the Savelli-Orsini family, and was called "Castel di Leva". On one of the towers of the castle there was an image of the Virgin Mary, portrayed as sitting on the Throne and holding Jesus in her arms. A dove descends upon her as a symbol of the Holy Spirit, which is indeed the Divine Love. The image frescoed was venerated by the local shepherds from the beginning. In the spring of 1740 a wayfarer on his way to Rome, while approaching the tower, was attached by a herd of dogs and was on the point of being slaughtered. He saw the image of Mary and cried out to her for help. Immediately the dogs calmed down and left the area. On account of this event, on Sept 5th of the same year the image of Mary was cut and removed from the tower and transferred to a nearby estate called "La Falconiana", where there was a small church dedicated to St. Maria ad Magos". Five years later on April 19, 1745 the image was brought back to its original place where meanwhile a church has been erected and was consecrated later in 1750 by Cardinal Carlo Rezzonico, who later became Pope Clement XIII. From that time onwards pilgrimages began and gradually the number of pilgrims became numerous, and pilgrimages are continuing still today. On March 25, 1942 Don Umberto founded the Congregation of the Daughters of Our Lady of Divine Love, and twenty years later the Oblate Priests, who since then have the care of the Shrine. The new Shrine was solemnly blessed by Pope John Paul II on July 4, 1999. The New Shrine has green ground as roof, great colorful stained glasses which fill the entire space of the church with light.

Vatican City

Jose DeGorio, Bob Maruyama, Richard Schrader and I went to Vatican City to visit the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. We left early in the morning at 7:20am to stand in line before the crowds got there. Although I have been there with Bro. Tony Young six years ago, it was truly inspiring for me being at the Sistine Chapel. There were hugh crowds of tourists at the museum from all over the world. After visiting the Sistine Chapel we walked to St. Peter's Basilica. Seeing the Pieta was another religious experience even with the enormous number of people crowding the area. We left the Vatican grounds and took the Metro to San Giovanni Basilica to have lunch at Pastalito which is located in front of the Basilica. The pasta here in Rome still lives up to its reputation. There were plentiful food along with beer and wine; no wonder the locals here take a siesta or walks after the main meal. After lunch we walked to Santa Marie Maggiore. Bernini is buried near the main altar of the basilica. We then proceeded to walk to Termini to visit another Church, Santa Marie. After a long day of ten hours of walking we finally took the bus back to Via Latina's residence.

Last Week in Rome

Today is Monday, October 9, 2006. Traditionally in the United States it is Discovery Day known to many Americans as Columbus Day. Here in Rome our Marianist seminarians begin their classes in their respective seminaries. They take the metro and buses to the seminary and come home in the evening for Vespers and a light supper. This is my last week in Rome before I head out to Manziana to begin my Sabbatical. So I have this week to further explore the sights and sounds of Rome. Today I visited the baths of Caracalla which is just 20 minutes from the General Administration residence. I pass through the Aurelian Walls of the city; there is a long stretch of the brick-faced Aurelian Walls which are preserved along Viale Giotto and Via dei Guerrieri. Built in the 270's(and completed in 5 years) to defend against the bararian invasion of Rome. The walls are 26 ft tall and 13 ft thick. Despite the builder's best plans the fortification yielded to the invasion of the Alaric the Goth in 410 A.D. The ruins of the Baths of Caracalla date back to the 3rd century bathing complex; something like a country club for the ancient Romans. The main bathing block, where Romans took the waters of the caldarium (hot baths) tepidarium, and frigidarium, has great black and white mosaics and brick niches where marble statues used to stand.

Marianist Seminarians

This evening at our Eucharist three Marianist brothers were officially initiated into the Seminary. They received a candle from the Rector of the Seminary, Fr. Lorenzo Amigo, and his assistant rector, Bro. Timothy Phillips after the homily during the Eucharist. Bros. Sudhir Kujur from India, Stephen Wanyoike from Kenya and Mario Clevera from Spain were welcomed to the Seminary community. After a festive dinner the seminarians gathered in the palor to continue the celebration with slides showing the three seminarians and their former ministries along with their family/relatives. Song and dance followed the presentation along with a social. Laughter and fun games united the seminarians in fellowship and brotherhood. The Seminarians will begin their classes at four different seminaries here in Rome; Angelicum seminary teaches classes in English while the Gregorium teaches classes in Italian and Latin.

Walking tour of Rome

This morning after breakfast I took a walking tour of Rome with Patrick McDaid, Marianist seminarian beginning his second year here the Angelicum. Patrick loves to walk and it was good seeing the city and walking to the various sites of the city. We passed through the Aurelian Walls of the city up toward Circus Maximus passing the Baths of Caracalla, and heading toward the Capitoline Hill and Roman Forum. The Campidoglio (Capitoline Hill) is one of the most sacred of Rome's hills where Michalanagelo designed the star-patterned square and surrounding buildings of the Capitoline Musuem. The bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius in the center of the plazza is a copy of the 2nd century A.D. origial which is inside the museum. It was fascinating viewing the Roman Forum below the Capitoline Hill while a protest march was going on down the street; a strike was called this morning from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. I suspect that the folks were on strike to participate in the protest march. There were many tourists from all over the world walking through the Roman Forum. The Forum during the Roman times was the nerve center of the most powerful Western civilization in history for a least a thousand years; political decisions were made, public speeches were heard and market activities took place there. The remains here in the Forum dates back to 2,000 years including old temples, law courts, and victory monuments. We walked back to the Marianist Residence passing through the Roman Forum, viewing the Colosseum and the Arch of Constantine. One of the highlights and surprises for me walking back to the Marianist residence was visiting the Chiesa Di Santa Maria in Domnica, the church for Cardinal Laveda. When Bishop Laveda was installed as Cardinal by Pope Benedict he is given a specific title and Church to designate his office. Santa Maria is a very modest Church compared to the other impressive Churches in Rome.

Villa d'Este - Tivoli

Today I visited the Villa d'Este in Tivoli about 18 miles from Rome. This trip to Tivoli was a pleasant drive through the countryside of Italy. Tivoli is situated on a hill overlooking the city of Rome; I could see the dome of St. Peter's Basilica from Tivoli. The Villa is known for it's beautiful fountains and commisssioned in 1550 by Renaissance noble and Cardinal Ippolito d'Este. There are lush, steeply sloping gardens, grottoes, reflecting pools and even a musical fountain. It was a delightful and refreshing experience to walk along the gardens and see all the different fountains and reflecting pools with whimsical grottoes and statues.

Catacombs and Castelgandolfo

Today I went to visit Callisto Catacombs on Via Appia Antica near the Marianist residence; first time seeing the catacombs and discovering that ancient Roman law forbade burials, regardless of religion, inside the city walls. There are at least 60 catacombs that have been discovered on the roads leading out of Rome. The most famous are San Callisto and San Sebastiano on the Appian Way. There are over 500,000 burial sites in these catacombs; many martyrs during the persecutions of Christians and children too. I was impressed by the enormity of these catacombs and the four levels of depth sometimes over 40 feet below ground. Several popes have been buried in these catacombs in the early Church. Because of the barbarians invading Rome and sacking the tombs for wealth, the Church excavated these tombs and moved many of the bones to different places and churches. Christian-themed inscriptions and frescoes are everywhere in the catacombs. Later we went to Castelgandolfo to visit the Pope's summer home. Pope Benedict is residing there now for the past two months and will be moving back to Rome at the end of the week. I did not get a chance to see the Pope; he usually comes out on his balcony facing the Pope's Plaza at Castelgandolfo everyday at 1:00 p.m. I did watch the changing of the Swiss guards at 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm in a short ceremonial ritual. The weather is much cooler at Castelgandolfo than in the city of Rome. After seeing Lake Albano and walking around the plaza we had coffee and cafe laitte before leaving for Rome.

Rome

Blessings and greetings from Rome; arrived here on Sunday evening, October lst, from Dublin. I had a wonderful visit in Ireland and look forward to my visit to Rome and Italy. Weather is warmer than Ireland and the sights and sounds of Rome is exciting for me being back to Rome since the year 2000 when I was here for the beatification of Fr. William Chaminade, our founder of the Society of Mary. Staying at our Marianist General Administration on Via Latina outside the walls of Rome. Our Marianist Seminary is also here at this residence. Right now we have 15 seminarians from around the world. Italian is spoken here and at our morning and evening prayers along with Eucharist. Photos taken from the 4th floor of the residence overlooking the city of Rome; you can see the Vatican and the Dome of St. Peter's and the ancient walls of Rome too. I begin the sabbatical program on October 15th at Manziana, the International Spirituality Center for the Marist brothers, along with four other Marianists and fifteen Marists. I have time to visit the city and to experience Rome before the program begins.