Parish Pilgrimage Day 9 – Pope Francis

Our last full day in Rome we spent with Pope Francis, attending the general audience held in St. Peter’s Square.

A crowd of 75,000 joined us, but we were blessed to be near the area where Pope Francis passed in his Pope-mobile. The crowd was excited and Pope Francis had a big smile on his face as he made his way around the square in the open-air Pope-mobile.

During the audience itself the Pope continued his catechesis on the Creed during the Year of Faith. Here’s a good summary of his catechesis from the Vatican News Service.

It was a blessing for us to be there in Square with people from all over the world – what a great reminder of the universal nature of the Church!

Parish Pilgrimage Day 7 – The Early Church in Rome

Today we visited the Basilica of St. Peter in Chains, named for the relics it contains: the chains with which Peter was held bound while in prison in Rome before he was martyred. These relics remind us of the constant persecution the early Church faced, making the Church a church of martyrs. This reality would be more evident later in the day as we would visit the catacombs and the tomb of St. Paul. (St. Peter in Chains is also known for Michelangelo’s sculpture of Moses, which adorns the funeral monument of Pope Julius II, seen in the photos below).

The catacombs of St. Sebastian was a very moving visit to some of the earliest catacombs where the early Christians buried their dead and also met for prayer and worship. Unlike the Romans who cremated their dead because they believed the body to be useless after death, the Christians buried their dead in sure hope that they would share in the resurrection of Christ. Thus, the Christian catacombs were known as “dormitoriums” – places where the dead were merely sleeping as they await the resurrection.

Our day ended with Mass at the Basilica of St. Paul, outside the walls of Rome. Here, St. Paul was buried after he was martyred (by beheading). It was amazing to pray at the tomb of the great Apostle who traveled the known world to spread the Gospel of Christ. Paul’s conversion so radically changed him that, brought into friendship with Christ, he would spend the rest of his life making Him known to the world. Paul’s greatest witness to Christ was the shedding of his blood for Him.

This day brought us face to face with the vibrant faith of the early Church, a faith not diminished by persecution but made stronger and more believable by it.

Parish Pilgrimage Day 8 – walking the ancient city with Caravaggio

Today our pilgrimage took us on a walking tour into the heart of the ancient city of Rome, led by Caravaggio, whose masterpieces are found in a number of churches.

We visited the French church dedicated to St. Louis, king of France, where three beautiful Caravaggio’s can be found, each telling the story of St. Matthew: his calling at the tax collectors post, his inspiration to write his Gospel, and his martyrdom.

From there we visited the Church of St. Augustine, where the tomb of St. Monica, the mother of Augustine, is located. St. Monica prayed for thirty years for her son to end his restless search for truth and give his heart and mind to Christ. Monica’s prayers and perseverance were not in vain as Augustine finally chose to be baptized and turned his gifts and thirst for truth over to the Lord, who finally brought peace to his restless heart.

God’s care for His restless and prodigal children is brought to life in the Caravaggio that adorns a side chapel at St. Augustine: Madonna of Loretto (or Our Lady of the Pilgrims). Mary, holding the child Jesus, is dressed as one of the simple poor, and before her are two pilgrims kneeling in prayer, the dirt of their feet visible as they approach in humility. The painting caused scandal at the time because Mary was portrayed as a simple commoner, not in full glory as was normally done up to that point. Caravaggio was reminding us that God indeed came to us in the flesh, sharing in our poverty and suffering, and thus making himself approachable to us.

The final church we visited was Santa Maria del Popolo, which has two more Caravaggio’s: the conversion of St. Paul and the martyrdom of St. Peter. The conversion of St. Paul captures the moment when the Lord has appeared to Saul, called him by name, and begins the transformation that would completely change his life.

In the midst of the churches we visited, we also stopped in some of the best known piazzas and markets, and were also joined by Fr. McLean for part of the day.

Parish Pilgrimage Day 6 – A focus on the Passion and the Virgin Mary…

Today our visits surrounded two particular elements/themes: the Passion of the Lord, and the unique Motherhood of Mary.

Our day began with a visit to the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem. Here, in an upper chapel, are preserved some of the relics associated with the Passion of Christ, including a piece of the True Cross. The chapel is solemn and simple, allowing pilgrims to focus on the relics themselves.

Following our visit to the Basilica we spent some time at the Scala Santa, the Holy Stairs. Brought over to Rome by St. Helen (mother of the emperor Constantine), these are the marble stairs that ascended to the praetorium of Pontius Pilate, which Jesus stood on during his Passion and trial. Pilgrims climb the steps on their knees, remembering the Passion of Christ.

In addition to this theme of the Passion that dominated our day, we also focused on the Motherhood of Mary, visiting the patriarchal Basilica of St. Mary Major, one of the four principal basilicas in Rome and one of the earliest churches to honor the motherhood of Mary.

We followed that visit by heading to the church of St. Alphonsus where the original Icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is present. We celebrated Mass here at the main altar, with the icon looking on behind us. The Icon unites our two great themes for the day of the Passion and Motherhood of Mary: the icon depicts the moment when the child Jesus, having seen a vision of his Passion, flees to his mother’s arms for comfort and help. He has run so quickly that one of his sandals dangles from his feet. After Mass we were able to kneel down before the Icon as we prayed for the parish and all of our special intentions.

Our day ended with some of the pilgrims heading back to St. Peter’s Basilica to enjoy the facade and fountains illuminated at night.

Parish Pilgrimage Day 5 – St. Peter’s Basilica

Our day began early this morning as we headed to St. Peter’s to celebrate Mass with our group in the crypts below the main floor of the Basilica, not far from the tomb of St. Peter. The history of the excavations and archaeological work during the 1940′s and 50′s is fascinating and it is wonderful to see the work of science confirm the faith of the Church and see the great lengths that Christians went to in order to honor and preserve the place of St. Peter’s burial. Clearly Peter’s role in the life of the early Church was extraordinary if so much care went into honoring the place where he was buried after he was martyred (by being crucified upside down).

We celebrated Mass in the Hungarian Chapel, one of many chapels that fill the crypt area and were blessed to have Fr. McLean Cummings join us as well for a wonderful time of prayer.

Following Mass the group spent some time in St. Peter’s Basilica before heading off to visit the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel.

Following lunch later in the afternoon we moved onto Castel Sant’Angelo (Hadrian’s tomb and refuge of the popes in times of danger during the Middle Ages).

After a full morning and afternoon we had a break and dinner, before some of the pilgrims went out to explore Piazza Navona and sample some more Italian gelato.

On Sunday our day will include a visit to the church of St. Alphonsus for Mass where the original icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is enshrined.

Parish Pilgrimage Day 4 – Orvieto and Rome

Today our pilgrimage group left Siena and began heading south the to the small medieval hill town of Orvieto.

Orvieto is a beautiful well-preserved stone city with narrow, picturesque streets and one of the most amazing and beautiful churches you can find. But what Orvieto is best known for, spiritually, is the linen corporal (used in the celebration of the Mass) that was stained with blood in the Eucharistic miracle that took place in 1263. You can read more about the miracle here.

We celebrated Mass in the lower crypt of the Cathedral and then had the opportunity to pray in the side chapel that contain the corporal itself, displayed in a large reliquary on the wall.

Following our visit to the cathedral, we wandered around the town and enjoyed lunch before beginning the trip to Rome.

After settling into the hotel and eating dinner, our group took a walk to the Trevi fountain and enjoyed some gelato before ending the day. Tomorrow (Saturday) we begin the day with Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica…

Parish Pilgrimage Day 3 – Siena

We left Assisi today and traveled west and a little north to the Tuscan city of Siena, home to St. Catherine.

St. Catherine lived about 120 years after St. Francis and is honored by the Church both for her deeply mystical interior prayer and her external works to bring peace to the Church (working to bring the pope back to Rome from Avignon, for example) and care to those in need (tending the sick in the midst of the outbreak of the plague).

We visited and celebrated Mass at the Church of St. Dominic, where St. Catherine spent much of her short life (she died when she was just 33) and where some of her remains are venerated.

The Cathedral of Siena, which we also visited, is a stark contrast to the austere simplicity of the church of St. Dominic. Rich marble adorns the Cathedral inside and out and is filled with beautiful intricate carvings, which are meant to bring the one who prays into a deeper union with the Lord through the beauty of what the senses absorb.

The city of Siena captures much of what Tuscany is known for and we enjoyed a walking tour throughout the historic center.

On Friday morning we leave siena and begin heading down to Rome, by way of Orvieto, a beautiful medieval stone town that is home to an amazing Eucharistic miracle…

Parish Pilgrimage – Day 2 in Assisi

We spent our second day in Assisi, beginning with Mass at Santa Maria degli Angeli (St. Mary of the Angels), a large basilica that was built around a small chapel that played a significant part in the life of St. Francis. The chapel became the spiritual home of Francis and his companions, where Francis lived as he was forming the new community of friars, where they would draw spiritual strength as they were growing, and where Francis would die in 1226.

Following our morning Mass we visited the small church of San Damiano, where the Lord spoke to Francis through the crucifix, telling him to rebuild His church, which was in need of repair. Francis initially thought this was a command to physically rebuild the small church itself, which he did, but later understood the Lord was calling Francis to help rebuild the Church in a spiritual sense, by bringing about renewal and reform among the faithful.

After our visit to San Damiano, we moved on to the Basilica of St. Clare, where the body of Clare is present, as well as the crucifix that spoke to Francis.

We moved onto lunch and a number of the pilgrims enjoyed the traditional favorite of a panino di porchetta, roasted pork seasoned with all types of herbs, stuffed into a fresh baked hard roll.

The day continued with an amazing tour of the Basilica of St. Francis, led by Fr. Martin Breski, an American Franciscan Friar who works at the Basilica. Fr. Martin offered a wonderful commentary on the basilica, it’s art, and spiritual meaning, but also gave us the chance to visit some additional areas, including the extended portico that offers amazing views of the surrounding countryside.

Afterwards, the pilgrims enjoyed wandering the streets of Assisi, additional prayer (and shopping). Tomorrow we move into Siena and time with St. Catherine…

We continue to keep the parish family in our prayers!

Parish Pilgrimage – Assisi

Our group of 38 pilgrims from the parish arrived in Rome on Tuesday morning and then headed directly to Assisi, about a 2 1/2 hour drive through beautiful countryside.

In Assisi we celebrated Mass at the Basilica of St. Francis, in the Chapel of St. Catherine, and spent some time in prayer at the tomb of St. Francis. Following Mass the pilgrims were on their own for a few hours and most chose to wander through the picturesque stone town, enjoying the beautiful weather and view of the countryside.

On Wednesday the pilgrims will continue in Assisi, visiting the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, which contains a “church inside a church” – stay tuned for photos to see what that means. We’ll visit the church and tomb of St. Clare and return back to the basilica of St. Francis for a tour led by one of the American friars who lives and works in Assisi.

Here are a few pictures of what we enjoyed today…

Third Sunday of Easter – April 14, 2013

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We rejoice and give thanks for the gift of the Holy Spirit poured out on 8th graders this Saturday as they received the Sacrament of Confirmation and their own personal sharing in Pentecost. It is the gift of the Holy Spirit that brings the Church to life, not filling the institution in general, but setting each individual on fire in the power and gifts of the Spirit. A challenge for us, in our time, is getting rid of the notion that the Sacrament of Confirmation is just the final hoop to jump through or the last box to be checked off, as if it were an end. Please join me in praying for our newly Confirmed, that the fire of love they have received in the Holy Spirit will be the cause of a new life for them, not an end to religious education, but the beginning of a new life in the Spirit. Please pray for their parents as well – since we celebrate Confirmation in 8th grade our parents obviously need to remain actively involved in bringing their sons and daughters to Mass and encouraging them in the faith. Finally, we are thankful to Bishop Rozanski who always shows such great care and interest in our parish, especially in those he confirms each year.

Mark your calendars for our upcoming Parish Mission, which will take place from May 13-15 at 7:00pm each night. Our Mission will be led by Franciscan Father Dave Pivonka, T.O.R., a dynamic speaker who is well-known to those who have attended the High School Youth Conferences at Franciscan University in Steubenville each summer. Fr. Dave will be leading us into the theme of Spiritual Freedom: God’s Life Changing Gift. Don’t miss it!

Finally, I will be away over the next week and a half as I lead our parish pilgrimage to Rome, Assisi and Siena. Please know of my prayers for you as we visit the sites made holy by the example and witness of the saints, most especially Saints Peter and Paul, Francis and Clare, and Catherine. Please pray for us as well, that the Lord will give us a safe trip. God Bless!