The End of the Easter Octave

Well today, Divine Mercy Sunday, brings with it the conclusion of the Octave of Easter - the 8 days of celebration - because you know, the Resurrection is too awesome an event to celebrate for just one day, we need 8!  And with the end of the Octave comes a time of reflection for me and looking back on Easter and this wonderful week of celebration.

First, WE HAD NO SCHOOL!  Gosh, it's like I'm a little kid - but it was really nice to not have to go to school every day - although I did take full advantage of my time "off" and studied and got ahead on a few subjects.

My last post I did make mention of a little bit of a surprise - because I had to wait until the photos were ready, but...  On Easter Sunday I was able to actually meet the Holy Father!

I mentioned that he greets the Cardinals following the Mass - well last Sunday, after greeting the Cardinals, he went to the next row - and since I was seated behind the Cardinals, I knew he'd make it down to me!  The other time that I was able to shake his hand (kind of), by the time he arrived the only thing I could say was... "ablugh..."  Nothing came out.  This time, I tried to prepare a little bit better.  I could certainly  have said many things, but decided that since Cardinal O'Brien was sitting right in front of me, I'd simply identify myself, "Your Holiness, I am Cardinal O'Brien's secretary" (in Italian).  He said, "Oh..." raised his eyebrows, and smiled.  And moved on.  It's a cool moment, no matter what!

Ok, the photos and human persons aside, let me share a bit of my own reflections during this past Easter Octave.  One of my favorite ways to pray is the way St. Ignatius told us to pray - using our imagination.  So I did that all this week.  So here are some of my reflections on some of the readings from daily Mass this week really struck me:

• On Monday, the reading from Matthew's Gospel spoke of Jesus' appearance to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary who, when they see Jesus, approach Him, embrace His feet, and do Him homage.  I imagined myself there with them, encountering the Risen Lord.  Like them, I too ran up to Him and embraced His feet.  What JOY!  What relief!  After the terrible events of Good Friday, to see the Lord ALIVE!
• Tuesday Mary Magdalene (in John's Gospel) is outside the empty tomb weeping.  She tells the angels she sees inside "They have taken my Lord, and I don't know where they laid him."  She turns around and sees Jesus (but doesn't realize it is him - she mistakes him for the gardener).  "Woman," Jesus says to her, "why are you weeping?  Whom are you looking for?"  She asks Him the same question: "if you took him..." but Jesus replies with just one word: "Mary!"  And she responds, "Rabbouni."  I took a lot of time with this Gospel.  Can you imagine?
• First of all, if you see two angels sitting there on the empty slab, wouldn't that be something odd?  
• But then the beautiful moment of encounter between Jesus and Mary.  "Mary!" he says.  Can you imagine how her ears perked up?  You know how someone you loves speaks your name - and you hear it - and recognize them.  This is that moment with Mary - she recognizes the way in which Jesus speaks her name!
• And her response, "Rabbouni" - I imagine it as much a question as a statement.  
• And again, I place myself in the scene - this beautiful scene of encounter - and in my own interior way am able to encounter the Risen Lord, embrace Him, and tell Him of my love.
• Wednesday and Thursday are the two parts of the account of the Road to Emmaus - wonderful sources of reflection and prayer.
• But throughout the week there's been two recurring images in my prayer:
• At the Last Supper - the disciple whom Jesus loves, who is next to Jesus, leaning back toward him to inquire which disciple will betray him.  It's an image that for me is very significant - being close to the Heart of Christ.  His Heart means so much: His tremendous suffering for us because of our sins; and His incredible love for us.  And I can easily identify with both images.  In fact, Sr. Thelma Steiger at Ain Karim in Fairfield, PA wrote an image for me of the Sacred Heart - which sits in front of me in the chapel - so that during my prayer every day, I can reflect on both Jesus' suffering and His love.
• The other image is one from Good Friday - Jesus entrusting Mary to John, and John to Mary.  And I really believe that this image is the root of my own Marian devotion.

On Wednesday, Peter Rettig arrived in Rome.  Peter is a seminarians from St. Andrew the Apostle Parish in Waynesboro (the Diocese of Harrisburg) where I was pastor for 5 all-too-short years.  He entered the seminary while I was still there and we've kept in touch.  Right now he is studying First Theology in Spain (in order to improve his Spanish) and during his Easter break he came to Rome to visit.  The rest of the week was split between work and just hanging out with Peter!

We did some traveling around Rome - we went on Thursday to St. Paul Outside the Walls, St. John Lateran (the Cathedral of Rome) and St. Mary Major.  While at the Lateran I was able to get the newly blessed oils (during the Chrism Mass) for the Cardinal and myself.  After visiting these we went to St. Peter in Chains (since he's Peter Rettig's name-sake) where they have the chains that held Peter prisoner - and Michelangelo's "horned Moses" (tho from an art perspective, this link  is really interesting).

Friday afternoon we went up to the Roof of the North American College for one of the most spectacular views of the City of Rome.

Saturday we celebrated Mass in the morning in the Clementine Chapel (the chapel inside the grotto of St. Peter's Basilica that is closest to St. Peter's tomb).  After Mass, I had to go to work, but Peter had the entire morning to explore the Basilica and the cupola of St. Peter's.  That evening we had a wonderful evening down in Trastevere - and this morning (Sunday) he headed back to Spain to begin classes tomorrow (as do I).

It's been a great week celebrating the Resurrection, meeting the Pope - and having Peter Rettig come to visit!  I pray that you have also had a joyous celebration of Our Lord's Resurrection!

Easter Sunday 2018

Easter was a GLORIOUS day here in Rome for so many reasons!  First, of course, the spiritual joy and blessings of the day; but also the wonderful fraternity and community here in Rome among the American priests/seminarians... and the weather.  

Just a few of the beautiful flowers (from Holland, I learned)

Cardinal O'Brien and myself after the Mass

We awoke Easter morning to a TON of security all around our building.  You may certainly have heard in the news of various threats of attacks here in Rome during the Easter celebrations - so security was extremely tight around St. Peter's Square where the Holy Father presided at an outdoor Mass for 1000's of people gathered to celebrate the Lord's Resurrection.  

The Cardinal and I headed toward the Square for the 10am Mass and were quickly met by a member of the police force who, recognizing a Cardinal, personally escorted us through security and right up to the steps of St. Peter's Basilica.  We heard from several pilgrims how tight security was, but how GOOD and friendly the security forces were.  Everyone understands the situation and the need for security - it is an unfortunate reality in our world today.

So, we get up to the seating area close to the Papal altar in front of St. Peter's - and we went our separate ways (as usual) because the Cardinal, naturally, as special seating.  I, on the other hand, simply find a place near the other priests.  I've learned that if you just act like you belong there, they simply let you be.  Well today, after being moved several times by the ushers, I ended up in a seat directly behind the Cardinals - RIGHT behind him, in fact.  NOT A BAD SEAT!

At this Easter Sunday Mass there is no concelebration - not even the Cardinals.  So we were all "in choir" - meaning wearing cassock and surplis.  It wasn't long before the music began and the Holy Father entered from the Basilica.

Once again, the music was beautiful, the celebration of the Mass joyful.  There is a wonderful custom here at big Papal liturgies to proclaim the Gospel not only in Latin (or Italian), but also in Greek - recognizing our unity with the members of the Eastern Churches.  Here's the best shot I could get of the Gospel procession and its being proclaimed.  (you can see the Eastern rite priest on the left and the Latin rite deacon on the right).  Below, if you look to the right of the Swiss Guard, you can see the deacon at the ambo - and the size of the crowd gathered in the Square for Mass.

Of course the Holy Father preached, from his heart and without a text, speaking, he said, just three thoughts for our Easter celebration: God surprises us; Responding quickly to God's surprises; What about me? How do I respond?  It really was a very good extemporaneous homily with lots of food for reflection.

Here are some other photos I tried to snap (discretely) during the Mass:

Following the Mass the Holy Father always removes his vestments and greets all the Cardinals who are present.  Because I was seated directly behind them, I got some really good photos!

For anyone who kind of pays attention to Church-related issues, the photo on the left is Pope Francis greeting Gerhard Cardinal Müller.

I accidentally somehow switched my phone-camera to "video" when the Holy Father was greeting Cardinal O'Brien - so this is all I got...  only 1 second...

After greeting the Cardinals, the Holy Father got into the Popemobile and made several swings through St. Peter's Square - then he went up to the central loggia of the Basilica to give his "Urbi and Orbi" greeting (which, by the way, means "to the City and to the World).  Here's information about his address (you can actually watch it at the bottom of this line) - and some photos that I took from my position in front of the Basilica:

There is one other really cool thing that happened Easter morning - but I won't have the photos to prove it for a couple of days... so you'll have to stay tuned to see what it is that happened...  And I also want to gather some thoughts to share with you my own personal reflections on the Easter joy which we celebrate in Christ's resurrection.

Triduum in Rome 2018

It has been a wonderful Triduum here in Rome - although I was "down for the count" for one of the days. 

We had a wonderful celebration of Holy Thursday at the North American College (the American seminary here in Rome).  Cardinal O'Brien presided at the Mass.  Although I must admit that the Mass brought to my mind just how much I miss being pastor of a parish.  As the Cardinal was delivering his homily and as he was washing the feet of 12 of the 5th-year men (priests who were ordained last spring), I recalled my years serving as pastor of parishes at home... and how much I miss being in a parish.  For a diocesan priest, it is our life.  I look forward to the time when I will once again have the joy and privilege of pastoring a flock.  BTW - for all the people of the parishes I have served, every Sunday I offer Mass for all of you (quite literally, I offer Mass for all the people of the parishes where I have ever served: St. Francis of Assisi, St. Joseph (Hanover), Sacred Heart (Lewistown), St. Jude, St. Andrew, Our Lady of the Visitation, and St. Francis Xavier).  You are remembered regularly in my prayers and my Masses.  Here are some photos of the Mass.

Cardinal O'Brien preaching

The Washing of the Feet

Can you find me?  Look close!

The Altar of Repose

After Mass we had a lovely dinner and time of fraternity among the priests.  There is a wonderful group of men here serving the Church in various ways - and no matter where we are from, that priestly fraternity, originating on that first Holy Thursday, unites us as brothers.  I am honored to serve along side them.

Friday - Good Friday.  More information than you need, but, I was really sick.  Didn't even leave the house.  First Good Friday I've missed in 22 years.  I watched the Holy Father on TV (yes, we can actually watch events at St. Peter's on TV here).  Enough said.  Let's move on.

Holy Saturday is a day of quiet waiting.  Felt much better so got some exercise and some studying in.  In the evening we went to the Easter Vigil with Pope Francis at St. Peter's Basilica.  I sat with the 100-or-so other priests who also concelebrated the Mass.  We waited in a dark basilica (strange sight) as the Holy Father light the Easter Fire just outside, under the portico.  

Then the Holy Father entered the Basilica as we all held candles.  The Exultet was sung - the glorious song announcing the Lord's glorious victory over death.  One of the great lines: "O happy fault, O necessary sin of Adam, that gained for us so great a Redeemer."  If you've never heard the Exultet sung at the Easter Vigil, you can listen to it here in Latin (not from this year) - or English.   The words (in English) are here.

Not to say that the Easter Vigil Mass at the Vatican is just... Mass... things went as you would expect. Lovely music.  Beautiful liturgy.  Following the homily, the Holy Father (like every pastor) baptized and confirmed those who have been studying to enter the Church.  One of those he baptized was a Nigerian immigrant named John Ogah.  There's a fascinating story about him... he was here in Italy illegally standing outside a grocery store asking for money when someone robbed the store.  He stopped the robber and held him until police came.  It's a cool story about him...

John Ogah prepares to be baptized by the Holy Father

A photo of the Cardinal's - including Cardinal O'Brien (3rd from the left)

 I'll continue with Easter Sunday in my next post... and there was another surprise for me!  Stay tuned!