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Friday, 20 December 2013
Thursday, 5 December 2013
Sunday, 13 October 2013
Good view on Sunday Morning
Friday, 11 October 2013
Il lupo è morto!
Sunday, 6 October 2013
My Own Heart
My own heart
"What are you actually studying?" is the first question I get from the other students in Rome. They ask the question because the answer easily summarizes a whole set of different experiences of Rome. Canon Law students have the longest course of studies yet seem to be the most at ease. Once they master Italian and Latin they have an easy run until their thesis. Dogmatic and systematic theologians are often found in the hallways urging about some very pressing topic like where to get the best caffè in town. On the other hand, the poor scripture scholars are seldom seen out of their rooms. Sometimes you might get a rare glimpse of one scurrying around the library conjugating Hebrew verbs under his breath.
"Why I am studying?" is a better question because at Centro Interdisciplinare per la Formazione dei Formatori al Sacerdozio e alla Vita Consacrata (CIFS) at the Gregorian University; Spirituality, Psychology, Pedagogy and Canon Law is what we study. Why 40 people from 25 countries who speak 15 languages (with me the only English speaking one) have been set to Rome to study is easier to answer: namely the formation of priests and religious.
Pastores dabo vobis called for "pastoral charity" to be the mark of the priesthood today. Many strong ideals were laid out in the document to foster pastoral charity but central to them all was the importance of the personal connection in formation. Not just rules, laws and norms but formation that is personal and connects to the whole person. Therefore, at the request of Pope Benedict, the Congregation for Education created the CIFS program at the Gregorian University.
My class is very diverse yet one thing connects us all: a great love for ministry in the Church and the desire to walk with others in their formation. Our goal is not the mastery of theology, spirituality or psychology for its own sake, but to gain the tools and skills to help others on their journey. One of the students from Uganda put it best when he said in broken Italian, "My heart will always be in the mission field… my body, on the other hand, will be stuck at the seminary!" God bless you in the mission field.
Friday, 27 September 2013
Room with a view
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Monday, 23 September 2013
Save and Sound
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Off to Rome
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Saturday, 21 September 2013
Friday, 20 September 2013
Last Party in Siena
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Monday, 9 September 2013
Try your luck with passato prossimo
Thursday, 5 September 2013
Prayer for Peace
As your man on the ground in Italy I feel called to make the journey from my comfortable apartment in Siena to Rome for the September 7th prayer vigil. I am pumped that Bishop Fabbro will be leading prayers the following week.
I will let you know how it goes. Fasting and travel really don't go together... Oh well!
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Sunday, 1 September 2013
Thursday, 29 August 2013
God's Rosebud
GOD'S ROSEBUD
A new minister was walking with an older,
more seasoned minister in the garden one day.
Feeling a bit insecure about what God wanted him to do,
he asked the older preacher for some advice.
The older preacher walked up to a rosebush and handed
the young preacher a rosebud and told him to open it
without tearing off any petals.
The young preacher looked in disbelief at the older
preacher and was trying to figure out what a
rosebud could possibly have to do with his wanting
to know the will of God for his life and ministry.
But because of his great respect for the older preacher,
he proceeded to try to unfold the rose,
while keeping every petal intact.
It wasn't long before he realized
how impossible this was to do.
Noticing the younger preacher's inability to unfold
the rosebud without tearing it,
the older preacher began to recite the following poem...
"It is only a tiny rosebud,
A flower of God's design;
But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine."
"The secret of unfolding flowers
Is not known to such as I.
GOD opens this flower so easily,
But in my hands they die."
"If I cannot unfold a rosebud,
This flower of God's design,
Then how can I have the wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?"
"So I'll trust in God to lead me
Each moment of my day.
I will look to God for guidance
In each step along the way."
"For the path that lies before us,
Only our Lord and Savior knows.
So trust Him to unfold your life,
Just as He would this precious rose."
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Wednesday, 21 August 2013
Warning my brain may explode!
Give me the book.
is
Dai a me il libro!
That becomes
Dammi il libro!
Or
Dallo a me!
Or wait for it...
Dammelo!
Oddio!
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Tuesday, 20 August 2013
Yes I can!
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