A Week of Visits

All week I've been meaning to post updates, and just haven't had much of a chance until now, what with Italian homework, Sr. Helen homework, and a crazy midterm bomb that exploded over our heads this morning. But we're here. I think.

So yeah, what happened this week? Well, first of all, and most exciting for the guys, Fr. Baer "dropped by" for a visit. He is the rector of the Saint John Vianney college seminary, one of the best in the land (as has been pointed out here and elsewhere before!). It was great to see him again and hear some of the news from home. The seminary continues to grow, it's good to hear. It's getting so large that they really are having to consider just what to do with all the men. They can't even fit everyone in the seminary chapel at once anymore! And there are a few more dioceses that would like to start sending guys to SJV too, so there is every reason to expect a continued trend of growth.

I'm personally kind of hoping they'll start sending a few more of the seminarians on this program in the spring semesters (right now SJV guys only come on the program for the fall), because it is great to have the spiritual discipline and initiative of the seminarians in the house. This next spring it will be just Catholic Studies folks, and a couple of seminarians from a different seminary - we are really going to have to make an effort to keep up the spiritual atmosphere that right now is "ready made" in the seminarians' schedules (morning/evening prayer, holy hours, rosaries, etc.). And of course I think it's great for as many of the guys as possible to experience living in Rome too. :)

For myself, I took some time this week to visit a few places, to go on selected "mini-pilgrimage." On Tuesday I went from the Ang to the church of St. Augustine, over by the Holy Cross University of Opus Dei. St. Monica is there you see, and I wanted to make a special point to go to her tomb and pray for her intercession for a good number of people, that they may turn to Christ and allow Him to convert their hearts to His love. So many people are far from Him, and far from His Church - we forget that all the people we see on the streets are meant to be saints, and that we exist not only to get to heaven ourselves, but to assist others in getting to heaven (a task that continues for us after death, which is why we can ask the saints for their intercessory help): by not only accepting grace, but cooperating with it through our actions and acknowledging that we are indeed our brothers' keeper.

For all of you out there who have loved ones who are away from Christ, away from the faith, talk it out with St. Monica and ask her for help. And, like her, never give up hope that one day, by the grace of God, those who do not see Christ now will come to know Him, love Him, and serve Him - in this life and the next.