Jesus, Mary and Joseph, pray for us!
Hello friends, thank you for staying updated and checking my blog from time to time. I have been busy, so I have not had the time to post any recent updates. This next one is going to be a long one. Because I had such an incredible year filled with so many blessings, I want to share with you all of my favorite parts of the year. So, this post gives you the highlights of this past year. Including my last days in Ohio to my last days in Rome for the 2009-2010 academic year. Enjoy!
On August 23rd, 2009, the Bishop James A. Griffin Student Center was opened at my Alma Mater, Ohio Dominican University. My friends and I were able to attend the opening with other students of ODU and the honored guest, Bishop Griffin.
Next stop, Rome!
The church of Saints Dominic and Sixtus in front of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) my university for the next three years (now two years).
Inside the main entrance of the university:
"Pontificia Universitas Studiorum a Sancto Thoma Aquinate in Urbe."
The first thing I did when I arrived in Rome was sign up for a two week intensive Italian course at "Mater Ecclesia"at the Angelicum. These two
wonderful ladies were two
of my first friends in the city.
Sr. Anna Grace, a Nashville
Dominican is in the middle
and Elizabeth, a Michigan girl
is on the right.
Nicole and I at at "La Vittoria's" (my favorite restaurant, thanks to Fr. Sullivan introducing it to me) on her last night in Rome. Loving cannoli in this picture! :)
In October Erica, Nicole and I attended the Canonizations of Jeanne Jugan, Jozef Damian de Vauster, Zygmunt Szczesny Felinski, Francisco Coll Guitart and Rafael Arnaiz Baron with the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Square.
Also, through out the year I had several other visitors. Pictured to the left is my friend Brad. We were High School friends and we were confirmed together in St. Colman's . So, it was special to be with him for his first Mass in St. Peter's at the Altar of the Chair.
After a couple months of living in an apartment, a room at the Lay Centre at Foyer Unitas opened up. I took it as soon as it was offered to me! The Lay Centre is an inter-religious community that consists of 21 students from all different places throughout the world. This year there were students from Italy, Albania, Greece, Canada, New Zealand, United States, Egypt, Ghana, the Netherlands and Norway. Above, is the Passionist monastery located on the Caelian Hill next to the Colosseum. The Lay Centre is located at what looks like in the picture as the third floor of the monastery. My bedroom is the fourth window from the left.
Believe it or not, this is the view from my bedroom window. It never got old and everytime I would look out my window, I would be like "Really? Siamo cosi beneditti!"
This is the Lay Centre's chapel, located right down the hall from my bedroom. We celebrated Mass in there every Wednesday evening, night prayer throughout the week and it was open any time for own personal prayer. There is nothing more wonderful than having the Holy Eucharist
right down the hall!To the left is pictured Pope Benedict XVI with his private secretary, Monsignor Georg Gaenswein in the Paul VI Audience Hall in Vatican City. Needless to say, the academic year started off with a bit of a bang. With hundreds of other Pontifical students from throughout the city of Rome I attended an audience with the Holy Father in honor of us students who consists of Priests, Religious and Laity studying Theology, Philosophy, Canon Law, Liturgy, Communications, Eccuminism, Social Justice, etc.
As our studies began, so did the socializing. This was our first Pontifical student party we attended in the fall. Pictured above our my friends Chad (Philosophy), Natalie (Communications), Anna (Liturgy) and Eric (Linguist).
Me and Stian who was a fellow Lay Centre and Angelicum student (studying to be an Anglican minister) in the fall. Pictured in the Pub Fiddler's Elbow, listening to Irish music with friends.
Pictured on the left is Anna, my dear friend from the Lay Centre who is studying Liturgy at Santa Croce. We were trying to catch a shot of the Colosseum with Stian. Anna, along with my friend Natalie who you will see pictured later on, kept me sane this year. Two wonderful Catholic women.
In the fall, our dean of the Canon Law faculty at the Angelicum at the time: Father Bruno Espossito (who was just named by the Holy Father to the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura- which is the highest judicial authority in the Church, beside the Pope himself... So, huge! ;-p) took us for a lecture and tour of the Roman Rota. The Roman Rota is the highest court of law in the Roman Catholic Church, which is why it was appropriate for the Canon Law students to visit. Keep in mind, all of this is happening in Italian! :)
The four English speaking students of the first year Canon Law students at the Angelicum. The four of us became very close and worked together on our studies throughout the year. Pictured is Fr. Dola from India, Fr. Craig from England and then Benjamin who is from India and is studying to be a priest for the Missionaries of Charity in front of the main doors of the Roman Rota. I would not have made it through the year without their help.
The following are more pictures from out tour of the Rota...
Happy Thanksgiving! To the left is pictured Feda, the Lay Centre cook. She is wonderful... and she feeds us like Kings and Queens. This was our turkey for mine and many others first Thanksgiving away from their homes. We had pumpkin pie and the whole bit too.
Two the right is Theo, one of the two Greek men living in community with us.
Afterwards, there were of course many dishes to clean up... One of the duties we have as students living at the Lay Centre is dish team. We have a specific day that is assigned to us and we wash dishes after our evening meal. I was assigned with two others for Tuesday nights.
Advent came very quickly this year, but It was incredible to spend it in Rome with many new friends to share in the new spiritual experinces and opportunities throughout the city...
Pictured to the right is the Vatican City Christmas tree and nativity scene being prepared for Christmas Day.
St. Nicholas greeting young and old in Piazza Navona.
Nativity scenes being sold in the Piazza Navona Christmas Market.
Gaudete Sunday, the third Sunday of Advent in the litugical calendar. Pictured to the right is our community Advent wreath with the rose colored candle lit.
Four of us enjoying Gaudete Sunday lunch at the Centre. Pictured is Kassim who is from Ghana and Rezart who is from Albania; both are Muslim students living in the community.
After the lunch, Anna and I joined several ladies who are Opus Dei numeraries for Christmas cookie baking, Christmas caroling and some fun womanly fellowship. :)
Alas, the first half of the year ended very quickly and Christmas break started. I went home for a SUPRISE visit! Only my Dad knew and a couple good friends (Jeremiah and Buffy) who were picking me up from the Airport. It was fantastic.
My mom, sister, grandma and other family and friends were definitely suprised...
Me and mom in front of the family Christmas tree on my parents farm.
Home ready for Christmas celebrations...
After suprising my grandma.
Best friends from ODU over for a visit... Barry and Nicole.
Me and my family (dad, mom and sister Hillary) together on Christmas Eve at the Monroe's for dinner.
Christmas Day Eve: My sister Hillary, me and our mutual (pregnant!!!) best friend Tiffany. :)
Grandma's for Christmas left overs...Yum!
Youth Group trip to the Columbus Zoo to see
the Christmas lights. Pictured is Sam, Buffy and Patricia.
I had the opportunity to attend the Annual Stillings Christmas Party. All of us have been gathering for a Christmas celebration since the early years of High School. Pictured is Katie, Megan, Liz, Kaitlin, Buffy and Tyler (who
hosted the party).
And... last picture of Christmas at home, promise!
The sweet little piggie my mom dressed up as St. Nick
to wake me up on one of the mornings I was home. hehe...
Now, back to Rome!
When I arrived back in Rome I still had about a week or more until classes resumed. So, I studied and spent time with friends... Also, the birthday season had begun. I have tons of friends who have birthdays in December through April.
We celebrated my friend Kim's birthday... I had two interesting experiences with this one. I learned how to burn a cake and I ate the most delicious artichoke of my life. I don't normally like artichokes, but this is a bit different...
it's called a Roman Jewish fried artichoke. If you ever visit Rome, you must try it!
Here's the group of the birthday party with Kim the birthday boy in the middle and the other lovely folks are Tony, Chris, Natalie, Anna, Chad and Zig.
After this gathering, I think most of us became cloistered for a few weeks, while we studied hard for our first set of exams for the academic year. My first exams for graduate school, period. Needless to say, I was terrified! Allora, God provided as always though. I survived the Italian oral exams and Latin written. There was no break after exams, so spring semester classes started right away.
In the midst of classes many exciting things happened throghout the semester... This part of the year was a bit more adventurous and exciting. Friendships had been made, we were more comfortable with the city and we had confidence in our fields of study. We saw that we could pass our classes and we enjoyed what we were studing in school and around the city, country and Europe as a whole!
In January, the devestating earthquake struck Haiti. To learn more about the disaster and to support Caritas Internationalis and the American Embassy in providing relief to our brothers and sisters, I attended a Gospel choir concert in St. Anthony's church near St. John Lateran, sponsored by the Embassy and Caritas.
Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, O.P., Dominican friar of the English Province, and former Master of the Order of Preachers, gave a lecture at the Lay Centre. The house was so full, many of us had to stand in the hallway.
With the help of a friend, I discovered a new saint. His name is St. Anthony Abbot, patron saint of swine. This was a particular saint of interest to me because I grew up on a hog farm. If you are ever in Rome, there is a special mass said on the feast at the church of Sant'Eusebio (Piazza Vittorio Emanuele) and following the mass there is a blessing of animals. Many people attend this as you can see in the picture below.
The first week of February it snowed in Rome!
The locals said they had not seen snow stick in Rome since the mid 1980's. This was the view out of my bedroom window...
Below you can see the Passionists throwing snow at one of their fellow Passionist brother's
window.
Next stop, Frescati! A friend and I visited this Cathedral pictured below and enjoyed a day stroll around the little town. The Cathedral is named San Pietro Apostolo and Frescati is a town in the province of Rome located in the Alban Hills. I've been told Frescati is known for their white wine and villas.
Among the sites in the town, this was our favorite. A classic shot of two brothers dressed as the world's favorite Nintendo- Italians Mario and Luigi.
Lent came about very quicky, half because it started very soon in the liturgical calander this year (February 17th was Ash Wednesday). Pictured below is me after the first NAC stational mass of the liturgical season. I am standing in front of Santa Sabina after Ash Wednesday mass.
Throughout lent, friends and I tried our best to attend the stational masses as often as we could. It is one of the most grace-filled opportunities one will ever experience in the Eternal City. There is nothing better than being able to explore our faith through attending holy mass and learning about the martyrs who were either martyred in the place of the church or whose remains are still in the vicinity. All you holy men and women of God, pray for us!
As the Lenten journey came to a close, Holy Week was upon us! Which also meant for Pontifical students, spring break had started as well. Because I had already had the opportunity to be in Rome for Holy Week back in 2007, I decided to join three others friends on a pilgrimage to Poland for the Triduum. Thus, my friends and I still had the opportunity to participate in the Palm Sunday liturgy in St. Peter's Square with the Holy Father.
Next stop, Krakow, Poland!
Four of us journeyed to Poland together. Me, Natalie, John and Zigmus. The pilgrimage had a particular focus on the life of the late and beloved Pope John Paul II, a son of Poland who loved his homeland very much. Also, I was very excited about visiting the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy.
We arrived on Holy Thursday...The four of us went straight to Wawel Castle to be able to attend the Holy Thursday mass with JP II's successors.
The four of us thought it would be appropriate
to visit Aushwitz concentration camp on Good Friday, so we made our way out to the camps...
"For ever let this place be a cry of despair and a warning to humanity. Where the Nazis murdered about one and a half million men, women, and children. Mainly Jews from various countries of Europe."
Friday night, we attended the Franciscan church for the Holy Friday service. It was also the 5th year anniversary of Pope John Paul II's death.
On Holy Saturday we explored the city and experienced the tastes, sounds, smells, colors...etc.
"Jesus is Risen!" On Easter Sunday, Natalie and I attended mass at the Dominican church in the center of Krakow, whole the guys attended mass in the Cathedral.
After mass, we met up with Zig and John for Easter lunch and celebrations throughout the day.
Carriage ride throughout the historic center.
Easter lunch in the square...
More to come tomorrow and the next few days.... Sleep well and have a blessed week!
No comments:
Post a Comment