Ave Roma

My Dear Friends and Family,

This is the fourth morning since my arrival in Rome and it is a really beautiful one.  The sun is shining on a clear, crisp morning. I'm looking out the window at one of Rome's famous 7 hills, with the Circus Maximus just off to my left.

I had planned to show you some photos in this post but my computer is not cooperating so I am writing this post on an office computer at the Lepanto Foundation. Hopefully I will be able to connect later in the week and share a few photos with you.

First of all, I just offered the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for you all, especially those who I would usually be with on Sunday morning. As I paused during the Canon to pray quietly for each of you I couldn't help smiling thinking of your faces and so many, many blessings from you. So if something good happened to you around 2AM Texas time maybe that was graces from this morning's Mass!

Even in just four days there would be too much to write. Rather than trying to give you everything I'll try to pick one particular thing to write about more. Since this is the first post I'll go ahead and shoot for a bit more.

In general though I'll say that I'm in that initial stage of feeling like I've been "thrown into the deep end of the pool" in terms of Italian culture and language. Getting around Rome is a learning experience. The Metro is pretty straight forward but there are not many lines. When walking or taking the bus... it's been an adventure. For example yesterday morning I set out to walk from the Lepanto Foundation to St. John Lateran and then to an appointment about 10 blocks beyond it. Though I'd tried to look carefully at the map before setting out I missed a turn and so wound up outside the ancient walls of the city, which I then hustled along the outside of until I found the next ancient entrance and walked quickly along that road to try to make my appointment. Turns out that road was the Via Appia (Appian Way), a very famous old road with catacombs, etc. There were basically no cars at that time so I couldn't help thinking of all the people who had walked down that old Roman road, and most likely all the Chrisitians who came that way on foot during pilgrimages. It was rather nice. And I did finally make my appointment... after speed-walking for a bit over an hour.

In general it is quiet amazing to be walking through Rome and stopping in to pray at the Basilica of St. Mary Major or the Holy Stairs or in a few minutes I'll be heading out the door to pray at the famous Church dedicated to souls in purgatory.

There has been no lack of people to meet or speak with--in Italian or English. Thursday evening, after a conference of professor De Mattei here at the foundation, an Italian man discovered I was from Texas and proceeded to tell me how enthusiastic he was about Texans' love for carrying guns, going into great detail regarding his love for old colt revolvers. After I indicated that I concurred he proudly showed me that he had one under his sport coat--carefully explaining that he was not a "mafioso", but was proud to always carry his colt on him...

Last night on the other hand I had dinner with two priest and Dr. and Mrs. De Mattei. Was very intersting conversation. One priest is working on his doctorate in Church History and the other a doctorate focussing on spiritual exercises of St. Igatius of Loyola. Though it was 2 hours in Italian I was glad to be able to understand almost all of it and chime in with short questions at the right time.

There have been, and will be in the coming week, already many more encounters with authors, clergy, etc. To protect the innocent I won't put most of their names in a blog entry but it should be an interesting week.

Lastly, even in the midst of the whirlwind of these past 4 days I have been blessed with silence, particulalry in the early mornings. On that note, it is now time for me to head out the door and walk to the Church dedicated to the poor souls. I plan to pray for them and to ask for their intercession in my time here and discernment.

Thinking of you all fondly. Thank you for your prayers. That must be why so many things are going well.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Moses of Jesus Pillari