Scala Santa

The "Scala Santa"--"Holy Staircase"--that Our Lord walked up to be tried by Pilate.

Looking toward the Vatican from just beyond the Circus Maximus, and the busy streets of Rome...

Dear Friends and Family,

This past week I was in Rome for a theological colloquium as part of the program for my licentiate in theology. We were required to attend a colloquium somewhere in the world but could choose. I chose the Rome Life Forum and was not disappointed!

Many of you have likely read summaries of the talks on LifeSite. They were excellent. Four Cardinals, two Dominican theologians--including the theologian to the papal household, an expert on China and a number other excellent speakers. But perhaps the best part of the colloquium were all the discussions and times of prayer with the other participants. It's hard to find a better group of people than 200 pro-life leaders from around the world.

I celebrated the opening Mass of the conference Thursday morning at the Angelicum, and the chapel was almost filled to capacity. It was beautiful to see people from all over the world kneeling in silent adoration as I offered a quiet low Mass. What were the people like? Full of life, hope, lots of laughter, joy, and of course also suffering. But I would say that hope and joy were by far the predominant notes of our encounters.

To give you a glimpse of what the encounters were like:
-Sunday evening: visited with Virginia Coda-Nunziante, who heads up Rome's March for Life.
-Wednesday I had time with Roberto de Mattei, John-Henry Weston, Maria Madise, Fr. Linus Clovis, and some great young adults.
-At Thursday morning's coffee, I right away ran into Fr. Giertych, the theologian of the Papal Household, and discussed theology, only to be interrupted by the arrival of Cardinal Eijk, whom I talked with for a while until we were called into the main hall for the conference to begin.
-Thursday lunch: a good lady from New Zeeland who is the mother of 7 and is doing heroic pro-life work.
-Thursday evening: dinner with Taylor Marshall and his 7-year-old son, two men about to enter the seminary, and a good priest living in Rome.
-Friday lunch: sat across from Cardinal Eijk and spent most of the meal discussing the situation in the  Netherlands, which is not easy! He is a physician with two other doctorates and was quite friendly and accessible, not to mention courageous!
-Friday morning: met with Cardinal Burke.
-Friday evening: discovered a fellow participant, a businessman (tech company) from Oklahoma with a young family, was a fellow Notre Dame grad. So we went out for coffee and then walked around Rome until Adoration began at 8PM.

One particular highlight was the Scala Santa. For the past 300 years the marble steps that St. Helena brought back from Jerusalem--the marble steps of the praetorium where the Lord was condemned--have been covered with wooden planks to protect them. But this spring they were uncovered. Hence, I was able to spend 40 minutes or so going up them slowly (as everyone does) on my knees and praying for my own personal conversion as well as for all of you. It was quite moving to see, and feel, the marble steps that had about 8-inch indentations in them because of the centuries of kneeling pilgrims! So many, many Catholic ancestors and saints went before me and knelt on those same steps.

Much more could be said about the week but I have to go now to meet a visiting priest for dinner.

May Jesus and Mary watch over you and guide you.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Pillari