Healthy again Post-COVID

Dear Friends and Family,

Blessed First Sunday of Advent! I don't have any photos to post today since I've been in quarantine in my room for the past 2 weeks, but I do have some good news: I'm once again healthy and allowed to stop outside and breath the fresh air!

I had symptoms in many ways identical to a strong flu virus, except that for about 4 days I lost my sense of taste and smell, which has never happened to me before, and I felt more drained than usual, at one point sleeping for almost 36 hours straight. But as of a few days ago, the illness seemed to leave me, Deo Gratias et Mariae.

Perhaps due to the many demands on the health care system in Rome at the moment, it took quite a while for the nurses to come by the monastery to test all of us (per government regulations) for COVID. The test was done Friday morning, and Friday evening they said all of the test results came back negative, except that no one called myself and one other cleric to give us our test results. We're expecting someone will call us tomorrow morning to say that our results were negative, because if they had been positive (anyone's results in the monastery) they were supposed to inform the superior that everyone had to be in quarantine for another 21 days. So we can't imagine the results not being negative since no one has called.

Thanks be to God that we have dodged the bullet of another 21 days in quarantine. Which leads me to my next piece of news. Due to some government regulations and a decision by a local authority here, I am now required to head back to the US in order to renew my study visa for the coming year. While the decision does not seem logical, it is a blessing in disguise because it will permit me to spend some weeks with my parents and family, whom I have not been able to see for 18 months. Really looking forward to the time with my family. Due to the requirements of the apostolate or of religious life, and the fact I have had assignments the past 24 years far from Ohio, I have not been home for Christmas in 24 years. So, really looking forward to a white Christmas in Ohio!

And, I'll have the wonderful blessing while there of baptizing a new nephew: little John Patrick. God willing I will be writing you next Sunday from Ohio.

Until then, may you have a blessed beginning of Advent! And for those who join me for the daily rosary, I was just informed that there was a technical difficulty with today's rosary but that it should be live in a few minutes. Thank you for your patience.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,

Fr. Pillari 

Diving into Doctoral Research

 

Empty street in the heart of Rome, during what would normally be a busy day.

The street "Fori Imperiali" in the very heart of ancient Rome, empty...

Looking out over the Roman Forum, about 5 minutes ago.

Dear Friends and Family,

Greetings from a very quiet Rome! This week was full of blessings, including the joy of serving again this morning as subdeacon for a solemn high Mass at Santissima Trinita. But to pick just one item to share with you:

Statue of Our Lord in the heart of the Gregorian University, where I am studying canon law. Though the text below Him may be hard to read, it says, in Latin, "Go and teach all nations, I am with you."

This statue in the heart of the Gregorian is a reminder of the great missionary spirit of St. Ignatius of Loyola, who desired so ardently the conversion and salvation of souls. This week I spent extended time in the Gregorian's library, diving into some initial research for the doctorate. It is a big ocean of research into which I have just placed the tip of my pinky finger. Rather daunting I must say! But also interesting.

This week my reading was quite slow, reading recent scholarly articles and often stopping to go very slowly over certain paragraphs and to look up the different laws the referred to. But at the end of those hours I had the reward of beginning to understand the arguments of why such-and-such a law does not seem very clear, what may be its drawbacks, etc. The next six months will be much of the same, with the aim of having by June a fleshed out doctoral topic and basic proposal to present for approval. We shall see... but regardless it is a joy to begin understanding some of the complexities and why such things have significant "real-world consequences" for people's lives today. An ambiguous law, and its subsequent ambiguous application, can be a disaster that can lead to real injustices.

You all are much in my prayers, particularly those in the UK, for whom all public Masses are currently illegal, something that hasn't occurred since penal times (well, since last spring), and those in the US dealing with all that surrounds the vote counting for the election.

May Our Lady be your good mother and guide, and draw you ever closer to Our Lord.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,

Fr. Pillari

Subdeacon at Santissima Trinita

 

Morning view out the window that I walk by each morning coming out of my room--window overlooks the Roman Forum. The view still strikes me every time.

In the main corridor, the Superior has set up a kneeler and a shrine to the infant Mary.

Here you see a better view of the child Mary.

Dear Family and Friends,

The above gives you a little glimpse of the devotion in the monastery. The new superior here has been busy installing relics, images, and shrines. Above, located in the central corridor of the cloister, is the shrine to the child Mary. She is, as a child, the patroness of the Olivetan order, to which this monastery belongs. I find it to be a beautiful devotion, which encourages humility, trust, and abandonment to God's plans. It is a joy to be living in a monastery where this devotion holds pride of place.

Today I served as subdeacon for the solemn high Mass at Santissima Trinita in the heart of Rome. It was a real joy to once again sing Gregorian Chant during a Sunday Mass--and the acoustics of the church are amazing! It was a particular blessing to assist the pastor of the church as he offered the Holy Sacrifice because you could sense his prayerfulness, devotion, and recollection. It was also a joy to see the altar boys gearing up for the liturgy, bantering with each other, etc. The Holy Mass is such a good training ground for young men.

You all are in my daily prayers during this month dedicated to the Holy Souls. I have always found November to be a month of particular blessings and graces, perhaps due to the intercession of the Holy Souls for us, as we pray more for them during this time.

During this coming week, may Our Lady watch over and guide each of your families closer to Her Son.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,

Fr. Pillari

A Quiet Rome

 

The Pantheon, usually crowded, deserted.

Still one of my favorite views. Looking out the window a few steps from my room.

Dear Friends and Family,

Greetings from a very quiet Rome! As I type this, it is 8PM Wednesday evening, and I am still very much praying for the final results of the US election. May God's will be done...

My apologies for not posting the past two Sundays. I had planned to but two things happened:

1) On Sunday Oct. 25th I was invited to spend the day with a Monsignor who works in the Vatican, and a fellow cleric studying, visiting a contemplative monastery of nuns. The Monsignor kindly picked us up at 8AM and began the two-hour drive to their monastery. It was a great two hours discussing with him--a knowledgable canon lawyer who has worked in the Vatican for almost 20 years. He offered to let me celebrate the Mass for the cloistered nuns while he himself celebrated a private Mass. It was a joy to offer the Holy Sacrifice for them in their ancient monastery.

After some prayer of thanksgiving, we were able to speak at some length with the mother superior--who was full of joy and vigor!--and then were offered lunch by the nuns (who of course did not eat with us). Thus followed still further conversation with the good Monsignor and fellow cleric. The mother superior then again granted us extended time for discussion with her, until a little after 4PM I think. And then I was blessed with another two hours of discussion with the Monsignor in the car on the way back! So a very full day, but one that left me rather drained and in need of prayer at the end.

2) Last Sunday I headed back to Florence for an appointment Monday morning as part of Italy's complicated visa process. It was a joy to see the children who helped host me last semester, and to pray once again in their chapel.

Today we learned that all classes are switching to online because of the new Italian government ordinance, at least for the next 4 weeks. So it is rather strange being in Rome but doing all classes online. 

For those of you in the US, I am very much praying for the country in this time of election. For those in the UK, I am praying for the terrible situation that public Masses will be banned for the next four weeks. May God grant speedily access once again to the most essential nourishment for body and soul: the Holy Eucharist.

You are in my daily prayers here.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,

Fr. Pillari