The Blessings of Spiritual Fatherhood

Dear Friends and Family,

The past 10 days were full of blessings--so full that I usually forgot to use my camera to take photos! While it would be impossible to make a list of all of them, I'll try to follow my old novice-master's advice of "describing well one or two thigns in a letter rather than trying to describe too many."

A quick overview, working backwards: yesterday and today it was such a joy to see you all again here in Cornwall and Plymouth. Among many blessings we had our first-ever men's gathering this afternoon which I found quite encouraging. If you're living somewhere else and reading this, please pray for the local men in my congregations here in England.

My last evening in the States was spent with my family--it was such a joy to see again my little sister and her husband, neice and nephew, and my parents. Don't forget to pray for me!

The previous 5 days were spent in Texas, each day full of visits. I'll post a few photos below, but it's only a few. Thank you to all of you in San Antonio, Fredericksburg, New Braunfels, Canyon Lake, and Austin who took the time to come see me. While there was only one Mass with all of you (or at least most of you), it brought back so many fond memories for me. For those who weren't there, I'll try to create a mental picture:

St. Mary's Cathedral in the heart of Austin, Texas, kindly welcomed me again to offer the Holy Mass for the community there. A number of other friends from various parts of Texas came, leading to a congregation of 400+. With a good compliment of about 10 altar boys, a diocesan seminarian who drove over an hour to be there, we processed into the packed Cathedral as the choir intoned a full-bodied chant and then the asperges. It was truly beautiful to hear 400+ voices responding on many of the chants, to be able to distribute Holy Communion to so many friends and spiritual children, and to offer the Holy Mass in such a worthy setting. The rector of the Cathedral very kindly assisted with the distribution of Holy Communion and was most welcoming.

After Mass, and after a brief thanksgiving, I headed over to the hall and had a chance to talk a bit about the apostolate in England and to answer questions. Then came an extended time of trying to greet each family--so many fond memories came to mind seeing your faces!--and offer blessings or prayers. Then a late evening meal with the two families who graciously hosted me and organized the day, then a drive back to the San Antonio area with a heart full of thanksgiving. After turning in around midnight, the next day began around 5:00 AM with a full day of visits, and such went the 5 days...

I was particularly struck on this trip by the enduring grace of spiritual fatherhood. When I left Texas I remember telling folks that "there was no distance between souls" and that we could support each other just as truly from a distance as we could in person. While I believed that those spiritual links would only be strengthened if we each strove to grow in prayer, it was beautiful to experience that in person, to sense that a priest is a spiritual father forever, regardless of geography. Well, I now confide you all again to Jesus and Mary. May they watch over you and guide you.

A Dominican priest is a guest here, and in 1 minute I have to pull the burgers out of the oven and bring them downstairs to eat with him, so I had best sign off...

One practical note: a number of you asked how you could donate to support my life and ministry here. The best way would be to contact my mother at this email address: pillari6@me.com.  She could then coordinate the best method.

Have to run or the burgers will burn. Enjoy the photos below...

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Pillari

A gift from parishioners upon my return to Cornwall Saturday morning...

Notre Dame. My alma mater.

Two Videos

With my niece Catherine.

Dear Friends and Family,

Given how full this weekend will be, and is now since I am heading out the door to bless a home... I will post early. You might enjoy this 3 minute video of a retreat I helped at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6PX-nSvzgM

May Jesus and Mary watch over you.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Pillari

Mom's Pasta for Dinner!

Dear Friends and Family,

This post will be very short on words because my Mom just finished the pasta for dinner--what you see in the picture above will soon be eaten!--and we're about to sit down for a meal. A homemade meal with just Mom and Dad is a real blessing. And my favourite homemade meal at that...

But please find below some photos also of the hermitage and surroundings where I spent time in New York last week.

Praying for you all!

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Pillari

Niece, Nephew, and Dad

Dear Friends and Family,

It is midnight, Saturday and has been a rather non-stop few days of offering the Sacraments, spiritual direction, Confession, and advice at a pro-life retreat, and tomorrow will begin in a few hours, but I wanted to at least send you a photo.

The above is from the day I had with my family before heading to the retreat. It was so wonderful to see this niece and nephew (there are others!) my sister and brother-in-law, and parents. Thomas, pictured above, introduced me to magnetic squares and triangles, which are lots of fun. You can build a great deal with them...

You all are in my prayers here.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Pillari

Packing, Traveling, and Praying

Dear Friends and Family,

Please forgive this extremely brief post, but it is 10:30 PM and in three hours I will rise to offer the Holy Mass and begin my journey to the U.S. So I had best get some sleep.

For those in the U.S. I hope to see you soon! For those in the UK, I will be praying for you and look forward to seeing you in just a few weeks!

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Pillari

Morning Prayer of a Nun

Breviary prayed by nuns and monks for centuries.

Inside of breviary.

The care and attention that was given to making these books for prayer. This book is 70 years old.

Owned and used by Sister M. Maurus, a Benedictine nun.

Dear Friends and Family,

Greetings from Cornwall where it is a beautiful Sunday evening, and was a gorgeous day: about 70 degrees, sunny, with a nice breeze. Though the locals say it was too hot! This should give those in Texas a good laugh.

This week had many blessings, including lunch with a good local priest, but I wanted to pass on a little treasure I discovered this morning. I recently began praying matins (the early morning prayer of priests) with this old Benedictine breviary. This morning, while trying to find the correct page for a reading, I discovered this prayer slipped in between the pages:

Since I can't figure out how to rotate the photo, here is the prayer typed out:

Before My Crucifix

My dearest Lord, what will Thou send me today? Humiliations, contradictions, physical sufferings, painful intelligence [news] which I do not expect; an aching heart, a failure.

Shall I see myself misjudged, wrongly suspected, despised? All that Thou wishest, O my God, I accept it all in advance, and if I weep through weakness, Oh, regard it not; if I murmur, check me; if I am forgetful, punish me; if I am discouraged, raise me up. But through it all teach me to say “THY WILL BE DONE.” 

Amen.

It seemed providential for a sermon today on living by faith and on embracing the cross in our daily lives. I can picture this nun kneeling each morning before her crucifix to pray this simple prayer. It is beautiful, simple, challenging, but no doubt quite freeing for the heart and soul. I prayed it this morning and may incorporate it in my prayer life. I wanted to pass it on to you in case you find it helpful.

Lastly, for Texas readers of this blog, on Sunday, August 25, after the 3:30 PM High Mass that I will celebrate in Austin's St. Mary Cathedral, there will be a reception with some refreshments in the Cathedral hall. You are all warmly invited.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Pillari

Blessed Retreat in Norcia

The Monks gather here 8 times a day to chant the Divine Office.

View from the Monastery.

Dear Friends and Family,

Thank you very much for your prayers during my annual retreat. It was truly grace-filled. Perched on a mountain overlooking the town of Norcia, each day of my retreat began by joining the Benedictine monks of Monasterio San Benedetto in Monte for the chanting Matins at 3:30 AM. Around 4:30 AM I walked in silence back to the little house the monks kindly lent me:

Front porch of house.

Bedroom.

Kitchen (never used since I ate with the monks).

Same room as the kitchen, where I sat for lectio divina or other reading.

There, following the monks' rhythm, the next hour+ was spent in lectio divina: the prayerful reading of Sacred Scripture. At 6:00 I hiked back to the chapel to join them for the chanting of lauds. 6:40 - 7:45 was another time for lectio divina or prayer, either in the house or hiking. Then 7:45 prime and then the celebration of a quiet Low Mass. Further time for hiking, reading, or prayer, then 10AM terce and the conventual (chanted) Mass, and so on....

The monks were very welcoming. Though in Italy, they are almost all Americans, with a good sense of humor. Their chanting was quite well done, and they took seriously silence and fasting. In fact, except for Sundays or major Feast Days, they never eat until 1PM, and on Fridays not until 3PM, and during Lent not until 5PM. So it was a very good place to be reminded of the need to deepen prayer and penance in my own life!

It's rather hard to describe the graces of a retreat in a blog post. Some of the fruits were peace, joy, confidence in God, willingness (at least at the time!) to suffer a bit more for Him, etc. In such an atmosphere of silence the words of the Gospels, of St. Paul, of the psalms, come to life and it is a bit easier to listen to God's voice and to savor some of the richness of His teachings therein.

And the Benedictine rule is a beautiful thing. Among other gems in their rule is a beautiful chapter on humility, which is so emphasized by St. Benedict. For the Lord said, "learn from Me, for I am meek and humble of heart." He could have chosen any virtues to emphasize, since He had all of them perfectly, but he chose meekness and humility as particularly important. And there is much practical wisdom in St. Benedict's rule. As he announces at the beginning: "We are about to establish a school of the Lord's service, in the institution of which we hope we are going to establish nothing harsh, nothing burdensome." The whole paragraph, which is the concluding one of the preface, reads:

We have therefore to establish a school of the Lord’s service, in the institution of which we hope we are going to establish nothing harsh, nothing burdensome. But if, prompted by the desire to attain to equity, anything be set forth somewhat strictly for the correction of vice or the preservation of charity, do not therefore in fear and terror flee back from the way of salvation of which the beginning cannot but be a narrow entrance. For it is by progressing in the life of conversion and faith that, with heart enlarged and in ineffable sweetness of love, one runs in the way of God’s commandments, so that never deserting His discipleship but persevering until death in His doctrine within the monastery, we may partake by patience in the suffering of Christ and become worthy inheritors of His kingdom. Amen.

There is much truth in those words--if we persevere in docility, in obedience to God--which at first often seems quite difficult, He gradually "enlarges our heart" in such a way that we find it possible to run in the ways of Hish commandments. Of course, at least for sinners like myself, these are lessons I'm having to learn over and over again, but there is a beautiful practical wisdom in St. Benedict's teaching.

Providentially, the last day of my retreat was the Feast of St. Benedict and the celebration of the 20th anniversary of their monastery. Since their monastery was destroyed by an earthquake 4 years ago, and they have since been in temporary quarters on the mountain, they laid on his feast day the cornerstone of their new monastery. Cardinal Brandmueller was in attendance. I thanked him for his courageous defense of the Catholic faith.

About 400 people from the town of Norcia came up for solemn vespers the eve of the feast and then a solemn High Mass on the feast itself. After each there was a time of refreshments and fellowship, highlighted by the Monks distributing generously their own beer "Nursia"--which I highly recommend after having sampled it.

Since I find it hard to put other graces into words I will end this blog post here. But thank you very much for your prayers! It has been good these past few days to reengage in daily apostolate and life here at Lanherne. And this afternoon I was treated to "Cornish wrestling" on the village green. If you wish to see a glimpse of this ancient sport, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=4fRgjwylTLo

May Jesus and Mary watch over you and guide you.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Pillari