Visiting the Catacombs

 

Dear Friends,

Today I had the blessing and joy of visiting two of the catacombs in Rome: St. Callistus and St. Domitilla. The chapel pictured above is the chapel where an early pope was buried--there are nine who were buried in St. Callistus, a few of them martyrs. Around 500,000 Christians were buried there. It was beautiful to see the artwork, to pray at the sites of their graves, and to think about the generations of Christians who went down into the catacombs to pray at these tombs.

Another famous chapel is that where St. Cecilia was buried:

Saint Cecilia was buried here and venerated in this little chapel in the catacombs in the early centuries. Her body was then moved to a church in Rome. This early martyr's body was then exhumed in the 1500's and found to be incorrupt and in the position you see there. So a statue was made replicating the position of her body when she was found incorrupt. The statue remains here in the catacombs as a reminder.

You all continue to be in my prayers here in Rome. Studies, and life in general, are going well. Though it will be quite an intense next 5 weeks before Christmas!

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,

Fr. Pillari

Heading to Kansas!

Dear Friends and Family,

Sorry that I have not been punctual these past few weeks on posting to this blog. Among other pressing tasks, I was finalizing details for the following: I am very pleased to announce that as of this February I will become the chaplain for St. Martin's Academy ( https://saintmartinsacademy.org ) near Fort Scott Kansas for a period of five years. 

I am really excited to work with the young men, faculty, and staff there in an environment which seems quite favorable to a fruitful work in young souls. Among other things, they have a robust outdoors program, including extensive hiking and trips in nature and including daily work on their farm. 

I will be--God-willing--writing my doctorates while there. While this is a big change it was carefully discerned, including extensive discussion with my bishop and spiritual director. It would be indiscrete for me to comment on that process and the factors that led to this decision. I will simply say that careful attention was paid to the current circumstances in the world and in the Church, seeking to discern where I could most fruitfully and peacefully work for the good of souls while carrying out my studies. I am very much at peace that this is God's will. 

Please keep this in your prayers.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,

Fr. Pillari

Early Morning Masses

 

Dear Friends and Family,

Above you see the main altar of Santissima Trinita dei Pelligrini parish in the heart of Rome. Each morning I leave the parish where I am staying and walk 10 minutes to Santissima Trinita to offer the Holy Mass. It is a nice walk to begin the day and especially it is worth it because the side altars and the way the sacristy is done make it a very prayerful place to offer daily Mass. Though you cannot see it in the photos, there are 8 side altars, almost all of which are full each morning for the Holy Mass. There is something beautiful about arriving there are 6:30 AM, quietly vesting along with other priests, and then processing out and celebrating quiet Masses simultaneously on the side altars, each of us trying to adore the Lord well and offering the Holy Sacrifice on behalf of all those souls in need. Then, we return to the sacristy (at slightly different times of course), unvest and then take time to pray in thanksgiving. For my part, I like to return to the side altar where I celebrated Mass and make my thanksgiving there.

I then begin the walk back to my room to begin the day's studies, along streets such as this:

Though first, I stop for a cappuccino and a "brioche simple"--which is a sort of breakfast roll. It's a wonderful way to begin the day!

In this month of the Holy Rosary, please be assured of my continued prayers for each one of your families.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,

Fr. Pillari

First Weeks of Classes

 

Dear Friends and Family,

Classes have begun! This should be--God willing--my last semester of coursework for the doctorates here in Rome. Then it will be just a matter of writing the dissertations. 

Last week, on Oct. 7th--Feast of the Holy Rosary and the 450th anniversary of Lepanto--there was a beautiful evening concert to commemorate Our Lady's interecession in that historical battle. It was held in the church of St. Ignatius here in Rome, pictured above, and the Vatican Philharmonic Choir sang beautiful pieces of sacred music, interspersed with the prayer of the joyful mysteries of the rosary.

The previous weekend I was able to spend three days at the monastery of the Monks of Norica, which overlooks the valley here:

It was a particularly blessed three days for both prayer and study.

May God grant each of your families abundant graces in this month of Our Lady of the Rosary!

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,

Fr. Pillari

Pilgrimage to Padua and to St. Mark's Tomb in Venice

 

Dear Friends and Family,

This week I was able to make a pilgrimage to St. Mark's tomb in Venice (Venice pictured above at night), to pray at St. Anthony's tomb in Padua, and also to see my parents as they prepared to embark on hiking the Camino di Santiago in Spain. Here is a photo of my mom:

Saint Mark's Basilica in Venice, where St. Mark is buried, was truly striking. Above all, it was a great grace to be able to pray at his tomb. In addition, it was special to look at the 1,000 year-old church and picture it and what it must have been like for so many generations of Catholics to worship there.

Padua was particularly special because of the opportunity to pray at St. Anthony's tomb and because of the famous chapel where Giotto painted the life of Christ. I don't think I can do justice to describing it in words but if you go here you can catch a glimpse of it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47QgqdeSi0U   .

Here in Rome it is good to dive back into studies and to continue praying at the tombs of the saints. Today, I prayed for you at St. Peter's tomb!

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,

Fr. Pillari

  

Arranging my work space

 

Dear Friends and Family,

The above picture is not my work space that I need to arrange! Rather, it is the Colosseum that I was able to visit and pray at, along with the Scala Santa (the Holy Stairs that Our Lord went up before He was condemned by Pilate).

As I step back into studies, part of this past week was getting my room set-up for that work, which included ordering a number of items from IKEA (two bookshelves, a filing cabinet, etc.), and assembling them, and also installing a keyboard tray with the help of an electric drill. Now, for those who know me well, you know that I am all thumbs when it comes to such manual tasks. But with the help of the saints and angels, the room is coming along well!

I need to go now to meet a priest for a min-pilgrimage this evening to Tre Fontane, where Saint Paul was martyred. I will pray for you all there.

May Our Lady teach you wisdom and Our Lord be your sure refuge.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,

Fr. Pillari

Moving In

 

Dear Friends and Family,

This past week was a combination of studies and administrative tasks to get settled in Rome for the new school year. Among those tasks was a particularly challenging one: how to move my books and other personal items from last year's lodging to this year's? The distance was only 2 or 3 miles. However, due to the regulations in place in the heart of Rome, and the fact that the monastery at Santa Francesca Romana, right along the Roman Forum (the monastery where I lodged last year), is in the most restricted zone of Rome, it took some thinking to find a good solution. Because for a car or van to enter in there you had to pay about 100 euros....

Thankfully I found the good fellow pictured above and his business! With his bicycle he transports goods across Rome, for just 16 euros a trip. As you see above, he managed to load my boxes onto the front of his bike, along with my office chair and other items, to strap them down, and then to bike across the heart of Rome without crashing into anything and delivering the boxes safely. Quite a feat!

I'll be living within striking distance of a number of saints' tombs. One of my favorites is Saint Philip Neri, whose tomb is pictured here:

He is one of the patrons of Rome, lived through a terrible time that included the sack of Rome in 1550, and nonetheless maintained a great spirit of joy, all the while very effectively calling people to conversion. May he intercede for the Church today and grant us that same combination of joy and zeal for the salvation of souls!

Praying for your all here in the heart of Rome.

May Our Lady watch over you as your good mother, and may Our Lord be your strength and protection.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,

Fr. Pillari