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It
is with the fondest of memories that I recall the
celebration of my 25th anniversary as a religious Sister
of St. Joseph the Worker. It was at this time that I was
given the good-fortune and blessing of being sent to
Rome on sabbatical to study. I was thrilled with the
prospect of being there throughout a whole liturgical
year, nine months in fact. It is only now in the silence
of my room, often looking at all the pictures and videos
that I can grasp my participation in the celebration of
two canonizations, one in October and one in June; the
season of Advent, watching how the Church in Rome
prepares for Christ*s coming and seeing the uniqueness
of each church's Christmas crib; the Solemnity of the
Christmas Season with midnight Mass and New Year*s Day,
all the while being among throngs of people listening to
the Holy Father*s addresses. It was during these times
that I understood more fully the meaning of the Mystical
Body of Christ.
Reminiscing fills me with a great deal of inward
emotion when exposing in pictures the magnificent
paintings and pieces of art that I saw firsthand while
attending daily Mass in the many *Station Churches*
during the season of Lent. This penitential act afforded
me the opportunity to learn of and kneel before relics
of saints I had never even heard of. In addition to
touring the catacombs in remembrance of the dead, I
joined the Holy Father along with a great mass of
humanity for Stations of the Cross in the Coliseum which
united us all with the *Suffering Church.*
Coming into Holy Week I waved my olive branch to
triumphant tunes on Palm Sunday as priests, bishops,
cardinals and the Holy Father processed through gated
barricades. The spirit of the moment sent me back in
time to Jerusalem when the coming of Our Lord on a
donkey was hailed. The seriousness of the Triduum and
the jubilant victory of Easter Day left an impression
that is hard to put into words. The music was
accomplished on a grand scale for the occasion of each
day*s journey. When Pentecost came rose petals were
dropped through the eye of the Pantheon onto anxiously
waiting people readying themselves*to receive "tongues
of fire.*
Experiencing some of these pleasures with me was my
brother Matthew who was given permission to come to Rome
during his Christmas break from the seminary. Needless
to say, I was delighted to see him!! We walked 'til we
dropped and laughed 'til we cried. Every minute was full
of a new anticipation. So much so that I wore him
out!!!! Oh, how we did enjoy each other’s company in the
Eternal City!!
Stepping aside from the apostolate for awhile in an
environment such that Rome could offer allowed me time
to refresh myself also through reading. To this end,
studying at the Angelicum without being bogged down with
tests and papers permitted me this opportunity. I
thoroughly enjoyed my spirituality classes and the
companionship of my classmates namely, the many priests
and sisters from literally all over the world which was
an education all its own.
Traveling outside Rome was an exciting activity as well.
I visited the stoned, ruined home of St. Thomas Aquinas
in Rocca Secca and understood how he wrote such
beautiful poems, songs and texts for he did have his
head literally in the heavens; St. Francis’ and St.
Clare’s tombs in Assisi; the shrine of St. Philomena
just outside Naples; Subiaco, the place where St.
Benedict began his monastic life early in the sixth
century and the Abbey of Santa Scholastica which is
dedicated to St. Benedict’s sister. |
