Friends in Assisi

Things have been going really well here in Assisi. Today is our last day of classes; and tomorrow morning we head back to Rome- which will apparently be very hot. Yesterday the temperature in Rome was over 100 degrees!

As I think back over my time here in Assisi I am incredibly grateful for the experience, the opportunity to be here, and the people that I have met. It has been great to be able to pray in the churches of St. Francis and St. Clare with their religious communities and the many pilgrims here. It has also been great to get to know and form friendships with some of the modern saints of Assisi. Last night a few of us got together to celebrate the birthday of a friend (Adonella). She owns a caffe in town; and we have been fortunate enough to get to know her and be able to practice our Italian as well as learn about Italian culture. In the picture above we are taking part in an Italian tradition as we hoist Adonella in the air- one hoist for every year.

It has also been really great to get to know my classmates here. They are a great group of guys and I am looking forward to getting to know them better over the years.


In an effort to enter more fully into the spirit of St. Francis, a few of us grew out our beards during our time here in Assisi. There were only two of us who had beards when we got to Assisi, but a lot of the guys joined in and sported their beards over the weeks. And just for kicks we decided that yesterday should be Mustache/Mutton-chops Monday; so we all crafted our facial hair in the most ridiculous ways that we could think of. All of us commented on how many looks we got around town.



Well, it has definitely been a blessing to be here in Assisi; and I look forward to being able to come back and visit.

Assisi 1 -- Perugia 0

One of the nice things about being a student in Europe is the ability to travel and see so many different places. Yesterday a few friends and I made a quick train ride over to Perugia, the capital of Umbria. While there we were able to find what we think is the best food deal in Italy- pizza, french fries (fritas), and a drink for 7,50 Euro... not bad. We were also able to attend Mass at the Cathedral.

So I guess you've probably noticed the picture. While in Perugia we observed that just about every Italian ragazzo (person our age) was walking around with a popped collar and what in Italian is called the bursito (which is really a smaller and I guess more practical version of a satchel). So we decided to try and fit in by popping our collars and thought that it might give us a boost in practicing our Italian. No such luck though. Maybe it was because we "un-popped" our collars right after taking this picture. But we eventually found out that most people our age don't start hanging out in Perugia until after midnight, and we had to catch the train back to Assisi (a train that we had to run down a mountain to catch).

When we got back to Assisi, though, the main piazza was swarmed with an international group of high school students who were keeping the rest of the piazza entertained with their dances and songs. It has been amazing to see over the past month how many people come on pilgrimage to Assisi to visit, pray with, and hopefully be somehow changed by St. Clare, St. Francis, and the modern day saints who fill this town. It has also been amazing to see how much life they bring to Assisi. Every night, since I have been here, there have been young groups in all of the piazzas dancing, singing, and praying. A few nights ago there was a group from Germany in the Piazza outside of St. Clare's singing "Country Roads"- small world.

And so, after much consideration, the results are in... Assisi 1 -- Perugia 0.

Santa Chiara

Today is the Feast Day for St. Clare- a perfect excuse for much celebration in Assisi. It's amazing how the city has evolved to incorporate and revolve around the saints of Assisi. At the heart of the town is the church dedicated to St. Rufino- a bishop and martyr who is the patron saint of Assisi. And on either side of the town rest the two pillars that have helped rebuild both Assisi and the Church as a whole- Clare and Francis.



I had an opportunity this morning to pray morning prayer and attend Mass at St. Clare's which houses one of the cloistered communities founded by St. Clare. They are cloistered, so they pray and worship in a side chapel that is not visible to those who go to St. Clare's to pray and attend Mass. But their presence is definitely felt through their spirit of prayer and their absolutely beautiful singing. One of my favorite moments in the Mass was at the concluding rite when the celebrant paused from the rubrics to offer a sincere and heartfelt thanks on behalf of all Franciscans and all people of faith to the community of Poor Clares for their presence, prayers, and witness. It was really a special moment. And as he spoke the main bells of the church started to ring in celebration of the feast day. These bells must be massive because they echo throughout the whole town; and you could feel their power as it shook the chapel below.



A couple of weeks ago we were fortunate enough to meet an American Franciscan in Assisi who gave us a really great and behind the scenes tour of St. Francis' church. And one of the things that he emphasized was that the first and most important mission of the Franciscans is to build community wherever they are: community amongst themselves and Franciscan brothers and sisters, but also community in parishes, schools, communities, nations, etc. And it is clear that the initial charism of Francis and Clare is alive and well here in Assisi.



Tomorrow is the feast of St. Rufino- which should also be quite an experience.

Peace.

First Week in Rome

To the Land of Pleasant Living,

My first week in Rome went really well. Over the past few weeks I have been thinking about how incredibly fortunate I am to have so many great friends who offer such meaningful support. And I have been grateful for the many send-offs, prayers, blessings, and well wishes that I have received. Being here in Europe has given me an opportunity to think about that and reflect on the reality of the Church as a community.

Rome is a very busy place, constantly flowing with pilgrims and tourists from around the world. And seeing all of these many different cultures, nationalities, religions, religious communities, points of view, etc. converging has made an impression on me about the breadth and the depth of the Church.

Another reality of the Church here in Rome is the history. During our first week in Rome, my classmates and I were able to visit many of the churches and historical sights in Rome. Above is a picture that I took of a pillar that stands outside one of Rome's biggest churches. It was transported to Rome from Egypt- and it is believed that this pillar dates back before the Exodus; which means, as our guide informed us, the Israelites may have walked by this exact pillar on their way out of Egypt. What a great sign of the breadth of the Church and its mission.