Three Masses



Courtyard of St. Paul's Outside the Wall

 In four days, I attended three Masses with special meaning.  Thursday 30 seminarians from the North American College were ordained transitional deacons in St. Peter's.  This was a very powerful Mass to concelebrate.  I was fortunate to sit three rows back under the throne of Peter next to the altar.  The men were very emotional as they received this sacrament in the midst of this center of our faith.  The Bishop did a terrific job and gave a powerful homily.  The main idea was that these men were being ordained into service for the people of God and wonderful opportunities to share Christ awaits them.

Friday I actually attended two Masses.  In the morning we held Mass in St. Paul Outside the Walls, which rests on the spot of St. Paul's burial.  In particular the Mass was in the chapel were St. Ignatius and his first group of missioners took their professions.  Thus the birth of the Jesuits began here.  Also as a missioner, the Basilica seemed very important to me.  It was destroyed twice and rebuilt each time.  Yet to pray over the tomb of St. Paul gives me hope and courage for the next steps ahead.  Kind of like our lives, we may blunder or be plundered, but through the power of Christ's resurrection and forgiveness we can be rebuilt in glory.


Ancient Statue of St. Paul in the side chapel



In the afternoon I attended the first deacon Mass of one of the newly ordained in the church of Gesu, the Jesuit church were Ignatius of Loyola is buried.  Also the Mass was said at the altar of the relic of St. Francis Xavier the great missioner to India.  He too is one of the Patrons of Glenmary. The missionary spirit continues to flow in my veins.

Then this morning, Sunday, I attended the Papal Mass.  It is the first time I was present when any Pope offered Mass.  Pope Benedict XVI opened the Mass for the Conference on the Middle East.  In the Mass program it states:  "The Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops has a two fold goal: to confirm and strengthen Christians in their identity through the Word of God and the sacraments and to deepen ecclesial communion among the particular Churches, so that they can bear witness to the Christan life in an authentic and joyful and winsome manner." All the Christian Churches of the Middle East are represented.  During the Mass prayers were offered in English, Latin, Italian, Arabic, Turkish, Farsi, and Hebrew, just to name a few.  It was a very prayerful and powerful experience. 



Pope Benedict XVI offering Mass

 I will attend the closing Mass of the synod on October 24 where I will also be one of the priests to distribute communion.  My time here in Rome is certainly a time to reconnect with the universal church, renew my priesthood, and pray for those in need.  I pray the many blessings I am receiving may flow to you in this simple journal.  May our world soon live in the true peace of Jesus Christ.