November202012

Rome and Home: Balancing

So it’s been a while since I’ve posted anything substantial - and there are reasons for that. But now, even though I should be preparing for the GRE, I feel like I have to say something.

While in Venice on Thursday night, Alexis and I had a chance to talk about some troubles we’ve been facing since coming abroad, specifically our faith lives and finding friendships, and then what it’s going to be like when we finally go home, that is, to St. Norbert.

One of the things that both of us mentioned is struggling to keep a quotidian faith practice (see, I’m constantly preparing for this test). One issue I keep running into is the Italian; I am a person of the Post-Vatican II Church, meaning that I want to be able to easily follow everything word-for-word, even though I know exactly where we are in the Mass at all times. This is one of those petty things that is actually quite important for my story. Keep it in mind.

Anyway, I’ve realized that my semester here is not just a cultural experience, but a time to learn who I am religiously and in faith and then develop my own methods of fitting into a new parochial setting. I thought I knew who I was in these things, but then I discovered that my self-definition did was not universal, that I somehow subscribed myself to a faith that could not extend past my own little St. Norbert College. In other words, SNC defined my faith for me - it is easy back home, but not so easy while away. I even get the same feeling when I’m in Cambria, that it is so difficult to keep up a faith life when I don’t have the bubble of SNC keeping me close. This is not good when it comes time to venture away from St. Norbert College, and I’ve realized this.

It’s not easy to be placed in a new parish, in a place where you think that no one knows who you are and you don’t know anyone. St. Norbert gives us all these things - they give us similar people and they (somehow) make sure we know that we are similar. We have the same interests, though different backgrounds, and we are clumped together. Good and bad. What’s good about it is that it is very easy to become acquainted, especially in my case, with the life of a parish - taking care of parishioners and their concerns; taking care of the church and fostering a balance of challenge and comfort among people in the community. Basically, we learn to live in a community at St. Norbert College. GOOD. But, because we are placed in circumstances where there are similar people with similar interests (even if we have different backgrounds), we tend to think that this is the only Church - that there are these same interests, same people, throughout the entire Church, no matter where we go. Participating as much as I do back home in parish life has alleviated some of this, trust me; however, coming to an area of the world where I honestly have near nothing in common (or so it seems) with the people of these parishes, and almost no way to develop relationships with them makes it increasingly difficult to desire to be part of the community. Bad. 

I miss being involved with the parish. Being as involved as I have been over the past few years back home has really given me a great sense of belonging to SNCP. I feel like I am contributing in a positive way and I have truly grown to care about the students and year-round parishioners at St. Norbert College. I take time back home to listen to their concerns, and I know where to go when those concerns need to be addressed. I’ve really grown up, so to say, at SNCP and it will always be my home. I take time to get to know students at the parish and allow them to know me; I feel like I am really part of the community when I attend Mass or participate in any way at St. Norbert.

Rome has prepared me to be ready to move into a new parish setting after graduation by placing me in the most extreme circumstance - not knowing anyone, and having no way of knowing anyone because of a language barrier. One regret that I have is that I did not take steps to try becoming more involved, but hopefully when I move on to new things and when I am a new member of a parish (anywhere), I will be able, because of this experience, to move toward greater involvement more quickly. I know the inner workings of a parish setting because of SNCP and now I know what it feels like to have no clue what’s happening. I have my polar opposites, now’s time to find a balance.

I give my talents to the parish and the favor is returned when I look on the faces of the people gathered and see how joyful they are that they can attend a parish such as SNCP and be with friends who over time have become family to them; the greatest part of this is knowing that I helped foster that reality.

We are a true family at St. Norbert College and I miss my family. I am happy to finally go back home in January and I hope they’re happy to receive me one last time. I have only a few short months left, Old St. Joe’s, so let’s make them something to remember!

October282012

The past week was very busy. One could say that I began my week of entertaining last Friday, when Rachel and Alyssa came to the city from Florence. It was really a great time with them. We walked around the city for a while, saw the Capitoline Hill and S. Maria in Aracoeli, S. Maria sopra Minerva (and the tomb of St. Catherine of Siena), and the Pantheon. It made me realize how much I really miss having the whole group of friends and RS majors that I have back home, and going out for Luna coffee with them all (or most). We saw the Baths of Caracalla on Saturday, as well as St. Peter’s. The Baths were amazing, it’s now been turned into what is essentially a city park, though foreigners have to pay to get in. After we toured the Baths, we caught our first sight of birds migrating through Rome; very cool, yes, but after an entire week of it, I’m starting to get sick of the smell.

Jenne and her friends from Ireland also came down that weekend, but we didn’t have much time to catch up, unfortunately. We all went our separate ways on Saturday, hoping to meet up later, but when St. Peter’s is involved, all hope for finding one another can be lost very quickly.

On Sunday we had the chance to attend the canonization mass of seven saints, including St. Kateri Tekakwitha. I think I can speak for all when I say that we loved it. The mass was appropriately (I think) in Latin, with exception for the readings and the prayers of the faithful. Mass began with the Rosary (and unfortunately I’d left mine at home that day!), and it ended with the Angelus and then the Pope riding in the Pope-mobile through St. Peter’s Square. All I can say is, “we Catholics love our Pope!” Unfortunately I didn’t get any pictures because my camera was dead…. You’ll have to ask Rachel for any pictures from this.
3PM
This is a view of Assisi from the Rocca Maggiore, a fortress that looms above the city, high on top of the hill, protecting it from all invaders of the unknown realm outside the walls. Technically my day in Assisi occurred about a month ago now, but due to other things, I found it impossible to write another blog until just now when I decided that I didn’t want to do homework just yet. Francesca, Ian, and I met Alexis and Rachel in the city during the first weekend in October. We went hoping to encounter a Medieval festival that I was told would be taking place on the day after the Feast of St. Francis. Unfortunately, the festival was hardly Medieval; it turns out there was a miscommunication between me and my professor. However, it was still a beautiful day in Assisi. We were there most of the day and began by walking around S. Maria degli Angeli, a large basilica at the foot of the hill. Although the Church itself was nothing to gawk at, the Porziuncola, the little chapel Francis rebuilt after receiving the vision from Christ on the Cross of San Damiano, was beautiful to say the least. After spending some time here, we went up to Assisi where we walked around the market, had lunch, went to the Basilica of S. Chiara, and then hiked up to the Rocca Maggiore, a Medieval fortress. Because the Basilica of S. Francesco was packed, we decided to forego it this time, though Alexis and Rachel did go in because they stayed the night.

This is a view of Assisi from the Rocca Maggiore, a fortress that looms above the city, high on top of the hill, protecting it from all invaders of the unknown realm outside the walls.

Technically my day in Assisi occurred about a month ago now, but due to other things, I found it impossible to write another blog until just now when I decided that I didn’t want to do homework just yet. Francesca, Ian, and I met Alexis and Rachel in the city during the first weekend in October. We went hoping to encounter a Medieval festival that I was told would be taking place on the day after the Feast of St. Francis. Unfortunately, the festival was hardly Medieval; it turns out there was a miscommunication between me and my professor. However, it was still a beautiful day in Assisi. We were there most of the day and began by walking around S. Maria degli Angeli, a large basilica at the foot of the hill. Although the Church itself was nothing to gawk at, the Porziuncola, the little chapel Francis rebuilt after receiving the vision from Christ on the Cross of San Damiano, was beautiful to say the least. After spending some time here, we went up to Assisi where we walked around the market, had lunch, went to the Basilica of S. Chiara, and then hiked up to the Rocca Maggiore, a Medieval fortress. Because the Basilica of S. Francesco was packed, we decided to forego it this time, though Alexis and Rachel did go in because they stayed the night.
September282012

As promised, here is the post on my Umbria trip, which took place two weeks ago now. I’ll just go through image-by-image. 

On Friday, Sept. 14, we departed from the Piazza Trilussa in Trastevere. The ride was long, but not bad, though I’m still very unsure of the driving skills of most people in the city.

Making Baci
Baci is actually the plural form of Bacio, meaning kiss. While at Perugina, we received a tour museum and of the factory itself. I must say, I was slightly disappointed that it did not at all resemble the Wonka Factory and I was disappointed even more by the fact that they didn’t even have Oompa Loompas. But, nonetheless, it was a great tour (with a chocolate tasting in the middle of it!) The best chocolate I had from there: the Fondente Luisa, a dark chocolate. The best hard candy was the Rossana. 

We had our lodgings at an agriturismo, Villa della Cupa, in some undisclosed area of Umbria. Honestly, I’m so confused directionally everyday. I just have to go by the location of different city streets. It’s really amazing that I find my way to campus! The food was very good, though we were confused by the dinner on Saturday night, for which everything was made from some kind of bean. Literally, we were only given bean dishes and then lamb. It was good, but very confusing. We thought we were only getting to eat side dishes the entire night.

Umbrian Hill Towns
On Saturday, I went with a group to explore the mountains villages of Umbria. I met some really great people there, too! Actually, a few of us are having a dinner party at my apartment tomorrow! Back to the Hill Towns. It’s really a sad story. Because of a major earthquake that the Apennine region suffered some time ago, many of these hill towns have been deserted. One of them that we visited used to house about 100 families (more before the 1950s and 60s when Italy opened their markets and everyone flocked to the cities. This one now houses about 20 people. Another town was heavily damaged by the earthquake and everyone moved outside of the walls. They received government funding to restore their village because it is one of Italy’s treasures, but it has cost too much for the people to continue the upkeep. The families of the village have put much of their own time and money into the restoration, but no one is attracted to living in the hill town any longer, so it’s just remaining empty, and therefore not bringing in any money. 

Hills of the Apennines
After touring some of the mountain towns of Umbria, we went to lunch at a mountain farm. I wish I could tell you something about this particular farm life in Italy, but there’s just so much important information that it’s hard to sort out what seems most important. Essentially, though, the mountain farms do not work as farms in the US. They are run by communities, and each community is given a particular responsibility each season. The best analogy for it is the Amish communities in the States. Everything is shared in common and everything that the farm produces is meant to be shared among the community primarily. So, we had lunch here and then got a tour of the farm, where I got my picture taken with the lamb (or goat….) that most of you probably saw on Facebook (it’s my profile picture). After this tour we took our mountain hike. It was breathtaking to say the least. Words really cannot describe what I felt while walking up to the top and looking out across a vast distance filled with hills and mountains. I’m going to look into whether or not I am able to live and work out there during the summer if I decide that I’d like to go to Italy for graduate school. I understand that I really don’t know what it’s like to live out there, I know it’s definitely not as easy as I may be making it sound. That doesn’t matter, though. When I was there, I felt as though that is what I want to do, what I should do. Maybe it’s just a bias I have, but I’d take small hill town life over city life any day! This was the highlight of the trip.

Assisi
I didn’t have enough time here. We started out on a tour and then I left it at the Basilica of S. Chiara. The tour guide, honestly, needed to check some of his “facts”. Anyway, S. Chiara was by favorite. Its simple, yet elegant gothic style was perfect for private meditation, not to mention simply sitting in front of the San Damiano cross was one of the greatest spiritual experiences I’ve had during my time here. I went to mass at the Basilica of S. Francesco. After this I just wandered around the city until I stumbled upon a couple people I had met on the trip having cappuccino. Luckily I’ll be going back next week.
September222012

My Home

Finding home. 

One thing only I ask of you, that you remember me at the altar of the Lord, wherever you may be. ~ St. Monica

What a beautiful quote from one of the greatest Saints of the Early Church. Of course, it comes straight from The Confessions! “Remember me at the altar of the Lord, wherever you may be.” This is one of the greatest lines in all of Christendom; I see it now, as it truly is meant to be seen. Monica didn’t just mean “remember me at Mass,” “pray for me at Mass.” No. She wanted to be sure that she would be with Augustine for all eternity. She wasn’t exactly asking a question, she was making a statement about a certain theology that from its earliest days the Early Church had espoused. The altar she’s discussing does mean the altar at Mass, but it also means the heart. Her life’s goal was for Augustine to become a Christian - this was the single most important thing for her. She was telling him, don’t let my death rob you of your newfound love for God and His Church, but I want you to remember me at the altar; I want you to search deep inside your heart, your soul, for me because that is where I still live and when your heart is connected to God, we can never be separated from one another. She was expressing what I believe to be one of the most important doctrines of the Church - the doctrine of the Communion of the Saints. 

Yesterday, I went inside the Vatican for the first time. Let’s just say that it was a lot to take in - Baroque, as I’ve said before is a very busy artistic style (I love it, but it’s SO distracting). I much prefer a simpler (in decor) style such as Romanesque, with its beautiful mosaics, or French Gothic, with its high vaulted ceilings and elegant stained glass. So how did it feel to be home, at the heart of the Roman Catholic world? I’ll just give a few words, and then you can feel free to try piecing it together as I still haven’t been able to. We were standing in line for only about 20 minutes to walk through the beautiful portico at St. Peter’s and I’d not been more excited for anything; it was hard to believe that I would finally be entering into the Basilica that has had such an impact on the history of the world and that has been such a controversy from its very beginnings. After walking in, I kept thinking to myself, “I’m home, I’m really here.” But then a faint voice said to me, “you’ve always been home, it just took this journey for you to finally realize it.” A long time before I left, I had been thinking about the fact, and growing ever more excited, that I am going to spend Christmas in Rome and celebrate the Birth of Our Savior at St. Peter’s, the supposed heart of the Catholic Church. But, I had to reconcile the fact that I was not going to be spending it with my family, with whom I had spent every Christmas for the past 20 years. My studies in theology tell me that I really am never separated from my family, not when I’m at SNC, not when I’m camping with friends, and definitely not when I’m on another continent. I’ve come to realize over the past 8 months or so that the Eucharistic Banquet is what holds this Church together. The Communion of Saints is not just how we interact with the Saints in Heaven and the Souls in Purgatory, Mary, Our Mother, and the Beloved Trinity, participation in the Eucharistic Sacrifice and consequently in the Communion means that we are never separated from anyone within the Church. We all come to gather at the Table and we all meet one another - all Catholics, everywhere, for all time. It is where we come into contact with the Infinite Realm, and therefore are separated by neither time, nor space. When I am joining our Catholic community at the Mass, I am never separated from my family. This, to me, is the greatest part of participating in the Catholic Church, that even when there are thousands of miles of space between two people, they are always joined together again at the Supper of the Lamb. Mass truly is the greatest social event that can be known by mankind, even if he does not know it yet. So, whether I participate in Christmas Mass at St. Peter’s or St. Patrick’s, I am always going to be home. Home is not a place, it is neither St. Peter’s, SNC Parish, nor is it St. Patrick’s, home is participation in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, it is participation in the one thing that holds us all together, for better or for worse. Home is the Eucharist. Home is where we come to meet our family and that is in God. This is what I was thinking during and after my visit to St. Peter’s. 

What I like about Rome.
When someone asks how I feel about Rome, I always say with the brightest expression, “I love it!” Well, that’s a bit of an exaggeration. Honestly, I do love the city, but it’s a city and I’m from a small rural town of 800 people in Central Wisconsin. It’s hard for a country-boy like me to fit into the groove of city life. So, I guess it’s time for my list of what I like around the city…

1) I love the history. I’ve visited several historic sites here in Rome and every time I enter one, get this great feeling of awe at the fact that, even if it’s not historically accurate, I am standing where one of the greatest Saints in the Western Church held residence for a period of time. This is just one example… 

2) I love that there is a church around every corner. Literally, I have found a church at almost every corner of this city. Unfortunately, many of the originally Medieval churches have received a large dose of Renaissance and no longer retain, noticeably, their Medieval splendor. 

3) I love how easy and cheap it is to get around the city. I was a bit overwhelmed at first, but now that I’ve done it a few times, it’s become much less stressful. 

4) I love the bread. It’s so much better than the stuff at most American grocery stores.

5) I love that when you go out for dinner, an instrumentalist will just come up to your table, expecting a tip, of course, and start playing. 

6) I love working at Mensa Caritas. Something I’ve wanted to do for a while now is service on a weekly basis, but I’ve never really had much time … and It makes me feel like my time here is not spent completely in vain. 

7) I love playing chicken with the cars. Everyone needs a bit of excitement in their lives.

8) I love walking around and seeing the little things that everyone else seems to just pass by.

This seems to be it for now… There is more that I like about the city, but I can’t really think of those things at the moment. SO - this will have to do. I think that I said I’d write about Umbria in this one, too? Well, that’s going to have to wait now. I was supposed to leave for Campo di Fiori an hour ago - don’t want to miss the market!

September202012

Opening Doors

The past few weeks have definitely been an adventure. I’ve met some really great people that I have spent quite a bit of time with, though it has taken me a while to find a group that I am comfortable hanging out with, and in some ways I am still searching. I’ve discovered a lot about what I am going to study in the future. I’ve seen many great things because of class that many would never see as tourists. 

Missing some friends…making new ones.
A few of us go to Mensa Caritas on Tuesday nights and then go out for dinner afterward. I’ve “been out” a total of now one time. I’ve met a lot of really great people and made some really great friends. One thing I’m missing: friends back home who get really excited about these things (esp. Megan Derse). Our excitement just feeds off of one another’s and we become quite ridiculously enthusiastic, and I’m missing the fact that we do that (or used to) all the time! 

Opening the doors into academia.
I’ve now had several classes here in Rome and, to be honest, a few of them have really been disappointing me. Most of these courses are 3 credits, right? The way I’ve heard that interpreted is 3 hours in class per week = more work outside of class. The past couple weekends, I’ve sat around with near nothing to do as far as homework goes; it’s the same almost every night. One class in particular has not disappointed me, though - Medieval Rome and Its Monuments (my on-site course), nor has the professor! So I’m doing a kind of large research project in the spring and I need to actually start it this semester. I had no clue where to start, but this professor was willing to meet with me so I could get a move on it. So I’ve now discovered that for what I want to study, that is Church History (specifically the Marian Tradition), I essentially have to study Art History as well - and I’m in a good place to start that! Also, I may get a library card for Italy’s National Library here in Rome to help me with my project. 

Things I don’t like about Rome and JCU 
1. Vespas - they are loud and they don’t care if they hit you (not that I’ve been hit…yet).
2. The Library -  it is small, dingy, often very loud, and the people are very rude.
3. The cafeteria - I didn’t expect extravagance, but you’d think they’d at least be able to place their lunch line well. No, instead you have to walk through the line to get into the main area, as it goes right be the stair case leading into the basement.
4. The crowds upon crowds of people. Really, if you want to stop, pull over, off the main walking area of the sidewalk, and stop there - don’t stop abruptly, making me run into you, and then proceed to literally shove my way through smaller openings in the crowds.
5. The people who smoke right in front of the door to enter campus. There is an entire piazza right in front of the entrance, take a corner and stick with it and don’t make me walk through your smoke. 
6. Smoke in general. Everyone here smokes, making a very smelly air throughout the city - my first time with fresh air since I’ve been here was last weekend in Assisi. Don’t misread this, though, and think that Rome just stinks - because it doesn’t. It really only smells where people are smoking and oft times, that’s everywhere you go.
7. The cars that think they can fit down the narrowest streets I’ve ever seen with parked cars lined up on either side. Somehow they make it through, though it’s at the risk of every pedestrian on the block because the cars are all parked on the sidewalk.
8. Bus #40 (the Express Bus). We took this one to get to Mensa Caritas because we were running a little late…. We don’t know if it was called Express Bus because it doesn’t make all the stops of a normal bus or because the driver is insane. We’ve now decided to protest bus #40. 
9. The morning stop at the bar for cappuccino. I like cappuccino, but I don’t like how Italians just throw it back instead of sitting to enjoy it. Oh, I also don’t like paying extra for a table. I haven’t been able to truly just sit an enjoy a coffee for the longest time. Missing my Luna time!

That’s all for now, but I’ll post something about my Umbria excursion by (or on) Saturday. I’ll have a list of things I like about the city next time, too!

September52012

Fun story about the St. Norbert statue. I was at the Square with some friends at midnight (of course, it was actually gated for the night), and I was telling them that one of the statues on the colonnade is St. Norbert, which is kind of a big deal for me and not so much for them. Then I turned to the left and at the first one I saw I pointed and said, “Oh my gosh - that’s him, right there!” Later, I found out that I was right… What first gave him away? The way he was standing. Then I saw the hairstyle, and recognized it as well as “distinctive” of Norbert (do statues have distinctive hairstyles, other than long or shordt?). Finally, I saw the monstrance, and I said, “Ok, there’s a monstrance - and look at the way he’s holding it - that MUST be St. Norbert.” Of course this all happened in a matter of like 2 seconds. 

Only a true SNC student would be able to spot St. Norbert’s statue in the dark…
August312012

For lunch today, we went to Borgo di Tragliata, which is an agriturismo about 40 minutes outside of Rome. We were given a four course meal with bottomless wine and water - I’m really liking this bottomless wine and water deal, enough with bottomless soft drinks! Afterward, a tour of the smallorganic farm was offered and we got to see some of the apartments and rooms they have available for travelers. 
12PM

This is only a part of the pictures I took at Ostia Antica. Unfortunately, we did not get to spend a lot of time at Ostia so we did not get to see much of the city. It will be easy to return, however, and see some of the areas we missed, such as the synagogue. 

A small portion from the tour given by one of the JCU professors.
The ancient port city of Ostia was really a bustling town that was proud of its place in the world. They believed that without them Rome would fall apart because Ostia was the port city through which Rome received all of its goods. If Ostia fell, then Rome, too, would fall. They made statements throughout the city expressing their importance and their pride; everything they built was a symbol of the true equality they had with Rome.
August302012

Beginning of an Adventure

So the title is a bit… misleading. My adventure abroad truly began almost a year ago when I finally decided study abroad and do so in Rome. So, I guess it is more rightly called “Another step along the path of a great adventure” - or something along those lines - but that’s just too long and kind of ridiculous, so we’ll just have to deal with my misleading title.

Waking up bright and early! 
I went for a run Wednesday morning; yes, I went running (well, jogging to be perfectly honest). I rather hated myself after it, especially since I had to climb five flights of stairs. It’s definitely a good way to see the city. 

First day of orientation. 
We walked to JCU for our first day of our SAI/JCU orientation, which includes free breakfast and lunch. We got lost on our way there - took a wrong turn at the Piazza Trilussa. Megan Derse, there is a lot of food here; I feel bad for not finishing half the time, but I’m not used to eating so much anymore! Fresh fruit is always a must, though!

Interesting program; interesting people.
I’m currently still trying to find that group of people with whom I actually want to spend time in the city - those who are actually interested in learning the people, the culture, and spending most of their time in Rome. I have a feeling that most of the people in this program are only interested in traveling outside of the city and country, just based on conversations I’ve heard. Most of the guys are quite disrespectful - toward women, toward Italians, toward their own peers - it seems, though they don’t see it that way.

Santa Maria in Trastevere.
I stumbled across this church during our morning run and decided that I had to go back later in the day, so I did. I entered during Mass at the consecration - a bit awkward for me, but I suppose they’re used to it, so no one looked or said anything; their attention was fixated a the activity on the altar (as it probably should be…). I wish I could post some pictures, but I didn’t have my camera with me and I don’t feel comfortable taking tourist pictures during Mass (seems a bit rude, in my opinion). The church is, to put it simply, beautiful (I have nothing to compare it to in Rome yet, though).

Tour by Andy Steves.
We were led on a tour by, yes, the son of Rick Steves. We also had the option to attend dinner at one of his favorite bars - six courses with bottomless wine. Unfortunately, I had been feeling a bit ill all day, so I chose not to go. He’ll be taking us around Thursday and Friday as well, so I haven’t missed out on cheap food just yet!

Finding my way back.
Because I decided to not attend dinner, I was by myself to find my way back to the apartment. I felt safe walking back, as violent crime is mostly unheard of in Rome and most crime is simply petty theft; pickpockets only want your money, so they’re not violent, as I’ve been told. The best way to find yourself in a violent situation is walking around intoxicated or trusting the wrong people, normally in a bar setting; the latter, according to JCU students, can be a common occurrence among Americans. I’ve also observed that Italians love to people-watch (perfect, I like doing the same) and most mind their own business, with that one exception.

The search for fresh fruit!
Last night after I returned to my apartment, I really wanted fresh fruit. My roommate and I had to go through our roommate agreement, so I didn’t get to go out and find some until 11:30. Within minutes, though, I found one close to the Tiber and bought a bowl of sliced pineapple and kiwi. All I can say is that it was the best bowl of fruit I’ve every had (no offense, mom, but everything just seems to taste better in Italy!). So now I’ve decided that I’m going to end many of my nights not with a glass of wine or two, but with fresh fruit.

Stay tuned; I’ll have pictures posted by Saturday! Si vales, valeo.

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