Ciao, Roma!

 Dear family, friends, brothers and sisters in Christ,

Wow. I've already been here a week in Rome and it has been...incredible. So many things and it's only been a week. Crazy. Last Thursday, Andrew and I left from Dayton to D.C. to Rome. Keith had some difficulty with his flight, but we met up with him at Bernardi on Saturday. We got in at 6:45 AM (Roman time). We waited a little bit and Fr. Ruiz, a priest from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati who is taking graduate classes in liturgy for our Archdiocese, met us at the airport and escorted us to Monte Mario where we spent the night with the Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus. Sr. Daiana welcomed us. The thing was...none of the sisters or workers or other guests spoke no to very very little English. It was a little fun playing charades with the sisters, but it was difficult. In that moment, I was so happy there was a computer around so I could translate back and forth with Sr. Daiana in our native tongues.

In the evening we had coffee at the Gregorian University with Fr. Carola, S.J., who's in charge of the formation of the seminarians at the Bernardi House, but he had to go and pack for his trip to Havana for some work he had there. We took a nice stroll through Rome to St. Peter's. It was so wonderful to see that magnificent basilica again. Beautiful as it was when I was in Rome in 2011.Once at the Vatican, we taxi-ed up to Monte Mario, took it easy, and the next morning got ready to move in to Bernardi.

Let me back up a bit. The best moments of the day were that afternoon with Fr. Carola.

After we had taken it easy from the flight and carride from the airport, which was a crazy drive (that's the Italians for you...maniacs when it comes to driving!!!), Andrew and I made our way by bus and taxi to the Greg to meet Fr. Carola at 3:30. Fr. Carola was very kind and a truly genuine person. He said Mass in a side chapel at the Greg for us in which he said this experience, this growth, would change us and help us grow stronger to someday be priests. It may happen suddenly or subtlety, but it will change us. Wow. Pretty powerful. After Mass, we walked around with him in which he spoke about Rome and that, I'm paraphrasing, "You're seminarians here too. This is no break or time to take off." Another wonderful thought. I've been thinking about that the past few weeks. I'm a seminarian which means living out my vocation every day. One cannot take a break from their vocation whether their in school, on vacation, etc. etc. As Fr. Pat told us at Brute last semester before we left for summer vacation, "let Christ's work define you." One cannot give Christ a part of themselves. Just at like a job, you cannot be lazy and just do part of your job. You have to take responsibility to do your part and do your job 100%...or else you're fired. You have to give it ALL...every day. I do not want to be a priest that does what I am called to do half way, give of myself 50 %, and doesn't take responsibility for the flock that would be entrusted to me. I want to be a priest, God willing, that lets Christ's work define me. Deo Gratias. More to come. All the best to everyone back home. Praying for you guys.

Your brother in Christ,

- Michael ^_^