Hello Again...

Had a nice weekend in Rome. Concelebrated at the 10:30 Mass on Sunday morning, for which I was asked to read an intercession. Hopefully will have a pic to post of that from Dr. Marten's soon. Ate what was the best meal of my life at my favorite restaurant: Scarpone's. Absolutely incredible main dish of beef filleta with a cream sauce and porcini mushrooms... bellisimo!

We are half-way through our first day of visiting the dicasteries. Visited the CDW, Congregation for Clergy, and Congregation for the Causes of Saints this morning. Very interesting presentations, particularly from the Causes of Saints, who provided a lot of interesting insight into the process of beatification and canonization. Here's a few pics:

A beautiful sunset from the roof top of our hotel:


My favorite restaurant in the world, Scarpone's:


The best pasta dish in Rome, the "Fettucini Scarpone:"


Fr. Vince and I in the sacristy of St. Peter's before Sunday morning Mass:


Fr. Vince and Fr. Anthony in the square for yesterday's Angelus:


The Trevi fountain:

Ciao from Roma!

Greetings from the eternal city! We landed safely yesterday morning. The trip began by taking a tour of the catacombs of San Sebastiano, Mass at St. Paul Outside the Walls, and dinner out. This morning: Mass at St. Peter's. Several of the guys got up early, fought the jet-lag and went to St. Peter's to celebrate our Masses before spending the free day in Rome. Fr. Jim and Fr. Chris and I are just returning to our "domus" after spending the day walking to the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, the Borgo, etc. etc. Here's some pics so far:

Our shuttle picking us up to go to Dulles airport for our flight to Italy:


Fr. Chris, showing the effects of a nine and a half hour flight as we land in Rome:


Fr. Vince points out: something is wrong with this sign "Toilets Souvenires:"


St. Peter's Square with Fr. Anthony and Fr. Martin:


"Dolce" and a "Cafe:"


Professor Martens in front of a portrayal he finds particularly inspiring:


My parishioners from Meade County who went on the pilgrimage two years ago will understand the significance of this picture:


That's all for now; stay tuned for more...

Viaggiare fa bene alla salute!

Leaving for "Roma" in a little bit. Thankfully, we have a direct flight from Washington to Rome, so no layovers. Saturday and the first part of Sunday are free time, then we hit the ground running on Monday morning. We have two or three visits to make each day from Monday through Friday at the various dicasteries. Will be trying to post some pictures periodically, provided I can find someplace that has internet access (I don't think our residence has any: the consequence of staying in a Carmelite monastery). Arrivederci, ciao!

Upcoming Visit to the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei"

Fellow Ultramontanists, next week I will be travelling to Rome with my class from here at the university to make a visit to several of the dicasteries of the Holy See. We will be visiting a dozen or so of the dicasteries which are of particular importance to our studies. Each office will be presenting to us their work, addressing pertinent issues relating to our future work with canon law. We had an opening on our busy schedule to add another visit, and our professor who is organizing the trip asked for suggestions to fill out the schedule. I figured, what the heck, how about the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei?" Well, lo and behold, we received a fax yesterday that they would be pleased to meet with us! Exciting!

The visit will offer the opportunity to pose questions for the representative. I have several that I am interested in: both liturgical and doctrinal in nature. Such as: "may a Catholic, according to the prescripts of c. 1248, lawfully fulfill his obligation to hear Mass on Sundays at chapels of the SSPX? If so, are there any conditions attached to that fulfillment?" I've found that there are arguments for both sides of this question amongst canonists, and am thinking of writing my Licentiate thesis on the topic. Of a doctrinal nature, several questions exist pertaining to the ecclesial status of the SSPX since the lifting of the formally declared excommunications of the four bishops a year or so ago.

So, I know that many of you who frequent this blog are devotees of the "Extraordinary Form" and would therefore be interested in various subjects relating to it. I make the offer: leave me a comment to this post with suggested questions you may have, and (with my discretion, of course!) I will take them with me to the visit.

The Home of Ecclesia Dei:

One Down, Three to Go...

The paper for Religious Liberty is done ("A Survey of Religion in U.S. Supreme Court Jurisprudence"). Three more to go. I must get at least one more done before the class trip to Rome for the visit of the Dicasteries, which is less than two weeks away. Anyone want to write a paper on Ex Corde Ecclesiae for me??? Alas, the life of a student!

Is it Spring yet?

Oh, what I'd give to see a blade of grass right now! We are half-way through February and are still buried under several feet of snow, but I'm heartened by the thought of Spring training and another season of baseball on the horizon. How do things look for my team, the Cincinnati Reds? Horrible as ever, but sadly, we're kinda used to that now. That's not really the point though, is it? The point is that Spring training elicits thoughts of sitting in the warm sun, drinking a cold beer, and enjoying the familiar sights and sounds and smells of a baseball game. Hotdogs on the grill, vendors chanting "COLD BEER!", and the crack of the bat. Pitchers and catchers report this week, and with that, warm thoughts of Summer can not be far away.


The sad remains of Parkway Field (now completely demolished...):







Members of the original "Redbirds Ragtime Band" (click HERE for link to their website):


Here they are, still going strong! Imagine them marching out to their place in the stands at old Cardinal Stadium before every game, music blaring... good times!

Another Athlete Follows Call to Religious Vocation...

Last month you'll remember a post about a promising young baseball prospect Grant Desme of the Oakland A's organization who has retired from his baseball career to pursue priesthood. To continue that theme, check out the latest post over at "The Young Fogey" about a former Olympic speed skater who has entered consecrated religious life as a Franciscan Sister. Check it out HERE.

Yes, he's made another video...

I know what you're thinking: what in the world is he doing up there snow-bound in the house? Is he doing nothing but shoveling snow, taking video, and goofing off? Well, I've done my fair share of all three of those things, thank you very much. However, I am getting some work done too. Try ten pages worth of a paper for my "Religious Liberty" class... the topic is "Religious Liberty in U.S. Supreme Court Jurisprudence." Wow, I know you're excited by that topic (sadly, I actually am...). OK, here's the latest little video. The anger being expressed towards Punxsutawney Phil by the guys around the house is growing I think. It seems we have a scape-goat for all this bad weather. After all, it was sunny and in the forties until he made that prediction of his last week... Enjoy:

*DING *DING! Round TWO!

Is it really possible??? Is it snowing AGAIN! Unfortunately, it is... and this time with wind gusts of 50+ mph! Is this what it's like when God smites you?

Third shift is out shoveling the back lot:


I think there's a car under that snow drift:

Out and About, part II...

We have reached the breaking point: acute cabin fever has been diagnosed. "Sacerdos 1" was taken out again yesterday with myself at the helm and two classmates in tow. We had to take the opportunity to get out while we could. There was a window of opportunity between snow storms to do so yesterday afternoon. Here's some shots:

The departure board at Union Station. Nearly every train was cancelled:


This must be the greatest name ever for a Chinese restaurant. Not "Half Yum," nor "3/4 Yum," but:


"Neither wind, nor rain, nor snow, nor dark of night" can keep us from our favorite place downtown: Shelly's!


Metro was operating, but only its underground sections. Trains were only arriving at 30 minute intervals, and crowds were heavier than you'd expect. Here's the crowd at Metro Center:

New Blog Added to Bloglist...

Finally, a post about something other than the crazy weather we're having around here (don't be too hopeful, more snow is coming our way and I'm sure to start complaining about it on here again...). I've added a horrible, wonderful new blog to the bloglist on the bottom right-hand column. Something of sheer delight to all you lovers of home-made vestments out there! Check it out: http://badvestments.blogspot.com/

Not Again!

Here we go again... they're predicting 12" or more with this one, coming overnight Tuesday into Wednesday morning. Will it ever end???

Best Super Bowl Commercial?

Out and About...

A day has passed since the big snow... time to get out and about. Fr. Yves was under the impression that his 4:30 PM flight to Houston out of Reagan Airport was going to go off as scheduled... at least that's what the website said. Seeing that I have the only four-wheel drive vehicle on the premises, I broke the truck free from the snow drift it was buried under and we struck out through the city. We saw some interesting sights along the way, as you can see below. People ambling down N. Capital Street by the dozens, oblivious to the few vehicles trying to get through. An ATV was tearing up and down Rhode Island Ave. Alas, we got to Reagan only to discover that the website was wrong, and the airport still closed. Such is life... The roads were better than I expected.

"Sacerdos 1" is unburied:


A View Down N. Capital Street:


A Guy Out on His 4-Wheeler on Rhode Island Avenue:

Gloating...

Well the snow has come to an end here in the District. The total is somewhere around 30" here at the house, with the Western suburbs reporting over 40" in some places. I have never seen anything quite like this before. Now the question is how long will it take for things to get back to normal. Fr. Chris, who is from the Diocese of Erie, PA - the home of Punxsutawney - and is an ardent advocate of the groundhog "Punxsutawney Phil" (the "seer of seers" and "prognosticator of prognosticators"), is gleeful that this year's prediction has proven abundantly true! He sent the following this afternoon. Gloating, is he?



When I say six more weeks of winter…
…I mean SIX MORE WEEKS OF WINTER!!

Ahh… right again…

-Phil