St. Paul's Outside the Walls

today i went with my Jesu Caritas fraternity group to St. Paul's Outside the Walls. its one of my favorite Churches in Rome. we went to Mass, prayed before the tomb of St. Paul and spent some time talking and reflecting on Scripture. it was freezing.

this is the time of year where we are all tired and unmotivated. i can't complain that its too much when i watch how much effort it takes and challenges one faces everywhere else. whether single or married, old or young, rich or poor, i can see that most everyone has to work harder and deal with more real stresses and worries than we do. in one sense, it is puzzling how a seminarian in Rome could find any possible reason to feel bad or overworked, or overwhelmed--we all go through our ups and downs no matter what our vocation in life is.

we have 1 week left of classes, then we get two weeks of vacation for Christmas, then its back to school for 3 weeks, then 3 weeks of finals. i hope to keep up throughout this week. i will stay in Rome for midnight Mass on Christmas eve with the Pope, then on the 26th a few friends and i will go to Krakow, Poland until the 2nd of Jan. we will go to Auschwitz, the Divine Mercy shrine, JP2's hometown, and to Our Lady of Chestahova as well as a salt mine. this time of pilgrimage is much needed and i hope to better know our Lord's coming to us, to know that "God is with us" in all these various ways. when finals come, if things work out right, i will take 2 finals a day and be done by feb 4th, then i'll get 2 more weeks off. i'm thinking of going to Medjugorje with another friend, but we'll see. may God bless you with an extra pause this week so that you can have a chance to see how He is coming to you with joy and expectation. please pray for me, my family, and my classmates; pray for our conversion.

rome notes:

St. Paul's Outside the walls - from the nac take the 23 bus right to St. Paul's (20min ride, buses come once every 30min). its free and you can rest and pray there. they have frescoes of the life of St. Paul up high and a gift shop with good magazines to explain it all. there is a giant crucifix that once spoke to St. Brigid of Sweden and an icon of Mary before which St. Ignatius took his solemn vows and started the Jesuit order. definately a must visit place.

pictures:

1- the entrance courtyard to St. Paul's

2- the original doors to St. Paul's built at the time of Constantine (4th century)

3- a picture of the memorial cover over the tomb and altar and one of the mosaics

4- the tomb of St. Paul, under the main altar

5- the little courtyard of many types of pillars next to the monk's monastary

6- an icon of St. Joseph by Br. Claude OSB at Mt. Angel, OR. maybe it can aide your prayer too this advent.