fruits

the silent retreat was very challenging. i liked it, but the fruits of my reflections are difficult to just "do." i realized a little more clearly that the Lord wants me to focus totally on Him and more specifically, His Heart, His Love. fair enough, that makes sense, will do. yet, how does one go about more wholly receiving the Love of God for me? it is not something that i can "do" at all. it is in receiving His love that i can "see" Him more clearly and choose to love Him and from there each one whom i meet. its clear to me even if i can't explain it to you very well, but its not something to "do" and that is a wrench in my normal mode of operation (as i am sure many of you know and are now thinking "i could have told you that!").

this week is deacon ordinations. "the event" of the year for us here. after that my diocesan brother, deacon to be Theodore Lange, will serve his first Mass in St. Peter's with our Archbishop and i will get to go to that and maybe serve. for the weekend i will go to Norcia Itlay, the birthplace of St. Benedict, on my first mini pilgrimage- you will have my prayers there. then next monday classes begin and i will do my best to honor the Lord in so doing. Benedict XVI defines our role as novice theologians: "scholars of the face of God." its things like that that make me pause and say, "how did i get here?" i think my name accidentally got put into the "people who have the capacity to understand this stuff" hat. please pray for all souls who need healing, especially those who fear to receive reconciliation with our Lord because of their sins.

picures:

1) the view we endured at the silent retreat house: Palazolla (they host weddings)

2) the volleyball court that we for obvious reason (besides silence) did not use

3) St. Peter's from my roof at night (pray for Theodore, he will be ordained there Oct 4)

silent retreat

well, we have finished the 4 week italian course and now my class is headed for a week long silent retreat near Castel Gondolfo. this is a welcome event. i officially ranked at b1 level of italian, which means i should feel comfortable in normal everyday conversation and be able to follow a discourse in my area of study. i'm not sure thats the truth, but the test said so, so it must be true. on this retreat there will be no talking from Sunday to Saturday-longer than i've had to do before. i am excited and anxious to see what the Lord will do, please pray for me and my class while we are there.

today i went to St. Mary Major (one of the 4 major basilica's of the Church--the others being St. Peter's, St. Paul outside the Walls, and St. John Latern). i got to make this small pilgrimage to pray for a good man who asked for prayers there and be near the crib of the newborn Jesus. as i sat to pray so many people flocked past the crib, snapped a picture, gawked at the exquisite art/marblework and left. i was thankful i left my camera at home. its so easy to get caught up in "seeing" everything that you don't "see" anything. it has been a gift to be present to the moment through a prayer, a moment of pause and then receiving what the Lord has for me there. all around the city and churches there are beautiful and extravagant works and when i take them as another "site" to see they don't mean much, but when i just sit a minute the faith that inspired the work and offerings (at least in the churches) begins to set the tone and i am drawn to an encounter of faith myself.

pictures:

1) where i will be going on retreat

2) the colessieum

3) one of the triumphal arches

swiss guard

yesterday, the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, i got to take some time to pray in front of the Pieta, the tomb of St. Peter, and the tomb of St. Paul-it was a blessed morning. what struck me was how surrendered to God all the Saints were. although they were definately imperfect and made mistakes all along the way, when it came down to it there whole heart was for God. they would not choose anything over Him, not their preferences, not the approval of others, not even their own life, it was all for Him. i felt a little of my smallness as i prayed near St. Paul's tomb.

2 weeks ago we got to visit the swiss guard barracks- a rarity. my friend Jeff gave me his pictures so i can share them with you. the reason that the swiss hold this post is

because back in the day the pope had no protection as the barbarians were invading

Rome, so he hired some mercinaries from switzerland. in the attack, around 147 of the around 200 swiss soldiers gave their lives to protect the pope as he fled from the Vatican to the Castel Sant' Angelo. from that time on they have been the pope's faithful defenders.

pictures:

1 - the pope's bedroom window (top floor, second from right)

the rest - past pope defending supplies and courtyard of the barracks

there's just something about Assisi

thurs - sat, the college took us to Assisi. my conclusion: Assisi is good for the heart. it is good just to be in a calm place, clean and fresh. there is not so much hustle and hubbub all over (but there are Churches everywhere. if you go to Assisi, it is much better to be a pilgrim than a tourist (and Assisi helps you with that).

orientation is officially ending today. we will have 2 more weeks of italian classes, then we go on a week long retreat in Castel Gondolfo. i am extremely spoiled. i haven't had a bad meal yet (except for the time the college tried to make hamburgers and fries), and we are constantly getting to go to privelaged places, holy places, and are welcomed with fine banquets. that ends with orientation (i hope).



i learned my address and phone number in case you want to write or call (we are 9 hours ahead of pacific time).

address for letters:

Pontifical North American College

Matt Libra

00120 Vatican City State

Europe

phone number for my room:

[from the US: 011-39] then 06-68493-325

pictures:

1,2) Assisi at sunrise from the roof of my hotel

3) the view on the 1 hour uphill hike to the hermitage of St. Francis

4) the hermitage of St. Francis

5) the church of St. Clare

ps - one of my next installments will be italian signs, and another will be a tour of the NAC, then i will have to do places you can stay.

first full week

well, now i've finished a full week here in Rome. the thing i like most is the emphasis on faith. the priests here continually challenge us to focus on receiving the love of Jesus in our lives, to know Him, and to love Him with all that we are. this week has had ups and downs, i haven't quite "hit my groove" yet. one of the things i am doing is not taking my camera with me everywhere the first time i go, this helps me to be more present to the moment, to how Jesus is trying to speak to me rather than collecting up a bunch of events that i can say i did. this helps me to grow in faith rather than in pride and self importance.

it has been hot here, i don't sleep well during the night, but i noticed that everyone in Rome has a little wet spot on the front of their shirt when we walk around. there are all us fat guys sweating like pigs, but everyone has this little wet spot, then i realized: their bellybuttons are filling up with sweat and then their shirt soaks it up- its pretty funny and very human.

this week i got the opportunity to visit the beach where the US troops landed to take back italy from the nazi's in ww2. we celebrated Mass (on american soil) at a cemetary dedicated to those who gave their lives for our freedom. some of the memorial crosses were inscribed "here lies an honorable commrade in arms, known to God alone" it was moving also to see a carving of Mary holding a dead US service member in her arms, carring him to heaven. language classes started again, they are...good for us. today i took some time to walk around Rome. here are some pictures for you:

1,2) the pantheon outside and in (it is a perfect circle, a temple to "all the gods" that was converted into a Catholic Church)

3)the Roman Forum

4)the Angelicum (where i will be going to school)

ps - here is my school route: walk down the hill to historic Rome, find pantheon. go to the palace of Vitor Emanuale (near 1st century forum and colesseum). find Trajan's Column, go past it, arrive at Angelicum (near St. Mary Major). about 40-45min walk. i hope you are all well, please keep praying for me and let me know if you have a particular place you would like me to pray for you at.

Angelus for Aug 26

On Passing Through the Narrow Gate"We Must Commit Ourselves to Being Little"VATICAN CITY, AUG. 26, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the address Benedict XVI delivered today before reciting the midday Angelus with several thousand people gathered in the courtyard of the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo.* * *Dear Brothers and Sisters!Even today's liturgy proposes to us an illuminating and troubling phrase of Christ. During his last trip up to Jerusalem someone asks him: "Lord will those who are saved be few?" And Jesus answers: "Strive to enter by the narrow gate; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able" (Luke 13:23-24). What is meant by this "narrow gate"? Why is it that many people do not succeed in entering through it? Is it perhaps a passage that is reserved only for a few elect?When we consider it, in effect, the way of reasoning of Jesus' interlocutors is always with us: the temptation to think of religious practice as a source of privileges and certainties is always waiting in ambush for us. In truth, Christ's message goes in exactly the opposite direction: Everyone can enter into life, but the gate is "narrow" for everyone. There is no privileged group. The way to eternal life is open to all, but it is "narrow" because it is demanding, it requires commitment, self-denial and mortification of one's own egoism.Once again, as we have seen in past Sundays, the Gospel invites us to consider the future that awaits us and for which we must prepare during our pilgrimage on earth. The salvation that Jesus worked through his death and resurrection is universal. He is the only Redeemer and he invites everyone to the banquet of eternal life. But with one and the same condition: that of making the effort to follow him and imitate him, taking up one's cross, as he did, and dedicating one's life to the service of our brothers. One and universal, therefore, is this condition for entering into the life of heaven.On the last day -- Jesus observes in the Gospel -- we will not be judged on the basis of presumed privileges, but by our works. The "workers of iniquity" will find themselves excluded, while those who have done good and sought justice, at the cost of sacrifice, will be welcomed. For this reason it will not be enough to declare oneself a "friend" of Christ, bragging about false merits: "We ate and drank in your presence and you taught in our streets" (Luke 13:26).True friendship with Christ is expressed by one's way of life: it is expressed by goodness of heart, with humility, meekness and mercy, love of justice and truth, sincere and honest commitment to peace and reconciliation. This, we might say, is the "I.D. card" that qualifies us as authentic "friends"; this is the "passport" that permits us to enter into eternal life.Dear brothers and sisters, if we too want to pass through the narrow gate we must commit ourselves to being little, that is, humble of heart, like Jesus. Like Mary, his and our Mother. She was the first, following the Son, to travel the way of the cross and she was assumed into the glory of heaven, as we recalled some days ago. The Christian people call on her as "launa Caeli," Gate of Heaven. Let us ask her to guide us, in our daily choices, along the road that leads to the "Gate of Heaven."[Translation by ZENIT][After praying the Angelus, the Holy Father greeted pilgrims in six languages. In English, he said:]I am happy to greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors. May your stay at Castel Gandolfo and Rome renew your love of the universal Church. I welcome the new seminarians of the Pontifical North American College, and pray that their formative years in Rome will help them to grow in wisdom and pastoral charity. Among you I welcome the participants in the cycling pilgrimage from Canterbury Cathedral to Rome. You have cycled the traditional Via Francigena, following in the footsteps of so many men and women of faith on their way to the tombs of Peter and Paul. I pray that your visit will be a time of spiritual and ecumenical enrichment. May Christ keep you and your families in his love.To the Muslim, Orthodox, Lutheran, and Catholic religious leaders from Kazakhstan, present at today's Angelus, I wish to extend warm greetings. Your gathering in Assisi and in Padua, together with your meetings in the Vatican, are a sure sign of the hope that mutual understanding and respect between religious communities can overcome distrust and promote the way of peace which springs from truth. Be assured of my prayers for the success of your visit and may your efforts bear much fruit for the noble land of Kazakhstan and beyond!

first blog

welcome to my blog! this is a new way of communication for me so if it is difficult i apologize. hopefully this will be an easier way for you all to know how i am doing and for me to keep in touch. i plan to update it every week or two with new pics. you may want to bookmark http://mattlibra.blogspot.com/ to keep in touch.

well, my first "week" is done. the guys here are extremely gracious and helpful. they keep us hopping though, thats for sure. tomorrow starts the "real" orientation - italian classes, conferences, etc. today they took us to Castel Gondolfo (the Pope's summer residence) for the angelus message. the pope gave us a special blessing which you can read on the vatican website, then we toured the papal gardens there. here is a few pictures.

also, yesterday i was able to go back to St. Peter's for a tour, it was just what i needed. everything in the church is a prayer and a teaching. i got to pray in the adoration chapel there and i offered a prayer of thanksgiving for all of you who have made me who i am today. thank you. this coming week we will go back again for the Scavi tour, i really appreciate the spiritual emphasis they have on everything here, it is all about the heart, conversion, and learning to love our Lord.

take care--matt libra

(pics = pieta, the view just inside St. Peter's, the NAC crest, papal gardens at Castel Gondolfo)