Our latest field trip in Rome was to Trastevere where we visited a number of Churches including the Church of San Francesco a Ripa – the main residence where Saint Francis when he visited Rome when he was in Rome seeking approval for his rule from the Holy Father. The General Curia of the Fransciscans in Rome is located adjacent to the School and we often go there for Sunday Mass, regularly joining the Friars for coffee afterwards; many times discussing life at the school, evangelisation and the youth, social justice and peace initiatives which the Friars are engaged in themselves. Recently we visited the Verbum Domini exhibition at the Vatican which gives a fantastic insight into the history of the Bible from a Catholic perspective, detailing how the Word of God has been passed onto us down through the centuries through the synagogues, excavations, monasteries, scriptoriums; through to the evolutions in printing and translations leading to the modern day Bible. We also visited the Pontifical Urbaniana University here in Rome for an Open Day with others groups and congregations active in the New Evangelisation. Archbishop Rino Fisichella, President of the Pontifical Council for New Evangelization was the main celebrant of the Mass and it was a great privilege to meet him afterwards and chat briefly about Evangelisation in Dublin and the Lent 2012 campaign “Mission Metropolis” taking place in selected European cities.
I recently had the great privilege of celebrating my 30th birthday at ESM Rome. The other students certainly left no stone unturned to ensure it was a birthday I wouldn’t forget and the celebrations lasted a whole weekend! The kindness, generosity and prayers of my ESM brothers and sisters, the team and the fraternity here at Casa l’emmanuel really made it my most memorable birthday yet! The meals we shared together, the prayers & personal messages from the students, the cakes (and blowing out the 30 candles), the singing and dancing, the music, the entertainment…I honestly couldn’t have wished for more. I’m just so thankful that God has called me to ESM Rome for this year and gave me such great friends in Christ! At Mass on my birthday I especially prayed in thanksgiving for all back home in Ireland who have supported me in any way to come here on Mission and for the Irish Church.
During the weekend of Saint Patrick’s Day we had a silent ‘Gift of Self’ lectio divina retreat at the school. After a very hectic few weeks it was great to spend some time in prayerful meditation and silence especially after the blessings of the previous week of my birthday. We are currently busy preparing for the upcoming Easter Tridium Retreat which we are organising here in Rome. From Holy Thursday – Easter Sunday we will welcome young people from all over Europe (including a few from Ireland) to celebrate Easter at the heart of the Church. One of the most anticipated parts of the retreat for us will be a live animation of the Stations of the Cross by the the school in St. Peter’s Square on Good Friday. We are also looking forward to our involvement in the Liturgy of the Passion on Palm Sunday and to attending the Easter Ceremonies along with those who will be here for the Tridium.
