Dear friends,

Ahhhhh... the joys of technology!! My apologies on my last blog entry. Internet connections prevented me from completing my last blog and attaching a few pictures. Thus the title of this latest posting! So to continue from my last blog...

I left Montecassino with many lasting impressions. First and foremost, the witness and example of the Benedictine monks. Through the years nothing could destroy their faith or their house of formation... neither war, invasions, or earthquke. Amazing. Unreal. In the aftermath of World War II, the Benedictine community spent years rebuilding their home. Utilizing ancient renderings and manuscripts, they were able to replicate the entire monastery down to the minutest details. From the inlaid marble to the frescoed ceilings, the end result is astounding. The entire structure now serves as a public witness of their perseverance, hard work, trust and patience.

I descended down another steep, long and winding road feeling rejuvenated and empowered in my own priestly ministry to persevere. For indeed, the forces of evil can be found everywhere, trying to tear down, destroy, and invade God's church. But we need not have to take a pilgrimage to Montecassino to find living witnesses of the perseverance and strength of our church. They are sitting right next to you at Mass. They are the widow and the cancer survivor, the parents of a special needs child and the recovering addict, the recently unemployed and the aging senior... each one giving testimony time and time again, that nothing can destroy God's holy Church.

So the next time you feel like you are being invaded or bombarded by enemy forces, remember the example of these your fellow parishioners, say a prayer to St. Benedict, and trust... that indeed with the grace of God, you too will persevere.

To all of of our day school and CF kids, check out the lesson plan prepared for you on Monasticism. Google: St. Benedict and Montecassino. Learn more about the charism of the Benedictine community!

Blessings,

Fr. Tony

"And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not overcome it..."

Matthew 16:18

Greetings from Palm Springs, California!

While visiting some good friends and former neighbors here in Palm Springs, I thought I would offer a few thoughts and reflections on my journey to Rome for the Diaconal Ordination of John Mitchell. Indeed it was a grand and glorious celebration in the Basilica of St. Peter's. Presided over by Archbishop John Meyers of Newark, I was priviledged to concelebrate, along with 200 other priests, at the "Altar of the Chair." The solemn chant of the Seminary Choir, the beauty and grandeur of St. Peter's, the witness of these 33 men and their desire to serve God and His church, truly rejuvenated and inspired my own commitment to priestly ministry. I attended Deacon John Mitchell's Mass of Thanksgiving the next day and was once again moved by his own homily. I know that he was grateful for my presence, but I was even more so for the honor of being a part of this grace-filled celebration.

As part of my journey to Italy I was able to visit the famed Abbey of Montecasino, the final resting place of it's founder and great legislator of Western Monasticism, St. Benedict. Perched on a mountain overlooking the town of Cassino, this abbey is truly a testement to the faithfulness, strength, and perseverence of the Benedictine community. Founded by St. Benedict about 529 on the remnants of a pre-existing Roman fortification, montecassino became famous for the prodigious life and the sepulchre of its founder. Through the ages, the abbey  has been looked upon as a place of holiness, culture and art for which is has become renowned on a worldwide level. Beyond its museum containing works by Botticelli, the crypts of St. Benedict and St. Scholastica, and its sheer beauty and magnificence, Montecassino is perhaps is best known for its storied history. Four times, the abbey has been completely destroyed and rebuilt to its original design and plan.

The first time was around the year 577 when the monastery was destroyed by the Longobards of Zotone. The second time took place in the year 883 when the Saracens invaded and sacked the Monastery and burnt it down, causing the death of Bertarius, its saint Abbot. The third destruction occured when an earthquake destoyed all but a few walls of this splendid buiding in 1349. Once again , many additions and embelishments were made during recunstruction, so that the abbey could acquire its original greatness and glory until February 15, 1944, during the final satge of world war II, when Montecassino happened to be on the firing line between two armies. This place of pprayer and study which had become in these exceptional circumstances a peaceful shelter for hundreds of defenseless civilians, in only three hors was reduced to a heap of debris under which many refugees met their death. To be continued...

Greetings from Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park!

As I prepare to leave for Rome next week to attend the Deaconate Ordination of John Mitchell (a future priest for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee), I thought I would post one more blog. I have been in sunny and very hot (95+ degrees) for the past few days and have been absolutely amazed by the vast beauty of this magnificent place. Sequoia is truly one of California's most spectacular and least visited treasures. Nowhere else are the Sierra Nevada Mountains so high. Nowhere else are the canyons so rugged and deep. And nowhere else do the the Sierras rise so steeply from the west. I can truly attest to that, as my fingers are still so very stiff and sore from gripping the car seat so tightly, as we drove through the steepest and most winding road I've ever been on. (I'm getting a bit tired of doing these daily scary things!) Here you will find the largest tree on the planet (the General Sherman Tree), the deepest canyon in the country (Kings Canyon), and the tallest mountain in the lower 48 (Mt. Whitney at 14,491 ft.) Established on September 2,1890, Sequoia is the 2nd oldest National Park in America. It spans over 404,063 acres.

One of the highlights was seeing the General Sherman Tree. It is neither the tallest, widest, or oldest tree in the world. But by volume, it is indeed the largest known living single stem tree on Earth. It's height is 275 ft. It's diameter is 25ft. It's age is estimated between 2,300 - 2,700 years old. And it's volume is a massive 52,513 cu ft! Truly unbelievable...

As I stood beside it, I was speechless. It's sheer volume and size overwhelmed me. I felt so very small... John Muir, the great naturalist and writer described the Giant Sequoias best when he wrote: "The great age of these noble trees is even more wonderful than their huge size,standing bravely up, millennium in, millennium out, to all that fortune may bring them, triumphant over tempest and fire and time, fruitful and beautiful, giving food and shelter to multitudes of small fleeting creatures dependent on their bounty... No other tree approaches the Sequoia in grandeur, height, and thickness being considered, and none as far as I know has looked down on so many centuries or opens such impressive and suggestive views into history... Great trees and groves should be venerated as sacred monuments and halls of council and worship."

As I gazed heavenward, I realized that this tree was already hundreds of years old at the time of Christ. This tree gave me a sense of perspective, helping me to realize how very short and very fragile my own life is. It's broad branches, thick, red bark, and fragrant scent, beckoned me to ponder/reflect upon my own lifespan asking: "What will I triumph over? What bounty will I provide? What council will I offer?"

This past week I lost a dear friend of mine... Olive Caveney. She would have celebrated her 100th birthday this weekend. She died just two weeks shy of this incredible landmark. By human standards she was old. By Sequoia standards she was just beginning. Yet in her lifespan, Olive gave much. Her bounty was plentiful. Faithful, generous, open-minded, and young in so many ways, Olive stood tall in her grove. I will always be grateful for the lessons she taught me... to live life to the fullest with whatever time we may have. May she rest in peace.

And so the question remains for us... "How much time do we have here on earth?" "What will we do with our bounty?" At times we may "feel small" against the powers and forces of life. But with the love, grace, and mercy of God, each one of us can stand tall, if we but learn, know and fulfill our purpose in life.

To our school and CF children, I invite you to learn more about the Giant Sequoia trees. Find out why they live so long, how fast they grow, and why they only can be found on the Western edge of the Sierra Nevada Mountans. What lessons about life and faith can you learn from these magnificent trees?

Blessings,

Fr. Tony