Tomorrow Fr. Bernd, who has been accompanying us on this journey heads back to La Neyliere. He leaves us in the capable hands of another Marist, Fr. Tim Costello. Tim handles the Rome part of the renewal. It will be sad to see Bernd go. He's made the pilgrimage a wonderful experience.
(Au revoir, Bernd!)
Today could be called Jesuit Day on the renewal. We spent the day focusing on the influence that the Jesuits had on Fr. Colin. It was interesting for me because this is not something that I was very familiar with in our history. I didn't know that Fr. Colin had shown a revised text of the Marist rule to Fr. Rosaven, an assistant General for the Jesuits, for advice. I didn't know that he found the Jesuit Consititutions (in the Casanatense Library) while in Rome on his first journey and that he used its structure to help form ours. I didn't know that Fr. Colin celebrated Mass at the altar of St. Aloysius (a Jesuit saint) in the Church of St. Ignatius. Even the Jesuit Superior General, Fr. Roothan, went out of his way to welcome Jean Claude to Rome on his second journey in 1842.
To say the least I learned a great deal today.
The highlight of the day was sitting in the room where St. Ignatuis died -- now a chapel. We prayed together in that place both in thanksgiving for this Jesuit influence, and for the charism that we possess as Marists.
(Room where St. Ignatius Loyola died.)
I also thanked St. Ignatius for the education I received at Loyola New Orleans.
(Painting of the death of St. Ignatius surrounded by his brothers. I don't know who painted it, but I'm sure it was someone famous!)
Dear Father Kevin,
ReplyDeleteWhen you mentioned the Jesuits, it makes more sense of why you and Father John were "confused" when I mentioned to you that the Marists was influnenced many years ago. To share my experience, I was heading to Santa Clara University on my discernment to become a priest. I told them that I was also interested in the Marists. The Jesuits smirked and said, "Yeah, we influenced them." Anyway, just a small little tidbit. I miss you here in the United States.
Ad majorem dei gloriam,
John Vu