Ineffable: not sure what to say about that...

As I stated in the earlier post, I celebrated Mass in the Italian tongue last Saturday night. As I prepared for the Mass and prayed it, I noticed the word, "ineffabile" which, as you can probably tell, translates into the English "ineffable".

The post-communion prayer for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time A read: "O Dio nostro Padre, che ci hai dato la grazia di partecipare al mistero Eucaristico , memoriale perpetuo della passione del tuo Figlio, fa’, che questo dono del suo ineffabile amore giovi sempre per la nostra salvezza."

Interesting (for some of us I suppose).

Messa nella lingua italiana...

Well, yesterday marked a milestone for me as I celebrated Mass for the first time in Italiano. Around fifteen students and professors from the Italian School gathered for the Mass. I noticed a stark difference between praying/reading the Ordinary of the Mass and the Gospel and Collects.

The Ordinary was familiar to me, I was able to read without much difficulty and therefore, was able to pray the Mass. However, the Gospel and the Collects were more difficult probably because they change on a daily/weekly basis. So, I prayed those texts slower and that seems to work just fine for now.

Mia omelia era molto molto breve. Short and sweet. I think the congregation appreciated this!

Afterwards, I enjoyed dinner at Flatbreads with friends from the school who have been so very helpful in preparing me for the Mass and helping with pronunciation and the sense of the texts. In fact, they were essential. I'm most grateful!

(I know, I know. I need a haircut.)

Always Two Sides...

At the start of the Summer Semester, the Middlebury Language School held an opening convocation/ceremony in Mead Chapel. If Josef Pieper were alive and present he would have said, "told you so" since he wrote on the topic of modern man's futile attempt to obtain/encounter depth and meaning in empty secularized rituals.

The school's vice-president spoke about the important and beautiful work accomplished here each summer in helping students experience the riches of other cultures and crossing cultural and linguistic boundaries.

Fine. I agree. That's a worthwhile endeavor. But he failed to mention that the first language school, the German School, was founded in 1915.

Russian School: 1946
School of Arabic: 1982

The U.S. government needs speakers of these languages in crucial times and not simply for celebrating diversity of cultures. I didn't think much more about this until yesterday when two well dressed, smiling folks from the C.I.A. were meeting and greeting us students during lunch.

Always two sides to a story.

So sad...

Wanna be depressed?

Go to Google Images.
Type "Ratzinger".
Then go say a prayer.

When I did this earlier today, 13 of the first 20 images were either grossly evil or not flattering.

And my prayer seemed minuscule compared to the sea of atheism the world now knows.

Prayers, please.

Yesterday the italian professor said that we should have courage, b/c these are the days when we students start to hit a breaking point. I don't feel that way. The language studies are actually going pretty darn well.

It's the other stuff....

secular setting of this place
being around "ragazzi" all day
only rarely being able to have a conversation of some depth due to our language limitations.

I will gather this evening at 5PM with Catholics from varying language schools to pray the Mass. I hope to find solace there.

And hey, it's also Friday.

Buon compleanno e buona festa di St. Camillus...

Happy birthday to Fr. Stephen Koeth, CSC, my elder in the blogging world.

In the U.S., today is the Feast of St. Camillus whom I am particularly interested in because of my grandfather, Camillus Joachim Wurtz (C.J.). The two not only share the same name, but both have a devotion to the sick in need of care. It is also a holy and providential coincidence that my Aunt Camille is a cardiovascular nurse.

Twice a day, my grandfather drives to the local nursing home and visits my grandmother whose loss of physical and mental ability has been so very sad to watch. But at the same time, it has been a blessed opportunity to see my grandfather put into action acutely the words of the marriage liturgy, "...in sickness and in health." Such devotion to his wife in need can't but help to inspire this Christian to attempt to love more deeply.

St. Camillus, pray for us.

The View...

Middlebury College is quite beautiful and is situated with a spectacular view of the Green Mountains. Perhaps it is common sense, but I discovered that that is the source for the name Vermont. "Verde Montagne" (Green Mountains), thus "Ver-Mont". I've found the time immediately after supper to be an ideal time for a cigar in my left hand (sinestra) and a rosary in my right hand while taking in the sunset. Such small beautiful things keep me sane during these intense days of learning.

The local pastor has been quite welcoming. I concelebrate daily with him, though beginning with today I will preside at the 7AM Mass on Mondays. It's the pastor's day-off. The church is just a stone's throw away, and here it is as seen from my dorm door.

Forse si, forse no...

This morning, maybe I did and maybe I didn't drive East to Hanover, NH, home to Dartmouth College, to see a friend and former Latin tutor and SJU classmate, Nathan Costa. Nathan was at the college for a Classics Conference and I needed a reason to get out of dodge (Middlebury) and take in the sights this part of the nation offers.

I drove through the mountains of Vermont and the views were amazing. I had no idea Vermont was this geographically rich and rural. I would have taken photos, but my camera died :-(

Nathan and I had some pints at Murphys on the Green and looked around Dartmouth's campus which was quite busy since Sophomores are required to take classes during the Summer term. The town itself, #2 in CNN/Money Magazine list of best places to live (2007), was fun to take in.

Now back to studying l'italiano.

Buona Festa!

Oggi e la Festa di San Benedetto, Abate e Patrono d'Europa.

Happy Feast Day to all my Benedictine friends and loved ones. I am mindful of the dedicated and hard-working Benedictine Sisters who taught me in grade school, of the Benedictine men of St. John's Abbey, Collegeville who have contributed immensely to the liturgical scholarship of the Church globally and to me personally, and the Benedictine community of Sant'Anselmo where I will soon study.

Praise be to our Heavenly Father for the gift of St. Benedict, his holy rule, and the men and women who follow it.

Worthwhile Reading...

Well, I certainly hope everyone has read today's entry from The Cross, Our Only Hope. Such sublime wisdom from an unexpected author. ;-) I shouldn't joke. It might end up being the extent of my published work!

Anytime I read an entry I do find myself grateful to Fr. Gawrych and Mr. Grove for making this great book a reality.

If Only...

If only it were as simple as growing a mustache! This reminds me of Bronx, NY, January 2000, when I tried to speak Italian in a deli.