Good Friday reflections

This afternoon I walked to the Newman Center to participate there in the Living Stations of the Cross and the Reconciliation Service. As usual there was a good turn out and I found the enviorment helpful for reflection, self-examination, prayer.

On the walk home I decided to stop for a haircut and then to buy some Easter cards. As soon as I find the top of my desk, I will write them out.

Five days after the earthquake in L'Aquila, the rescue operations are at an end, and the bodies all recovered. Today, Good Friday, was the day of the funeral. By radio, podcasts and internet I am doing all that I can to continue to follow the news. It shocked me that the only thing that I was able to find on the New York Times was an article about damaged art works. 289 people have died, and the New York Times is concerned about the art works.

This reminds me of the words of Luigi Barzini in reaction to the may British who used to holiday in Italy after World War II. Barzini said that these upper-class visitors were never interested in the people, but only in the monuments. "The only Italians that they care about are the dead ones," observed Barzini, meaning Cicero, Caesar and Virgil. Well, it looks to me like the New York Times is not even interested in the dead Italians.

REUTERS PHOTO 10 April 2009/Giampiero Sposito (ITALY DISASTER)

But today the funeral was celebrated in L'Aquila - a state funeral with President Napolitano, Prime Minister Berlusconi, the armed forces, and presided by the Secretary of State of the Vatican, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. Numerous bishops concelebrated with our Salesian cardinal in what has to be one of the saddest Good Fridays. I have followed these events as best I could, still struck by the terror and tragedy of this disaster.

So I end this Good Friday afternoon, praying for the victims in L'Aquila, as well as the victims of human wrath in our cities and in the wars that continue to rage… and pray too for those who are trying to rebuild the lives of so many hurting people, again in our cities but especially at L'Aquila and all the surrounding towns.

Earthquake

This morning I awoke to the radio news of an earthquake in Italy. The epicenter was l'Aquila. At 5.30 this morning I heard that there were 9 dead… by 6.00 the news was 30 confirmed dead… by 7.30 there were 72, and the death toll rising. I was able to download news from the internet and the photos from Reuters and Associated Press. These I pasted on my laptop for a slideshow when my students came in for the 8.10 class. None of them had heard yet of the earthquake. We offered our start-up prayer for the victims, and I have to say that the thought of this disaster has been with me all day.

Checking with family and friends in Rome, where they felt the shake intensely, all the people that I know are safe. Thanks be to God, the five Salesians and the 100 university students who lodge with them in the student hostel that is Istituto S. Giovanni Bosco at L'Aquila are all safe. As soon as the first shock hit, the entire community rushed out into the inner courtyard of the Institute, and they remained there until morning light. Only then did they chance to go back into the building. The building sustained grave damage, but not one of the educators or university students were the least injured. By afternoon, all the students had left to return to their homes.

So the Salesians at the epicenter are all safe. I wonder at this point how my friends in Rome are doing. L'Aquila is only about 80 km from Rome. The quake was strongly felt there too, but I have not heard if there has been damage. I am anxious to hear.

Now we pray and we wait. Rescue workers have been busy since the first quake, and they continue now to extract the injured. Italians are ready to volunteer but the rescue is very much under control. All that has been asked now is that people donate blood to the Red Cross.


In the meantime, I heard from my geologist cousin Salvatore, who writes today:

ENNESIMO LUTTO IN ITALIA. SONO VICINO ALLE FAMIGLIE TERREMOTATE. MA PERCHE' IN ITALIA NON C'E' PREVENZIONE? PERCHE' NOI GEOLOGI NON SIAMO INTERPELLATI? NON MI RIFERISCO ALLA POLEMICA DIVAMPATA RIGUARDANTE IL DOTT. GIULIANI, LA SUA TEORIA NON E' ANCORA RICONOSCIUTA DALLA COMUNITA' SCIENTIFICA INTERNAZIONALE. I TERREMOTI CON LE NOSTRE CONOSCENZE SCIENTIFICHE NON SI POSSONO PREVEDERE. MI RIFERISCO AL CONTROLLO PUNTUALE DEL TERRITORIO. I SOLDI CHE SONO STANZIATI PER L'EMERGENZA PERCHE' NON SONO STANZIATI PER LA PREVENZIONE? NOI GEOLOGI GRIDIAMO TUTTO' CIO' DA ANNI MA SIAMO IGNORATI, LA NOSTRA E' UNA CATEGORIA DI PROFESSIONISTI CHE PER INTERVENIRE FA' SPENDERE SOLDI PER PREVENIRE LE CATASTROFI E QUESTO I POLITICI NON LO AMMETTONO. PER LORO E' TEMPO E DENARO SPRECATO.

What can I say? I agree with him.