Rainy day and some art to appreciate

This afternoon the storm became more intense than in the morning. The downpour was continuous. The thunder and lighting were very loud and alarmingly close. It remained dark most of the day.

But there were some bright elements. Aldo Giraudo showed me one of his latest artistic finds. It is the bozzetto of a painting by Mario Caffaro Rore of St Francis de Sales… bozzetto being the first draft or rough sketch of a work. Some artists do this in charcoal or pencil. Caffaro Rore (1910-2001) used make his preliminary sketches by painting on a small wooden board or on masonite, as in this case from the looks of it. This draft was on sale in Torino, and Aldo bought it for €400 this past summer. The final product is in the chapel of the Salesian Sisters in Chieri.

In fact, Aldo has been telling me about this great find of his for months, and he was quite excited in showing me the actual piece. I became excited too when I saw it. As Aldo pointed out the intricacies of the bozzetto, I reached for my little camera and tried to make a few photographs.

In this painting of Francis made for the Salesian Sisters, the saint is depicted at his desk, plume pen in hand, body posture intense and at work, but his face turned toward the viewer. It is a Francis de Sales composing the Treatise on the Love of God, or writing a letter of spiritual direction. He is every bit the master, ready to teach; he is the founder of a school of Christian life, ready to direct. The painting is magnificent and classical, but immediate as it brings us into the saint’s environs.

Last year Aldo was able to purchase another Caffaro Rore’s bozzetto. The subject, again, is Francis de Sales. The destination for this piece was Tempio Don Bosco, the church on the birthplace of St John Bosco at the Becchi (Colle Don Bosco). Aldo has had this piece framed, and it is now in the chapel of the provincial community of the UPS, which is named Comunità San Francesco di Sales (St Francis de Sales Community).

This painting destined for Colle Don Bosco is very different from the one done for the Salesian Sisters in Chieri. Francis de Sales is again at his desk, but desk and writer are almost lifted up into heaven by strong, angel youths. Francis looks up to the sky (not to the viewer) with astonishment and joy. This is a moment of contemplation — of mystical union. The pen is suspended as Francis contemplates Divine Love. To look at this depiction, the viewer almost feels the urge to remain there, gazing with Francis at a loveliness that cannot be described but that can only be fathomed deeply in the heart and soul.

Well I say this because I have seen the actual painting several times, and my experience has been that I have never wanted to tear myself away from it. I would have rather loved to jump into the canvas and let myself be lifted up with Francis by those same angels to see what he sees in that moment of fascination, of mystery and of mysticism.

Ahhhhhhhh … incredible.

So now, thanks to Aldo, we have a little piece of these Salesian wonders on our university campus.

Finally, let me just make the note that Mario Caffaro Rore studied art history under don Alberto Caviglia, a great Salesian historian. Don Caviglia called upon the young Caffaro Rore to collaborate in recreating the image of Dominic Savio based on family photographs of his siblings (there were no photos of Dominic, who died in 1857).

Caffaro Rore’s 1940 portrait of Dominic became the standard by which all later images have been based. Through the 1950s until his death, Mario Caffaro Rore painted many works for the Salesian family in churches and in residences throughout Italy. If I call him a Salesian artist, it is done advisedly.

Rain and pre-registration

Well, good old St Martin did not hold off the rain. It came again last night and continued through the night in Rome. In fact, this morning we were greeted with more thunder and lightening as we sipped our latte in the staff dinning room at the UPS. This morning as I walked to my office I kept to the porticoes as the rain continued. Now there seems to be a little bit of a break, but more rain is forecast for the final days of this week.

Yesterday evening I did a lot of e-mailing with my students from DSPT regarding the pre-registration now underway for Spring Semester 2009. One of the responsibilities of every instructor at DSPT is to help a group of students in a personalized way as academic advisor. I have 22 advisees this semester at DSPT… and the trick is to keep up the advising process even when I am away from Berkeley to teach in Rome for 12 weeks.

I am so happy that God created e-mail.

The real time for registration is during the last week of January 2009. This pre-registration process is just a convenience offered to the students, especially those who are looking to get into courses with limited enrollments (and for some reason, there are many professors at the GTU who love to limit the enrollment to their courses). It becomes troublesome to many students who cannot meet their requirements because they cannot get a timely response from professors to enroll in courses that are required.

But for others, particularly those in the Master of Divinity program (MDV), there is less need to worry about this. Their courses are offered on cycles with an agreement among the various school to schedule classes in the same core areas so as not to conflict. I am speaking of the three Catholic schools here because, understandably, the Catholic MDV programs have many more requirements that those of the schools of Protestant denominations at GTU. Why should that be? Because the Catholic schools must follow the indications of the Holy See and the Bishops Conference in the area of priestly formation.

The greater concern for the moment is for the members of the Institute of Salesian Studies (ISS). Most come from other countries and find the system a bit difficult to understand. Last August I was able to walk most of the ISS students through all of this, and they all seemed to fit in more easily to the DSPT and GTU as we started the term. Now I have been in contact with each of them to make sure that they are working through the registration process with ease. Internet and e-mail has been the great help in this.

All of which leads me to reflect that, with the internet, one can really live in two worlds at the same time… or even more worlds. What does that do to the psyche? Ah… good question.

(Photos. Above: autumn rain at UPS; below: portico at DSPT)

St Martin's summer

Yesterday, 11 November, was the feast of St Martin of Tours… and traditionally in Rome, 11 November and the period surrounding it is called l'estate di san Martino -- literally the summer of St Martin.

What does that mean? The better translation for North Americans would be Indian Summer. In other words, during the period around St Martin's feast day, the weather is usually warm and the sky open.

This perfectly describes the weather we enjoyed yesterday. Beautiful, warm, sunny, bright. Everyone was in a great mood too. Thank you, San Martino! It was wonderful after so many days of rain last week.

Today, instead, it the sky has been covered and it is cold. Worse still, the meterologists (weathermen) are threatening heavy rain for the rest of the week. Oh well!

For my part, after five hours of class yesterday, and two hours of class today, I found myself very tired by dinner time today. I really wanted to take a siesta… but I did not. Instead, I did my walking exercises for 40 minutes after dinner. No, I did not walk as briskly as I have been doing, but I did walk at a steady pace. I hope this did some good, or that at least it will keep me consistent. I have been doing the brisk walking for two weeks now, only changing routine on Tuesdays, when I have so many hours of classes in a tight schedule. The goal is to keep the blood moving, get the muscles in tone again, and eventually lose some weight. I'm trying to lose 10 kilos.

Well, whether I succeed or not, it does give me a pause in the day when I can think other thoughts. Now, if San Martino will hold off the rain for a while, I should be able to keep up this pace in the next month or so as well.

Sunday - feast of the dedication of the Lateran Basilica

Today we celebrate the very interesting feast of the dedication of the Lateran Basilica. This is the first church ever to be publicly blessed and dedicated. The gift of Constantine to the Christian community began with the Lateran palace given to Pope Melchiades in 312, which became the residence of the popes until Pope Clement V moved the papacy to Avignon in 1309 -- nearly 1000 years, therefore. In 320, Constantine built a church on the model of the Roman basilica (court). The church dedicated to the Most Holy Savior was blessed on 9 November 324 by Pope Sylvester.

The Lateran basilica became the cathedral church of the bishop of Rome, but it also has another significance. It is the first church that was expressly built as a center for worship in Rome, in the West, and in the whole world actually (in urbe et in orbe). It is therefore the mother of all churches (in terms of buildings) and the symbol of unity (in western Catholicism).

Many reflections for this day… starting with yesterday evening when we had a special presentation during evening prayer, and continuing with mass and other prayer services today. For the mass I attended at Don Rua Community Chapel. Fr Aimable Musoni was principal celebrant and preacher. He gave a brilliant homily, stressing the Church as living body of Christ.

One little piece of news about the Lateran Basilica that I had previously failed to grasp is this. The church is built, we say, in cruciform — in the shape of the cross. This is not accurate. It is really built in the shape of the crucified, that is, in the shape of Christ crucified. In other words, the basilica is built in the shape of the Body of Christ so that the church structure can help to shape the Church as people into the Mystical Body of Christ.

How is this so? How is it like the human body and not the cross? Well, the apse of the church, where the sanctuary is, at the very "top" of the floor plan, is rounded, like the human head. Then the two "arms" of the basilica reach out, in cross form, but also to speak of invitation, of embrace. Yes, of course. Romans are expressive with their gestures. Their buildings are just as expressive in human terms. This means, then, that the basilica, used for major celebrations, invites the Church to truly unite with Christ and to let Christ form himself in her — in us.

Amazing element. It has given me much to consider, for here is unspoken language that built understanding for centuries before there were books and print media... but language that built a theology of Church. It is very exciting to think about this, even at 7.30 in the morning.

After mass I joined the Don Rua community again for breakfast and had a chance to speak with Fr Peter Gonsalves again. He explained his course on "Communications for Peace". It is quite fascinating. I would like to see him offer this course in Berkeley.

Research seminar

From yesterday afternoon until today at dinner, the Department of Youth Pastoral and Catechetics at the UPS sponsored a research seminar for the reformulation of the department. I was invited by the department coordinator, Prof. Cyril de Souza, and was glad to take part.

It seems that the rethinking of this department is a response to an invitation launched by the Salesian rector major Pascual Chávez. Over a year ago he made this invitation, but asked the leaders of the department to wait until after the 26th General Chapter of the Salesian Society was terminated (Spring 2008).

The seminar was held in the Viganò conference room of the UPS library. Forty-five took part in the gathering, including the provincial superior, Joaquim D'Souza, and two from the general council: Fabio Attard, councilor for youth pastoral, and Francesco Cereda, councilor for formation. In addition, invitations were extended to prof. don Andrea Bozzolo, president of the theology school of Torino-Crocetta, and to prof. Giuseppe Ruta, representative from Messina. The other 40 participants are all professors of the UPS.

What is the purpose of the seminar? To review the work of the last 29 years, and then to find areas that need to be deepened and introduced. Rather than an improvement of the department, the intent of the rector major, as explained to the group by don Mario Toso, rector magnifico of the university, is to totally re-structure and re-create the department of Youth Pastoral. Don Pascual Chávez wants the department to have a greater role in helping the Salesian Society and the Salesian Family to relaunch with Don Bosco for youth in these new times. This is not to dismiss what has been done in the past (as not a few of those present at the seminar were feeling) but to recognize that a generation has passed. There are new needs and new challenges that were never contemplated way back in 1979, when the department was first organizing.

The seminar started yesterday afternoon (Friday) with the presentation of four papers by theologians and educators who are members of the Department. The purpose of each paper was to present a way of reading youth-ministry education today. José Luis Moral presented the first paper: An epistemological key to reading the youth pastoral-catechetical curriculum today. This was followed by a paper written by Carlo Nanni and read by Guglielmo Malizia: An educational key. Cesare Bissoli presented An formative key. Anthony Francis Vincent presented the final paper: A theological-pastoral-practical key.

A short clarification period followed each presentation… well it should have been short! Then, at the end of the evening, there was the presentation of the paper prepared by the rector major and university chancellor, don Pascual Chávez. His address was read by don Francesco Cereda, since there was a calendar conflict and the Rector Major had to be in Spain this weekend.

Following the Rector Major's address, there were questions and reflections from the group -- and this became quite animated on Friday night. All day Saturday worked as an attempt to process the address.

At this point I should give the contents of the Rector Major's address and the main points of the four who offered "keys" for reading Youth Pastoral and Catechetical Studies today… but there is no time now. I'll save it for a future date. This is very interesting on many levels, however, and I think it is important that it be stated.

Still the buzz in Rome: Obama and the turning point.

More conversations last night and this morning about Obama and the significance of this election victory. Some were commenting on the amount of money spent on the campaign. I became interested as one of my Italian friends said that he discovered that the money spent was not from the government, but raised by donations mainly in the realm of five and ten dollars. This shows it was the people's candidate. So a candidate who came from the people and who was financed by the people. How is that for testimony to the phrase: We can do it!

There was a lot of talk at breakfast about the Italian prime minister's comment that Obama is "young, energetic and well tanned". Silvio Berlusconi made the comment while in Russia yesterday in talks with Russia's president Dmitry Medvedev at the Kremlin. Berlusconi intended to make a humorous comment that Obama and Medvedev (elected in March of this year) both young, athletic and capable, and that the two of them will certainly understand each other as members of the same generation. But the comment did not come out that way. Now Italians are fretting over whether we will be depicted as racist. Whatever! It gives pause for an examination of conscience, certainly.

On the other hand, as a few professors pointed out over our morning caffelatte, Berlusconi always says the first thing that comes to mind and he is nortoriously politically uncorrect. He loves to be the center of attention… and in fact, this is what has happened. The world is talking not about Dmitry or Barak, but about Silvio.

This morning when I got to the office I saw some other blogs and news feeds. Not only are the conservatives worried about what Obama will do as president in terms of policies on taxes, health care or abortion, but the liberals are now worried since he appointed Rahm Emanuel as his chief of staff.

Oh well!

Give it time, I say! In the meantime, we all can complain about the statements of Silvio Berlusconi for the next few days (which I highly recommend) and let Barak do what he needs to do to get his work underway.

[Photo of Medvedev & Berlusconi: the Presidential Press and Information Office, Russia (6 Nov 2008); photo of Obama: AP (4 Nov 2008)]

Day after the day after

So things are settling down, both in the USA in the aftermath of the long and hard-fought presidential campaign, and in my little corner of the world (which just happens to be Rome: not a shabby place for a corner!).

Well, it really needs to settle down. I have been trying to catch up on a large number of things, and this has let me lose track of some appointments, deadlines, and such things. For instance, I was convinced that I was attending a seminar on youth studies today, but I misread the date. It begins tomorrow. This gave me a few hours of free time today.

With these few extra hours, I attacked some of the odds and ends that were getting beyond me. Besides doing laundry, recycling paper, doing a 45 minute work-out, correcting some group discussion summaries from the class on Youth Spirituality that I'm teaching this semester, I've also taken time to read the comments of the U.S. bishops following the election of Barak Obama.

Cardinal Francis George, the archbishop of Chicago, sent a letter to Barak Obama almost immediately following the election results. As bishop of Chicago (Obama's city) and as president of the U.S. Bishops, the cardinal offered words of congratulations, support, and appeal for those who are the most vulnerable in America and the world. This Letter of Cardinal George was made public today.

As can be expected, in the statement of the U.S. Bishops, there is a re-issuing of their appeal on behalf of the unborn. The tone sounds to be more one of dialogue than of wholesale condemnation, and this is encouraging. It seems to me that, in this way, real progress can be made on this issue. I would have loved to have heard such a tone years ago.

[Photos of President-elect Barak Obama and Cardinal Francis George of Chicago]

Turning point for humanity

At 5.00 this morning my alarm went off with the news from the RAI (Radio Italiana) and the first words were that the United States has chosen its 44th president: Barak Obama.

Suddenly my eyes were wide open and I was up and showering as the news account continued. I rushed over to the university theology building and to my office to open up the internet. I was just in time to see Barak arrive on the stage in Chicago and deliver his acceptance speech.

And what a speech. As I listened to him I realized that this was not thank-you speech for receiving the prize; this was not the Oscars. Obama was already speaking as president, and there were echoes of JFK, FDR and Lincoln. Echoes, I say, not only in how Obama speaks, but in the content: of "government of the people, by the people, for the people." Of having nothing to fear if not fear itself, and of making the sacrifice for the common good but in common, together, giving to the country, that is, to the people.

It is a long time since anyone has spoken in this way.

Well this was all before 6.15 in the morning… and I made it to morning prayer and eucharist with the Gesù Maestro Community at 6.30… Afterwards people were exultant here: professors, students, working staff, administration. So many were congratulating me (as if I did anything other than to vote) and expressing their great joy that America has once again proved that democracy works. That a child born to disadvantage can rise above it all and lead a free people. That a black man, son of an immigrant father, can push the country out of old prejudices and finally help us all (Americans and the World) trust in our dreams (How many Italians were quoting to me Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech!!!). That a free people can make room for the rising generations and empower them to speak up, to venture forth, to vote and make a difference -- and that the young are not the misfits, the rebels, the slackers.

My students here at the UPS come from all five continents, and the vast majority showed great excitement today and, during the breaks and over coffee were quoting to me the words of Obama from throughout the year. How amazing is that!

Well, Obama has said so much about the need to heal the nation (echoes of Lincoln) and to give everyone equal opportunity no matter their origins or their beliefs (echoes of MLK) and especially that it is time to pull together, roll up our sleeves, and take on the grave problems we face. He has said it. People have heard it, not only in America that puts him to the presidency with 338 electoral votes, but throughout the world.

Okay, I have to say that I do not know if the whole world really cares, but Rome is not just in Italy: it is a world capital. The UPS is a pontifical university and has students from around the globe. In Roma, that is eternal and international, Obama is already exciting the vast majority… so I can indeed say that this is a turning point for America and for the world.

Election day in the USA

Here is the long awaited day: the national elections. Campaign 2008 has stretched out for 22 months with record amounts of spending (but that is to be expected since Americans have spent record amounts on gasoline, on energy, on water too this past year).

Everyone at the UPS is asking me if the results are known yet. They started asking me this during the morning while America was still asleep. Do you think that people in Rome might be interested in the outcome of the U.S. presidential elections?

Well, yeah!

And the university here is very multicultural, multi-ethnic, international (108 countries represented in the student body), so the acute interest in the USA elections are not just a matter of the Italians or the Europeans: it is an interest of nearly everyone. In fact, since my arrival on 27 October, people asked me if I would return to the USA today so that I could cast a vote. That would not be likely at the cost of flights these days. Besides, I had to teach today for five hours. When would I go and vote?

But, I did vote - by absentee ballot. My ballot was waiting for me when I arrived, and I promptly filled out the card and sent it in. I made my decision as to how I would vote last March, but I won't tell anyone now. I'll say it tomorrow.

The polls have been changing every day, back and forth, up and down, few points and many points. Does anyone believe the polls? I just hope everyone ignores them and goes to the polls. And that won't be easy in many places. I was told by Bill and Joanne Kinney that their polling station has been moved out of their town of Lewiston (on the Niagara River), and that it is a 10 minute drive for them to get there. It is amazing. Looks like someone is trying to stop an outcome.

Tonight, after evening prayer, I was asked to give a perspective on how the United States run the elections -- and I explained the electoral college, the process of the selection of candidates, from caucuses and primaries to the national convention, and similar realities that are so foreign to Europeans and others. I also explained that this campaign is more then just a change of leader: it is all about big change: generational and cultural and philosophical. No matter who wins, the United States will seem very different on Wednesday.

Don Bosco's Way: NEWS

This morning I joined the Don Rua community for the Sunday liturgy. We celebrated the "feast" of All Souls (giorno dei morti). It was a good celebration. Peter Gonsalves is in that community this year, and he invited me to breakfast afterwards. He told me of efforts being made in Bombay to convey Don Bosco's principles and methods into a language that would make sense to non-Christians. He is currently working with a team from Bombay on this project, and they are delveloping a blog. It is still at the beginning stage, but the intent is t open up the Salesian experience.

Thus, instead of talking about the Preventive System, they are using the term Don Bosco's Way. And this is the name of their blog: Don Bosco's Way!

This was nice to learn on a Sunday morning. I wish Peter and his cohort the best of luck in this effort. It is vital for the new age in which we are now living.

In the evening, as we have in other years, all six of the UPS Salesian communities will gather in the university chapel to pray the rosary for the Salesians that have died. Later in the week there will be a trip to Genzano where many of the community's dead have been buried. Day of the Day (il giorno dei morti) is taken very seriously here at the university, but throughout Italy in general.

Halloween and importing cultural signs

Amazing! Even Italy is in the act now for Halloween. Of course, there is a lot of speculation as to the meaning of all this. Is it about the dead? about the ghosts? a children's holiday? At breakfast this morning there was a big philosophical discussion about this new import. And in the end I believe that the Italians and the rest of Europe has just picked up from American media: movies, television, Second Life… all the contact with the USA.

Of course I think of Halloween as a fun time in the family -- it was in my family when we were children. And I just got photos from my friend Rick Glass whose little daughter is aware of Halloween for the first time as she helped him pick out a pumpkin to bring home. Huge pumpkins carved, bright costumes and face paint and masks, spicy apple punch and pumpkin or pecan pie, and candy… lots of candy: these are all the elements of a child's Halloween in the USA.

Of course lately there are other elements that come to the fore. Instead of just the costumes, there are the horror tales. It seemed to me that the witches and black cats were things to make fun of during my childhood… but now there are such intense horror stories and films that the holiday takes on a frightening side… or a naughty side… or a disruptive side.

On the other hand, when I used to talk about Halloween with my friends in Canada, they always remembered it as a day of mischief. It could be that my parents tried to celebrate the day in a different way from all of that. After all, I do remember stories of how when I was a toddler I had been terrified by the monsters that came to the door -- monsters who were 10 year-olds in costume. I coined my first word that Halloween: I called them "gungs". The sound expressed my horror and the ugliness of them all. I also used to call the characters in the Sunday comics "gungs", or so I am told. I don't think the word made it into the lexicon.

Now Europe and Italy itself is taking on the celebration of Halloween. It all makes me wonder. What is the point of this celebration in Italy? There is no Celtic Culture to hark back to… and I doubt really that Halloween has such profound, mystical roots. I have heard too many stories from Washington Irving to think that its roots are beyond the sassy yankee colonies… But even if it is, how does this fit in with Italy's culture? There is already a very strong tradition of the day of the dead, of All Saints. Ghosts and goblins are not part of the tradition, and who has ever seen a pumpkin here? Zucchini, fine, but pumpkins? Unfortunately, you cannot carve out a zucchini and put a candle inside it, and even if you did, it would not look all that ghostly.

And what would you call a zucchini lantern? "Zaccaria Zucchinetti"? Hmm! That sound good!

No, it is a commercial day, a reason for nighttime parties, a good time on a Friday night. It will probably remain at this level.

What it does show is that Italy is changing and taking on more foreign customs without much hesitation. Well, I think it has been like this in Italy forever (with perhaps the exception of the Fascist era). So many English words have become Italianized and made part of the language. Take the word "blog", for instance.

One other element that is much stronger now is Recycling! WOOOOO! About time! I have been so encouraged to see it! Along every corridor of the university there are recycle bins for paper. When I was here on sabbatical there were bins on the street, but it took a lot of effort to bag the paper and walk out on to the avenue… a couple of blocks walk actually. Even so, I did that back in 2005. In 1990 there was no such service. But now, there is recycling within the university itself, with friendly little bins that invite participation. Alleluia! This is a great improvement.

So it is a happy, recycling Halloween that I celebrate this year under the Roman rain!

Rain, rain… not going away

Last night (and the night before) Rome was celebrated by the heavens with a light and sound show of thunder and lightning! Incredibly close lightning strikes prompted me to unplug my computer and the power strips on both nights really.

This morning I found out that three trees were toppled during the night. Two were in the little park behind the provincial offices and professors residence, and one was in the short road leading up to the main square of the university. One of the park trees that fell, crashed into the professors residence… but was kind enough to avoid hitting any of the bedrooms or offices. It fell right into a balcony that lead from what had been a reading room but which for several years now has been an empty space.

Yes, gently: the phrase was what I heard from one of the elder Salesians. He told me that he heard the boom last night and went to see what happened. The tree did not break any of the double-pained windows, but was pressing against them… so he opened them lest the stress cause damage later. "The tree was certainly very polite," he said. "He did not cause any damage except that he took a bit of the stone facing off the balcony… but he fell carefully and gently between the most populated area of the house."

I was amused that he called the tree polite, and asked him if the tree was a Christian?

"No, I don't think so," he replied, "because not many Christians are so polite these days. But if the tree were a Christian yesterday, he has become a fallen-away Christian today."

Tonight the Gesù Maestro community will receive the findings of the Superior of the Vice Province of the UPS, Fr Joachim de Souza. He has been visiting the community in his official capacity for the past 10 days. He will give the community his observations and open the floor to discussion. After that there will be a little "festa" in the dining room. I'll participate in both parts of this event, also to find out what the priorities are in this community that hosts me during these months.

In the meantime, a very heavy rain is hitting against my office window again. I suppose we can look forward to more lightning and thunder tonight again. That will help to celebrate the official visit of Fr De Souza, certainly.

So you started teaching yesterday?

This is what everyone is asking me… but it is more like I "continued" teaching yesterday, only that I am doing it on a different continent and in a different language.

33 are signed up for my course in "spiritualità giovanile" (youth spirituality) but over 40 showed up for the class. Whoa…

Instead, the seminar on storytelling has 6 signed up and only 4 arrived. We met yesterday afternoon and had a good discussion and ride through the opening points of the seminar.

So, the chronology is like this I arrived on Monday and started teaching on yesterday (5 hours) and will continue this morning (1 more hour)… So far so good -- but I have much to prepare. I have also met with Giorgio Zevini (the dean of the theology faculty) and Jesús Manuel Garcia (director of the institute of spiritual theology), as well as meeting don Francesco Cereda (director of formation) in passing from the library to the classroom yesterday. Some decisions have to be made this year as to whether the commuting continues or whether I join the UPS on a more permanent basis. The need seems to be greater here, if I am honest.

Of course, if we can get 1000 people to come to the ISS in Berkeley next year, I think I will be able to stay in California.

Travel day

A long layover at Washington DC has given me some time to catch up on email and to even watch some television in the airport. It is all election coverage, when it is not football.

Actually, I left Niagara Falls this morning at 7.45. John Graden brough Wendy Wright, Sr Grace MacCormack and myself to the Buffalo Airport. We spoke about the Salesian Scholars Seminar, and everyone of us seem to be pleased with the outcome. We are all worried for Grace, who goes back a bit early because of the illness of the superior of the monastery in St Louis. Said goodbye to John at the curb, and goodbye to Wendy and Grace after getting my luggage sent ahead and clearing security.

Seems strange not to be going home after this week. No, I'm going on to Rome. Well, it was the only way that made sense. I need to be in Rome and a trip back home after these days in Niagara Falls would have just added to the cost and lost more time.

Buffalo Airport: I was surprised that there were very few passengers, but then it is Sunday. Most flight fill up only in the evening, at the end of the day on Sundays. The trip on a tight little prop plane went well enough. I knew what to expect and have a good book, so I arrived in good spirits at Washington's Dulles Airport after a pleasant, no-frills flight.

My layover in Washington is nearly 5 hours, which has given me time to get a good lunch and then sit in the United Airlines lounge. In about an hour I will move to the boarding area and get ready for my flight from Washington to Rome.

These trips are more routine now than ever, yet I find myself less prepared to do this sort of thing. I'd been trying for two weeks to wrap up things at home, but did not quite manage. Happily, the week in Niagara has given me some distance.

And what do I do this time in Rome? There are two courses that I will be teaching: Youth Spirituality and a Seminar on Salesian storytelling. Ask me if I feel prepared… What's that? Do I feel prepared? Hmmm. I cannot lie about it. I do not feel in the least prepared. I was prepared 18 months ago when I taught this material, but not at all now.

But I have all the materials I need. I'll try to move ahead with logic rather than feeling.

Hmmm - time is passing in this Red Carpet United Lounge. I better finish my glass of pineapple juice, pack up this computer, find my passport and my ticket, and move toward the departure gate. I'm slated to arrive tomorrow morning at 6.45. Maybe I should also think about sleeping (I think to myself and smile).

Salesian Scholars Seminar

The 2008 Salesian Scholars Seminar began today with the theme "Propagating the Salesian Spirit". Ten papers are being presented this year. The procedure is that each scholar presents the paper of another scholar. Then the group gives feedback, asks questions, and carries forward the discussion.

The DeSales Resources and Ministries Center has hosted this scholarly event from its inception. In fact, this began as the initiative of Fr Joseph F. Power, OSFS, who studied Francis de Sales as his own passion… He succeeded in gathering scholars from universities and from religious communities. From the informal if studious gathering organized by Joe Power, the group gained its own identity. After Joe's death in 2002, the group decided that the effort needed to be strengthened and continued.

The new director of DeSales Ministries, Fr John Graden, has been supportive of sponsoring the event every two years. Joseph Chorpenning and Wendy Wright have been co-charing the event since 2002. There is a lot of energy around all this, considering also that Salesian Spirituality is seen as a backwater tradition in the Church.

The presenters and papers that were presented today are as follow:

Joseph Chorpenning, “Francis de Sales’s Emblematic Interpretation of the Death of St. Joseph”

Paula McCarthy, “The Shroud of Turin and St. Francis de Sales”

Alexander Pocetto, “The Sternness of the Gentle Francis de Sales [1567-1622]”

Daniel Wisniewski, “Chains of Love: The Eternity of Friendship in Salesian Spirituality”

Christian Krokus, “Spiritual Friendship in the Salesian Tradition Read in Light of Lonergan’s Understanding of Vertical Finality”

Tomorrow's papers and presenters will be:

Wendy Wright, “The Transmission of the ‘Salesian Spirit’ in the 19th-Century Année sainte”

Patricia Siegel, “Caroline Carré and the Founding of the Daughters of St. Francis de Sales”

Thomas Dailey, “The Spiritual Directory as a Privileged Means of Propagating the Salesian Spirit”

Joseph Boenzi, “Salesian Spirit, Lay Movements and Consecrated Life in the Church”

Kathy Brown, “St. Francis de Sales and a Theology of Vocation”

Planning sessions

It's snowing. No, not in California: it is snowing at Stella Niagara… Okay, not even! But there are flurries! 

I'm at the table at a planning session for the annual National Salesian Conference at the De Sales Resources and Ministries work room. John Graden OSFS and Joanne Kinney are guiding the meeting. On the national committee are Oblates Michael Newman, Michael Vanicola, Visitandines Paul MacCarthy, Grace MacCormack, Educator Anne Williams, Daughter Maryanne Pearson, and me. 

The conference is being planned for next August (6-9) at De Sales University (Allentown, Pennsylvania). The thought is to center the conference on Francis de Sales' best-know book, the Introduction to the Devout Life. 2009 will mark the 400th anniversary of the first publication of this book. 

The hope is to make the Introduction to the Devout Life (IDL) more understandable in our contemporary context -- at a time of great fear, war, economic failure, political polarization, church scandal, violence and addiction… well, hmmmm, sounds like a list of woes here. And the IDL seems so bucolic that it would have little to offer. Hmmmmm. Okay, but this is the reason for the title for the conference: Devotion in the Commotion. 

We worked all day yesterday and the more we advanced, the less clear we became. That's typical really.

Meetings continue through the day. 

Los Angeles to Buffalo

Left the Boenzi home this morning at 3.35. Was nice to spend the weekend with my mom again, but of course the two days went fast -- too fast. I have wanted to do this since I'll be away in Rome for three months… It has been over two months since I have been in Bellflower, but of course it seems more dramatic to go across the ocean. So this has been on my plans for travel ever since I knew I would be returning to Rome this autumn.

Made it to National Car Rental to return the vehicle by 4.10, and cleared security by 4.52… and then waited outside the Red Carpet Club at United Airlines for a few moments until it opened at 5.00. Breakfast in the club, a little television to see what Obama and McCain are up to… and then boarding at gate 75a for the flight to Washington.

The trip seemed to go quickly because I had a lot to read: the papers to be presented in the Scholars Seminar later this week. Arriving at Washington Dulles (IAD), I bought a salad at Wendy's, then waited for my flight to Buffalo. That departed from gate 22, and went without a hitch. Arrived at BUF at 6.00 - collected the luggage, waited for Sr Mary Grace MacCormack who arrived on a Southwest flight at 6.45… by 8.00 we were at the De Sales Resource center, courtesy of Bill Kinney who gave us a lift from the airport.

Was good to see everyone -- although the poor crowd started eating without us: pizza and Buffalo wings. But there was plenty for us, and it was fun to catch up with this little crowd of conference planners.

The week will include three events: the planning for the 2009 National Salesian Conference (Tuesday & Wednesday), the Fall Board Meeting of the DeSales Resources and Ministry Center (Thursday), and the Salesian Scholars Seminar (Thursday to Saturday). I leave for Rome on Sunday.

So a full week, but a change of occupation. That's really what I can use at this point.

Doctor's visit

Well, it was not really the doctor's visit: more like my visit to the doctor. I arrived at Albany at my doctor's office at 7.45 after a trip on the BART and a seven-minute brisk walk along the footpath under the train tracks that border the El Cerrito Center. Doctor Kun Huang had the results of my blood tests from a week ago… blood sugar is down, as are the triglycerides and bad cholesterol. That was good news. The good cholesterol, however, is also down. It has been 6 weeks that I have been on medication, with no carbs, no wine, and daily brisk walking of about 20 minutes. I'll need to get the walking up to about 40 minutes, however, if I am going to build up the system a bit more.

There have been some side effects however, which have left me very tired and physically drawn. So the dosage of the medication is reduced from two capsules each day at meals, to one capsule each day at breakfast. This is the provision for the next 3 months… Dr Huang will see me in February.

Yes: brisk walks, brisk walks, brisk walks. And watch my diet… yes, yes. But I have a question. How will I keep off of carbs and wine when I'm in Italy?

Hmmm which reminds me: I leave this coming Saturday. I need to pack.

John J. Boenzi remembered

Seven years today was the death of my father, John. He was always vibrant, active, industrious, community-oriented, a natural educator, gregarious, athletic, patriotic, supportive of neighbors, ready to take the first step with people, planner, lover of music, veteran of World War II, Bronze Star recipient, singer and performer, dancer, chef, tailor, builder, engineer, baseball coach, union man, community organizer, Cooperator Salesian, loving husband and devoted son and brave father. His biggest concern was always FAMILY.

Sometime, somewhere, I should start to write a little biography of the man, not just to recount the story for myself, but especially to tell his grandchildren and their children what manner of man John Boenzi was. I cannot do this right now. After all, blogs are about the present and not about the past… and so I add just the impressions and memories of him that are strongest for me now, seven years after his death.

Thursday, 11 October 2001 was such a painful day in my experience… when I heard the news through a phone message from my brother Mario, I went into a daze that lasted four months. That year had struck our family hard: my uncle Charles Kasal had died in February, and my uncle Dominic Boenzi (dad's older brother) died in July. In the case of my father, my brothers and I knew it was a matter of time since his conditions were deteriorating rapidly.

The last 10 years of his life he was stricken with Alzheimer disease, and as of August 1999 had been in an care facility. Gradually he changed in those last ten years. He had become cautious and fearful. He lost his building skills, he lost his memory, he lost his ability to sing and then to speak… but he did keep some words. A word he never lost was FAMILY.

Seven years ago, Dad. Miss you a lot. I know you are doing well now, but I still miss you a whole lot, as does Mom, as do your sons and your nieces and nephews, and so very many friends. But as you enjoy the Light, please get the Good Lord to send some of it our way, to lighten our hearts and comfort us and strengthen us along the path.

Papa Pacelli remembered

Fifty years ago today -- I remember it clearly -- my father called my brother and I into the kitchen after dinner and told us to watch the news with him. The news was this: Pope Pius XII was dead.

My father and grandfathers had always proposed this pope as a model for me: "He has the same name as you do," they told me.

That was confusing for me at age 6. "What do you mean? His name is Pius; my name is Joey… we don't have the same name."

"No," my father explained. "His name before he became pope was Eugenio Pacelli. And that's your middle name: Eugenio!"

Because of the pope I found out that I had a middle name… And so I became very affectionate in my feeling for him. There were television shows about the pope on Christmas and I remember pulling away from the playing with my cousins on those evenings and watching the pope's story on the TV. At the church there was a pictorial book of the pope and the Vatican, and I would borrow the book every Sunday and "read" all the photographs. Now I stood in front of the television, watching the new service, and trying to grasp what it all meant. At age 8, I knew that he was the pope of peace. I wondered how the Church would find another or if anyone could take the place of Papa Pacelli, as my grandfathers called him.

Funny. Every year on 9 October I think back to that evening when I stood in our kitchen and watched the news with my dad. I think of the figure of Pius XII. I think of how much he did for humanity (as I would learn only later) and I think of the attacks made against him by former Nazis and Soviets after his death that most people all-to-willingly believed. These malicious attacks have been proven baseless now. Hopefully the new researchers, Jewish and Catholic, will soon publish their findings to clear his name and allow his legacy to have its rightful impact again, for the peace of the nations and the strengthening of all who trust and love God.

Pius XII, born in Rome on 2 March 1876, elected to the Chair of Peter on 2 March 1939, and died in Castelgandolfo on 9 October 1958. May God be good to him!

Goodbye tree sitters

The tree sitters have finally left their perches at the University of California here in Berkeley (Cal). They have been there protesting for 22 months (almost as long as the presidential campaign). Most are from out-of-state, it seems, and their interest has been to draw attention to themselves rather than to work for the environment either of the planet or the safety and well-being of the students. It has been an abusive action on their part.

The trees that they claimed to want to protect were old oak trees. Yes, wonderful, beautiful trees. The University wanted to eliminate 48 trees from a grove of over 100 to make room for new, regulation athletic facilities for the students. Every one of these trees had been planted by the university, and the university had plans to plant two new trees for every one that it cut down. But no! The hero tree sitters have insisted that these trees not be cut. It was more emotion than logic; more romanticism than educative concern… more a thirst for media exposure than any concern for justice, reason, environmental or student welfare.

So, after all the court methods have been exhausted, and all the expenses thrown on to the university, the appeals courts finally lifted the restraining orders and the police began to order the sitters down two days ago. When they again refused to come down, the trees were ordered to be cut and scaffolds placed up for the sitters safety. One by one they came down, made their last statements before being arrested and taken away. The last tree sitter came back to the ground of reality last night.

The media loved it.

My question: who is going to pay for this? the students? their families? the taxpayers? This was abusive conduct, but we have seen a lot of this lately… and poor Berkeley gets the bad name.

Youth ministry, Salesians, Dominicans, and new options

Ever since I returned from Italy last January, Gael Sullivan and Michael Sweeney have been speaking to me of their hopes to launch a youth ministry MA program at DSPT. Tonight there was a conversation with Michael, the staff of Don Bosco Hall, and members of both the eastern and western provincial councils who are here for a couple days of meetings. These included John Itzaina, Tom Prendiville, Michael Touchstone, Tom Dunne from the councils; John Roche, Gael Sullivan, Michael Sweeney and myself.

The enthusiasm is high. It is a matter of setting this up is the issue. Do we have the personnel required? Can we put together something to start with and then grow a team of instructors for this? Can we call on Salesian expertise from both USA provinces and from other areas of the Salesian world?

Gael asked me to participate in the meeting. I was very tired and really did not know if I could survive a meeting after the evening meal, but as the meeting went forward, I was a bit refreshed by the possibilities. The group promised to work together on this in future weeks.

For myself, I promised my support, although I feel that my expertise lies in other areas by now. Still, Michael Sweeney sees me as an important link, since I am the Salesian on the DSPT faculty, and since I have links to the UPS in Rome where a Department of Youth Ministry has been a reality since 1982.

More on this in future.

Calendaring

The first Sunday during this new school year. We are starting to get into a regular pace. Fr Arthur Lenti presided at the Sunday liturgy this morning, after which a majority of the group took a BART and walking tour of San Francisco.

At the evening meal Fr Gael Sullivan distributed calendars for the whole school year. He has put together a professional looking appointment calendar, with all the dates and events known so-far into the proper slots of the proper seasons. He also distributed copies of the Acts of General Chapter 26. The members of the community have decided to read the entire document during the month of September and then to work out a community and pastoral plan together based on the document and on the collective experience and insights of our entire group.

After the meal, everyone chipped in to wash dishes, clean the dining room and kitchen, fill the recycle bins, and so forth. The conversation remains cheerful, informative, humorous and good-natured.

Tomorrow is the final day of registration at DSPT and GTU. After that, we shall be well launched into the new academic year!

New semester gets underway

School started today, after a week of advising and orienting new and returning students. I have 2 grad courses this semester in Berkeley, but am doubling on class times so as to complete my input before my transfer to Rome at the end of October. There I will have an additional 2 courses for the Fall Term (lasting until the last week of January).

While there were only 6 registered for my course on Friday, today 12 came to participate. This is the course of St Francis de Sales! It is very heartening, really… but I have to work out a strategy with these students how to best cover the material in the seven weeks that we have at our disposition.

Happy thoughts let you fly

Here I am at LAX, using some time online and attending to some details for the new semester while I await my flight for San Francisco. The flight is on "flow control alert", which is a new category for me, but it means that the air traffic controllers in SFO are delaying departures… So I do not know when I will arrive. The flight was originally scheduled for 11.00, and then it was pushed to 11.45, and then to 12.00… and now it is slated for 13.00. As I have been doing all year, it is safer for me just to take the BART from SFO to Berkeley because the arrival times are not dependable, so there is no need to hold up anyone else.

Last night after dinner I watched the DVD called HOOK with Dustin Hoffman and Robin Williams. I've seen it before (in Italian) and it a thought-provoker as are most of Robin William's films. So as I sit in the airport, instead of getting irritated, I am thinking of some of the movie themes and messages. I've come away with this: sunshine and happy thoughts!

Happy thoughts allow us to fly (cf. Tinkerbell to Peter Pan) and happy memories give us power that protects us (cf. Remus Lupin to Harry Potter). Hooo!!!!

Travel setbacks tire but do not discourage

The return trip to San Francisco was as eventful as the trip to St Paul. With delays, mechanical failures, weather systems, re-routing, I arrived in San Francisco on Tuesday at 11.00. I had received a message to make a call to the Salesian provincial office in San Francisco upon my arrival, which I did from the Red Carpet United Lounge. After that little piece of business, I left the SFO United Terminal and took the light rail train (BART) home, arriving in my house after 13.00 in the afternoon. I think that I will either do a painting about all that happened or write a ballad.

Reflecting on the events of the weekend, I have remained very satisfied. It is great that our DSPT president Fr Michael Sweeney was able to speak to the assembly with the keynote on Sunday morning. I kept thinking of his talk all during my travels yesterday and today. What he says makes SOOOO much sense, and it does lift us (as Church) out of the controversial and into the practical side of things. It is an invitation to again look forward as we collaborate and work for unity. It is so John the Twenty-thirdish in orientation. Most challenging and most consoling at the same time.

Michael Sweeney's talk was the finale of a great Salesian Conference. I felt so good after the whole Conference this weekend it that no amount of airline woes could undo my sense of joy.

Having said this, I will also note that after I got home, I took a nap and slept from before 14.00 to after 18.00. What time zone am I in??? Ah, Pacific Daylight! Perfect!!!

Guessing about guests

Last night I was aware that Tom Brennan was arriving. John Rasor had told me that he was going to pick him up at Oakland airport in the evening. So we made a simple supper, consisting mainly of a pasta dish and a salad. I made a tomato and black olive sauce for penne rigatte. John and Duoc Le (the three of us are the only ones home) seemed to enjoy it. Okay, they did enjoy it: they were absolutely enthusiastic. "I did not know tha tyou had these kitchen skills," Duoc said to me as he served himself seconds on the pasta asciuta. "Yes," I rejoined. "They are hidden because I have been living the Hidden Life."

After supper and cleanup, John departed for the Oakland airport. I began sweeping the front walks, and was able to attack the dead leaves in the curb in front of the house -- well half of the way, because there were two cars still parked in front of our place. Our streets is one of the few in Berkeley that are never cleaned by street sweepers. The leaves fall, and since we have no control over who can park in front of our property, we can go months without there ever being a free space there. Literally, it has been since last December that there had not been an occasion to work on that space. Between the sidewalk and half the curb, I filled up half of one Green Waste bin. I then placed it on the curb, along with the cardboard recycle container (since this morning was to be the pick-up day). I'd worked there for over an hour, but John did not retrun before I hung up my tools.

I went upstairs and tried to telephone to my mother. I had heard from a friend that there had been an earthquake in "L.A." in the morning. It was centered in Chino Hills and measured 5.4 on the Richter scale. When I first heard that, I thought that it was not very much… What was I thinking? I guess I was hearing 3.4 instead of 5.4. No big damage had been reported, but still, I was wondering how it affected my people. It was nearly 8.45 before I was able to make the connection and talk with my mom. She said that she was outside when the quake hit and that she saw the house literally shake on its foundations. There have been plenty of after shocks. My brother Sal is staying with Mom in these days; he felt it while at work out in Irvine…

Reports were that all the cellular connections went down with the quake, but this did not affect land lines. The reason I could not connect for nearly 40 minutes was that Sal was working on Mom's internet connections, which are dialup, of course.

While I was on the telephone, I heard voices and doors opening in the building. I presumed it was Tom Brennan and John Rasor returning. Then it got very quiet, so I did not go out to check once I finished my long telephone call. When I was setting up the chapel for Mass this morning, I found that Al Vu had also arrived. That was news. Then this morning, Chinh Nguyen called me for a parking spot, arriving with a van load of friends and a great desire to Bart it to San Francisco. John had someone in to check our internet capacities today as well, while Arthur got fresh supplies of cheese and cold cuts from Fr Austin Conterno.

After two days of peaceful quiet, Don Bosco Hall is filling up again.

Well, niente male -- that's what it is about.

New stuff, less money, and some nostalgia

This morning Marc asked me to take some photos for him. Specifically, he wanted me to take some pictures of the new furniture and carpet in the 3rd floor room as well as the new living room furniture and carpet in entrance hall in Arch Street Building. This was in response to a note from Bro Michael Touchstone.

Money for these improvements came from the Don Bosco Association. Michael wants photos so that he can tell the people of the association on the donations have been used.

So, I have gone from room to room and taken photographs of all the "new stuff" and the improved stuff -- including Bro John Rasor who is improving greatly after his year-long bout with a nasty benign tumor. As a matter of fact, he has been a lot of fun these days. While his energy is a bit diminished, his wit is in tact.

Marc is paying all the bills today, making little repairs, checking the light bulbs and smoke detectors, and checking a myriad of details as he prepares to leave for two weeks holidays. He and Bro Joe Lockwood will go to Palm Springs. As a matter of fact, they will use the time-share condominium that belongs to my parents. This is the fourth year that they go there (I believe) and both have been looking forward to it… for month!!!

That reminds me of something that I was once told by don Giuseppe Usseglio, professor of moral theology of the UPS at Torino-Crocetta when I was a student. It was the first day of August 1978. I had just returned from a month at Saint Jacques in the Alps with the boys of the Oratory of the Crocetta and I was lugging my sleeping bag, backpack, briefcase upstairs. My mountain boots were strung on long laces over my shoulders. I was sunburned and my hair was longer than usual (yes I wore it long in those days). Don Usseglio, who rarely spoke to me outside of class, asked me how the month went with the young people (he used the word "giovani" rather than "ragazzi").

Still halfway up the flight of stairs, but moving to the right so that he could pass, I told the professor that the month of July had gone well and that all the "giovani" remained enthusiastic for the experience. I must have broke into a smile as I recounted all this, using the youthful language of the kids -- one summer with them enormously improved my speaking ability in Italian.

He smiled too and said: "And you? You have remained enthusiastic as well?"

"Sì, sì," I responded, "molto entusiasta!"

"Ah," said the moralist, taking on the tone of a soothsayer, "very well, very well -- but do not let it disconcert you, like those who have one month of holidays but ten months of nostalgia (un mese di vacanze e dieci mesi di nostalgia)."

I nodded and laughed and said my good day (buona giornata) to which he responded his (bon dì). I let him pass and then continued to struggle up the stairs to my second level (read 3rd floor) bedroom. After a month in the Alps, I would have thought that I could have managed the three flights of stairs more easily! Yet by the time I got to my room and threw all my gear on my cot, I was a bit disconcerted over the exchange. Was my morality professor giving me a cheerful warning? Was it a corrective? And how in the world did he know that I always was so homesick for summer? Well, no doubt Don Usseglio been watching me for three years, and it must have been more obvious to others than it was to me… but he was perfectly correct. One month of holidays and ten months dreaming about them!

Okay, end of my little nostalgia piece. Marc leaves tomorrow for his vacation, and Arthur goes away for three days. Duoc will go camping for a short time… only John Rasor and I will be left at the house, nostalgic no doubt.

Sharing meals

There are just five of us in the house this week: Fr Arthur Lenti, Marc Rougeau, John Rasor, Duke Le Van Duoc, and myself. These are days to pick up, clean up… and the making of the evening meal is a shared production. Well, there is not much to say about it, but here are a few photos of our table conversation.

In the meantime, there are bits and pieces of things. Marc and I have cleaned all the rooms and made up all the beds, setting the beds with a set of towels as well, and drinking glasses. The Merry Maids went over everything yesterday as well, and now we have locked things up so that the rooms will be ready for the next array of guests in the month of August.

Evening meals have been on our own this week. The cook Debbie has been off on her summer holidays since Monday, and we all have been pitching in to prepare the meals. It goes without saying that Arthur has done the breakfasts. Marc, John, Duoc and I have been preparing the evening meals. We usually start preparing at 5.00, after the day's work, and sit down at 6.30. The meals have been simple but enjoyable, and we chat and catch up more with each other during these meals this week than perhaps all year.

Here are the summer plans, as expressed during the evening meal tonight:

Arthur Lenti has been invited to join the provincial council at Los Gatos next Sunday to Tuesday. It is their personnel meeting, and they have invited Arthur to be present. In fact, they had already paid for the accommodations earlier, but since David Purdy is away at this time, they thought they would ask Arthur to be with them. He does not know if he will be asked to input to them, or just share in the fellowship, but he is happy to get away for a few days. A week later he will be in San Juan Bautista for his annual retreat, and then spend a few days with John Bruzzone, who has remained a close friend over nearly 50 years.

John Rasor worked right up to retreat time in the last week of June. Then he spent the first week of July with his brother in southern California. He came back from the experience cheerful and enthusiastic -- as he has usually been. Now John intends to remain at Don Bosco Hall through the end of the summer. Once the great hiker of the Salesian World, John was not able to continue this regimen after he became so sick last summer. On the other hand, I have to consider that it was his exceptional physical fitness that enabled him to fight off the disease (and the shock that the cancer treatments gave to his system). In fact, John has responded very well to the treatments. Now he has slowly been building up his strength again. He has starting his soft hikes again, and his health seems to be good these days. The cancer is in remission. So this is a time to build up physical strength without the worry of other duties and obligations.

Duoc Le has been with the community all year - and actually for several years now. Officially he will become an "aspirant" for the Salesian Society with the start of the new year. However, he is still working and so as to help his family get out of financial difficulties. He figures that, with one more year of full-time employment, he will be able to put his mother and siblings on a firm, financial footing.

In the past, Duoc has gone away for holidays, but he will not be going to Los Angeles to see his family at this time. Rather, he plans on continuing to work through the rest of the summer months. He has been looking for some new placements and has had some interesting interviews. Things are looking hopeful for him.

As for the "aspirant" state, the house council of Don Bosco Hall has met to discuss this. The ratio and the province formation guidebook give detailed outlines of what is to take place in this phase of religious formation. The plan is to follow these guidelines carefully, so that Duoc may prepare himselve for novitiate to begin next year, or the year after.

No internet

Spent the weekend washing linens, cleaning rooms, making beds. This morning I finished the last three beds before going over to DSPT to meet with MA student Elissa McCormack, who is completing her thesis in these days. We met for 90 minutes. Her theme is religious controversy in 17th Century France (theories of grace, Jansenism and Gallicanism). She is doing a tremendous job really.

Well, the internet has been down since Saturday mid-day at Don Bosco Hall, so I am making this entry from DSPT where I can connect with my laptop.

After the extreme heat of the last two weeks, today was cold and foggy. I do not exaggerate. The mercury stayed at 15° (F) below normal for this time of year. It was refreshing actually. As I spent most of the day at DSPT, it was a refreshing climate in which to work.

Talking with Pete MacLeod, vice-president at DSPT, it seems that our increase in ISS students has been a real boon for the school. Pete told me that recruitment of students is not going as well as hoped for, and that our student population has declined except that the ISS has more students that has been typical in the last five years. So, our little collection of 10 Salesian students is keeping the school population to the critical point. This is good news for the ISS and for the DSPT.

In all fairness, Gael Sullivan has been working hard to make the Salesian provinces aware of the ISS and our programs ever since he became director of Don Bosco Hall last summer. The fact that Gael is fluent in Spanish and English has meant he has been able to reach out to the provinces of our region and make us better represented. Further to this, the publication of the first volumes of Arthur Lenti's study on Don Bosco has gained attention for the work of our Institute. In fact, today I heard from Juan José Bartolomé, my good friend from Madrid (and secretary to the rector major), that steps are being taken in Madrid to translate Arthur's opus. Juan José hopes to have finalized this effort by month's end.

The challenge that we face in the coming months is to build on this, both at the ISS and at the DSPT. But right now there is a new waft of foggy air coming across the San Francisco Bay into our neighborhood, so I had best close this internet connection and go home.

[Photos: Elissa McCormack (above); DSPT (below)]

SLIM 2008 Summer Session

This afternoon Don Bosco Hall will once more fill up with visitors: members of the province who are taking part in the second course of SLIM (Salesian Leadership Institute for Ministry). Marc Rougeau, John Rasor and I have been busy washing sheets and making beds this weekend as the Merry Maids have cleaned the rooms and sanitized the baths. As of this morning, all is in readiness.

The group that takes part began their SLIM experience a year ago. They come from many different ministries in the province. Now at the midway point, they will be invited to share their own stories and the story of the Salesian apostolic community, especially as they have journedy forward in the past 12 months. Sr Mary Greenan is directing the week, with a lot of help from Fr Nick Reina and others of us as well. The main theme of this week (the 4th session in the cycle) is journeying together in collaboration.

Here are the topics for each day:

• Sunday: The Journey of SLIM thus far - overview of the program from last summer to next spring.
• Monday: Sharing our Stories (Mary Greenan, Nick Reina, groups); Laity and Don Bosco (Arthur Lenti in Q&A)
• Tuesday: Collaboration and Ministry - Preaching to the Choir (Michael Sweeney)
• Wednesday: Salesian Spirit: Living the Charism Today (Joe Boenzi)
• Thursday: Working together to promote and sustain Salesian ethos (Mary Greenan & Nick Reina)
• Friday: Creative use of Salesian ethos: constructing an Assessment Tool for your site (Nick Reina & Mary Greenan); Planing Action Steps (site groups)
• Saturday: Final Eucharist and departures.

As for the nitty-gritty hosting of the event, Marc Rougeau continues to oversee the many aspects of hospitality. In the kitchen, Debbie our cook is helped by her sister-in-law Desiree, and member of the community will continue to pitch in where and whenever needed.

This is the last of four seminars that have taken place in the last two months, and the hosting is wearing on us. The older we get the more that is asked, with no young people coming up to embrace the cause. Ah well - one more week.

Prayer, preparation, picnic

Even though it is Independence Day in the USA, the directors held workshop sessions today. Michael Cunningham (UK) spoke on the community at prayer, and Tim Ploch (USA-East) spoke about facilitating a rhythm of prayer in keeping with the Salesian constitutions. Both Tim and Michael are former provincials. By all indications everyone was happy with the presentations and with the discussion afterwards.

Marc Rougeau and I spent a good deal of the day getting things ready for the meals. Mike Connolly, new director at Archbishop Shaw (New Orleans) also helped put a lot of things together, as did the two young men Sean Ryan and Duoc Van Le. As this is the holiday, we had no cook. This was an oversight by the planning committee really. In the past, we used to let everyone go to tour San Francisco on this day, and so avoid the problem of providing the meals. But somehow our little planning group forgot that holidays really do exist in the USA, especially Independence Day. And the planning crowd was not here for some reason, So the barbecue went forward, with a delegation of people also from Richmond and the provincial house.

Dave Purdy came to this affair. He was looking better than in past weeks, but the strain shows on his face. All this is the results of the burden of Los Angeles. The evening prayer for the directors went a bit long and so Marc and I had an opportunity to speak a bit with David while the meat was cooking on the grill. The weariness and sadness are evident, but also his renewed sense of hope as the Salesians poured into the the backyard. One of the things dear to David's heart has been collaboration: collaboration among provinces; collaboration with the local churches; collaboration with other members of the Salesian Family. There has been a lot of disillusion for him lately, but the crowd of Salesian directors from three North American provinces offered a couple of hours of joy and hope.

And the tri-tip was not bad either, btw. Thanks, Marc: great job preparing all this!

Sheperding the Shepherds

Today was filled with airport runs, with John Rasor, Marc Rougeau, John Roche, Nick Reina and myself picking up Salesians from the Bay Area airports and getting them to Don Bosco Hall for the start of the Directors Seminar, which we've entitled Shepherding the Shepherds.

Gael Sullivan opened the conference with evening prayers and a reception at 5:00 - and then conducted the opening session after dinner in the upper room of the Leconte Street Building.

Other good news today: 30 June 2008 marked the end of the 2007-2008 DSPT Annual Fund. With the generosity and support of students, staff and many benefactors, we have surpassed our goal of $550,000 to reach $579,611.27! That is exciting really, in this age of tight money.

July and a course for Salesian directors

We started July just 10 hours ago and so far, so good!

A group of Salesian Directors starts to arrive at our place in Berkeley today and tomorrow for a week-long course in ongoing formation for directors. They come from USA-East, from Canada, and from California.

All the sheets and towels are washed, the rooms cleaned, and we are ready to go… My role in all this is minimal, but I will be hospitable and smile a lot.