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.

Some delays but no problem

Today I left Detroit and made my return to the Bay Area -- United Airlines to San Francisco International (SFO), and then the BART to Berkeley. United took me from Detroit to Chicago, but there we were delayed departing from Chicago due to complications in loading cargo on to the jet. We were 50 minutes late arriving at SFO. That did not bother me. I had no deadlines to meet.

As happened to me last week on my return from Dublin, the BART experienced delay due to debris on the tracks somewhere around the Mission district stations. Well, I had a book to read and so got two extra chapters in, thanks to the delays.

The hike up the hill from the BART was interesting: Berkeley is starting to repopulate with summer students. There were guitar players at the BART entrance and in different street corners, and a lot of youthful excitement in the air. I watched and listened as I walked, and I was rather smiling as I made it to the last climb up Leconte Avenue.

Home again… and now I look forward to a July without heavy commitments!

Hmm… well, one can always wish.

Detroit with the Oblates of St Francis de Sales

So I am in Detroit for a few days with the Oblates of Francis de Sales. The purpose of my time here is to help them with the province assembly. This is the Western Province (or the Toledo-Detroit Province). They have men and works across the USA from Niagara Falls to Oakland. The Eastern province, with whom I stayed last year around this time, is mainly centered between Philadelphia, Wilmington Delaware, Childs Maryland, Washington, and the Carolinas.

The Oblates have asked me to present some spiritual reflections on St Francis de Sales, and my first instinct was to give something similar to what I delivered last year. However, I received early instructions to concentrate on themes of priestly vocation. I was also given examples of contemporary USA theologians and pastoralists that the group seems to be using for their pastoral planning.

All this has put me at a bit of a loss as to how to proceed, but last week in a telephone call, Fr John Graden, of DeSales Resources and Ministries, told me that I should just go about delivering what I usually do with the Salesian Family and not worry about the references to contemporary theologians. "Give them a taste of the life and experience of Francis de Sales. We know him as a spiritual director; you Salesians know him as a missionary and pastor. We know the writings," he continued, "but you know the stories. And it is stories that our guys need to hear at about right now."

Well, okay. Let me hope that I can deliver something useful here. It is still an hour before breakfast and I am a bit nervous about what I can present to them, but my script is ready, the materials photocopied, and in less that three hours I'll be in front of the group to launch their province convocation. Wooooo! However did I agree to this?

Dear St Francis de Sales, you will have to make your presence felt through me… okay? Just for these three days. :-)

Anniversary

Arrived in Detroit last night and have been spending much of the day preparing for my presentations to the Oblates of Francis de Sales for their yearly assembly or convocation. The more I prepare this, the less I know what to say… at least for the opening talk. The second and third interventions are all in good shape.

And today is 29 years - my anniversary of ordination. I have not had too much time to think of it since I have been on the road, but I have received a few e-mails of good wishes from friends, principally from classmates of mine of the Crocetta.

The day of ordination was a Saturday, feast of St Joseph Cafasso. My province companions for ordination were Jesús Montes, Michael Gergen and Robert Delis. They had decided the venue (St Bibiana Cathedral in L.A.) and left to me the date, since I had to travel from Torino. I opted for 23rd because it was a Salesian feast (St Joseph Cafasso was Don Bosco's friend and spiritual director)…

My second motive was that ordination on that date would allow me to celebrate my first mass on 24 June, feast of St John the Baptist. John the Baptist is my father's patron saint, as well as the saint celebrated by Torino and Don Bosco with his young people. It also meant the ordination was early enough in the summer so the others could move forward. They had all finished school in April at Berkeley and were surely becoming anxious. I had only finished a week earlier in Torino and, if I can admit it, I was very sad to leave that wonderful place that was the Crocetta, the oratorio there, the city of Don Bosco. Strange as it may seem, when I returned to my native Los Angeles, I was terribly homesick for Torino. But that's the feeling that I had, even through the days of ordination and first mass… and perhaps for the entire year.

But today I am in Detroit: the city where my mother grew up. Nobody here is aware of this anniversary and I am not telling them. It allows me to quietly dwell with it. I reflect and remember all the people that have been important in my life. I recall numerous events. I sit with gratitude for undeserved blessings. This is not the time for parties; it is the time for rememberings.

Swallows sing and dance in flight

The end of the day and I'm sitting at my computer in my "other office", watching the swallows fly their dance in the sunset outside my window. Beyond them are the Sabine mountains… yes, I'm in Rome for a couple of days. I had to receive the examinations of some of my students, including three defenses of theses (licentiates) this afternoon. Now I'm ready to pack it all up and go to sleep.

A certain quiet is descending upon the Eternal City, with the cheerfulness of the dancing swallows who send the sun to set in the distant west after a long day. May we all hear the gentle cooing of the dove in our heart of hearts, and the cheerful shouts of the swallows who build their nests in the joy of God's presence.

Cross country crisis management

The retreat came to a close last evening, and while many left for their homes after the festive supper, others stayed on at Milford until this morning. The Salesian sisters who made the retreat asked if I would visit their community.

Thanks to Sr Anne Collins, I did pay a visit to Caherdavin on Thursday, in fact, although it was a very quick one. I was able to meet Sr Finola, whom I met 11 years ago. Sr Anne told me that Sr Finola had a painting of St Francis de Sales that was absolutely lovely… and so when we got to the house, Sr Anne asked Sr Finola to bring out the painting, and she did. Instead of a painting, it is a charcoal sketch - but beautiful. It is of a smiling Francis de Sales, to be sure.

As I say, the visit was rushed. There was only a short break in the afternoon and I needed to be back at Milford house to prepare the next retreat talk presentation. I was using PowerPoint, and that presentation on was totally new. In short, I did not have the leisure for a long visit. But I did have tea with the sisters of the community, and we chatted for 40 pleasant minutes. I remembered all these women from the retreats that I had preached 11 years ago for the Salesian Sisters. All of these women were active in their communities then; now they are all in the extended care community. Still, they are all alert and doing their part. I was most impressed and very happy to see old friends again.

That was Thursday. Today all my visiting took place among the Salesians, and a good deal of it in transit. Yes, another drive coast to coast, from Milford to Celbridge - well, it is three hours driving time. Pat Egan drove me across the land so that I could get to Dublin airport tomorrow morning for my trip to Italy and the UPS.

More on the UPS later… For now, let me say something about this day in Ireland.

Pat Egan wanted to get an early start, so he asked if I could meet him at 7.30 (half seven). We grabbed a bit of breakfast with Fr Robbie, who is assigned to the Milford house on the parish team. Then we got our start, at about 8.30. This did not sound at all early to my ears, but in fact, the town was still sleeping as we drove out of the parish grounds and made our way to the main road.

It was a great opportunity -- this trip, I mean. I have known Pat Egan since the 1980s, and worked together with him in the early 1990s when he was in charge of social communications at the Salesian headquarters in Rome (via della Pisana) and I was studying at the UPS. Yes, I used to resource and do some translation work both for the dicastery of Youth Pastoral and for Social Communications. Now Pat continues on the path of Social Communications as he edits the Irish Salesian Bulletin, works in the area of web communications and so forth.

Well, the coast-to-coast drive afforded us time to catch up on each other's lives since the mid-1990s. Halfway across we stopped for coffee, and Pat told me how Fr Juan Vecchi had asked him to take up a formation course in Ethiopia around 1999, but that with his heart condition, his doctors had counseled against it. The concern already at that point was that, as the Salesian Society in Africa grows rapidly, there be people who can work with the young people in initial formation to instill a sense of Don Bosco's spirit and tradition. During my last experience in Rome I discovered how much is needed in this sector right now. We have grown in Africa, East-Asian, Eastern Europe, and the Pacific Islands, but it has been difficult to transmit the Salesian spirit in these contexts. Youth work, yes; Francis de Sales and Don Bosco's apostolic spirit? well, that has been very difficult. Many young Salesians in these continents consider Don Bosco a European priest from the remote past with little to do with their own lives.

This has been my experience of the young Salesians from new territories, and Pat Egan has experienced much of the same with young Salesians from Eastern Europe who come to help with the schools apostolate in Ireland during their practical training. We have no solutions to this crisis, but it made for a stimulating conversation during the second half of our journey. Or maybe it was the coffee.

Sparkling children

Today there has been soft sunshine in Limerick and the teachers at the elementary school beside the retreat center where I am staying brought out earth-balls, parachutes, and a number of interesting devices for non-competitive games for the children. It was obviously planned. The children did not wear uniforms and some of the play equipment were the massive, inflatable play corals.

The air was filled with the delighted voices of children, and they sparkled in the sun to enjoy the games in which everyone won and nobody lost.

And we finished the retreat today. I gave two presentations in the morning. The first was on the Salesian motto "Da mihi animas, cetera tolle". The second was on Marian Aspects of Salesians spirituality. The presentations were well received, and the retreat ended with a community Eucharist celebrating the Golden Jubilee of Fr John Fagan, who had served for 38 years as a missionary in the Amazon. John Horan, the provincial, gave the homily at that much participated mass.

After the mass we found out that the votes counted in the referendum yesterday showed that the Lisbon treaty had been defeated. No strong opinions were expressed either way… and anyway, it was time for appetizers and mixing and visiting with each other in a way that never happened during the retreat itself, when all were a little restrained. The dining room was set with colorful tablecloths and everything was inviting and sparkling (hmm: I've used this word already about this day).

At 17.00 there was the final meal, formal and festive. Hugh O'Donnell, who sang one of his own compositions at the mass, spoke on behalf of all to re-echo some of the themes of the retreat. And to John Horan's good wishes to me, I responded. I took advantage of the theme of Jubilee to congratulate the four participants celebrating jubilees, and reminding all of the Catholic practice that this is not an anniversary but a year of grace… and all of us are part of this jubilee grace since we have been touched by these four Salesians in their own jubilee year. I said this to encourage a sense of connectedness, for we have become too used to letting important traditions pass us by. We live in a state of forgetfulness.

But if we were going back to Don Bosco, and back to our sources, then we need to live in the perspective of grace alive and transforming.

Ah well, it was something I felt that I needed to share with them as my farewell to the retreat and to the group. And as I concluded, it seemed to me that the whole group was sparkling! Just as much as the children I saw this morning dancing in the sun and sparking in joy. Francis de Sales tells us that our openness to God allows us to bask in God's mighty sunlight, so why not? Of course we should all be sparking!

Lisbon treaty and Limerick retreat

A number of Salesians from Dublin left yesterday afternoon (after my evening talk was anticipated somewhat) to drive back across Ireland so that they could vote first thing in the morning. The polls opened at 7.00 am - and by 10.30, they were entering the chapel for my first morning talk today. Yes, coast to coast in 3 hours! But then, Ireland also wakes late, so they got a good head start on traffic.

The Lisbon Treaty -- this is what it is all about. This treaty is supposed to replace the rejected European constitution, but all other of the 27 countries in the European Union are deciding through their legislatures. Ireland's constitution calls for the ratification of treaties through a referendum. Yes means acceptance of the treaty/constitution, No means rejection. I've heard arguments for and against and it seemed to me that the people are rather hotly divided… but perhaps that is only the Salesians who are divided. The last news I heard tonight after the polls closed is that the voter turn-out had been low in the morning but picked up in the evening after people returned from work. In fact, after supper I stood in front of the Salesian house with Mariusz, and we greeted over 100 people on their way to and from the urns in the Milford School which borders the parish.

A strong Europe! or a strong Ireland? That is how the elections posters are phrasing it. Some are worried that a strong EU would mean that Ireland would be forced to abdicate its own hard-fought liberties as a democracy? Some worry that after years of domination by Britain, Ireland would now let itself be dominated by Europe. Others instead say that it is not the same: this is not about domination but about participation.

In terms of religious heritage: some worry that Ireland would have to let go of its own values as a Christian society, since the last constitution attempt neglected to mention 2000 years of Christianity in its listing of European heritage. But that constitution never made it for economic reasons rather than religious reasons. Still, what does it mean to endorse separation of Church and State. Does it mean ignoring Church? Does post-modern necessarily mean post-christian?

In terms of economy and living conditions, can Ireland survive if it is detached from Europe? Can anyone in Europe afford not to think as a continent?

These are the questions many ask, at least in Ireland in these days. Then again, many do not ask this at all. They just get on with it.

And we just got on with the retreat. It helps to have a non-European doing the preaching at a time like this, I suppose.

Father of Europe

Monday we celebrated St Columban here at Milford… and really, I have never known too much about him. Until now, I had only heard the general drift of how Columban had suffered for the faith, and how he had gone on to found a monastery at Iona and worked to evangelize Europe. Very nice. But to hear the Irish themselves talk of Columban: Wooooh! Controversies, religious wars, bloodshed and thousands of deaths. Columban is pictured by them as less zealous and more rash in his youth. His evangelizing mission seems more the result of a deep conversion of heart and a response born of repentance and compassion. The stories were fascinating -- a surprising, swash-buckling saga even! I never expected to hear what I was hearing.

And I heard two sermons and three dinner conversations about St Columban that day and the next… But as it often happens, once you have become aware of someone, you begin to hear of him all the time. In today's general audience, Pope Benedict centered his talk on the figure of Columba. He had this to say:

St Columban's message is concentrated in a firm appeal to conversion and detachment from earthly goods, with a view to the eternal inheritance. With his ascetic life and conduct free from compromises when he faced the corruption of the powerful, he is reminiscent of the severe figure of St John the Baptist. His austerity, however, was never an end in itself but merely the means with which to open himself freely to God's love and to correspond with his whole being to the gifts received from him, thereby restoring in himself the image of God, while at the same time cultivating the earth and renewing human society. I quote from his Instructiones: "If man makes a correct use of those faculties that God has conceded to his soul, he will be likened to God. Let us remember that we must restore to him all those gifts which he deposited in us when we were in our original condition. "He has taught us the way with his Commandments. The first of them tells us to love the Lord with all our heart, because he loved us first, from the beginning of time, even before we came into the light of this world" (cf. Instructiones XI).

The Irish Saint truly incarnated these words in his own life. A man of great culture - he also wrote poetry in Latin and a grammar book - he proved rich in gifts of grace. He was a tireless builder of monasteries as well as an intransigent penitential preacher who spent every ounce of his energy on nurturing the Christian roots of Europe which was coming into existence. With his spiritual energy, with his faith, with his love for God and neighbour, he truly became one of the Fathers of Europe. He shows us even today the roots from which our Europe can be reborn.

Europe. Of course, Pope Benedict spends a lot of time speaking about Europe, inviting leaders and peoples not to turn their back on their Christian heritage. Does post-modern necessarily mean "post-christian"?

It was an interesting general audience from what I have seen on the internet at the Vatican website. More on this later. It is getting late.

Salesians gathered for retreat week

These thought come from Milford, on the outskirts of Limerick on the west of Ireland. Last night I began facilitating a retreat for Salesian men and women from across Ireland… My access to the internet these days is spotty and my timetable is rather full… but yes, we can get things started, even if we do so slowly.

The retreat starts on the feast of St Columba, who is one of the patrons of Ireland. I heard two homilies on the saint today, and some of the stories were quite surprising to me. I'll repeat them later.

As for the retreat itself, there are about 25 Salesian men and women here for the experience. Some who are listed did not come and some arrived who are not listed, so I not sure of the exact number. They are a happy and cordial group, and include some who have made the ISS in Berkeley in years past: Hugh O'Donnell (1987-1988), Val Collier (1991) and Anne Collins (2006-2007). There are a few younger Salesians who are working in the province temporarily: Mariuz from Poland and Bernhard from Austria.

My input today included some scriptural considerations on Faith in the morning, and a presentation on foundational concepts of Salesian spirituality from Francis de Sales and Don Bosco in the evening. They seem to have been appreciated.

However, what is more interesting to me is what I am hearing from this group than what I may be giving to them. The big concern in Catholic Ireland at the moment is the dramatic shift in culture. No one here wants to turn back the clock, but they do want to find ways to be of service to young people and the marginalized in the actual socio-cultural circumstances in which they find themselves. Hopefully I will learn more in the coming days.

I'm posting this at 13.14 - but add 8 hours to bring this to the Irish timezone: it is 21.14.

Overland journey

With Paddy Hennesey, I traveled to Milford at Castletroy to begin the summer retreat with the Salesians of the Irish province. Our trip was very enjoyable and chatty. Paddy is one of the youngest in the province and vice-provincial. He was appointed to this after the sudden death of Joe Lucey (who is intensely missed by all the Salesians, from what I can understand). Paddy has his hands full as he continues his ministry in the school and his directorship of the community even as he carries out the ministry of the provincial vicar. This become even more intense when the provincial John Horan is away (as happens during these days). Still, Paddy is philosophical about it all and has many hopes and dreams to match his enthusiasm.

The retreat started tonight, very simply: evening meal, prayer, opening talk that was more as a summary in the style of "comming attractions" than a conference.

Martin Loftus is coordinating the retreat together with Kathleen Ahern, who runs the student house at Milford. There are 26 Salesians and 3 Salesian Sisters making the spiritual exercises. I'll offer the conferences and reflections; Martin and others will handle the prayer sessions and liturgies. Among the sisters is Anne Collins, who spent a year (2006-2007) with us in Berkeley.

There is no stress whatever in all this. Everyone seems very glad to see each other and to help out as the week will unfold. It is a happy way to enter into retreat.

Brú na Bóinne and Chinese food

The morning was so quiet at Celbridge and I had some time to look over my materials for the retreat to begin on Sunday night. After a deli lunch with the Salesians at the house, I was treated to a cultural heritage tour by Padraig.

Padraig drove me out to Brú na Boinne (or Bhrú na Bóinne) at about 40 minutes out. This is an ancient burial mound that was only discovered in the 1960s. Archeologists uncovered the amazing effects of how the burial ground is lit up once a year, on the day of the winter solstice… as the tunnel to the center of the burial ground is aligned perfectly so that the sun on that day illuminates the chamber. I had heard of this before and was glad to have a look for myself. The Visitor Centre is outstanding.

On the return to Celbridge we visited the Salesians at Warrenstown, where for years there had been two schools: one agricultural, the other horticultural. Now the land has just been sold from the agricultural school, and only the horticultural school will continue. Long story, really. However, the overriding question is how to serve the needs of the new Ireland with laity inspired by the Salesian charism? I'm sure I'll hear more during the week, since the Salesians from Warrenstown will join us on the retreat.

Dinner with Padraig and Paddy at Maynooth, in a fashionable Chinese restaurant. The conversation continued about the need to address contemporary needs in postmodern, postclerical Ireland… Oh, and the squid was excellent.

Celbridge

Arrived in Dublin yesterday afternoon. The trip from San Francisco was filled with delays; both flights had late take-offs, the first due to maintenance issues on the 747 itself, and the second because of a breakdown in the radar system at Dublin, which meant that flights were delayed taking off. However, it was not an unpleasant journey, all things considered.

Bro. Padraig McDonald, chaplain at the Salesian school in Celbridge, met me as I came out of immigration and customs, and brought me to the Salesian community. After a shave and a bit of a cleanup, I joined the community for dinner at 18.00, and then for evening prayer.

Members of the community include Pat Egan, whom I have known for many years since the days when I used to help those in the office of social communications in Rome (early 1990s) and who edits the Irish Salesian Bulletin. Padraig McDonald had joined us last year for the Da mihi animas seminar at Berkeley, and he is school chaplain. The rector Paddy Hennessy lectures in religious education at Maynooth and who is now vice-provincial since the death of Joe Lucey earlier this year. But not everyone is called Patrick in this house. There are Michael Brown, chaplain in a local hospital, Dan Carroll, celebrating his silver jubilee of ordination and teacher at Salesian College, PJ Nyland also teaches at Salesian College (although he may well be a Patrick Joseph, now that I think of it) … and two polish clerics, Szymon and Dominik, who have spent one year here for some experience in teaching; they return to Poland next week.

By 20.00 I was in bed … and woke up today at 12.30… Wow, a 16 hour sleep!

So just catching up in this afternoon, getting some things ready for the retreat that I'll facilitate with the Salesians in Milford come Sunday evening.