WHO is the General Chapter?

In the previous post, I wrote about WHAT the General Chapter is.  Perhaps more interesting is WHO is the General Chapter.  (Make sure to read to the end...or just skip ahead...because YOU also are part of the Chapter.  How do you like that for a teaser?)

The Rule of Life (remember that's our Marianist guide book) has very specific procedures about how members to the General Chapter are selected.  First, all members of the General Administration (that's our international leadership team) must attend.  Then, some members of national leadership teams attend "by right" because of the office they hold.  In the US Province, for example, Fr. Marty and Bro. Joe attend because they are our number 1 and number 2 guys in leadership.  Finally, other members are elected.  Because of our size, the US Province was able to elect four additional members - Fr. Oscar, Bro. Bernie, Bro. Dennis and myself.  (This is a general overview.  It can actually get a little complicated, but luckily we have people that understand all the technical mumbo jumbo.)

So this year, there are a total of 33 Capitulants (i.e. delegates) both "by right" and those elected.  Of the 32 countries where male Marianist Religious are present, this year's Capitulants come from 18 countries.  (You might think that is a little odd, but a place like Ireland is part of the US Province and Cuba is part of the Spain Province.  So, there is some overlap).  Among these members, there is a mix of both Brothers and Priests, and 14 of us are here at the Chapter for the first time.

What a good looking group, right?

Everyone at the Chapter is able to speak one of the 3 official languages of the Society of Mary - French, English and Spanish.  Some are able to do all three.  Yours truly can only manage English (and that's only on a good day).  So, we rely heavily on translators.  We have four Marianists (3 vowed religious and one layman) who sit in boxes during our meetings and provide simultaneous translation for us when the speaker is using a language we don't know.  Each of the Capitulants is given a headset and transponder through which the translation can (magically) be heard.  The translators really are amazing in that they are able to switch among languages with relative ease.

It's the very rare Headphone Tree.

The translation booths.

Perico - translator extraordinaire!

Listening intently.

Of course, you have to be comfortable.

Along with the translators, there are other "auxiliary personnel" who help out.  There are two secretaries (one who is taking minutes and one who is in charge of communications.)  And then there is the staff of the house which makes sure that we are well fed (more about the food later) and that the normal day-to-day tasks are taken care of.  They really allow us to focus on our work.

Bro. Peter, our recording secretary.

Fr. Dani, in charge of communications.

So, you might say that it really takes a village (maybe in the Marianist world we would say a "community") to pull off the General Chapter.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!!!!

 If you skipped ahead...here you go.....

While they may not be in Rome, the General Chapter cannot happen without many other people around the world.  And that includes YOU.  Yes YOU reading this right now and  other Marianists and partners in our apostolic works.  The task of the Chapter relies heavily on YOUR prayers.  And so we ask that you say a prayer for all of us gathered in Rome the next few weeks.  Pray that the Holy Spirit might guide us and that the spirit of our Blessed Founder - Fr. Chaminade - might animate all that we do.

Now, if you are techno-savvy, you can also get involved by following @smromasm on Twitter and by liking SMRoma18 on Facebook.  Here you can find updates about what is going on each day.  And of course, check back here :)

Until next time....Ciao!
Bob

The General Chapter

Some of you who follow social media, may have noticed that I am back in Rome.  The other day, I posted some pictures as I re-explored one of the cities that I have been privileged to call  "home."

Along with this, many of you have asked, "What are you doing back in Rome?"  And I can give you an easy answer: "I'm attending the 35th General Chapter of the Society of Mary."  So that settles it, right?

Some of you may now be scratching your heads even more, rolling your eyes at me, and asking, "That's nice, Bob, but what's a General Chapter?"  Well, I'm glad you asked.

According to the Rule of Life of the Society of Mary (Marianists) - by the way, Rule of Life is like the  constitution of our religious order - we learn that....

      The General Chapter,

held at least once every six years,

is the highest authority of the Society.

It determines policies and objectives

for the entire Society

and elects the Superior General

and the members of the General Council.

Its purpose is to ensure fidelity

to the spirit of our foundation,

as well as continuing adaptation

to the needs of each age.

Its decisions are binding

on all members, communities, and Provinces. (#93)

Put another way, the General Chapter is kind of a big deal and important moment in the history of the Order since the Chapter elects the international leadership team, sets goals and objectives for the next 6 years, and discerns where we need to be more faithful to the charism of Blessed Chaminade, our Founder.  Whew!  Easy stuff, right?  At the outset, it definitely seems like a daunting task and a great responsibility.  And it is.  But it is also a time of grace because we trust that the Holy Spirit is guiding us, and we believe that Blessed Chaminade's spirit is with us during our time of deliberations and discernment.

The Chapter officially opened this morning, and our work is now underway.

In the days ahead, I hope to give a little more insight into what I'll be doing for the next three weeks.  And yes, it is three weeks of meetings (okay, we do get Sundays off).  Until then, let me assure you that while the meetings have begun and even though I'm not here on vacation, there's always room for un caffe and il dolce!

Ciao!
Bob

La vita è bella

About three months ago, I packed my bags and returned to the United States. My studies were completed (I now have an STB - Baccalaurete of Sacred Theology - you have to be careful how you say that one) and it was time to return home and get to work. In case you are wondering, I'm now living in St. Louis, but more about that later.

It was a bittersweet departure since I looked forward to the luxuries I was used to (one-stop shopping at Target and good hamburgers) and looking forward to leaving the things that drove me crazy (hot buses with leaky roofs, almost weekly transportation strikes, okay, public transportation in general). But I also knew that there were many things I had come to enjoy and appreciate from Bella Roma. So as I reflect back on my three year soggiorno in Rome, here is my Top Ten List of things I miss from Rome. After all, some one has to keep up now that David Letterman is retired.

(In no particular order...except for number 1)

The top ten things I miss about Rome

10) Lasagna and gelato, okay real Italian food

I don't know what they did different, but the lasagna at our house was the best. Also, you would be hard pressed to find better gelato than at Willy's which happened to be two blocks from our house. And the owner knew me. After my first year I was sick of pasta, but now I kind of miss my primo piatto. And tiramisu - there's nothing like the original (except strawberry tiramisu.)

Marina's lasagna is the best!

Emanuela wins for tiramisu!

Giolitti's wasn't bad, either (that's "the one by the Pantheon")

9) Walking to school

For three years, almost every day, I walked to school with Bro. Dan. Every day we passed the Colosseum and it never got old (pun intended). But what I miss is the quiet side of Rome (before the tourists arrived) and my conversations with Dan - we shared stories, we complained, we argued, we discussed theology, we were sometimes soaking wet...but we laughed a lot!

Our last day going to school.

8) Sitting in a piazza people watching

Rome js known for its piazze - plazas. There's not much better than sitting in one while an accordion plays in the background and playing the game "american or not" - yeah we tend to stick out.

Where I would study sometimes.

Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere - always something going on here.

7) Surprising people by responding in Italian

So like I said in #8 it was obvious that I am an American. My tennis shoes and baseball cap usually gave it away. But every now and then I got quite surprised looks when I broke into Italian. I was often asked, but aren't you American? We don't have a very good reputation when it comes to languages other than 'merican. It once helped me get through a police blockade, trying to get out of  the way of a "manifestazione" - a political rally.

6) Papa Francesco

Pope Francis.  Need I say more?  I was there the night he was elected. And sometimes I would wander down to St. Peter Square on Sundays for his noon Angelus talk just because I could. I can't even guess how many pictures that I took of him. He just captivated me.  And he's my kind of Pope, even if I never got to meet him personally.

My picture from the night he was elected.

The best parts of his talks is when he put the prepared speech down and just started talking off the cuff.

The closest I ever got to him...about three feet away.

5) Laughing at Italy

Parking. Bureaucracy. Traffic. The escalator in Barberini station that was broken for over a year. I shook my head a lot. But they did add a level of amusement to my life.

Park wherever you can find a spot.

The day we received our immigration documents.  Never again!

4) Random events, things, etc.

Praying with the Orthodox Patriarch of Armenia.  Running into (literally) a heard of sheep.  Seeing all types of relics of saints.  Watching Benedict's helicopter fly away on the night of his resignation.  These things just don't happen in Fort Wayne!

That was Pope Benedict leaving the Vatican as he resigned.

St. Clare of Assisi's ball of yarn.  (You can't make these things up, folks.)

My usual jogging companions in the park near our house....and we lived in the city.

3) History

To walk in Rome is to walk through history. Ancient, medieval, baroque. Rome has it all, and it is everywhere. The park in which I would often run had aqueduct ruins and there were pagan tombs on our property. And after three years, there are churches I never saw. Most things in Rome are older than the USA itself.

There's just too many pictures to post here!

 2) A good Italian family meal

This is connected to #10 but at a whole different level. This was typical: wine, prosciutto and bread, wine, lasagna, wine, another pasta, wine, two types of meat, two vegetables, wine, salad (which no one ever ate) and cheese, wine, 2 desserts, champagne, limoncello, sleep. Dinner was an event that included enjoying each others' company like I never experienced. Why the double of some things? Usually the cook couldn't decide what to make or what the guests would like, so you might as well make it all. Olive Garden might say "here you're family" but they just don't understand what it really means!

That's what I'm talking about.

I'm drooling right now.

Jenny and Sean learned how to be Italian when they visited.

And finally, the number 1 thing I miss about Rome....

1) The People

Of all things I miss, it is the people. Friends that have changed my life. Friends that taught me many things. Friends that put up with my poor Italian.  Friends that taught me how to give a proper Italian greeting (it's not a handshake and involves kissing.)  Friends that loved me and welcomed me as family and guarantee that I always have a home in Italy. And then there are the friends that came and visited me and shared in this experience.  All I can say to all of you is Grazie!

I culled through all my photos, and put together a snapshot of my last three years in Rome, as told by the scores of people who came into my life there.  You can view it here.

Ciao!

Diaconate Ordination

Now that the first semester exams are done, I can get caught up on some blogging!  On January 10, 2015, I was ordained a deacon along with three other Brothers: Javi (Spain), Daniel (Kenya) and Gautier (Burkina Faso).  The ordination mass took place in Our Lady of the Pillar Chapel here in our house (that made for an easy commute), and was celebrated by Bishop Luis Ladaria, SJ, a very kind Jesuit who works in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith at the Vatican and is a friend of our community.  I was joined by my mom, sister, an aunt and two cousins, along with many Marianist Brothers, Sisters and Laity, and even more friends.  Here are a bunch (I'm not lying, be prepared) of pictures chronicling the day.  Of course, we had a festa afterwards! Enjoy!

Ciao!

Let's start with a procession.

The future deacons are all set...

...so is the congregation that spilled into the hallway....

...and of course some concelebrants....

...and a Bishop.

There were Marianist Sisters....

...and Marianist Laity...

...and our friend Danilo the Deacon.

After the homily (in which he followed Pope Francis' advice to be relatively brief)...

...we made our promises....

...and everyone chanted the Litany of the Saints, asking for their help as we lay prostrate.

Then the Bishop laid his hands on us....

...in silent prayer,...

...and then the Prayer of Ordination.

Since we were now ordained, we were vested in the deacon's stole and dalmatic.

My Italian friends Fabrizio and Emanuela carried the vestments in, and surprised my mom (who knows them).

Fr. Cortes vested me,...

...and of course we were the last to finish.

Then we received the Book of the Gospels...

...and a sign of peace.

Then Mass continued as normal...

...and we distributed Communion.

At the final blessings, I was supposed to say "Inchinatevi per la benedizione" (Bow your heads for the blessing.)  In our practice, I was having trouble getting the words out with the right accent.  Well, the Bishop just skipped that part, so I didn't have to say it.  A friend later told me, that at that moment I let out a deep, visible sigh!

The new deacons with members of the Marianist administration.

My sister and mom.

Aunt Brenda.

Cousins Mike and Ronda.

"Oh No, I'm going to be kissed by a nun!"

Bro. Les

Danilo and Javi.

My Italian family with Fr. Loris and Bro. Joseph

I think we were shooing away the paparazzi.

Okay, much more serious now.  With Bro. Javi.

The family.  Everyone kept saying how much we all look alike.

My friend Marina.

Classmate Simon from Lebanon.

Friends from the Community of Sant'Egidio in Rome.

Martina, Bro. Javi's niece.

Fr. Peter Lobo, OP, one of the my favorite professors at the Angelicum.

Classmates Sean and Stephen from the USA.

Carmelite Sisters Innocenza and Rose from Indonesia. 

Friends Loridana and Marilena

The US contingent of the Marianist Seminary with Bro. Charles.