Yesterday I returned from a five day trip to Lyon, Ars-sur-Forman and Avignon in southeastern France. It is not uncommon for Catholics, especially priests, to make pilgrimages to Ars-sur-Forman to visit and pray at the Sanctuary of St. Jean Vianney, the patron saint of diocesan priests (and of our sister parish in Belle Riviere), who [...]

Friday the weather finally started to change here in Rome. It has been mostly in the 40s and 50s, but it has been raining a lot. We are about six weeks behind Indianapolis in terms of the fall weather. That being said, however, Rome is a lot more fun when it’s warm and the sun [...]

I returned yesterday from ten days of wandering around Spain and Prague. Prague is just downright awesome, one of the most beautiful and interesting places I have ever seen.  Now I know why it’s called “The City of the Spires.” Unfortunately, I had only two and a half days to spend there. As usual, however, [...]

Since Friday I have been staying in Madrid, a city of 3.3 million people, the third largest in the European Union and Spain’s capitol. Madrid strikes me as largely a city of monuments, restaurants, museums and lots and lots of people. I learned right away that Columbus Day is a national holiday here in Spain [...]

Rome, October 8 Wednesday we all concelebrated mass before the tomb of St. Paul at the Basilica of St. Paul. During our masses at St. Peter’s and St. Paul’s, I have been struck by how important it has always been for the church to know exactly where the remains of Peter and Paul are to [...]

Yesterday I did the European equivalent of the NFL. I went a soccer match and watched Lazio (Romehas two teams, Lazio and Roma, both of whom, and their fans, despise one another) defeat Siena 2-1. Both of the Roman teams play their home games at Stadio Olimpico, which is part of the Olympic Village which [...]