Father Harman visits the Casa Santa Maria

An artistic rendering of the Casa Santa Maria

Father Peter Harman, rector of the Pontifical North American College, as part of his first official visit, celebrated the Holy Mass at the Casa Santa Maria and joined us for a nice lunch afterwards. The Casa Santa Maria is the original home of the American seminary in Rome and now serves as a residence for American priests pursuing advanced degrees.

Since Father Harman and I are both priests of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, the president of our House Council asked me to offer a prayer before meals and invited me to offer a few words of welcome to the rector.

I drew inspiration for the prayer from the life of Father Augustus Tolton, from the first letter of Saint Peter, and for the readings from yesterday's Mass:

Lord Jesus Christ, eternal high priest, who have called us, unworthy though we are, to share in your priesthood and to be instruments of your merciful love, help us to always remember when you first called us to follow you.

Turn your gaze toward Father Harman now as he undertakes the formation of future priests and helps them to discern your will for their lives.

Illumine the way before him and fill him with your love; comfort and inspire him, and deepen his love for you so that he may form shepherds after your own heart.

As those under his care return to their dioceses, may they be heralds of reconciliation and ambassadors of your love, imitate Father Harman’s love of your priesthood, and clothe themselves in humility.

Bless the food that has been prepared for us so that, strengthened by these gifts and remaining always with you, we may give to all a reflection of your love who live and reign forever and ever. Amen.

I intended my words of welcome to lead into the prayer, but it didn't quite work out that way and so I offered them as a toast after the lunch:

When he left St. Joseph’s church in Quincy to begin his ministry at St. Augustine’s in Chicago, the Servant of God Father Augustus Tolton published a few words of gratitude in the Quincy Daily Journal. After expressing his appreciation for their generosity, Father Tolton said, “Catholics will love and respect a priest regardless of nationality; at least that is the spirit of those people in the Gem City who knew me for twenty-nine years or more. Never will I forget the happy hours spent in the little St. Joseph church.  I wish them all the blessings that can be bestowed upon them” (13 November 1889).

You and I, Father Harman, are both sons of the Gem City and know, with Father Tolton, the great love that the Catholics of Quincy have for the priesthood of Jesus Christ. We both experienced this love in countless ways in St. John the Baptist parish and it was instilled in us at a young age. We are but two of the eleven priests produced by our home parish in its 119-year history.

As rector of the Pontifical North American College, the Church has called upon you because of your love of the priesthood. Use this love that you received in the Gem City and instill it in the seminarians under your care as you “tend the flock [of future shepherds] that is your charge” here in the Eternal City (I Peter 5:2). We priests here at the Casa Santa Maria welcome you, congratulate you, and promise our prayers for you, asking all the blessings that can be bestowed upon you.

Please continue to join me in praying for Father Harman and his important work in forming seminarians.

Holy See confirms: Pope Francis to celebrate Mass at the Pontifical North American College

A press conference was held this morning regarding the upcoming Day of Reflection on Blessed Junipero Serra on 2 May 2015 at the Pontifical North American College in which it was officially confirmed that His Holiness Pope Francis will preside over the celebration of the Holy Mass in the chapel of the Janiculum campus.  

Following the press conference, Vatican Radio has published the schedule of the day's proceedings:

08.45  Bibliographical notes on Junípero Serra: the path to holiness (R.P. Vincenzo Criscuolo, OFM Cap., General Relator of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints).

09.30  The religious origins of America (Most Rev. José H. Gómez, Archbishop of Los Angeles).

10.30  Break

10.45  The canonization of Fra Junípero Serra in ligth [sic] of “Ecclesia in America” (Prof. Guzmán Carriquiry, Secretary in charge of the Vice-Presidency of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America).

11.15  Our Lady of Guadalupe, mother and guide of Fra Junípero Serra, Patron of American (Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight of Knights of Columbus).

12.15  HOLY MASS, OFFICIATED BY THE HOLY FATHER, POPE FRANCIS.

13.15  Lunch at the Pontifical North American College.

At this moment, I know only the information available in the media. Additional information will, presumably, be forthcoming.

UPDATES: Confirmed: Pope Francis to visit the Pontifical North American College

The Catholic News Agency reports that His Holiness Pope Francis will soon pay a visit to the Pontifical North American College to honor Blessed Junipero Serra Ferrer, O.F.M., whom he will canonize in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. this September, with a day of prayer and reflection:

The Pope will be the guest of honor at a May 2 day of prayer and reflection on the life of Bl. Junipero Serra, set to be held at the  Pontifical North American College, according to the program sent out with invitations to the event.

Francis will be joined by seminarians attending the college, as well as the American cardinals currently residing in Rome.

Several people will present reflections on the life of the Franciscan missionary and founder of the state of California, after which, CNA reports that

Pope Francis will celebrate Mass with the seminarians and staff of the NAC, as well as priests from the Casa Santa Maria [where I now live] who study in Rome and priests from the Villa Stritch who work in the Vatican.

Lunch will then be served at seminary, however the Pope will not attend.

A news conference for the visit is scheduled to take place in the Holy See Press Office on April 20 [more].

Whether this report is true or false, we have not yet heard at the Casa Santa Maria (the article seems to be the first anyone's heard about this], though we naturally hope it is true. After nearly 2,000 years of communicating the Gospel to the nations, you'd think the Church would be a little better at internal communications.

UPDATE 1: A similar story from EWTN News was shared by the Pontifical North American College on its Facebook page with the caption, "We are honored to host the Holy Father next month!", so the story from CNA is confirmed. I can't help but wonder when someone from the PNAC intends to inform us.

UPDATE 2: The Vatican Insider reports that the Holy Father will celebrate the Mass at 12:15 p.m. No word yet as to whether it will available either by television or live stream.


UPDATE 3: While Vatican Radio has published a brief story on the Pontiff's coming visit, we still haven't received any information here.


UPDATE 4: We have now - more than 24 hours after the news broke in the media - been informed by e-mail that the "casa priests will be included." No explanation or apology was given for the delay in our notification, though the seminarians have known of the visit for anywhere between 6 days and 3 weeks (answers to the question vary).

Our Lady of Humility

As the Universal Church celebrates the memorial of Saint Barnabas today, those of us who live at the Casa Santa Maria celebrate instead the feast of Our Lady of Humility, patroness of the chapel of our house.

The Chapel of Our Lady of Humility has five altars. Above the high altar is displayed a lovely image of our patroness:

Here is the image up close:

Those who visit the chapel today may, under the usual conditions, receive a plenary indulgence.

The humility of Our Lady permeates every aspect of her life and especially her great song of praise to God that she began, saying, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden" (Luke 1:46-48). In these words we hear an echo her great fiat: "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38).

In the Book of Sirach, we are told, "For great is the might of the Lord; he is glorified by the humble" (Sirach 3:20). Connecting these verses together, Saint Bonaventure said of Mary, "Whence the Virgin Mary, because she humbled herself beyond all others, magnified the Lord beyond others. And therefore she began by magnifying the Lord, because this was befitting for the humility of the Virgin singing" (Commentary on the Gospel of Luke, 1.87).

In all things, Mary lived the wisdom of Saint John the Baptist: "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30). Today, let us ask Our Lady of Humility to teach us this same wisdom and to show us how to live it each day.

We might do well to make use of the Litany of Humility composed by His Eminence Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val:

O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.

From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being loved, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being extolled, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being honored, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being praised, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being preferred to others, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being consulted, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being approved, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being humiliated, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being despised, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of suffering rebukes, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being calumniated, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being forgotten, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being ridiculed, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being wronged, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being suspected, Deliver me, Jesus.

That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be esteemed more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be chosen and I set aside, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be praised and I unnoticed, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be preferred to me in everything, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.