We just now ended the party sponsored by the European Brothers. It's 10:30 PM but I want to get this blog entry done. Now that I'm committed to it, I'll do my darndest to make sure that there's a daily entry. But after two beers from a trappist monastery in Belgium (boy, those guys know how to brew beer) I'm very ready for bed.This has been a very good day, as far as I'm concerned. This morning's Mass was well-prepared in the CIL English chapel. The Brothers who attend meetings such as this are some of the best in lots of ways. That became immediately evident in how quickly and how deeply they jumped into invited responsibilities like planning a specific liturgy. This morning, Br. Fred Mueller did a great job, including a wonderful "reflection" on the readings. We're trying to get the Brothers to give the reflection on the readings instead of the celebrant (and it very much fine by him). The other "ministries" filled right in. (In the picture, Br. Michael French and Br. Ferdinand Boniface play instruments for the opening song.) In a nice twist, Br. Tim Coldwell, the one whom I asked to be the English Language Group Liaison, applied something that we learned from Eric Law to the need to get people to take responsbility for specific language group liturgies. He asked one person to do so, and then asked him to invite another person to do the next one (and the other person can "pass" if they so wish), and so on. Thereby all the slots are filled by direct invitation - a nice approach.
This morning's presentation on the reality of the Church in the world today was by Cardinal Carlo Martini, who must be about 80 years old but is still a stellar theologian in the Church. He was the Cardinal Archbishop of Turin and is currently in residence at Tantur, a scripture-study center near Jerusalem. He spoke to us for an hour about the contemporary world, the church in the world, and the potential role of education in today's post-modern world. Rarely have I heard anyone express as clearly the parameters of contemporary society plus articulate in very accessibled ways the kinds of solutions that the church, and the schools, can offer in the face of such a society. I was pretty much spell-bound during the entire hour. (His text should be online at www.lasalle.org pretty soon - the General Chapter link) At the end, he recommended that it will be through Lectio Divina (prayerful reading of Scripture), the promotion of silent times in the midst of the chaos of the world, retreats, and humility that the message of the Gospel will get through.
Gery Short and Roseann just walked in. They walked into the communication room and arrived just too late for the European Brothers' party. Pause to talk...(As Brother George is taking a break now I am taking it from here. The truth is, he has been touring Rome and has not been around for the last few days. He is just making this stuff up, but we love him anyway. Gery Short)
Okay, I'm back. It's now 11:25 PM and I've got to finish this up; so just a few more things...
After Cardinal Martini's talk, there was time for small groups to process what was said and come up with some questions. Since yesterday we had used some of the icon Brothers here at the Motherhouse as the people who would synthesize the small-group questions, today we would ask the youngest Brothers to do so. During the 45-minute meeting and break, I looked around for the cardinal to ask him about vocation ministry in light of his comments. He was nowhere to be found. But about 25 minutes before he was due to come back to answer questions, I found out that he was in the "Cardinal's Suite" in the Motherhouse. Well, it took me 15 minutes to wind up the courage, but I softly knocked on his door and was surprised when he opened it and welcomed me in. Duiring the ten or so minutes prior to when he would go back to the Aula Magna for the question-and-answer session, I asked him about vocations in the Church and vocation ministry. He said two things that stayed with me. First, he said that the vocation situation in the church would not change until there was a radical change among four essential elements: men, women, power, and sacraments. Then he explained that the prevailing structure or system in the church regarding these four elements have key influences in how the Church operates and is perceived in the world. Once they start to shift, the nature of vocations in the Church will shift as well. When I asked him how someone involved in vocation ministry might best spend his / her time, he said that giving retreats to young people, helping them to appreciate and understand Scripture and to become comfortable with / appreciate the gifts of silence would go a long way in gradually developing the life of God in them. (This is my interprestation of what he said to me.) Earlier, in his talk, he has said that post-modernism might best be addressed through the promotion of four things: Lectio Divina, Living Joyously, Silence (at least two 30-minute periods a day and 1/2 a day each week), and Humility. I won't go into the details here, but the way he expressed all of that was very captivating to me.
On a side note, Br. Edgar (from Porto Alegre) was walking around with this strange contraption that I asked him about. It's a South American tea, where you have to keep adding hot water to the "tea stuff" on top. About 3 or 4 Brothers have these things in the Chapter Hall (what I've been calling the "Aula Magna"). I tried it out, and it wasn't too bad - pretty mild, actually. But it sure does look strange to see folks pouring hot water onto this herbal mound on top of a cup, sipping through a metal straw. All part of that multi-cultural thing, of course.Lunch moved along as usual. It's interesting that for the last 4 - 5 days, when I've come into the dining room (usually late), there's no place left for me to sit. Between the Capitulants, translators, secretaries, and all the rest, all the places are taken. So now the guy-in-charge of the serving staff will see me coming and will know that I'd like him to add an extra place to one of the tables. Maybe they didn't count on the number of people that regularly show up.
This afternoon, I took a good nap for the first time in many days. While I slept for two hours, I missed one of the plenary session (reporting from the groups). But I had given all the group leaders suggestions for their group prayer and they were all set to go - so I was safe, I think. When I showed up for dinner, everything seemed fine.
We finalized the kind of prayer that we would have during tomorrow's presentation by Br. Superior and his Council, but I confirmed it at the evening's (20:15) meeting of the Central Commission. Within the Aula Magna, Michael French will lead the group when they re-assemble after lunch at 15:00 with one of his energizing songs / activities. Then, at two moments during the four (!) hours of presentations, Ferdinand will lead the group in a couple of Bayans from India (prayerful chants). At the end, I will lead a 10-minute reflection period, within the Aula Magna, with some Taize chant at the beginning and at the end, and with some guitar music done by one of the Spanish Brothers in the middle. We'll see how it goes. By that time, I think that the Brothers will be ready for something quiet.
After dinner, there was the meeting of the Central Commission, followed by the presentation from the European Brothers. Boy, they were a lively group! Not only did they share their food and drink (I didn't recognize half the bottles on the table, and most of the food), but they also sang up a storm. A couple of musicians (postulants?) played excellent keyboards and guitar in the background. Both the French Brothers and the Italian Brothers were the most lively ones. Pretty soon, the whole group was singing Verdi arias at the top of their voices. I would say that the French had the reserved passion, the Spanish had the open passion, and the Italian just sang their hearts out. Lots of fun for everyone.And, of course, when Gery and Roseann showed up, just after the end of the party, it was a great end to a fine day. Evelynn from Paris (a Lasallian educator who will make the presentation with Gery and Br. Fred Mueller on Saturday regarding the Assembly on Mission) was with them, and we had some good conversation in the communications room where they ended up after the party. Since they're staying through the weekend, they will be able to join us for the big dinner that was announced today at one of the local Lasallian schools in Rome on Saturday evening. I'm planning to go to it; it should be terrific.
Too much stuff, I know. But I think that I covered most of it. Good night.
