“Have we lost the ability to be amazed? Have we allowed the supernatural to become commonplace and, for that reason, unappreciated?”
So Reverend Kurt J. Belsole, OSB, challenged us in a recent homily in the Immaculate Conception Chapel (found on page 13). Since then, I have repeated his question to myself many times: am I able to be amazed? To borrow a term from the late Roger Scruton, in an “uglified” culture in which beauty is considered inefficient and an afterthought — it is tempting to see even the supernatural as mundane.
But God does not cease his work in our daily lives — in ways ordinary and extraordinary, amid trial and joy. “The world is charged with the grandeur of God,” writes Gerard Manley Hopkins. In the same vein, Moses asks, “Who is like you among the gods, O Lord? Who is like you, magnificent
among the holy ones? Awe-inspiring in deeds of renown, worker of wonders.”
In this issue of Roman Echoes, we wish to share with you moments, traditions, art, and poetry that leave us in awe of the goodness of God. We pray that in these stories, and in your daily life, you will find occasion to marvel at the deeds of a God who is pleased to take on human nature, dwell among us, and offer us a taste of his divine life.
Editor-in-Chief
Kyle Lang ’26, Diocese of La Crosse
Contributors
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Kyle Lang ‘26, Diocese of La Crosse
ASSISTANT EDITORS
Graham Fassero ‘27, Diocese of Richmond
Brendan Finnegan ‘27, Archdiocese of Hartford
PHOTO EDITOR & PHOTOGRAPHER
Steven Lang ‘26, Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
ASSISTANT PHOTOGRAPHER
Christopher Tillotson ‘27, Diocese of Worcester
Administration
of The Pontifical North American College
RECTOR
Rev. Msgr. Thomas W. Powers ‘97
VICE RECTOR
Rev. Michael Pratt ‘11
CARL J. PETER CHAIR OF HOMILETICS
ROMAN ECHOES FACULTY LIAISON
Rev. Peter John Cameron, OP
SUPERIOR, CASA SANTA MARIA
Rev. James J. Conn, SJ
DIRECTOR, INSTITUTE FOR CONTINUING THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION
Rev. Edward Linton, OSB
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT
Mark Randall, CFRE
For more information about The Pontifical North American College, subscription questions, or to learn about ways you can financially support “America’s Seminary in Rome,” please contact Mark Randall, CFRE, Executive Director, Institutional Advancement.
This publication is written, edited, and photographed by the seminarians of The Pontifical North American College.
COVER: Photo taken by Brett Rotz ‘27 (Helena). Presentation of the Virgin Chapel, The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican.
THIS PAGE: The Chapel of the Immaculate Conception.
BACK COVER: Runners prepare to begin the Annual Turkey Trot.
RECTOR’S CORNER
“Our men...open their hearts in wonder, trustingly waiting to see how the Father ’s providential care will bring about great things.”
Dear Friend of the Pontifical North American College,
When the Archangel Gabriel tells Mary she will conceive and bear a son, Mary asks, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” When the same Archangel tells Zechariah that his wife Elizabeth will bear a son in her advanced age, his question sounds very similar. He asks, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”
Yet what follows for Mary and Zechariah is quite different: Mary is told how this mystery will unfold; however, because he “did not believe,” poor Zechariah is told that he will be speechless and unable to talk until John the Baptist’s birth. It doesn’t seem fair or just. (Maybe I’m just overly sensitive having been raised with three sisters, who never seemed to get into trouble!)
There is a subtle, but important, difference in how Mary and Zechariah pose their questions (which is evident in the original Greek). Mary’s question reveals a trust in God and, even more so, a marvelous wonder. Her “How can this be?” is another way of saying, “Wow! This is amazing! How has this been made possible?” Zechariah, on the contrary, reveals a skeptical heart that will only accept hard proof or “knowledge” of what the angel tells him. In other words, “Prove it!”
The seminarians, deacons and student priests at the Pontifical North American College try to approach their vocation to the priesthood with that same Marian wonder. They do not know what the future will hold; an angel has not descended to tell them exactly what they should do; and they know that, along with the joys of priesthood, there will be crosses for which they cannot be completely prepared. They do know, however, that the Lord will never leave them orphans and that he will nourish them daily with his very Body and Blood. His grace will help them navigate through any storm, and his love will give them the zeal to persevere.
As such, our men do not ask God to prove anything. They simply open their hearts in wonder, trustingly waiting to see how the Father’s providential care will bring about great things in and through them. That is why I often use the word “wonderful” to describe the men of our College. Please pray that all of us at the Pontifical North American College maintain a Marian wonder before God.
Be assured of our prayers for you and your family, and thank you for your support.
Sincerely yours in Christ, Rev.
Msgr. Thomas W. Powers ‘97 Rector
Let Us Praise the Lord
REV. ARMANDO TOLOSA, ARCHDIOCESE OF MIAMI
Every Tuesday, students and priests meet by hall for Vespers and to share graces from the past week. On his hall, Father Tolosa has started a tradition of having each person conclude his story with, “Let us praise the Lord,” to which everyone else responds, “And give him thanks.” It has added a special touch to the evening. In this section, contributors share stories you might hear at Tuesday evening Hall Prayer.
Recently, I visited the image of the Mother Most Admirable—Mater Admirabilis—that is located in the Monastery of Trinità dei Monti, near the Spanish Steps. It was the second time I had visited her. The first time I saw this image I was captivated by its delicacy, tenderness, simplicity, and the prayer that accompanies the holy card.
Visiting her again, I carried a great desire in my heart: to be able to be alone with her and meditate more intimately on her presence. When I arrived at the monastery, there was only one person, and soon I was left alone with her. When I looked at her a second time, my soul was struck with the beauty that came out of her image.
I prayed the Holy Rosary and said to her, “Mother, I must go and celebrate the Holy Eucharist.” At that very moment, a priest arrived and asked me if I wanted to participate in the Holy Eucharist. I thought to myself, “What a great gift you give me, Mother Most Admirable, not only to come to meditate on the Holy Rosary, but also to celebrate the Holy Eucharist!”
Sharing this grace of love for Our Blessed Mother Mary allowed me to identify and recognize that anything is possible when our human desires are shared with her.
O Mother Most Admirable you are the woman of the Invisible and of the Essential,
Pray for us. n
Editor’s note: Last issue, we wrote that Father Tolosa is the youngest of four siblings. We apologize for the misinformation; Fr. Tolosa is actually the youngest of twenty-four children!
Living in Rome
REV. MR. KEVIN OBIESIE ‘25, ARCHDIOCESE OF SANTA FE
During my first grace sharing in 2022, I shared that coming to study in Rome at the Pontifical North American College was a gift from God. And today in 2025, it remains one of my best experiences from recent years. This is special to me because it has opened the way for other graces, and it has offered me new hope for the future.
Leaving my homeland, family, and friends was a tough decision, but I was confident in following our Lord who is calling me to share in his priesthood. I settled in slowly but steadily, thanks to the formation team and my colleagues who, since my arrival, have become brothers.
Since being in Rome, I have experienced many other graces. From my window, the beautiful view of the dome of the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican—the church where Saint Peter, the head of the Apostles, is buried—encourages me to be steadfast in my vocation, as he was in the face of tribulations. Also, I experience a special communion with the saints by praying at their tombs throughout Rome. The Vicar of Christ, Pope Francis, is my pastor and neighbor: I often attend the weekly Angelus address or papal audience, and I have served at Masses which he celebrated. Best of all, four-
teen of my classmates and I were ordained deacons in Saint Peter’s Basilica on October 3rd. I remain grateful to God for his graces, and I encourage you to share with others the many ways in which God has blessed you.
Let us praise the Lord. And give him thanks. n
top to bottom: Rev. Mr. Kevin Obiese (Santa Fe) in the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican.
The Most Rev. Alexander K. Sample ordains Rev. Mr. Obiese to the diaconate.
Don’t Forget About Gratitude
JAMIE SEVERSON ‘28, DIOCESE OF HELENA
Before coming to Rome in August to study theology, I spent four weeks studying Italian in Siena. During the immersion program, we were hosted by locals. After class, we would return to our hosts’ homes to have dinner and conversion in Italian. My host was a wonderful woman named Rosanna, an incredible cook who took great care of me during my stay.
While talking with Rosanna one evening after dinner, she began to recount her visit to Lourdes a few years ago. Her eyes lit up with delight as she told me the story of traveling to France and about the joy she received from visiting this holy site. I asked her if there was a special grace she received while there. Tears came to her eyes, and with a big smile, she said, “I didn’t ask the Lord for anything. I simply thanked him for everything he has already given me.” This was a beautiful reminder to turn to gratitude and to remember the good things that the Lord has done in my life.
Let us praise the Lord. And give him thanks. n
Jamie Severson (Helena) with his host, Rosanna.
Thanksgiving on the Hall
REV. MR. MARCO CERRITELLI ‘25, ARCHDIOCESE OF WASHINGTON
Among the Thanksgiving traditions that have made the Pontifical North American College feel like home, I am particularly grateful for the opportunities for hall community over the holiday weekend. For the residents of the first floor, the Thanksgiving morning breakfast is a cherished and long-anticipated occasion.
As the hall’s runners return from the crack-of-dawn Turkey Trot 5K, the seminarian chefs are warming up in the lounge-turned-kitchen. Biscuits and sausage gravy, thick-cut bacon, homemade pumpkin muffins, and fruit salad remain the hall favorites. More trusted with matters that are not tasted, I decorate the lounge instead.
The meal is the culmination of the occasion, preceded by nostalgic Thanksgiving Day parade reruns, taste-testing American-sourced pumpkin spice coffee blends, and sneaking in preemptive pieces of bacon. Whether from post-meal drowsiness or shared mirth, no one is eager to leave the table after breakfast.
Out of the many graces the Lord has granted me this year, I am particularly grateful for the men of my hall and the fraternity we share within the College community. The Lord has blessed me with a home base in the brothers alongside me on my hall.
Let us praise the Lord. And give him thanks n
Aviano
REV. MR. CHRISTIAN HAMRICK ‘25, DIOCESE OF NASHVILLE
One grace I consistently share with my hall is from my apostolate at Aviano Air Base. I often share stories of my interactions and ministerial experiences with families on the base. I especially love when we are invited into their homes for dinner. The grace is in two directions: we are blessed by our ministry, and they often speak of young seminarians being a sign of hope for the future. It is truly a grace, time and again.
Let us praise the Lord. And give him thanks. n
top to bottom: Seminarians enjoy Thanksgiving breakfast; Rev. David Lee (Nashville), center, Noah Huddleston (Grand Island), in white, and Rev. Mr. Hamrick (Nashville), to his left, with families at the Aviano Air Base.
New Saints, Old Friends
JAKOB WYDER ‘26, EPARCHY OF SAINT MARON OF BROOKLYN
In Rome, friendship with the saints quickly comes to life. I experienced this living friendship on October 20, when Pope Francis celebrated the Canonization Mass of 14 new saints in Saint Peter’s Square! Joyful for the entire Church, this event was particularly special to me as a Maronite, an Eastern Church with origins in Antioch which is in full communion with Rome. Three of the saints canonized were Maronite brothers and martyrs from Damascus. Francis, Raphael, and Abdul-Mooti Massabki were killed with eight Capuchin friars in 1860 and are the first lay Maronites to be canonized, a timely testament to the universal call to holiness.
To celebrate, Maronites from across the world traveled to Rome, including my bishop, the Most Reverend Gregory J. Mansour, Eparch of the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn, and four of my brother seminarians from the States. To be reunited with my brothers in the heart of the Church, alongside pilgrims from all over the world, was a profound experience of the universality of the Catholic Church, as well as one of friendship. The Massabkis laid down their lives as friends of Christ by his love, the same love that unites all members of his living, Mystical Body.
Let us praise the Lord. And give him thanks. n
Better Than What I Wanted
BENJAMIN OURSLER ‘26, ARCHDIOCESE OF BALTIMORE
This past summer, I participated in the Encounter Ministries conference and enrolled in their School of Ministry. One of the women in the school recently told me, “I have anticipated being in the same virtual small group. We met at the conference, where you inspired my son to receive prayer ministry.”
Awkwardly, I had no recollection of this woman. Yet, I do remember her son. After excitedly going forward for prayer, I returned to my seat discouraged because nothing palpable had happened. Then I met this woman’s ten-year-old son who, seeing what the Holy Spirit was doing in the lives of others, remarked, “I don’t think the Holy Spirit would ever show up in my life like that.” After persuading him to go for-
ward for prayer, he immediately began to experience intense joy and uncontrollable laughter.
“What you did not know then,” the mom continued, “is that my husband had just died. For months, my son had reclused himself, and I wondered if he would ever laugh again. He would not have gone up for prayer if you had not encouraged him. You personally may not have experienced anything during prayer, but my son did, and we both have been praying for you every day since then.”
Let us praise the Lord. And give him thanks. n
23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B
“Ephphatha!—that is, “Be opened!” September 8, 2024
Ephphatha
REV. KURT BELSOLE, OSB, COORDINATOR OF LITURGICAL FORMATION
just heard in the gospel about the deaf man with a speech impediment—and how Jesus put his finger into the man’s ears, touched his tongue, and said, “Be opened!”—and how immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, he spoke plainly, and the crowd was exceedingly astonished.
But what does this remarkable miracle done for a man 2,000 years ago mean for you and for me?
I would propose to you that the gospel is not about a deaf man being healed—nor is it about him speaking plainly.
The readings proposed to us by the Church today are about divine adoption—and the Collect for today’s Mass is clear about what we are celebrating. It prays:
O God, by whom we are redeemed and receive adoption, look graciously upon your beloved sons and daughters.
In other words, as we gather today, we go beyond a simple miracle and consider and celebrate what it means to hear, to believe, and to live the very life of God.
But have we lost the ability to be exceedingly astonished and amazed at the marvelous works of God?
If we look at the Rite of Baptism for Children, we find the Ephphatha of the newly baptized.
In that part of the rite, echoing today’s gospel, the celebrant touches the ears and mouth of the child with his thumb, saying:
May the Lord Jesus, who made the deaf to hear and the mute to speak, grant that you may soon receive his word with your ears and profess the faith with your lips, to the glory and praise of God the Father.
In other words, what we celebrate today is no less than receiving into our own lives the Divine Word—who orders all of creation, and through divine adoption, orders our own personal reality.
We read in the Letter to the Hebrews and find fulfilled in our celebration today:
You have drawn near to Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to myriads of angels in festal gathering, to the assembly of the first born enrolled in heaven, to God the judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood which speaks more eloquently than that of Abel.
We have drawn near to Jesus, the Incarnate Word, the One who took our flesh upon himself, and we come to share in the divinity of Christ who humbled himself to share in our humanity. We enter into union with the divine and we share in the divine life of the God-man—the one who makes us adopted children of God.
In today’s gospel, Christ does not so much heal a single man in a far-off land at a far-off time who is deaf and mute. Rather, he heals us in our baptism, and we commemorate the baptism that makes us adopted children of God as Christ opens our ears to hear the word that passes down a life that is no less than divine.
So often, we take the marvelous as commonplace. Have we lost the ability to be amazed?
Hearing the word of faith, being adopted by God, and opening our lips in praise of the living God is hardly commonplace.
Because of the incarnation of the Word—because of the abundant life that he brings—and because of divine adoption, we come to know him who has done all things well. He has not only made the deaf hear and the mute speak He has made us new creatures—children of God—and life, divine life, has burst forth abundantly.
But have we lost the ability to be amazed? Have we allowed the supernatural to become commonplace and, for that reason, unappreciated?
Divine adoption, which was noted in today’s Collect: O God, by whom we are redeemed and receive adoption, is a reality. It is not simply guardianship, rather it effects a permanent change in status, which often is accompanied by a change of name, effecting familial belonging, as well as inheritance rights…. Have we lost the ability to be amazed at that?
To him who by his Incarnation invites us to enter into the burning and amazing fire of divine life be glory for ever and ever. Amen. n
STEPHEN HOWARD ‘26 (Sydney)
“When Christ became man, He gave away everything for us: that we may return with Him to the Father of Mercies as His Beloved Son.”
Prodigal Son
Graham Fassero ‘27, Diocese of Richmond
In the morning when the party’s done, And all his father’s friends have gone, He takes his robe and sandals off.
When the mud’s all washed off in a bath, And his belly’s full of fatted calf, His mind’s still wandering in the past.
The buddies that he used to work with, Pretty girls he used to flirt with, They’re the only friends he ever knew.
And as he looks across his father’s fields, He can’t forget how traveling feels—
But as long as he was on the road,
The father’s son could hold out hope
That life would be worth living back at home.
Now his brother weeds a row of corn, The father’s sitting on the porch Watching traffic like he did before.
And the boy keeps stories in his head, It’s hard to speak of where he’s been, Even now, he barely understands.
The tired men he used to drink with, Broken heart he used to sleep with, They’re the only friends he ever knew.
And he tries to hear his mama’s voice Years ago when he was a boy—
But as long as he was on the road,
The father’s son could hold out hope
That life would be worth living back at home.
And for all the different lives they’ve led, The boy who stayed and the boy who left, Their stories share a common thread.
Because every time a child comes home, The father’s watching down the road—
And as long as he was on the road,
The father’s son could hold out hope
That life would be worth living back at home.
CrownofThorns
Author: Anonymous
To Joyce Kilmer.
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree, A poem lovely as a bird Which at each breaking dawn is heard.
I think that there will ne’er be born
A song as brilliant as the thorn, The thorn so simple and so plain Which on the head of God has lain.
A song does but the pilgrim show The grace that God to us bestows.
Photo of the Jerusalem thornbush (Paliurus spina-christi) in the Vatican Gardens.
Relic of the Crown of Thorns in the Basilica of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, Rome.
MICHAEL FIGURA '26 (Omaha) often sketches/doodles birds (including this swallow) during short breaks in the day, usually on scrap paper.
MATEUSZ PUZANOWSKI '26 (Providence) “Playing Around with Watercolors”
Disciples of Beauty
NATHAN LEDOUX ‘26, DIOCESE OF PROVIDENCE
The Oxford English Dictionary defines “beauty” as “an attractive harmony of features.” The French dictionary renders it as “une qualité qui conforme à un ideal estéthique”—“a quality that conforms to an ideal aesthetic.” Beauty moves us beyond language—it engages all the senses in search of its “ideal” which is God. Our liturgical life is brimming with beauty and marks the center of the Christian life. Gathered as members of Christ’s mystical body during liturgical worship, we enter anew into the Paschal Mystery of Christ, God draws near to us, and we are transformed by God’s innumerable gifts. Our whole being is raised to God—as bells invite us to worship, as we imbibe the Sacred Word, as the sound of organ and chant unite our voices in praise, as incense brings our prayer to God’s ears, and as we taste redemption in Communion. The beauty our senses perceive draws us out of the world of struggle, sin, and circumstance, removing the veil that we might glimpse heaven. Sacred art and music, vessels and vestments, our demeanor and participation play essential roles in the experience of the liturgical moment. Pope Benedict XVI said, “Beauty…is not mere decoration, but rather an essential element…since it is an attribute of God himself and his revelation.” God reveals himself to us through the grandeur of liturgical worship, thereby inviting us into a deeper relationship. Our sacrifice of praise involves a great deal
of preparation and attentiveness so that we might know and remember God’s closeness. Such preparation, coordination, and aesthetic sensitivity allow us both to worship and to receive God as He comes in Word and Sacrament. The harmony of music, action, silence, and grandeur break through the brokenness of life, allowing God’s presence to reverberate through the sacred space and transform us into true disciples of the Divine Beauty, who has come into the world. n
Chalice
REV. MSGR. STEPHEN DIGIOVANNI ‘77, DIOCESE OF BRIDGEPORT
Monsignor Stephen M. DiGiovanni recently donated a beautiful chalice to the Pontifical North American College to be used on feasts and solemnities. We are very grateful! Of the gift, he writes:
“It was in 2019 that I purchased the chalice. I used it in my Masses every day until 2024. I wanted to donate the chalice to the College, so grateful am I to the alma mater! The chalice is sterling silver plated, made in Paris, marked 1805, and contains a cameo portrait of Blessed Pope Pius IX, the founder of the College.” n
top to bottom: Mass in the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception; Chalice donated by Rev. Msgr. DiGiovanni (Bridgeport).
Simon the Zealot
FROM
A HOMILY GIVEN BY REV. MR. THOMAS O’DONNELL ‘25, ARCHDIOCESE OF BALTIMORE
Poor Saint Simon! He is mentioned only four times in all of scripture—once by Matthew, once by Mark, and twice by Luke. He is called a Zealot and is numbered among the Twelve. That is all we get about Simon!
But it is more than enough. With these basic facts, Simon proclaims the entire Gospel in three steps.
First, Simon is associated with the Zealots. This sect of Judaism held great influence for two centuries. The Zealots desired greater fidelity to the law—right worship of the true God. Was Saint Simon an active member of this sometimes-violent sect? There is historical debate. But certainly Saint Simon yearned for an end to all kinds of enslavement and idolatry among God’s chosen people. In this, at least, I have no doubt that he was a Zealot.
Second, Simon was numbered among the Twelve. Perhaps the “Old-Testament power” of today’s Gospel is easily missed. In our chapel, we have a striking image of that “Old-Testament power.” I can see it from the ambo, on the north wall: Moses has ascended the mountain to speak to God, and he now de-
scends to bring the truth of God about his people: They are God’s treasured possession, a kingdom of priests, a holy nation. Exodus 24 recounts how, after writing down the words of the Lord, Moses rose early in the morning and built an altar and twelve pillars to renew God’s covenant with his people. Like Moses, Jesus too established twelve pillars, when after a night of prayer with the Father he chose twelve men through whom the People of God would be restored. Saint Simon was numbered among the Twelve. Through him the covenant was made new by Jesus, the new Moses.
Third, allow me to return to the word “Zealot.” In various forms, the root appears often in the scriptures—as a verb, as an adjective, in Hebrew, and in Greek—various people are described as being “zealous” or being “filled with zeal.” But as a name it is given only to Simon in the Greek New Testament, and to one person in the Hebrew Old Testament. To find it, we have to return to Moses on the mountain: “You shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous; is a jealous God” (Ex 34:14). In Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, there is no distinction between “zealotry” and “jealousy"—it is one concept. It is the burning desire to promote a cause close to one’s heart—to protect what one already owns. God’s very name was revealed to be “Jealous.” He had a burning desire to keep his chosen nation close—a burning desire to keep his treasured people close to him. God was jealous for his people.
So “Poor Saint Simon”? I think not. Simon the Zealot— numbered among the Twelve—has a rich name and a rich identity, more than enough to accomplish his task of proclaiming the Gospel. And today, he still preaches to us that, in Christ Jesus, the People of God have been definitively freed from enslavement and idolatry. And when Jesus, like Moses, rose from his night of prayer, he burned with desire to reclaim not only the Twelve tribes but the entire world. We, too, belong to the People of God. We, too, are members of his household. We, too, have been purchased by the blood of Jesus that is poured out for us on the altar. We have become his treasured possession. We can have no other gods before him. For “Zealot” is not only the name of Simon—it is the name of God. And God is jealous for us. n
REFLECTIONS ON ART
The Face of Christ
FROM A HOMILY GIVEN BY REV. MR. MICHAEL RHODES ‘25, DIOCESE OF AUSTIN
As you enter the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, it is hard not to notice the icon mosaic of Christ at the center of the triumphal arch. Jesus is depicted in a rather unsettling way with one eyebrow raised. He has an iron rod over his shoulder, as if ready to pass judgment on anyone who dares to ask: “Lord, will I be saved?”
It is easy to see the raised eyebrow in the icon and take it at face value. But a few years ago, I was blessed to visit a museum exhibit about the Shroud of Turin. The exhibit pointed out that many icons of Christ, not just the one at Saint Paul Outside the Walls, depict him with a small wisp of hair out of place in the middle of his forehead and with one eye larger than the other, or with his eyebrow raised.
Researchers now speculate that this is because the ancient iconographers were copying what they saw on the Shroud of Turin: a blood stain on the forehead and an eye blackened, swollen, and disfigured by scourging.
As we turn our gaze back to the face in the icon at Saint Paul Outside the Walls, this gives us a different lens with which to view the seemingly stern face. Looking upon the face of Jesus, we can see past the apparent sternness of the eyes and know they are actually a window into the suffering of Christ—the suffering he endured for our sake.
As we gaze into the eyes of Christ, we allow ourselves to be drawn into the mystery of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. In prayer, our heart begins to beat in sync with the heart that beats through all eternity
Art as Revelatory of the Person
PATRICK SWEENEY ‘28, ARCHDIOCESE OF WASHINGTON
What do artists do? During a 1912 aviation exhibition, the French artist Marcel Duchamp remarked, “Painting is washed up. Who will ever do anything better than that propeller?” With these words, Duchamp put his finger on a burgeoning problem for the arts—especially the representational arts—in the modern era: If art imitates nature, and if technology imitates nature better than man, why should man participate in art?
The invention of the camera, although it generated a new form of art—photography—challenged the art of painting and contributed to the development of abstract movements like expressionism and cubism, which de-emphasized realistic representation. This challenge of modern technology has impacted other art forms as well. For instance, today a machinist can manufacture statues and images that better approximate the human form than the great artists of the past did. Additionally, with the rise of AI, we contend with deepfakes, computer-generated poetry and music, and much more. Duchamp’s question still haunts us: Can anyone do better?
Perhaps what is needed today is not artists that can do better, but rather, a better understanding of what artists do. The Book of Genesis tells us that “in the beginning God created”—hence, every artist acts in imitation of the Divine. God creates ex nihilo, while man always creates from something else. God’s creations are perfect, while man’s creations have greater or lesser integritas (wholeness), consonantia (proportionality), and claritas (radiance). Art is a form of self-revelation—whether that is God’s revelation of himself as love, or man’s revelation of himself as the image of God.
In this aspect of self-revelation, one finds the distinguishing feature between man’s and machine’s art. When man creates, he expresses human feeling or intention. But since machines are not rational, they cannot express such feeling or intention. The American philosopher Suzanne Langer is helpful on this point. For Langer, art is a non-discursive form of communication that aims to articulate feelings that are not captured by straightforward discourse. Our subjective states—sadness, love, etc.—are “not discursively communicable.” Langer writes that “art presents feelings for our contemplation, making it visible or audible or in some way perceivable through a symbol, not inferable from a symptom.” In Langer’s view, art communicates itself through symbolic representation rather than through the things represented. Hence, a sad song does not contain sadness and need not be written by a sad person. Instead, through a kind of “developed metaphor,” a sad song sounds like what the experience of sadness feels like. Because both artist and observer are capable of human emotion, something beyond notes can be communicated. A computer may mimic this communication by making a song that sounds sad, but since computers are not rational, they cannot engage in this symbolic, developed metaphor.
Art is art when a rational agent engages in self-revelation. Just as action requires a will and understanding requires an intellect, art requires both. The artist understands in his or her intellect something that is not discursively communicable and wills to express it. Once the artist has created art—a sculpture, painting, dance, poem, song, etc.—the art becomes available to other rational minds to contemplate and understand. Man should continue to create because in doing so he reveals himself and imitates the Creator n
VOICES OF NAC
What is your favorite piece of art around the College?
My favorite art at the Pontifical North American College is one that cannot be seen but is experienced frequently—it is the liturgical singing of our schola on Sundays and major feasts. Perhaps because I am not exceptionally gifted musically myself, when the schola sings—especially a polyphonic motet during Mass—I am lifted up in prayer in a way that transcends the mere words used.
Rev. Mr. Mitchell Schumann ‘26, Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
We have a beautiful statue of the Blessed Mother in our Pope Saint John Paul II Chapel. The Blessed Mother is seated, holding the child Jesus on her lap. If you sit in the right spot, it looks like she and her Son are looking right at you.
Coulter McIntyre ‘27, Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
I appreciate the fact that a crucifix can be found in every room of the Pontifical North American College, always reminding me of the mystery to which I am conforming my life. In particular, I am struck by the beauty of the large crucifix that stands tall above the Kardos Family Campo Sportivo. Its eye-catching size and illumination turn even sports and recreation into an arena of self-offering and prayer.
Rev. Mr. Samuel Hill ‘25, Diocese of Richmond
The sculpture of the Deposition of Christ in the northeast corner of the CCS Foundation Cortile degli Aranci drew me in during an in-house silent retreat. I pulled up a chair multiple times throughout the week to pray with how I am called to remain steadfast at the foot of the Cross with the Blessed Mother and Saint John.
Rev. Brent Durschmidt ‘25, Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
Directly behind the main altar of the Immaculate Conception Chapel rises an immense mosaic of our Blessed Mother, surrounded by angels, with a company of saints gazing at her from below. This mosaic has drawn my eye many an early morning and reminded me of the goal of priestly formation: to cooperate obediently—as Mary does—with the work of the Holy Spirit, so as to one day imitate her in bringing Christ into the world.
Ethan Sicking ‘28, Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
New Man Show: from the Director
MICHAEL TUPTA ‘28, DIOCESE OF WHEELING-CHARLESTON
I was blessed to have been the director of this Thanksgiving weekend’s New Man Show at the Pontifical North American College. The show, held on Satur day night of Thanksgiving weekend, is an hour-long production in the Corso Audi torium, in which the first-year class expresses how they have experienced life in Rome and at the College during the past four months. This project—which began with the election of the director in September, followed by the assembling of a core team and two days of auditions in October—encouraged our class to work together on a number of individual projects that were then tied together into one continuous act on the night of the show. The most interesting part of the New Man Show is that we are able to capture so much of the richness (and comedy!) of life here in only our first semester. I was amazed at the creative ideas that were presented, produced, and then tactfully edited for the whole seminary community to enjoy on the night of the show. Our class did a great job of providing entertainment for the house, and it was a blessing to have played a part in the event’s production.
The Thanksgiving Turkey Trot
REV. MICHAEL MALONEY ‘24, ARCHDIOCESE OF SAINT PAUL AND MINNEAPOLIS
“It’s the biggest race of the year.” This is what I tell people about the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot, which the Pontifical North top to bottom: Jakob Wyder and Kevin Kelly act in the New Man Show; Rev. Maloney wins the Turkey Trot. Owen Gormley (left), a lay undergraduate student, takes second, and Steven Lang (right; Saint Paul and Minneapolis) takes third.
A Cornucopia
THOMAS KOLLASCH, ‘26, DIOCESE OF SIOUX CITY
The opening hymn for our Thanksgiving Mass this year was a song of praise to God: “For the Beauty of the Earth.” It continued, praising God “for the joy of ear and eye, for the heart and mind’s delight, for the mystic harmony linking sense to sound and sight.” Thanksgiving Day at the Pontifical North American College is ripe with sounds and sights. From the 6 a.m. sounds of the hyped-up Turkey Trot runners—Jacob Derry turned to me and said, “Man, I love America. These runners are just nuts"—to the dinnertime sights of a turkey cornucopia and the O’Toole Refectory full of seminarians at tables decked out with decor celebrating their regions, there is no shortage of rejoicing in God’s copious gifts on Thanksgiving Day at the College.
In a special way this Thanksgiving, I praised God for the gift of the harvest. The offertory hymn for our Thanksgiving Mass was “Come, Ye Thankful People, Come.” It calls us to “raise the song of harvest home, for God, our Maker, doth provide for our wants to be supplied.” Being from Iowa, I thanked God for the gift of corn gathered in, not forgetting the difficulties wrought in this year’s crop by the rain. And I thank God for the planting and reaping, for the toiling and receiving, in Iowa and in Rome. For “all the world is God’s own field,” and the seminary here is a seedbed, raising men for a season, welcoming both rain and sun. The harvest is hidden from our sight, and every year we toil in worry that it might not come this year. But “the Lord our God shall come and shall take His harvest home,” where a cornucopia awaits us. I praise the Lord of the Harvest, who knows how to raise us to be faithful men here and ultimately to be His saints in Heaven. n
Winning Isn’t Everything
JOSEPH KELLY ‘28, DIOCESE OF LANSING
The only important thing in the life of a seminarian at the Pontifical North American College is relationship with Jesus Christ. Of all the unimportant things, however, sports are the most important. This explains why, every year on Thanksgiving weekend, about forty seminarians knowingly and willingly participate in the flag football “Spaghetti Bowl” on the Kardos Family Campo Sportivo. Perhaps against our mothers’ warnings, we play hard, and it seems as if most of the players walk away with some bump and bruises.
Despite being racked with reminders of the history of the game, we New Men spent months practicing and putting together a playbook. Many times I was told that we were putting in more effort than was necessary, but we knew that anything worth doing is worth overdoing.
Down 40-15 in the third quarter, we began pulling out all the trick plays we had practiced. Our quarterback, Michael Rhatican ‘28 (Columbus), caught a pass from a wide receiver to set up a touchdown drive. Carter Domingue ‘28 (Lafayette) mossed a third-year man to set up another touchdown. On defense, Michael Tupta ‘28 (Wheeling-Charleston) terrorized the offensive line, leaving the old men quaking in their cleats. We were scoring, but time was running out. With two minutes left in the game, the old men’s quick and lanky veteran quarterback, Reverend Joseph Wappes ‘24 (Saint Paul and Minneapolis), gained one last first down to run out the clock, leading the old men to a 40-33 victory.
When asked if all that effort was worth it, new man Kyle Rohan ‘28 (Green Bay), responded: “Senza dubbio!” When a man competes in a tough game, the mere possibility of winning is what drives him to excel. In the words of Vince Lombardi: “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.” n
top to bottom: Nathan Ledoux (Providence) and Dominic Wolters (Saint Paul and Minneapolis) grill brats and burgers for the Spaghetti Bowl Flag Football Game. Carter Domingue (Lafayette) avoids the defense. Pregame coin toss. Teams shake hands after the Old Man victory.
HOLY DOORS OPEN!
THE EDITORS
Each of the four major basilicas in Rome has several doors through which it is possible to enter and exit the church. It is not surprising, then, to find some of these doors closed—especially those adorned with particularly beautiful or significant works of art. What is surprising, however, is that one door in each major basilica is not just closed but also cemented shut. Called the “Holy Doors,” they are reminders of the passage to salvation and of the entryway to God’s mercy. On special years, the wall is broken, the doors are opened, and pilgrims flock to receive the indulgence attached to crossing the threshold.
In the Bull of Indiction “Spes non confundit,” Pope Francis declared 2025 to be a jubilee year with the theme “Pilgrims of Hope.” Fulfilling the bull, he opened the Holy Door of the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican on December 24, and the other three major basilicas followed suit shortly afterward. The Holy Father also opened a special Holy Door at Rebibbia
Prison, inviting prisoners to a renewed hope. Several seminarians of the Pontifical North American College and their parents were in attendance at the opening of Saint Peter’s Holy Door. Christian Howlett ‘28 (Saint Paul and Minneapolis) says of the experience, “It was a powerful moment. Besides reminding me of the universality of the Church, the ceremony was a beautiful reminder to open the doors of our hearts to Jesus Christ.”
Jubilees have a rich history and significance in the Church, and the next issue of Roman Echoes will further explore this and past jubilee years. But most importantly, this year let us follow the lead of the Holy Father, who, quoting the Letter to the Hebrews, encourages us to “seize the hope set before us,” a “sure and steadfast anchor of the soul.” “Hope in the Lord!” Pope Francis urges us with the Psalmist. “Hold firm, take heart, and hope in the Lord!” n
His Eminence Marc Cardinal Ouellet, PSS, celebrates Mass on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.
The Poetic Power of the Priesthood
JOHN ANDERSON ’27, ARCHDIOCESE OF BALTIMORE
Saint Gregory the Great called the pastoral office of the priesthood the art of arts. Typically, the image of painter or sculptor does not come to mind when we think about a priest. Why, then, does Saint Gregory call the priest an artist?
Art is translated from the Greek word technē, which is an intellectual virtue. As an intellectual virtue, art is concerned with creating for the sake of revealing the truth. It is beautiful insofar as it is a revelation of truth revealed in the artist’s handiwork. The act of the artist is the act of incarnating an abstract truth into a particular creation.
With this understanding in mind, Saint Paul’s words to the Ephesians become abundantly clear: “We are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for good works” (Eph 2:10). The word in Greek for ‘handiwork’ is poema. Saint Paul calls God’s creation of the world a great work of art—a work of poetry. The primal act of technē is the poetic act of the creation of the world—a manifestation of Trinitarian love. This reaches its climax when God creates man and woman in his own image and likeness.
Made in God’s image and likeness, we were created free and for love. In sin, we tarnished this marvelous work of art. Just as the scaffolding these days in the city reminds us that art all over Rome needs to be restored, so too the reality of our sin reminds us of our need for restoration. However, sin does not have the final word. God desired to restore his handiwork by another act of technē, the sending of his Incarnate Son. In the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have been restored. This restoration continues through Christ’s priesthood. If the Incarnation of the Son is the restoration of the image and likeness of God in us, then the priest’s craft is to form his people into the image and likeness of Jesus Christ. He does this so that we, wounded by sin, may live as the true poema that we were called to be. The priest’s primary aim in his art of arts is to have an intimate love for the Great Artist and his creation. In doing so, the priest may then craft the hearts of his people according to God’s original design. When the priest lives according to this call, the full mystery of the indwelling presence of God may be brought from the hidden interior of the soul to shining brilliance in a Christian life fully alive. And this is a must-see work of art! n
Model Ship Building
Blake Thamer ‘28, Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
These are replica model ship kits from the Spanish company Occre. The finished one is the Albatross which took me nine months to build. I was not able to find any history of the actual ship, but it is a type of American schooner. The work in progress is the more famous HMS Ter-
ror. It was part of Captain John Franklin’s expedition to find the Northwest Passage. The ship got stuck in packed ice and was lost when the crew abandoned it. I have always liked building small model things like Legos, but I wanted to do something that would take more skill and time. I experimented with simple kits and plastic airplanes before finding YouTube videos of model shipbuilding. I was quite impressed with the attention to small details, making the models as realistic as possible. It is a lot of fun and I hope to continue the hobby.
Barberconi
Charles Warner ‘26, Diocese of Saginaw
Charles Warner cuts the hair of Reverend Mr. Bryce Baumann ‘25 (Dallas). On serving his brothers as a barber,
Charles says, “It allows me to work with my hands and brings out my creative side. Seeing people smile after receiving a haircut is special.”
Recycled Cardboard Art
Roberto, one the College’s porters, enjoys a unique hobby: He makes model ships and cars from recycled cardboard, saying, “Like Michelangelo who looked at a
block of marble and saw an angel, I see scrap cardboard not as trash but as a future masterpiece.” Thanks for sharing, Roberto!
Jerusalem, My Happy Home
John Ungarino '28, Diocese of Austin
John Ungarino '28 (inset second from left) sings with The Chapel Crows, a bluegrass group from his previous seminary.
The song is called "Jerusalem, My Happy Home," an old hymn with an uncertain history, but the first version was most likely written by an English priest in the late 1500s. This translation is probably from the late 1800s and set to an old American folk tune called "Land of Rest." The song is part of a larger album that can also be accessed via the QR code.
Class Bands
Each class at the Pontifical North American College forms a band which provides entertainment on various occasions throughout the year. Below, the Year II Band plays for a Saint Patrick's Day party.
Altar
Michael Johnson '28, Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana
“They say to keep your eyes on the prize, so I decided to build the prize for my room to serve as that daily reminder of why I am here in the Eternal City.”
RYAN BOTH ‘28, Diocese of Austin.
The icon of Christ the High Priest depicts our Lord in a Roman chasuble, red, and embroidered with the Sacred Heart, symbols of his Passion and Death. In his hand, he holds the Book of the Gospels, opened to John 20:21— his commission to the Apostles in the upper room. The image is a reminder of the link between Christ’s priest-
hood and the mission entrusted to each priest who follows him—the call to be martyrs for the Gospel to the ends of the earth. The icon is painted with acrylic on a wooden panel with linen and gesso, and gilded with gold leaf using clay bole and rabbit hide glue. It is written in a Byzantine style with Palekh influences on the border and script. The icon is based on traditional images of Christ the High Priest.
CENACOLO
Comunità Cenacolo was founded by Mother Elvira and helps individuals struggling with addictions, depression, or other difficulties. Prayer and manual labor are an important part of the community. Seminarians will often spend time living in and serving a community during breaks. Below, three men who visited reflect upon the fruits of working hard alongside brothers.
He Who Works Well Prays Well
REV. DAVID LEE ‘24, DIOCESE OF NASHVILLE
Mother Elvira saw physical labor as integral to the healing of those who struggle with addiction. She said, “He who prays well works well, and he who works well prays well.” Not only does manual labor stave off boredom and idle hands by introducing structure to their lives, but it also fosters the humility and the awareness of the present moment that are foundations of prayer. The physical demands of labor require a sacrifice and a perseverance that will one day help them not only endure in their spiritual lives but also avoid the future temptations of addiction.
In my time with the community, I saw the healing power of work unfold. I always enjoyed hearing the men speak about their various projects that they were working on—tilling a garden, building a chapel, chopping wood, tending to animals. I could tell that they had a sense of pride and purpose in what they were doing. I saw that the rhythm of prayer and work that these men lived was slowly transforming their lives n
In Mary’s Shadow
JACOB DERRY ‘26, DIOCESE OF LANSING
I will never forget my first visit to Comunità Cenacolo in Rome. As we toured the property, one of the community members showed us an outdoor Marian grotto. “We built this,” he told me. You built this?! That’s incredible! I was blown away by the cavernous stone grotto that they had constructed. That same man shared how the building process had unfolded, all the planning and materials gathered, and how they had finished the project just hours before Pope Francis came to visit the community.
The grotto was so spacious that all thirty of us who were there—seminarians and former addicts alike—could enter it and begin our rosary walk from inside the grotto. Praying the rosary revealed to me that, despite our different life paths, we are all children of our Blessed Mother. It also revealed that these men were profiting from the God-given grace to grow in freedom, maturity, and authentic love. They exhibited a humble confidence which flowed from seeing God’s providence at work in their daily lives of prayer, work, and community. This is what happens when we live and work in the shadow of Mary. n
Work Draws You Out of Yourself
NICHOLAS VANDE HEY ‘27
DIOCESE OF GREEN BAY
In Comunità Cenacolo, I met men who were in pain. When someone is in pain, it is difficult to think about anything besides stopping the pain. This is, at least in part, why many of them turn to alcohol, drugs, and pornography. During my time with the community, I felt a little closer to the men as I struggled with back pain and limped around on a sprained ankle. All I wanted was to be out of pain. Yet, every day, we rose early to pray and work. Entire days were regularly spent doing menial tasks like weeding or pulling potatoes out of the ground with our hands. While some tasks—like cooking— were more important, it was not about the work. Instead, through these simple tasks, I witnessed something amazing happening. The men were beginning to recognize that they could accomplish good things. With their hands in the dirt, they recognized reality outside of themselves and were drawn ever so slowly out of their own pain. There was something about the work—especially combined with prayer and fraternity—that shifted the focus from their own pain to the world around them. n
Dandelion Fire
Michael Figura ‘28, Archdiocese of Omaha
Lion’s tooth sown in the ground sprouts with warmth and color ‘round
Humus humbly harbors him in dirt determined dies again
Spreads like fallen frost the seed but forth flames fireflower’s weed
Like phoenix on the winds he flew reborn from burning hope anew
Photography
Rev. Msgr. James McNamara, Spiritual Director
Statue of Mary taken in the cortile at the Casa Santa Maria
Photography
Brett Rotz ‘27, Archdiocese of Helena
“This gravel area has been a place of leisure and peace just up the road from the College and is one of my favorite places to catch the Roman sunset.”
Calligraphy
John Harrison ‘28, Archdiocese of Charlotte
“In the spring of 2024, I was thinking of an ordination gift for my older brother who was preparing to be ordained. Someone recommended to me that I write him a set of vesting prayers. I thought that was a great idea, so I picked up calligraphy for a few months to try to make him the gift. I enjoyed it so much that I decided to go a step further and make a piece using calligraphy and chant based on Nat King Cole’s ‘Adeste Fideles.’ This is the beginning stage of a project that will include chant notation and other decoration, a gift for my family back home.”
A
Post-Op Haiku series
Rev. Eóin Moore, O.Carm, Spiritual Director
what is broken speaks rearrangement of pieces reshaped for new life... here a shard of light... to reconfiguration old and/or new – me! like Kintsugi lines beauty is undiminished alive and living
Photo
gardens at Castel Gandolfo taken by Kyle Lang '26 (La Crosse).
The month of February is dedicated to the Holy Family. Below, seminarians reflect
Found by Jesus
THOMAS MATYA ‘27, ARCHDIOCESE OF OMAHA
“How is it that you sought me?” These were the words that gave a new orientation to my life during my first year of seminary as I paused one evening while praying the fifth Joyful Mystery of the Rosary—the Finding in the Temple. The simple question of the child Jesus struck my heart, and I responded with my history of how I had tried to follow him. Various memories of family, friends, and teachers were included in my answer, as well as my own seeking—in particular, my intellectual journey into the richness of the faith, the Church’s history, and the liturgy. After telling Jesus all of this, I noticed that I still had an unsatisfied yearning. It was at that moment that Jesus answered my yearning for him. My previous seeking had led to this point: now, beyond knowing about Jesus, I knew Jesus himself. All that came before was not in vain, it was Jesus finding me so that I could find him. The joy of the mystery of Joseph and Mary finding Jesus became real for me. n
She
Pondered
These
Things in Her Heart
JACK KRISTENSEN ‘27, ARCHDIOCESE OF NEW YORK
Pope Saint John Paul II said that Mary had to have faith in the divinity of her Son, just like you, me, and every other Christian. After the Angel Gabriel revealed God’s plan to Mary, and once she accepted it, her relationship with her divine Son was lived in the darkness of faith. What did Mary’s faith look like? “My son is a great king, yet here he is, lying in a manger and surrounded by farm animals. Lord, I trust in your word.” “My son is the Son of God, yet I am cooking him dinner. Lord, I trust in your word.” “My son is Israel’s long-awaited messiah, yet many of our people reject him. Lord, I trust in your word.” “My son’s kingdom will have no end, yet here he is, dying on a cross. Lord, I trust in your word.” There is a tradition that Jesus appeared to his mother first after his resurrection, and this is something Pope Saint John Paul II firmly believed. Is it not a matter of justice that Jesus would reciprocate his tender mother’s faith in this way? n
reflect upon different moments from the family life of Mary, Jesus, and Joseph.
Joseph, Wonder, and Psalm 115
GRAHAM FASSERO ‘27, DIOCESE OF RICHMOND
As Joseph held Jesus, he might well have prayed the words of the Psalm: Not to us, Lord, but to your name be honor. Holding the child was the greatest honor he had ever known. Others might draw crowds or earn reputations, but the child was a greater honor than either.
The nations say, “Where is their God?” — The question had always been a taunt. Where had God been when the nation declined? When priests did evil? When Joseph felt alone? Where was God? Maybe in heaven.
But now, Joseph held the child in his arms. The child was here — God was here — as he had never been before. God was no longer a God merely of heaven; now he was the God of Joseph’s home, the God of Joseph’s arms.
Our God is in the heavens — transcendent, outside the world, watching from above. He does whatever he wills — in his own time, in his own way.
But now the child was here, sleeping. He was here on earth, and he was not doing much of anything besides sleeping and eating. God willed to do human things.
Their idols have mouths, but they cannot speak. Joseph looked at the child. He had a mouth, and someday he would speak like no one ever had. He had eyes — so like his mother’s — that would heal souls. He had hands that would touch, and feel, and cure.
Someday. But for now, he was too young to speak. His eyes were closed. His hand held Joseph’s finger.
Their makers will come to be like them. And now God—the ultimate maker—had come to be like Joseph. God had come to be like us n
Dreaming of Salvation
JOSEPH RICHTER ’27, DIOCESE OF BISMARCK
The angel warns Joseph to take his family to Egypt in a “boring” way. There was no earthquake, thunder, or lightning — perhaps only the rhythmic snoring of the Holy Family. Yet this passage exemplifies the reality that God is using Joseph in a very ordinary means to bring about the salvation of the world. If Joseph had not listened to this dream, if he had simply brushed it off, who knows what would have happened to this infant on which the salvation of the world rested? God invites us to participate in this mystery of salvation in a similar way. God has allotted to us a share of the mystery in the ordinary activities of our lives, whether that is changing the diapers of one’s children or researching for one’s studies. To the everyday viewer, these seem ordinary, almost meaningless activities. Yet, in the example of Saint Joseph, we can see that ordinary actions can — and do in fact — give us a share in the salvation of the world. Through our cooperation with God’s grace in these activities, we can share in the salvation of our own souls and the souls of those around us n
ICTE
INSTITUTE FOR CONTINUING THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION
ICTE has been committed to the ongoing education and formation of clergy since 1971. Three autumn modules are offered, as well as a spring semester. If you are a priest interested in ICTE as a sabbatical experience, please contact romeshabat@pnac.org.
Founded on Christ
REV. SHANE D. STEVENS, ICTE F‘24, DIOCESE OF SIOUX FALLS
“And so, we came to Rome.”
—Acts 28:14
The idea of a sabbatical can bring with it any number of thoughts and hopes, as each priest comes with desires particular to him and to his discernment for the need to come away and rest a bit from the day-to-day ministries that are entrusted to him. For the priest brothers who participated in the fall modules of ICTE, it was surely a combination of reasons, not least of which was the opportunity to celebrate the 1700th anniversary of the Nicene Creed.
“A wide door for effective work has opened to me.”
—1 Corinthians 16:9
The modules offered in the fall had three points of contact with the development of the Creed. First, the Scriptural basis of the Creed; second, a focus on the Latin and Greek Fathers; and third, the Creed’s influence on liturgy, art, and architecture.
We also shared the grace of daily Mass, prayer, meals, and priestly fraternity. We had brothers from all over the world with a variety of ages, years
of ordination, and ministry experiences. We traveled to places known previously only in our dreams. This tremendous gift was made possible by our bishops, our brothers back home covering our parishes, and the generosity of the lay faithful.
“Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone…”
—Ephesians 2:20
Our last pilgrimage was to Turkey to visit the sites of some of the great Ecumenical Councils that led to the development of the Creed. Many of the places we visited retained only a
shadow of their former glory. In Nicaea, for instance, nothing was left but a bit of foundation stone at the lakeside. We prayed the Creed and took our pictures. “Wow,” I thought, “only a bit of foundation is left; but from this spot the Creed we know and pray every Sunday went out to the world.” I imagined one of the sandcastles which, as children, we loved to build—the water always takes its toll, the sandcastles wash away, but the memories endure!
On behalf of all of us ICTE priests, thank you to all who worked hard to welcome us and to provide the gift of a sabbatical in Rome! Know of our prayers for you all! n
Underwater Basilica in Iznik Lake, Bursa, Turkey. Basilica of Saint Neophytos. It is believed to have been built
CSM CASA SANTA MARIA
The Casa Santa Maria serves as a house of continuing formation and residence for English-speaking priests who are assigned to pursue graduate-level studies in Rome. Below, Rev. Cesar Jaramillp '17, C'25 (Paterson) reflects upon Michelangelo’s Pieta.
An Artist’s Gift to Priests
REV. CESAR JARAMILLO ‘17, C‘25, DIOCESE OF PATERSON
Undoubtedly one of the world’s most recognized sculptures, Michelangelo’s Pieta greets pilgrims as they walk into the splendor of the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican. The story behind this emblematic work of art, however, has a deep, albeit little known, connection to the priesthood.
During my time as a seminarian at the Pontifical North American College, and now as a priest, it is still my favorite piece to explain to pilgrims, as I have seen the ways in which it touches both believers and nonbelievers. Its objective beauty conveys not only its artistic value but also its spiritual significance to people from all walks of life. It is impossible not to call to mind Dostoevsky’s famous words: “beauty will save the world.”
At the young age of 23, Michelangelo Buonarroti displayed his genius by carving the sculptural group out of a single block of Carrara marble. The commission marked Michelangelo’s debut in the Rome art scene. It caused so much controversy that the young artist felt obliged to etch his name onto the piece to dissipate rumors about its true author and provenance.
The piece was originally commissioned by a French cardinal, who wanted the young artist to make “the most beautiful work of marble in Rome, one that no living artist could better.” The sculpture would have probably been placed atop the altar where the holy sacrifice of the Mass would be celebrated in one of the side chapels. Therefore, the priest, celebrating ad orientem, would have felt himself to be at the feet of Jesus and the Blessed Mother throughout the celebration of Mass. It is precisely this detail that breaks open the work of art for us.
While the sculpture naturally portrays the Blessed Mother holding the lifeless body of her son, upon closer inspection we realize that such is not actually the case. The truth of the matter is that Mary is only holding onto her son with her right hand under the arm of Christ. She is not even touching him with her left hand. Her right hand is at an angle, almost in a giving position. Moreover, if we look at the right leg of Jesus, it gives one the impression that He is slowly sliding off Mary’s lap and ultimately will fall to the ground.
However, within the context of the Mass, Jesus is not falling, but being given to the priest by Mary. The lifeless body of Jesus is being given over to the priest for him to come alive again in the consecrated bread and wine, where Jesus renders Himself present, Body and Blood, soul and divinity. This great exchange between the Mother of the Church and the priest himself happens thanks to the Sacrament of Holy Orders. Christ renders Himself present at every Mass through the consecrated hands of the priest, who continues the salvific work of Christ by nourishing God’s people with the Body and Blood of Jesus.
Today the Pieta stands as a testament to the true, the good, and the beautiful, all of which find their source and summit in the Son of God. The sculpture will have pride of place in the upcoming Jubilee since it will be the first work of art the pilgrims see as they enter the Basilica through the Holy Door, reminding us, in the words of Michelangelo himself, that “the true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection.” n
Michelangelo’s Pieta.
ALUMNI
This year’s issue of Roman Echoes will include an alumni segment, which offers “words of wisdom” to seminarians about priestly ministry and shares insight with readers about the life of a priest years after departing the College. Father McKeon reflects on the apse mosaic in San Clemente.
In Awe of Our Salvation
REV. ROBERT F. MCKEON ‘90, ARCHDIOCESE OF NEW YORK
Hanging above my office desk is a framed poster of the mosaic in the apse of the Basilica of San Clemente, Rome. It has served as a regular reminder of the wonderful years spent in the Holy City and how, in my five years of study, I learned as much outside the classroom as within it.
For those who have yet to see this glorious piece of art, San Clemente’s apse mosaic depicts many aspects of salvation history. Replete with symbols, figures, and messages of the Catholic faith, the apse is a catechetical marvel that instructs disciples in the treasure and depth of our faith. Since a whole book could be written about each of the components of this magnificent twelfth-century piece of art, I will focus on just a few of the elements that have led me to deep reflection and wonder over my thirty-four years as a priest.
The image in the center of the apse is the Crucifixion of our Savior, with the Blessed Mother to the left of the Cross and Saint John to the right. At the bottom of the Cross, where it is “planted” into the earth, a beautiful message of salvation is proclaimed: the paradox of the story of salvation and the Paschal Mystery is asserted: the tree of death has become the tree of life. This is conveyed in two powerful ways. One, which dominates
the area surrounding the crucifix, shows a vine bursting forth from the base of the Cross with encircling branches. Within the branches of the vine are “men and women engaged in their familiar and daily occupations, all of them receiving from the Cross and all sharing in Christ the teeming fullness of pardon and new life” (Mosaico di S. Clemente, Collegio S. Clemente, 1988, pg. 1). The vine represents the Church and takes on the character of the tree of life in Eden that is now restored by Christ sacrificed on the cross. The second image shows the
Cross as the tree of life. It is depicted by the four streams flowing from the base of the Cross, representing the words of the Book of Revelation, “The angel showed me the river of life-giving water, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb” (Rev 22:1).
These examples are just two of the marvelous teachings contained in this beautiful work of art. Do spend time learning more of the details of this wonderful catechetical treasure and share its content with others. n
Apse mosaic in the Basilica of San Clemente.
OFFICE FOR INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT OIA
A Jubilee Year Celebration
MARK RANDALL, CFRE • EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT
The Annual Rector’s Dinner has been a cause for celebration for more than three decades. The event offers an opportunity to highlight the extraordinary mission of the Pontifical North American College and honor those who so generously support it. It is also an incredibly fun evening: seeing old and new friends, interacting with our seminarians and deacons, and spending time inside the seminary.
But you have one more reason to come to Rome for the Dinner in April: the Jubilee Year! Most of the major monuments and churches have been cleaned and restored, the Holy Doors are open, and there is a great sense of joy throughout the city.
Tickets and sponsorships for the dinner are selling quickly so book your reservations soon. Complete details can be found on our website. See you in Roma! n
For more information about The Pontifical North American College, subscription questions, or to learn about ways you can financially support “America’s Seminary in Rome,” please contact Mark Randall, CFRE, Executive Director, Institutional Advancement. Tel: (202) 541-5411 I Fax: (202) 470-6211 I Email: pnacdc@pnac.org I Website: www.pnac.org
SR. RAFFAELLA PETRINI, FSE
Secretary General of the Governorate of Vatican City State
MR. AND MRS. CURTIS AND MICHAELANN MARTIN Denver, Colorado
