Catching Up (part II): Pilgrimage to France & Ordination 2009

Prior to the ordination, looking from the Altar of the Chair backward toward the Basilica's entrance.

I've been meaning to get on here for a few weeks but time always seems to be in short supply. When the older guys said that second year is a big step up from first -- in terms of new obligations and responsibilities -- they were certainly right! Various projects keep piling up as classes head toward Christmas break, and I'm also doing some logistical planning for a visit from the family, who arrive for the holidays in two weeks. It'll be their first time in continental Europe. I'm excited to see what they think of it and to relive through them my first European experience. We're going to see a lot hopefully, but it should be a nice chance to relax and spend some time with them.

As the second part of my efforts to bring the blog up to date on events of the last few months, I thought I'd look back on the College's October diaconate ordination and my subsequent pilgrimage to France. I wrote a bit about diaconate ordination in Rome and what's all involved here last year, when two seminarians from Little Rock were ordained. This year, one Little Rock seminarian, Joshua Stengel, was ordained a deacon here in Rome though four others were ordained in the US. We're all very excited because 2010 will be the largest priesthood class in more than 20 years, as five men will be ordained priests for the diocese! The next class in 2012 is my own.

Archbishop Carlson ordains Joshua Stengel for the Diocese of Little Rock

The ordination was, of course, very nice. Several groups from Arkansas were able to come over, including some priests and seminarians, members of the Serra Club from Little Rock, and family and friends of Joshua. Archbishop Robert Carlson of St. Louis presided at St. Peter's Altar of the Chair as a total of 30 men were ordained deacons for a host of dioceses in the US, from Orange, CA, to Newark, NJ, from Crookston, MN, to New Orleans, LA. As was the case last year, the event was a great chance to remember why it is that we are here at the NAC, i.e. to return to the United States to serve the people of our respective dioceses and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The emotional boost from diaconate week is a great blessing for all involved, not only those that are being ordained. Whether it's listening to the bishop's homily on the meaning of pastoral ministry, or seeing the love and pride of those family members for their son/brother/nephew as he gives his life for the Church, or receiving encouragement from visiting pilgrims for those of us still working hard to reach that same point -- it goes along way to sustain us through the long year.

Joshua (far right) and fellow new deacons

The ordination weekend also afforded me the chance to spend some time with two priests and two seminarians from Little Rock who had made the trip over. Neither of the seminarians had ever been to Rome before, and so amidst the ordination events, we also took time to give them a brief tour of the city and its treasures. The weekend after the ordination we decided to make a pilgrimage to France, since students are free to travel after the ordination Mass. I had been to France several times before, most recently to Toulouse and south central France at Easter, but it had been several years since I'd been to Paris. Even more interesting for me was the chance to journey to Ars-sur-Formans, the little village north of Lyons where St. Jean-Marie Vianney lived and worked as a parish priest. You might recall might my reflection on him last year on this blog. After I wrote of it, his good example of priestly life has become even more relevant to my life since then. At the opening of the current Year for Priests in June, Pope Benedict declared St. Jean Vianney, previously the patron saint of parish priests, as the patron saint of all priests and, consequently, the model of all priestly virtues. The declaration is a fitting one since 2009 also marks the 150th anniversary of his death. As you can imagine, the chance to journey to France to see the relics of such a saint was quite opportune and fitting for the larger ecclesial context of the year.

Ars is a difficult place to get to. The Curé of Ars, as St. John Vianney is commonly known, lived a fairly unremarkable life, from an outsider's viewpoint -- he was of humble origins, was not terribly brilliant, and served as the parish priest for a very small (then and now) country town for over 40 years. Rather it was his extraordinary spirituality and his deep love and pastoral care for those he encountered that made him legendary even in his own day. Unlike a place like Lourdes, however, Ars has remained relatively unchanged since the saint's own time. There's no established tourist industry that's grown up around it, and getting there can be a chore. The cheapest option for us ended up being flying to Paris and taking the high-speed TGV to Lyons, a regional train from there to Villefranche-sur-Saône, and then a taxi from there to Ars-sur-Formans. It's worth it though. One really gets a good insight into what the town was like in the Curé's days and its serene setting in the countryside of southeastern France.

The Sanctuare de St. Jean-Marie Vianney. The saint's modern shrine was added to the town's medieval-era parish church.

After settling in at the newly constructed Jean Paul II Center for Priests, we made our way to the Sanctuaire de St. Jean-Marie Vianney, the town's medieval parish church which has now expanded to include the basilica shrine of the saint. Amazingly, we were able to have Mass at the side altar that serves also as the tomb of the incorrupt body of St. Jean Vianney. It was a powerful experience for me of what the call to priesthood, especially diocesan priesthood, is all about. St. Jean-Marie did not found any religious orders or rise to any prestigious offices during his priesthood. He worked many miracles and had legendary spiritual gifts, but all of these were given in service to the people whose souls he shepherded. His commitment to preaching, to presiding at the sacraments for many hours every day, and to sacrificing and suffering for his flock are stark reminders of the commitment every priest is called to have to those he serves. It was a very great blessing to be able to celebrate Mass gazing at the body of the man who is patron of all priests and to do it with men who I, God willing, will one day serve with as a brother priest for the Diocese of Little Rock. I thank God for that gift, and I continue to reflect on it months later.

Celebrating Mass at the tomb of St. Jean-Marie was an awesome experience.

The resting place of St. Jean-Marie. His remains are incorrupt.

We spent the rest of that day looking around the very humble home of the saint, located next door, and spending time in prayer and reflection. The next day, we made our way back to Paris to enjoy some of that city's spiritual and cultural treasures. We took advantage of some priest-seminarian hospitality and stayed at the world headquarters of the Society of Saint-Sulpice, a community of diocesan priests that specializes in training seminarians. Their center, located in the 6th arrondissement and not far from either Montparnasse or the Latin Quarter, is ideally located for quick access to many of the city's attractions. Since I was the only one who had spent some time in Paris, I acted as an unofficial tour guide as we hit some of the highlights of the city, including the Eiffel Tower, the location of the now-demolished Bastille, and the always impressive Arc de Triomphe. Watching the various people out and about enjoying the lovely fall evening, we also enjoyed a nice dinner along the famous Champs-Élysées.

Enjoying Paris' lovely fall weather.

The Arc de Triomphe. No we did not run across 5 lanes of traffic.

Though my traveling companions were spending a few more days in France than I, including a trip to Lisieux to see the shrine and relics of St. Thérèse, I had to return on Sunday to prepare for the commencement of the new academic semester that week. Before departing though, I wanted to make a stop at two of my favorite churches in Europe. The first, Sainte-Chapelle, is one of the most famous examples of Gothic art -- maybe its most famous display of stained glass -- in the world, though its often overlooked by tourists. Located on the Île de la Cité, it was built as a private chapel of King St. Louis IX in the early 13th century to house relics of Christ's passion, including, according to tradition, a piece of the True Cross and the actual Crown of Thorns. The chapel's design arises from the rayonnant development of Gothic architecture, which sought to emphasize to the extreme the effects of natural light and a weightless feel to the actual structure. The effect is striking as the whole chapel is bathed in various and dancing colors, as light streams in from the windows depicting scenes Genesis to the Last Judgment. It's a marvelous experience -- if you ever find yourself in Paris, do not miss it.

Sainte-Chapelle's amazing stained glass windows

Notre Dame and the island it sits on from the Left Bank.

Finally, no visit to Paris would be complete without a visit to Notre Dame de Paris, the city's famous cathedral. A few blocks from Sainte-Chapelle and on the same island in the Seine, Notre Dame is one of the first and one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture. Its considered a masterpiece due to its wonderful balance of sobriety and flair, gravitas and grace, material splendor and spiritual beauty. I had the good fortune to be reading a book the spiritual relevance of Gothic architecture at the time of visiting -- Fr. Robert Barron's Heaven in Stone and Glass, which I highly recommend -- and I could immediately sense the connection he describes between Notre Dame's architectural elements and spiritual themes. The whole purpose of the building is to ward off the evils of the outside world with its imposing facade and gargoyles while providing inside a warm and centering experience of the divine, through the high vaulted space, the beautiful stained glass, and the interplay of darkness and light. One could spend hours or even days wandering around and noting carefully the symbolic wonder of every sculpture or glass panel. Unfortunately, I only had an hour or so before it was time to return to Rome and the reality of a new set of classes to devote myself to. I enjoyed my time in Notre Dame though, and in Paris as a whole, and I look forward to returning soon.


I hope this holiday season finds each of you well and receiving some of the peace and hope of Advent as we approach Christmas. Many blessings!