Facade of the Gregorian University

Entrance of Casa Santa Maria of the Pontifical North American College

Sepulcher of Saint Ignatius of Loyola at the 'Gesu' church

The First Week: Exploration Project

Why am I here? It is a question out of curiosity I heard on my first day in Rome. The implication is that one may seek status and certain air of ambitious aspirations envelope the spirit. People told me it before I left Chicago. Some like to play prophets foretelling my future not as a pastor. It looks like someone coming to Rome for studies is climbing steps on the ladder of the church. What ladder? I am a priest of Jesus Christ and that is the only and major achievement of my life. I am well content with that. So, I laid it down on the table right away. My only ambition and true aspiration is to become a saint! If God wants me to achieve it through and with Canon law, let it be. Therefore, I will make sure all the trials I will endure, I will carry them as a sacrifice for the people of the Archdiocese of Chicago and for my own sanctification. What a better project to carry on!

This first week has been one of exploration. After two uneventful flights that brought me here, the first challenge of speaking in Italian to a cab driver was overcome easily. Fr. Roberth and I reached our final destination for the set price. However, things started to get interesting once we were at front of the building of our future domicile. We followed all the directions given and no body answer the gigantic wooden door. We waited for 30 minutes or so; but Diego the explorer has to go. The exploration project began by going around the block looking for other doors. But that first try was unsuccessful. I came back to where we were and stayed there. Fr. Roberth went the other way around and after a little while I heard sounds from the other side of the door. To my surprise, Fr. Roberth opened the door! He got in through a side entrance that was left open. I don’t think he broke into the house, he just felt in home right away. Well, the Lord said: “knock and the door will be opened to you.” But what is better is that it is opened by a familiar face.
It was around 4:00 pm and our bodies couldn’t stand straight with alert and open eyes. There hadn’t been much sleep. Crossing the Atlantic eastbound gives you a too short night. But we shouldn’t go to bed at this point. We wanted to go to bed at Roman bed time. So we went to explore the neighborhood. Right coming out from the house there is the façade of the Gregorian University, my future school. It terrified me for a second. It is the oldest Jesuit University. Its beginnings date back to the year 1551. 23 Saints and 51 blessed of the Church had studied or taught here. Among those are Saint Roberto Bellarmino, Saint Maximilian Kolbe, and Saint Aloysius. Pope Benedict XVI also taught here back in the 70’s.

Going around the block we found the Fontana di Trevi. Obviously the little piazza was filled with tourists. I don’t know if I have to throw a coin there. I live in the neighborhood! It was built to mark one of the ends of the Roman aqueduct. I little further west, we saw the Pantheon, Piazza Novona and the ‘Gesu’ church. It is significant that in this one are the bodies of the Jesuit saints St Aloysius, St Roberto Bellarmino and the founder Saint Ignatius of Loyola, whose feast day is today, July 31st.

I think a good side project will be to compile pictures and reflections about the saints who are buried in Rome. There are many and many unknown. One of the questions I asked this week was about the number of Italian saints. What is it so special here to produce so many saints? What do we have to do in America to match it? We better articulate a convincing answer to it. Or maybe not. The answer is obvious and clear: an open, honest, and deep relationship with Christ. The question then is, how do we get it in the American culture?
Saint Ignatius of Loyola, pray for us!

Happy 46th Anniversary Saint Edna ... and Arrivederci!

It is time to say good bye … and with that I word of eternal gratitude to all of you for your generosity and love. This is my last weekend as Associate Pastor of Saint Edna Parish. The last three years have been lived to the fullest. To start my priestly ministry here at Saint Edna’s has been priceless. I couldn’t ask for a better and complete experience. In a special way, first of all, I would like to thank all of you Saint Edna parishioners for embracing your faith so vividly; a fact that enriched my faith and ministry to the maximum. Your love, concern and hospitality always have made me feel at home.

Also, I want to express my deepest gratitude to my brother priests: Father John Hurley for his wisdom and guidance; Father Eugene Faucher for his testimony, humor and good spirit; and Father Jerry Jacob for being such a good mentor. I will treasure all of that in my heart forever. To the pastoral staff, deacons and their families, employees and leadership of the parish, thank you so much for your constant encouragement, support and work together. I cannot say enough on how grateful I am with all of you. Father Benedyct Pazdan will be a terrific addition to the pastoral staff of the parish. I am very pleased with his assignment here. I am sure he will experience the warm and love from you as I did.

I will depart for Italy by the end of July to begin with an Italian language course in Siena, before the Canon Law school starts in the fall. I will study for three years in the Pontifical Gregorian University and will live in the North American College – Casa Santa Maria in the Eternal City. However, thanks to the generosity of Fr Jerry Jacob, I will spend the summers at Saint Edna during my time of studies.

Please keep in touch and follow my experience in Rome through this blog “Canon in D” at: http://fr-diego.blogspot.com/ or if you prefer just drop off an email at dicolebe@gmail.com

Let us pray for one another.

God bless you all!