#secondnight

Hi everyone. I welcome you to my experience in Rome on this month of February 2013. I have lived here now for three years and five months. Right now it's 11:04 pm on the second night after the pope's decision to leave the papacy. First thing to say is this: leaving the papacy is not like leaving the episcopacy or the priesthood at all! The pope in fact will continue to be a bishop.

I find myself exhausted. Today is my 1000th long day here in Rome. It's one after many long days, after four theology exams and two theology essays. This morning, at 10:05 am, I had a tough exam. This is all part of my preparation to become a priest in the Order of Somascan Fathers. After the exam I decided to relax my brain by going to see the statue of "St. Theresa's Ecstasy" by Lorenzo Bernini. After lunch I spent at least three hours walking all over Rome looking for a copy of the Osservatore Romano newspaper. It was sold out in Rome's major newspaper stores. I only found copies on St. Peter's Square. I was shocked to see the hundreds of journalists that have invaded the surroundings of St. Peter's basilica. Over there, I also found a classmate and we talked about how incredible this situation is. The last time the Church had popes leaving the pontificate was about six-hundred years ago. In the 1400's we had two popes at the same time, one in Rome and one in the city of Avignon, in France. The solution to this duality in the papacy was to ask them to quit and they did. Obviously the history was more complicated and more interesting than how I just told it. But I'm dead tired.

Tired as I am, I am very happy and excited to finally begin a blog and to do so regarding this real experience. I will share as much as I can about my Vatiexperience as we all get ready to receive from God a new pope that will lead the Body of Christ, His Church. I trust this humble effort to Mary, the Mother of the Church. May she guide me and help us all as she always does.