Note: This is Part 5 on my miniseries on how I ended up in Rome, the Eternal City. Check out the introduction, my stop in California, New York and New Jersey and Boston.

I had originally wanted to write about my layover in Barcelona and a quick trip to Basilica de la Sagrada Familia on Thursday, July 27, 2023. But that came to naught because the airport’s 2 baggage storage sites were closed and my American smartphone no longer worked in Spain. (I might be audacious at times, but walking around Spain with limited Spanish and no cellphone is foolhardy.) So I stayed at El Prat Airport for the rest of the afternoon. The only highlight was my first private Mass at the airport prayer chapel.

Around 7 p.m., I hopped onto a two-hour flight to Rome. The two superiors of the General House (Fr. Luis, the rector major, and Fr. Vincenzo, house superior) picked me up at the airport. Late in the evening, I arrived at my room at the General House and went to bed.

What happened to me in the past month? A quick summary:

• All too familiar: It’s so good to finally unpack my things after many weeks of traveling. Despite the new things to see in Rome, this community of Oblates reminds me of the places I’ve journeyed. Being the youngest member in the community? Done that (twice). Community building at the dinner table? Pull up a chair. Swapping Oblate memories at meals? New twists to familiar stories. Helpful workers at the house? Absolutely helpful. Boiling summers? Yep. Crazy driving? No doubt about that. Graffiti and dirty streets? All too familiar. As I reflected on this, I’m amazed. The Lord assembled all these pieces together.
• Pictures anyone: On Saturday, July 29, 2023, I walked down to St. Peter Basilica for Confession. (Funny, it feels weird writing that sentence as if it is a banal thing to go to the heart of the Church). The façade’s grandeur made me stop and take a picture. A few days later, I opened an Instagram account and shared the picture. The response prompted me to share more photos across all my social media. Catch my latest photo on Wednesdays.

• Pour on that Italian extra thick: Weekday mornings, I’m taking intensive Italian lessons. The need to know Italian became all too clear when I went shopping the first time or submitting immigration papers. (I can ask for directions, but understanding the answer is another thing. That might be a future blog entry.) The Oblates at the General House have encouraged me. Somehow, I was celebrating the Mass in Italian within a few weeks of my arrival. But I must patiently listen to conversations at meals although I might not have the words to say anything.
• Into a hidden silence: I might communicate more through social media. But the Lord is inviting me to a deeper silence. He took away all the things that were sources of pride: Homilies (no longer preaching), teaching (I’m a student again) and guided meditations (don’t know enough Italian for this one). This know-it-all had to relearn the humility of being corrected on liturgy and Italian. As I enter into this deeper silence, I sensed that the Lord is preparing me for something. But I will let Jesus write the rest of the story.

Come around and check out my other Italian adventures and misadventures on this blog.

God bless.