convocation

A Room with a View

The view

The convocation has been enjoyable and informative. I find myself wishing there were more free time … but that’s just me. We’ve covered the canons concerning the Sacrament of Confession, from the very beginning to the present. What struck me most is that in the earliest times people only confessed extremely major, generally public things, and did some major public penances – such as standing outside of the Church for three years before being allowed to enter, or fasting for life, or some other such major penance.

Today, people confess just about everything, and penances tend to be milder. (Much milder.)

Long days, with good and prayerful men. St. Matthew, whose feast we celebrate today, pray for us.

Blue Sky Dawning

the morning

Fresh on the heels of being complimented for having good photos on my website, I’m posting awful photos.

I apologize.

I tried!

I framed. I snapped.

I dodged and burned and filtered.

I masked. I Gaussian blurred!

Then I started all over again. Again and again.

But I had used a different camera, and then got caught up in the busyness of the day.

And I always get caught up in looking at the sky. The sky is a thing of beauty.

On today:

  1. The Convocation for Priests was very enjoyable and energizing.
  2. It was also strangely exhausting.
  3. I’ve determined that I don’t sleep well in most hotel rooms.
  4. That has nothing to do with the Convocation, but it explains why I was up at 4AM watching Pope Benedict’s Adress to Berlin.
  5. In honor of the Holy Father’s trip to Germany, I ate sausages and potatoes for breakfast.
  6. I wish I had eaten cereal.

From Pope Benedict’s address this morning:

?”Freedom requires a primordial link to a higher instance. The fact that there are values which are not absolutely open to manipulation is the true guarantee of our freedom. The man who feels a duty to truth and goodness will immediately agree with this: freedom develops only in responsibility to a greater good.

Such a good exists only for all of us together; therefore I must always be concerned for my neighbours. Freedom cannot be lived in the absence of relationships.”

This actually goes perfectly with our theme of Presbyteral Unity.

So did the reading from St. Paul in the Office yesterday:

“…live a life worthy of the calling you have received, with perfect humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another lovingly. Make every effort to preserve the unity which has the Spirit as its origin and peace as its binding force.”

You know, it’s not always easy bearing with one another lovingly. It’s just… not always easy.

L'Hotel Again

And I did get around to taking another picture of the hotel, careful to not get any palm trees into this architectural triumph of a shot. Chrome and soft dawn sky colors don’t really blend.

And after all that, I like the picture better with the palms in it.

We had a great several days reflecting and giving input on Presbyteral Unity. Many thanks for everyone who offered prayers for us!

Much like freedom, the Priesthood cannot be lived in the absence of relationships.

St. Padre Pio, pray for us.

Fr. Kenneth Allen