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OLM 
Parish Reporter IN Rome

 Serious Study Report - End of 1st Series
     An interesting thing happened during the first two weeks of our course here at the Sabbatical. As Fr. Paul Cioffi titled it: "An Experience in Conversion" I found it to be exactly that. In fact, I begin this summary page with the above image for just this reason. I have not been a fan of Dali's Last Supper above. It is in the National Gallery in Washington, DC, and not in Rome.  
     However, when we received this card as a memorial from Fr. Paul, I got to thinking how it does depict what he was aiming to convert us to believe in this course. His basic tenet is that the Liturgy of the Mass does something dramatic and soul-moving.  
     It unites us with the action of Jesus Christ at the Last Supper, on Calvary and in His Resurrection. It is the action of our Savior which gives meaning to all of Life and especially to the ultimate questions of meaning for us. In Jesus' surrender to the will of God, we have a way and a guarantee that this is possible for us in all the many trials and tribulations of life. It is awesome and thus represented in Dali's painting by the transparent Christ rising from the waters of a lake at a meal with the disciples. He has the boat issuing from his side as the Church and over all of this is the mystical presentation of his body pierced and glorious. It is something that takes a lifetime to understand and appreciate. It has made me look differently at not only a painting but also at the reality of what we do when we gather as the Church at Mass. Enough of theology and on to the pictures that depict this reality and my sabbatical.
 

Below are pictured some scenes from our Renewal Celebration.
Interesting that instead of a final exam for this series,
we celebrated Mass and renewed our Baptismal Commitment
which unites us with Christ and the Church

(click on tiny picture to view original)  

Basilica of St. John Lateran

 
As you can see to the left, I had the honored position of assisting our teacher at this Mass. We gathered in an ancient Baptistry to celebrate what we had learned. This baptistry is circular in form. You enter it by descending three steps and leave it by three other steps on the other side. During the Renaissance they placed the large dark baptismal font into this larger font but originally the font was filled ankle deep with water and the Elect were led through it walking and baptized by the pouring of water over them while the words of Baptism were pronounced
 
After the Homily and Profession of Faith, we were each sprinkled with water as a sign of our renewal in Faith and in Baptism. Here I am hidden with bowed head but you can see my multi-colored stole which Sister Goretti always called Technicolor!!!
temple view 1
 

Other Features of St. John Lateran

   The largest chapel in the Baptistry was built in the 7th Century and is dedicated to St. Venantius. It is decorated with class mosaics in the Byzantine Style depicting again the Heavenly Kingdom which is the goal and archetype of the Mass celebrated under this classic mosaic. Today it is the parish church of St. John Lateran - the local community.
The ceiling in the chapel of St. John the Baptists is a magnificent mosaic from the 5th Century. It is made of colored tiles on a ground of gold. It depicts Christ the Lamb in the center flanked by birds depicting the four element: Earth, Air, Fire & Water.
 In the Nave of the Basilica are grand sculptures of the Apostles. They were crafted by followers of Bernini, the famed artist in Rome responsible for many of the well known art works like the Bernini Columns of St. Peter. These Apostles were done later and they are grand  like the one to the right of St. James the Lesser.
 
 The obelisk outside St. John Lateran is an interesting lesson in both history and conquest. It comes from Egypt around 1600 BC. This is of interest because that places it interetingly enough at the time of Israel's leaving of Egypt for the promised land. So inviting one into the Church of the Pope in Rome at St. John Lateran one sees this magnificent obelisk with hierglyphics on it touching a former time in the history of our Fatih. Also, it was first brought to Rome to adorn the Circus Maximus in the 4th Century by Constantinius II. In the 16th Century it was placed in this position
The celebration of our Renewal and Mass was preceded by the usual architectural tour of the baptistry. Never a dull moment in the pursuit of Renewal. The picture  shows some of my classmates diligently listening to the lecture.
Just a little comic relief in this lengthy presentation. I thought this would be a cute inclusion since many people see a sabbatical as basking in the sun in the Mediterranean. Not so, Not so!!! There are fun times, serious reflection, prayer and other assorted events.
 
  
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