Brideshead Revisited: Charles Ryder's Journey To Faith

              



     There is much to talk of in Brideshead Revisited, but I will focus on one thing: the journey of Charles Ryder to the faith and what led him there.

     Charles is brought to Catholicism by the beauty of the things he loved before he found belief, much like the progression of love posited by Socrates in Plato’s Symposium. In the Symposium, Socrates reflects on the teachings of the priestess Diotima, and how love for temporal things can act as a ladder to the love and contemplation of the ideal form of beauty, which as we understand it is God Himself.

     In the very beginning of his college years Charles is taken with the materialistic charm of this world. He is given “advice” by his father and Cousin Jasper. Mr. Ryder senior is a rather stuffy old man who counts as the sum of glory success in academic life. Cousin Jasper is very much what Charles’ father would like his own son to become. He is in all the right academic clubs, knows the best lecturers, and is familiar with the things one needs to know in order to get ahead at Oxford. Charles, however, feels that this is not all which Oxford has to offer, but he is still under the influence of his father and Jasper. This tawdry life is flung to the wayside when Charles experiences the charm of Sebastian Flyte.

     Sebastian is like a ray of the sun shining into Charles’ grey life, and Charles eagerly steps out of the shadows, for he was “in search of love in those days, and...full of...the faint, unrecognised apprehension that here, at last, [he] should find that low door in the wall that others had found before him, which opened on an enclosed and enchanted garden, which was somewhere, not overlooked by any window, in the heart of that grey city.” Here marks the birthof wonder and grace in Charles’s life; he has entered Eden, that Arcadian paradise. He sees with Sebastian for the first time faith in action; the pair go to Brideshead and visit Nanny Hawkins, holding her worn Rosary and shut in her little domed room decorated around with religious imagery, most notably a picture of the Sacred Heart. They also visit the chapel and Charles dips his fingers into the font and genuflects, following the example of Sebastian.

     From this point on Charles’ existence is richer; “his room had cast off its winter garments, and, not by very slow stages assumed a richer wardrobe.” He experiences a bright and youthful kind of innocence. It is not only the externals that have changed; Charles continues at Oxford, studies for (and passes) his exams; he reads many books but says, “I remember no syllable of them now, but the other, more ancient lore which I acquired that term will be with me in one shape or another to my last hour.” What Charles has acquired through Sebastian’s company is the ability to see beauty; this is most obviously seen when the two are at the Brideshead estate and Charles, at Sebastian’s suggestion, makes a sketch of the Italian fountain. He has always been interested in art, but has never crossed from interest to creation. With the urging of Sebastian he does so, and recalls, “For me the beauty was new-found.” As he sketches the fountain Charles remembers feeling “a whole new system of nerves alive within me, as though the water that spurted and bubbled among its stones was indeed a life-giving spring.” This puts us in mind of the Vidi Aquam antiphon sung after Easter; “I saw water flowing from the right side of the temple, and all who came to it were saved.” Charles comes to the water flowing in the Brideshead fountain, but he also encounters the holy water in the chapel. Here also begins Charles’ artistic career, which flourishes first at Brideshead and then beyond. Sebastian has introduced Charles to beauty, and the appreciation of natural beauty is a rung of the ladder to the contemplation of God.

     In regards to Julia it is more simple to see how love, especially physical love, can be a stepping stone towards the divine. When we look at something beautiful we want to possess it; we want to be as closely united to it as possible. The closest way to be united to someone, at least on earth, is by physical love. Charles and Julia start such a physical relationship; both are unhappily married and they decide to divorce their respective spouses and marry one another.

     Julia sees their relationship as a precursor to something greater; she muses that she and Charles were thrown together because they are “part of a plan”. She also mentions that she feels “as though all mankind, and God, too, [are] in a conspiracy against [them].” A touch of this is felt when they are dining at Brideshead with Bridey, who says that he will not bring his new fiancee to meet them there as they are living in sin. This distresses Julia very much. She apologises for her distraught behaviour later, saying to Charles: “I can’t explain.” She seems to have been struck by her sin, astounded by it; her wrongdoing is shameful to her now, and she seeks to cast it off.

     Sebastian is a forerunner to Charles’ love of Julia; he tells her candidly, “he was the forerunner.” Julia replies “perhaps I am only a forerunner too.” Such prophetic words! I think Julia knows. Charles falls into a reverie, and thinks: “perhaps all our loves are merely hints and symbols…[and we] snatch a glimpse now and then of the shadow which turns the corner always a pace or two ahead of us.” Cordelia tells Charles about Sebastian, who is now become a porter in a monastery on the Mediterranean. Charles, thinking of those days in Eden beside “the youth with the teddy-bear under the flowering chestnuts” does not understand how Sebastian would turn so towards God. Later, at night, Charles wakes up and contemplates his lack of understanding; he thinks: “How often, it seemed to me, I was brought up short, like a horse in full stride suddenly refusing an obstacle...too shy even to put his nose at it and look at the thing.” Another image comes to his mind; a warm little cabin with snow heaping up against the door, “until quite soon when the wind dropped and the sun came out...the thaw...would move, slide, and tumble...and the little lighted place would open and splinter and disappear, rolling with the avalanche into the ravine.” He is beginning to doubt his icy heart, frozen fast against God; the sun cannot be resisted for long. Understanding will come.

     This little entrance of doubt into Charles’ resolve opens the door to a different garden; Lord Marchmain comes home to die, and Brideshead becomes Gethsemane. Lord Marchmain says so himself, asking: “Cordelia, will you watch for an hour in this Gethsemane?” His words pitifully evoke those of Christ, begging His disciples to watch with Him. Bridey decides that a priest must be called; Charles is struggling against it, “it’s all tomfoolery, witchcraft, hypocrisy, mumbo-jumbo.” Julia is enraged; “What’s it got to do with you or me whether my father sees his parish priest?” Charles can make no response, he feels that “the fate of more souls than one [is] at issue; that the snow [is] beginning to shift on the high slopes.” The ice of Charles’ unbelief is melting, and he knows this and is afraid. He is beginning to understand.

     And finally, Father Mackay comes. Charles is irate, in that fearful way a child is when he knows he has told a lie and has been caught at it. There is a “wall of fire” between Charles and Julia, and she takes the priest in to her father. As Father Mackay absolves the dying man and Charles sees the sign of the Cross being made, he drops to his knees, praying: “Oh God, if there is a God, forgive him his sins, if there is such a thing as sin.”, and Lord Marchmain sighs and his eyelids flicker. Charles prays then for a sign that the old man accepts the blessing; “So small a thing to ask.” And slowly, Lord Marchmain makes the sign of the Cross. “And then,” says Charles, “then I knew that the sign I had asked for was not a little thing...and a phrase came back to me...of the veil of the temple being rent from top to bottom.”

     Outside the sickroom a few minutes later the priest says cheerfully to Charles: “That was a beautiful thing to see...the devil resists to the last moment and then the Grace of God is too much for him.” And then, later that day, Julia and Charles say goodbye forever. Julia grieves: “Now we shall be alone, and I shall have no way of making you understand.” Charles replies: “I don’t want to make it easier for you; I hope your heart may break, but I do understand.” The avalanche was down, the hillside swept bare behind it; the last echoes died on the white slopes; the new mound glittered and lay still in the silent valley.” The sun has melted the ice, and Charles’ heart is cleansed, whiter than the driven snow.

     Years later, during the war, Charles returns to Brideshead, which is now a temporary military encampment. The old house is changed by the war; the great rooms are rather bare, the family is gone, all scattered far and wide. “The place is desolate, and all the work brought to nothing; quomodo sedet sola civitas.” The only one remaining is Nanny Hawkins, in her little tabernacle of a room up beneath the dome. But the chapel remains pristine; it has been reconsecrated, and Charles prays, “an ancient, newly-learned form of words.” As he makes his way back to his soldiers he ponders what has been brought about by the builders of the old house: “Something quite remote has come out of their work;...a small red flame-a beaten-copper lamp of deplorable design relit before the beaten-copper doors of a tabernacle; the flame which the old knights saw from their tombs, which they saw put out; that flame burns again for other soldiers, far from home, farther in heart than Acre or Jerusalem. It could not have been lit but for the builders and tragedians, and there I found it this morning, burning anew among the old stones.”

Cardinal McCarrick

   

    

       As pretty much everyone knows, within the past few weeks a terrible scandal has reared its head. The Universal Church is rocking with the impact of the actions committed by one of its highest ranking prelates, namely (now ex) Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of the dioceses of New York and Washington.
       The fact that McCarrick abused young people is terrible, but what the mainstream media doesn’t want to talk about is the fact that he abused young boys and men. That his actions were homosexual. That the crisis in the Church is not only a sexual one, but a homosexual one. See, anyone will eagerly seize upon the opportunity to bash the Church. But, when the matter involves a problem with homosexuality, no media outlet (often not even the “Catholic” ones) is brave enough to tackle the issue. The problem is that nobody wants to admit that homosexuality is causing the problems that it is.

Why?

       Because everyone is afraid of sounding “politically incorrect”. Better not offend anybody, right? Oh, Father, don’t mention the scandal at the 9 am Mass. Nobody wants to hear about that. Discuss the upcoming parish festival instead (I love being politically incorrect, in case you couldn’t tell).
       It’s true. I have heard scarcely anybody speak about McCarrick. Pope Francis has certainly not issued a statement. I will bring the scandal up in conversation, but people usually haven’t heard about the magnitude of his offences. In the weeks following the news, I have heard only one priest speak of it. This past Sunday at the Latin Mass, a very young priest was presiding. I knew him before he was ordained. When it was time for the homily, he stepped up to the pulpit and, gripping the sides, spoke calmly about the trouble in the Church. He did not mince his words, and yet there was a sense of peace in the way he spoke. At the end of the sermon, he reminded us that although the Church is being attacked from both within and without, we must look to the Holy Spirit, for it is He that guides our ship through stormy waters.
       I was surprised and gratified to hear the scandal being spoken of from the pulpit. So, so many prelates are pointedly not addressing it in their dioceses. Of course, this is understandable. To admit that members of our own dear Church have been found guilty of the most sick and twisted crimes, sins not only against God but against man, is a lot to expect. Imagine the world’s biggest bank admitting that many of its senior members have been printing fraudulent bank notes behind the facade of stability and righteousness? That would not be good for the image of the corporation, so they simply hush it up, admonish the wrongdoers, and soon it’s back to business as usual.
       However, this will not work for us. It didn't work last time, it won't work this time, and next time? There must not be a next time. The ranks of prelates must be cleansed by a flood of righteousness, and this flood must start at the very highest position in the Church of Rome.

Pope Francis Said What?

Among all the ongoing, ever-present media confusion and speculation over literally anything our Pontiff gives voice to, I was at first pleasantly surprised to recently read a couple of promising headlines from major Catholic news sites gushing excitedly: “Pope Francis Affirms Church Teaching on Traditional Marriage” and “Pope Francis Affirms That Homosexual Men Should Not Be Permitted To Enter Seminary”. There were lots of heart reactions in the comments section. 

I say I was only pleasantly surprised at first because shouldn’t it be a normal, run-of-the-mill thing for the Pope, the bishop of Rome and leader of the one, holy, Catholic and apostolic church to be acting in accordance with and voicing his approval of Catholic teaching and doctrines? The more I thought about it the more dissatisfied I felt. The fact that people are surprised and excited to see the Pope agreeing with the Church does not bode well.

In the past, popes have been firm and vocal in their support of doctrine. They have publicly spoken out, with unambiguous language, against the evils attacking the Church. They have condemned sin and lauded virtue. Why has this become unusual? Why are we now used to the Pope and other church leaders and representatives presenting a lukewarm view with no convictions, full of wishy-washy sentiments such as “born this way”, “the Church must change with the times”, etc? When did things get this bad?

I am not against Pope Francis. He is at present the leader of the Church and as such must be listened to, supported, and yes, respected. But when you respect someone you wish to see them doing what is right. If they are not doing what is right then you speak to inform them of their possible mistake.

Not many are speaking beyond the Cardinals who signed the dubia, a few scattered traditional priests, several bishops, and a small but feisty contingent of Catholic writers and bloggers. And those that do speak are often silenced. When I was in Rome I heard it whispered that everyone in the Roman Curia is afraid, and that if any of them are heard to so much as murmur anything even slightly against Pope Francis they are summoned to a private audience and often fired from their positions.

However, no matter how bad this all sounds we must remember that the Papacy was instituted by Christ Himself, and that He promised St. Peter, the first Pope, that the Church would stand strong and that “the gates of Hell will not prevail against it.” Even though the waves of Modernism are breaking hard upon the island of our faith, Catholicism will never be fully eroded. Like the rock on which it was built, the Church will forever stand strong.

The Day I Met Pope Francis

I don't really consider myself a very ambitious person, but as a Catholic coming here to Rome, the heart of the Church, I had one pretty big ambition.

I wanted to meet the Pope.

    It was a little more than just meet the Pope, actually. There is an old tradition that if you present the Holy Father with a zucchetto (the white skullcap he wears) he will either give you his, or put your one on his head and hand it back. Either way, you now have a zucchetto worn by the Pope!

This is what I wanted to do.

    First, I had to buy a zucchetto. It has to be pure white silk, definitely not polyester. I scoured the internet back home, searching New York City for a clerical shop selling such an item, but to no avail.

    I decided to wait until I was in Rome to buy it; I had found the address of the papal tailor, Gammarelli’s, on the Via di Santa Chiara not far from Piazza Venezia.

    So one day quite early in the semester (just two days after Ash Wednesday, to be exact) after morning Confession and Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, and just after class for the day was done I set out with a good amount of money and a friend to purchase a white silk zucchetto. However, it seemed that we were not meant to get even so far as across the Tiber River; the tram stopped running, we were all ordered off, and it would be a very long walk to Piazza Venezia. We decided to visit a few churches and get some gelato. I gave up my venture for that day.

    As we stood despondently in the sun, enjoying the sweet creamy gelato from del Viale, I saw something approaching us. Tram 8 was running again! We ran towards it, hopped on, and soon were at the Vittorio Emanuele. It was not difficult to get to Gammarelli's but we did make a few wrong turns thanks to my abysmal sense of direction; however, we eventually spotted the storefront with a white zucchetto gleaming softly in the centre of the window display.

I walked up to the door and entered the shop; my goodness, it was fancy! Bolts of richly coloured fabrics covered the walls, ornate chalices shone scintillatingly from shadowy corners, filigreed pectoral crosses could be seen in a glass case towards the back, a headless mannequin was vested in alb, cincture, amice, and the most beautiful chasuble I have ever seen. Priests and seminarians looked at me with raised eyebrows; I was the only woman there and the only lay person present besides the shopkeepers. As I took all of this in, an attendant materialised at my elbow and asked what I was looking for. “I would like a white zucchetto, please,” I replied hesitantly, “for the Holy Father.” The clerk did not bat an eyelid. He bowed, opened a narrow drawer, and carefully lifted out a white cap. He swathed it in delicate tissue and placed it in a heavy white silk box, and put the box into a large bag. I paid and left the shop with a quickly beating heart, a light wallet, and a quest accomplished.

    I told only two other people about what I had done. I honestly had no hopes of this even working; it is notoriously difficult to get the attention of the Pope at a Papal Audience, at which there are thousands and thousands of people in attendance every single week. The number on my ticket was 21086.

    On Wednesday the 21st of March I was at St. Peter's at around 6 am. I'd been awake since 4. I had hardly slept. I was the most excited I had ever been. I had woken up upon every hour the previous night. Did I mention I was nervous?

    It was raining at the Vatican. Perhaps the Pope wouldn't even stop the Popemobile. Perhaps he wouldn't even look at the crowds beyond a quick blessing. Perhaps the audience would be moved inside the basilica and then we wouldn't be able to even see the Pope close up at all.

    As soon as the gates opened and I got through security I sprinted and slipped across the wet cobblestones of the piazza with my umbrella flailing; security guards and Carabinieri waved their arms and yelled hoarsely at me in Italian to slow down. I did not slow down. I needed to be as close to the front and as close to the barrier as possible.

    This was going to be a problem. I was seated on the right side of the centre aisle near the back corner of the front quadrant, an auspicious place to be, but I was about 3 seats away from the barrier.

    Near to me by the barrier was a group of students from a college in England. They were there in Italy on a school trip and had brought picnic lunches of crackers and hummus. They chatted away as we waited for the audience to begin. One of the girls looked up at the faded icon of the Blessed Virgin to the right of the square above the colonnade. “Who is that now?” she mused to her equally clueless friends. “I know she’s someone important but I don’t know who she is.”

    As the rain cleared and blue skies appeared, my mood lightened and I began to look about me for a better spot. I noticed that the couple in the row behind me had barrier seats, and a lot of room too. Holding the zucchetto in my hand and giving my most winning smile, I politely asked if I might stand with them by the barrier as the Pope passed by. The man did not crack a smile. “Well actually, I'm gonna be standing there to take pictures,” he said complacently, holding up a little tourist camera. I was annoyed but quite equal to the situation. “Well, I have something for the Pope!” I retorted, and I brandished the zucchetto in his face. I don't think he even knew what it was as he appeared nonplussed and turned away without granting me a share in the barrier. “It would be in your best interests to let me stand there,” I thought sarcastically as I turned away, “providing the Pope sees me and stops you would get the best picture of your life. All your pals back home/Facebook friends would love it!”

I had heard that if you talk to a Swiss Guard they may stop the Popemobile, so I climbed over a few rows of seats and out the gate to accost the nearest guard. However, he was not much help; all he said was, “You just have to try.” Uh, duh!

    As the time for the audience drew near I stood up and stealthily moved to the row behind me, squeezing as close as possible to the front of the crowd. It was almost 9:30 and the audience was scheduled to start at 10:00.

    Suddenly there was a fanfare of trumpets and the two big screens on either side of the square zoomed in on the left hand side of the basilica, showing a parade of security surrounding a small car in which stood a figure clad head to toe in white--it was the Pope! The audience had started a full half hour early!

    The little car traveled about the piazza; wherever it went it was greeted by loud screams and cheers. I noticed that Pope Francis was stopping by every baby he saw and was picking it up for a blessing and a kiss; he did not descend from the car but the guards handed him the children.

The Gendarmerie were sprinting about trying to anticipate the Pope’s next move; one of them ran past me and then immediately turned and ran back the other way. I heard him curse as he raced by.

    Good heavens, would he even come up the centre aisle? He seemed to be sticking to the side aisles an awful lot. Trembling with excitement, I stepped up onto the chair of the man with the camera, who was now hanging over the barrier trying to see through the lens of his camera where the Pope was. I was still not close enough to the barrier. I stepped one more chair over and found my dirty boot planted squarely on camera man's wife's blue Vera Bradley handbag (very expensive). Oops. But we all have to make sacrifices.

    I leaned far out over the couple (who began muttering angrily at this impertinent theft of about 6 inches of their precious picture taking space) and planted one hand on the barrier while I clutched the zucchetto with the other hand. I was shaking so hard I could barely stand.

    And then...oh my goodness, the little car was coming our way! I leaned out farther, trying not to fall. The crowd around me started screaming; Pope Francis had his back to us and he was about to pass by. “Papa! Papa!” I shouted, but the people on both sides of the barrier were yelling and screaming, and my voice was lost in their cries. I had to be louder. “Papa! Papa!” I shrieked and waved the hat. At the very moment he was passing me the Pope turned so he was facing my side of the aisle; the Popemobile paused and he reached for a baby about two people down from me. This was my chance. As Pope Francis held the child I leaned out even farther and yelled so loud my own voice was unrecognisable to me. “PAPA!! PAPA!! UN ZUCCHETTO!” I waved the skullcap as close to his line of vision as I could, screaming again and again; tears were running down my face and I was shaking, and my voice was hoarse and unrecognisable, I was screaming so hard. “Please, please hear me, look at me, take the hat, take the hat!” I prayed frantically in my mind. I screamed again and again and as the Pope was handing the baby back to the guard he looked at me, looked at the hat I was flagging him down with, looked back at me, smiled, and started laughing, reaching his hands out in a placating manner. He reached out and gestured towards the hat, which his guard took and handed to him.

    Pope Francis held the hat in his hand and laughed! The sun beamed brightly as he chuckled. Everyone around was screaming and waving, camera man was snapping away, I was crying, my eyes were blurry...what are you supposed to do when the Pope is looking at you and smiling and laughing?

The Pope, still smiling, removed his own zucchetto, placed mine on his head for several moments, and handed it back to the guard, who in turn handed it to me. I was worried that someone would snag it off him as it was passed to me but I soon held it tightly in my hand. Pope Francis gave me a thumbs up. “Pray for me!” he called. “Si! I will! I will!” I yelled, and the Popemobile continued on its journey towards the basilica.

I tried to step down off the chair but I was shaking so much an elderly man had to take my arm and help me down. The rest of the audience was a blur. I had finally accomplished the one thing I came to Rome wanting to do.

-Gammarelli’s: Via di Santa Chiara 34-00186 Roma (near the Pantheon) -Fotografie: Servizio Fotografico Vaticano: www.photovat.com (this is where you can find and purchase pictures from Papal events. You can also have a friend with you, like I did, and they can take phenomenal pictures too!)

Leaving Rome: A New Beginning

The last week of Lent is an eventful one; there is the celebration and bustle of Palm Sunday, and then there is the solemn quietness of Holy Thursday through Holy Saturday.

At the beginning of Holy Week I had almost forgotten that our time in Rome was nearly at an end, but as the Triduum drew near I remembered it more and more with each passing day. In another week we would all be off home, or away on new adventures traveling around Europe. The togetherness we had all shared during the past weeks in the Eternal City would be gone, and while we were sure of seeing one another back at school, it would not be quite the same.

The thought of returning home is bittersweet. It is always a joy to return to the familiar things that one is used to, but on the other hand leaving Rome is something that for many of us will not be easy. What will home be like after having lived in the heart of the Church for so long? What will it be like to walk down a street without seeing a myriad of churches, or without catching a glimpse of some tantalising dome in the distance? What will it be like not to awaken early in the morning and hear Mass at St. Peter's Basilica?

Going home will be like starting afresh; you will wander about in a daze as you are reunited with your favourite old haunts. You will become aware of things that you never really noticed; the colour of that wall in the sun, the way that branch has always hung over the path. Yes, home and family will be sweet, but there will always be a slight shadow of what has been left behind.

In the joyous Easter season, as we celebrate Christ risen from the dead, we must also be joyous about returning from Rome, the city that has given us so much. After all, the time after Easter is one of rejoicing and giving thanks. I will rejoice at my return home and I will give thanks for the time here in Rome, but part of me will always look forward to another new beginning in the Eternal City.

Anyone who has had access to the internet within the last several weeks knows about the abortion debate in Ireland. On May 25th, the fate of the country will be decided: either the majority will vote no, and the 8th Amendment protecting unborn babies will stand, or the majority will vote yes, and the lives of innocent children will be thrown to the winds. The latter situation is a difficult thing for many pro lifers to face, but sadly this situation may become a reality very soon.

Like almost every other young person living in this day and age I have various forms of social media. I follow my cousins (very many) on said social media. My cousins are young people living in Ireland. Every single one of them is voting yes in the referendum.

Why? Surely they were all raised Catholic, nominally at least.  

Young people in Ireland are voting yes because Ireland is already secularized to the point where the youth take as a guide not the precepts of the Church but whatever is against those commandments. Keep holy the Sabbath Day? Kids don’t go to Mass. You shall not commit adultery? Everyone lives with their boyfriend/girlfriend before marriage. You shall not kill? Now everyone is clamoring for the “right” to kill a baby in the womb. Yes, it is a baby. My cousin is a midwife. She delivers babies. Guess what? She’s voting yes. My other cousin is a teacher who works with kids every day. Guess what? She’s voting yes.

I am writing this because I fear that soon there will be many murders of innocent children in Ireland. These children will never be able to go to school, ride a bike, or make friends. They will not be able to run races or laugh in the sun. They will not be able to hug their mothers and tell them they love them because these children will be dead. Because they will be dead they will not be able to talk. So today I am speaking for these children, because it seems that hardly any other young Irish person will do so. I cannot vote as I do not live in Ireland, but I am praying today, tomorrow, and always--no to abortion in Ireland and all over the world.

Una Vita Non e Basta: How To Get The Most Out Of Your Time In The Eternal City

     Rome is not a terribly big city, but it contains a staggering amount of history, great architecture, magnificent churches, etc. Needless to say this can be extremely overwhelming, especially if you are only there for a few days. Here is a list of things you should know about Rome, including:

Transportation

Money

Food

Places to visit

Things I wish I’d known about Rome before going



                                                                 Transportation


     The transportation system (Roma ATAC) in Rome is actually very good. They have trams, buses, and a metro system. There are taxis but I never used one of those; however, I have heard that they are not wildly expensive. You will probably be using the system a lot if you are there independently without a tour and a bus, so depending on how long you are in Rome I would recommend the 7 day unlimited ticket which is 24 euro or the month long card which is 35 euro (card is 5 euro and filling it is 30 and it is 30 for each month after that). This allows you to travel as much as you want for 7 days/30 days WITHIN the walls of Rome. If you are taking the metro to/from Fiumicino International Airport you will have to purchase a different ticket for about 8 euro. If you are taking the bus to Ciampino Airport you technically have to purchase a ticket of 1.50 but I never actually bought the ticket. The conductors do not often check tickets, especially on the buses, but if you are found without a valid ticket you could be subject to a hefty fine of up to 800 euro. Better safe than sorry; buy the ticket. Bring comfortable walking shoes! Some days the tram/bus/train drivers go on strike; however, it is a very accommodating kind of strike; they run commuter buses in the early morning and evening so people can get to and from work. They usually announce the strike on the Roma ATAC website a few days before but sometimes they are random.

                                                                        Money

     Do not carry large amounts of cash as Rome is absolutely full of pickpockets. In fact, Vatican City has the highest crime rate in the world because of the pickpocket problem. There are plenty of ATMs around Rome, and they have English language options. If you want to be extra cool, find the ATM in Vatican City where the language options include Latin! Carry your wallet in a crossbody handbag if you’re a woman; gents are advised to carry theirs in an inner coat pocket or front jeans pocket, somewhere where they can feel it in contact with their body. Crowded buses/streets/lines are the places pickpockets target the most. I personally never had a problem with someone trying to take my things but some of my friends did.

                                                                           Food

     Food in Rome is often touristy and overpriced; however, authentic Italian cuisine can be found if you know where to look. Suppli Roma (just off Piazza di San Cosimato (side note: there is a farmer’s market in San Cosimato and they have great local fresh produce!)) in Trastevere was my favourite. They have SO many types of pizza; pizza with ham, pizza with grated potatoes, plain pizza, Margherita pizza, zucchini flower pizza, anchovy pizza...and they make it right there, you see your pizza come out of the oven and onto the counter! They also sell suppli, as per the name of the shop. Suppli are not Italian, they are ROMAN. It is a fried ball, the outside breaded, the inside rice and marinara sauce with a ball of mozzarella cheese in the middle. Other places sell them too but Suppli Roma has the biggest ones for the smallest price. They are great if you want a cheap lunch on the go.
     If you are returning from a night out on the town and everywhere is closed, try Istanbul 34 right next to Stazione Trastevere (Trastevere Train Station). They sell amazing kebabs for 4 euro; one of them lasts me two meals! They also hand you falafel as soon as you walk in the door. It is a great place apart from the fact that the proprietors are Muslims from Turkey and the younger guys may flirt with you and ask you back to Turkey to be their wife even if you have a man and they know that. But hey, then they give you free food!
     The Food Factory in Trastevere also sells very cheap food; maybe it is not the best, but it is extremely affordable, so if you are strapped for cash (hello, college students) you can definitely find some fresh homemade lasagna there, a full plate for 4 euro.
     There is also a pizzeria called Carlo Menta; I never actually got to go but it’s well known that they have really good pizza and it’s affordable. A good place for dinner with friends.
     For drinking and eating, The Abbey Theatre Irish Pub is definitely the best! They have excellent Guinness and student discounts on mixed drinks. They have a thing called Taco Tuesday where you get a plate of 3 tacos for 3 euro and you can get nachos for about 4. They have dinner food like burgers and they have sides like fries, mozzarella sticks, onion rings, etc. It is the best place to go for a date or something. Getting there: take Tram 8 to Piazza Venezia and walk straight down the Corso di Vittorio Emanuele, and you will see signs telling you when to turn.
     And finally, no visit to Rome would be complete without gelato! Del Viale Gelateria is THE BEST place for gelato ever. It cannot be topped. You have the option of either a cone or a cup in varying sizes and there is a multitude of flavours to choose from. It is all homemade and the little shop is decorated inside with pictures of Audrey Hepburn. Getting there: it is just before you cross the Tiber River, just across from Piazza Belli.
     Coffee: I was not really a coffee person before Rome. Jake was even less of a coffee person. But...there’s such a vibrant coffee culture in Italy, it’s almost impossible not to be sucked into it. The Thomas More kids all frequent a small, out of the way bar (coffee shop), on the Via di Affogalasino, Bar Indian e Squaw. Cappuccinos are very cheap there and extraordinarily good, even better if you ask for a cappuccino con Bailey’s! Another good bar is the Wine Bar right near the Vatican; you exit St. Peter’s facing down the Via Conciliazione and turn right, and soon you find the Wine Bar. They have a very good selection of cornetti (pastries) there. We always went there for breakfast with our seminarians from the Pontifical North American College after Friday morning Mass in St. Peter’s.

                                                                Places to Visit 

     You can read many lists of places you must see in Rome, but in fact many of the things most worth seeing are not going to be on any of those lists and vice versa. I had always heard about the grandeur and magnificence of the Coliseum and the Roman Forum, but when I went I was rather disappointed. The Coliseum is not like what you see in the movies any more; much of the central arena is buried, and the bleachers are crumbling hills of stone. Of course, it is beautiful, but I am glad I went on a free day and didn’t have to pay the hefty entrance fee. So, go to the Coliseum but you don’t need to go in; your visions of splendour will be shattered. From the outside it is far better.
     Definitely go to the four major basilicas: St. Peter’s, St. John Lateran, Saint Mary Major, and Saint Paul Outside The Walls. St. Peter’s is obviously in Vatican City, but St. John Lateran and St. Mary Major are also part of the Vatican as they enjoy extraterritorial membership of said country.
     I really cannot say enough about St. Peter’s except to reiterate that it is the most majestic, grand, and awe-inspiring structure I have ever seen in my life. I saw it for the very first time on a freezing cold morning in January; it was raining, and the cobblestones of the piazza were wet. The colonnade stood tall and majestic around the square, and in front of us the basilica itself glowed with an unearthly, heavenly light. No matter that it was 6am and I was shaking with cold. An eternity would not be enough to take in even the beauty and intricacy of the facade alone. Inside was equally splendid, perhaps even more so than the outside due to the colourful marble, the statues, the paintings, the intricate side chapels, etc. If you want to get a visual representation of the power and stability of Catholicism, look no further than St. Peter’s Basilica. It is, to me and a few others, the most beautiful and special place in the world.
     In the area of St. John Lateran are two other places; Santa Croce in Gerusalemme and the Pontificio Santuario della Scala Santa. Santa Croce was founded by St. Helen, mother of Constantine and finder of the True Cross, which resides in Santa Croce along with the Nails, Titulus, Crown, and the finger of Doubting Thomas. The Scala Santa, or the Holy Steps, were brought from Jerusalem and set up in Rome. They are the steps up which Christ walked up to the praetorium when He was sentenced to death. It may seem tedious, but there is a pilgrimage option: climbing the steps on the knees. In fact, this is the only way you are allowed on them. I highly recommend it. Do it.
     The Musei Vaticani (Vatican Museum) is also worthwhile. There is so much beautiful art, and the Capela Sixtina is in there too. Just plan to be there VERY early (I would advise 7 am) as the lines are extremely long and crowded museums are not fun.
     Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere and the piazza (Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere) are absolutely iconic. The church is the first church in Rome dedicated to Our Lady and it dates from the 300s. The flooring is original Cosmati and the mosaics in the apse are truly legendary. The piazza is the centre of traditional Roman nightlife; surrounded by bars, a gelateria, etc., it is rarely quiet. In the middle of the square there is an enormous fountain with steps to sit on. If you are grabbing lunch from somewhere local (hint hint, Suppli Roma!) this is a great place to sit. Who knows, you may even see Dr. Connell passing through on his way home, or to San Cosimato to buy clementines, or to pick up a simple porchetta for lunch.
     If you like vintage shopping, very near Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere is a vintage shop called Twice Vintage. It’s on the Via di Francesco a Ripa and has a great selection of clothes, shoes, bags, etc. I got a great dress there, cream coloured with a pink floral pattern.
     Definitely spend some time by the Tiber River. There are many bridges and each holds a distinctive charm. The Ponte Sant’Angelo is my personal favourite. As the name suggests, it is lined with statues of angels. If you look closely, each angel is holding one of the instruments of the Passion, and on the pedestal of each statue is a Latin inscription pertaining to each instrument (e.g., the angel holding the spear has inscribed beneath him: “Vulnerasti cor meum”, which translates to “Thou hast ravished (or wounded) my heart”). I would suggest this particular bridge as a good place to meditate on the Passion while walking across, however, this is the bridge that leads directly to Castel Sant’Angelo and the Via della Conciliazione which is the broad avenue leading to St. Peter’s Basilica, and as such is swarming with pickpockets and illegal vendors who can get quite aggressive. So keep your wits about you if you do decide to pray on this bridge.
     Sant’Andrea della Valle boasts the biggest dome in Rome besides St. Peter’s. Jake and I found this quite by accident but boy oh boy, weren’t we glad we did! The ceiling is highly ornamented, the large dome and smaller secondary domes are dazzling, and towards the vestibule is a mirror tilted so that you can gaze at the majesty above you without getting a crick in your neck. They have really sweet people working there, all volunteers, who offer free audio guides. No donation is asked, but you can put a few coins in the poor box. This church is also important to music fans, as Puccini’s famous opera Tosca opens in a side chapel of this church. It’s right on the Corso di Vittorio Emanuele. Actually, any church on the Corso is worth popping into. I have yet to find a church in the city of Rome that I have been disappointed by.
     Santa Maria sopra Minerva is enormous! It was one of the first churches I visited in Rome and I was absolutely blown away. It is the only original Gothic church in Rome and it is so vast that I literally got lost in there once, only for a few minutes, but that should give you an idea of how large it is. This church holds the tombs of Fra Angelico and St. Catherine of Siena (although her head is in her hometown) among others. There is a Michelangelo up near the altar, Christ The Redeemer holding a cross. It is not usually very busy in this church either, so it is a lovely place to pray the Rosary.
     Santa Maria della Vittoria: I only was here for ten minutes one day towards the end of my stay to see my all time favourite work of art, the Ecstasy of Saint Teresa by Gian Lorenzo Bernini who is also my favourite artist ever. This sculpture is the centrepiece of the Cornaro chapel which is to the left of the main altar. It was so lifelike and so sublime and perfectly beautiful.
     Santa Maria in Cosmedin is somewhat of a tourist attraction as it is the home of the Mouth of Truth. It is also the home of something far more important; the head of St. Valentine. We got to go there on his feast day (which also happened to be Ash Wednesday) and while there was an enormous line outside, it was for the Mouth of Truth and not for the relic of Rome’s most famous martyr. I do not know much about the church but from the quick glance I took it looked to lean towards a traditional Greek Orthodox style with many beautiful icons and a partial screen before the sanctuary.
     Chiesa di San Luigi della Francesi is home to not one but three famous Caravaggios; The Calling of St. Matthew, The Inspiration of St. Matthew, and The Martyrdom of St. Matthew. Scholars over the years have debated which figure represents Matthew in the first painting; I personally have an unshakeable belief that Matthew is the figure bent over the table counting the money. That is him and that is that. Everyone else is wrong.
     The Piazza di Spagna is so beautiful! It is home to the Spanish Steps where a part of Roman Holiday was filmed and obviously it is very very popular with tourists and locals alike. It is on the most famous shopping street in Rome, the Via dei Condotti, which is home to stores such as Gucci, Dior, Dolce and Gabbana, Tiffany’s, and Burberry. If you are visiting the Spanish Steps be ready not only to climb many steps and admire the beautiful view, but also to hold your own against relentless sellers of selfie sticks and Pakistanis offering “free” roses.
     Piazza Garibaldi on the Janiculum Hill has the best view of the city and the broad wall surrounding the square is the perfect spot for a picnic with friends. After the picnic you can either walk down one side of the hill into Trastevere or down the other side into the area surrounding Vatican City. I like the Janiculum because the first time I went there I looked at the beautiful and eternal city of Rome spread in front of me, and I saw all these fantastic monuments and domes and such and I didn’t know what they all were. The last time I went to the Janiculum I looked again at Rome, and this time I had been under almost every dome and had visited almost every monument. So the Piazza Garibaldi on the Janiculum Hill is a very special place for me.
     There is a great flea market in Trastevere, the Porta Portese. You can find basically anything here, from leather jackets to antique bedpans to olive wood crucifixes. Even better, you can barter with the vendors if the price is too high for you. I once bought a good sized leather satchel for 17 euro when the vendor asked for 35!
     Every girl who visits Rome brings back a few scarves; I brought back three. It is best to buy these from street vendors rather than from in a shop as, like in the Porta Portese, you can haggle them down several euro. Altogether the three pashminas I got were around 20 euro.

                Things I Wish I’d Known About Rome Before Going
     I wish I’d known that if you don’t at least make the effort to speak Italian you will be openly mocked and laughed at by locals. I was in Suppli Roma one day ordering pizza and the pizza man gave me a piece with zucchini blossoms instead of plain cheese. I said, “Oh, can I actually have the one with cheese instead of the one with zucchini flowers? Grazie.” The woman next to me turned and said, “What? No Italian? Is it that hard for you to even learn a few words?” She then pointed her finger at me and laughed loudly in the middle of the shop. Now you do not need to learn how to speak the language fluently; just a few words are fine. But I wish I would have known that.
     I wish someone had told me that the best place to buy rosaries is in the gift shop of John Lateran! I spent 20 euro on a lovely pearl one in Santa Maria in Cosmedin on Ash Wednesday (worth it, by the way) and a few weeks later went to John Lateran and saw the same one for about 10! Wow!
     I wish someone had mentioned that if you have an old smartphone to bring it so you can get service and use maps when you inevitably get lost. Also, then you can text/use WhatsApp on the go. Useful.
     I really REALLY wish someone had mentioned the pedlars who are literally EVERYWHERE and who never stop trying to sell you things! The worst ones by far are the black gypsies; Jake and I had an unnerving first encounter in Piazza Navona where one of them gave us a load of bracelets “for free” and then demanded money for his “baby”. When we refused to give him anything he took back his stuff, cursed us out, and left to find a new victim. When you see someone coming towards you with an armful of African elephant bracelets DO NOT make eye contact and keep walking. Something I learned in Rome is that having a strong and impenetrable RBF and being rude can be acceptable at times. There are also the Pakistani vendors who go round shoving selfie sticks in front of you. No thanks, my hands work fine and there are far more beautiful things to photograph in Rome than my own face!
     I already knew this but I am putting it in anyway: bring a water bottle!!! Rome is famous for its many fountains and unlike other fountains I have tasted the water from these ones is clear and sweet and has no taste of chlorine or mustiness. It is thirst quenching and is absolutely and without question the best water I have ever tasted. Bring a nice glass bottle so your water will not get a nasty plastic savour after you carrying it about on a warm day.

     And so, I think I have said at least a fraction of what needs to be said about Rome. Then again, one can never finish speaking of this marvelous city; I have been away from there for several weeks now and I have my family bored to tears with my incessant chatter of this Rome thing and that. A visit to Rome leaves a mark on the heart that cannot be erased, and it left with me, at least, a yearning to return some day, God willing. But for now I am here and I do not know for sure when I will go back; maybe in a few months, maybe in a few years. And when I do go back, I look forward to beginning again in the Eternal City. Semper incipit!

Does The Church Need To Be Updated?

When I was in Ireland recently I had a very interesting discussion with a priest. As usual, the subject of the Traditional Mass vs. the Novus Ordo came up. Being a staunch supporter and attendee of the Tridentine Rite (and besides having just met this priest and being a guest at his residence) I kept my mouth shut and listened, but although I did not speak I did think a great deal, and here is some of what I thought. I will give a summary of the things that were said and a few of my thoughts in reply.

    It must be noted that this is not an Irish priest I was speaking to. I doubt that many of the priests here, having been beaten down by Maynooth Seminary, would harbour any absolute opinions, even if they were erroneous ones.

I will leave remarks on the Pope out of this post.

    First of all, it was said by this priest that the Church was in an apparent age of decline, and that this decline, when over, brings the Church back even stronger than ever; that since the Church has survived this long it will survive infinitely. This is the only view I could see any sense in.

    Second of all, the argument put forth was that the Church absolutely MUST change with the times; that it must update and that tradition must be abolished as the world has changed and the Church must accommodate that change with change within itself.

    Thirdly, that Confession is not an opportunity to ask God's forgiveness, but a chance to be grateful for His abounding mercy; that penance is unnecessary as God has already determined our place in Heaven or Hell, and that we cannot change that.

    Fourthly, that the “felix culpa” of Adam that brought us the Incarnation was not really a happy fault, as we are all made in the image and likeness of God and what more do we need than to look at one another; also that it is not necessary to go to church to pray to God as we can see Him in everyone and in ourselves.

    I will respond to the first and second together as they are related. One must wonder, what has kept the Church surviving for so many years? That I can tell you in one word; tradition. And it is precisely because tradition is being abolished in this world and this papacy that the Church is struggling. So we can see that the argument against tradition makes absolutely no sense and yet it is the biggest argument undermining the Church today. Also, tradition is important. Why else would it have lasted for so long?

  In response to the third point, I honestly think it is dangerous not to view Confession as a chance to apologise for our sins. Yes, God's mercy and grace are infinite and we can always depend on them being there for us, but humility is also important. We have fallen natures and it is nothing short of hubris to disregard penance and call it unnecessary. Humility is something that Jesus Himself always showed to us, and what better person to emulate than the Son of God? As to the belief that we can do nothing about our place in Heaven or Hell, this hints strongly at predestination, a distinctly Protestant notion, and eliminates the need for good works. After all, if we cannot change whether we go to Heaven or Hell there is no need to care about what we do.

    To the fourth point, the sin of Adam is indeed a happy one. Now I am not saying that it is good to sin. I am saying rather that the outcome of this sin is happy because it brought Christ, the Son of God, to  dwell with us in a human state. To say that this is unnecessary is as good as refusing the gift of the Incarnation, which is literally the greatest gift mankind has ever been given. To wave this away and instead insist that we need only look for God in ourselves is a gross kind of self sufficiency.

I make no pretense at being omniscient or anything like that, but I have enough common sense and knowledge of my faith to know when certain opinions are getting out of hand. That is all.