Wednesday, December 14, 2011

A story remembered

     Let me tell you a little story.  Over Pentecost weekend back in 1975, a group of us from the Pittsburgh area joined ten thousand others in Rome for the International Catholic Charismatic Conference during the Holy Year.  It was a wonderful experience (my first time in Rome) that I shared with my sister and friends from Irwin where I was an Assistant.  Two of those people were Bob and Louise Stecik.

     During our tour of Saint Peter's Basilica, as we were leaving the famous bronze statue of Saint Peter on the right side about mid way up the center aisle, we were separated.  Louise, a small lady in stature, unfortunately got caught up in the maneuvering of a large group of little, Italian nuns, who were moving toward the statue, arms linked, with great determination and focus.  Swept along with them, she cried out for help, for she was going with the flow of traffic.  It took Father (later Archabbot) Leopold Krul, myself and another larger guy to "come to the rescue" and save Louise.  I never forgot the experience, and I use the story to warn Rome travellers of the determination of Italian Religious Sisters.

     I mention this today because Louise was buried this morning in her home parish of Immaculate Conception in Irwin (her husband, Bob, died a number of years ago).  I had planned on concelebrating until my digestive system acted up, but I keep her and her family in prayer.  She was a good lady.  May she rest in peace.

************************

     Today is also the feast of Saint John of the Cross, who together with Teresa of Avila reformed the Carmelite Order in the mid 1,500's.  He was misunderstood, hated, and mistreated, even by his own friars.  He was intense in his love of Christ.  He was a poet, and is considered by many to be one of the great poets of the Spanish language.  His images are beautiful, and his language is that of passionate love.  I share a quote from his writings:

"Take God for your spouse and friend
and walk with him continually,
and you will not sin
and will learn love,
and the things you must do
will work out prosperously for you."

No comments:

Post a Comment