Paul Daneo writes on 11/24/1720 : “Unworthy though I am, I engaged in prayer. I had no special uplifting, but I remained at it in habitual interior peace, that is to say, with pure loving attentiveness to God in general, infused in the soul. After that, although unworthy, I received holy Communion and remained recollected for some time, and then that ended too.”
Orlando’s reaction: “ Unworthy though I am”, I engaged in prayer with my loving wife (Wow, am I finding her so beautiful!), such a loving daughter of God. We share our faith and spiritual struggles, also our metaphors, trying to explain the mystery of God as we share our ideas and feelings regarding the diary entries by Paolo Daneo. It is wonderful. Thank You Prince of Peace, for helping us live our peace together. I feel like we’re family! The “Three” of us. Help us to see humanity, all of it, as part of that family. I did not get to do much more prayer that day. I had to send emails to different people regarding my duties in the Knights of Columbus and my Zoom prayer group. It took me forever. I don’t like doing stuff like this. Anything that deals with technology is hard for me, but I know it is for your glory, Lord.
Berta’s reaction: I haven’t had the greatest prayer life lately. I either don’t get into it, do it fast, or complain about doing it and not getting much out of it. There’s no inner “consolation”. There’s no satisfaction. I’m dry and alone, even though I know You are with me and at my side. I don’t give You time and yet I expect You to protect me, love me, save me, be with me, heal me, comfort me, and never leave my side! How selfish is that? I’m hoping that during these next few weeks I will develop some type of relationship with You, my Jesus, that is not so one-sided. Love is sacrifice! I see it when I look up on Your Cross! I see it when I do the Stations of the Cross. I see it when I think of Mary, a child of 16 or less who said “Yes”! I do love You, my God! May my time with You be a loving one from my side too. May one day joy come from this “love sacrifice” that we’re embarking on!
Paul Danei writes on his first retreat day: “Saturday 23 November,1720 which was the first day of my retreat at St. Charles; unworthy though I am, I received Holy Communion. I was not especially recollected neither was I distracted. For the rest of the day I was interiorly afflicted with a peculiar kind of depression, but not like that which comes from worldly troubles. It is a certain interior suffering in mind and heart, mingled with hidden temptations which are recognized with difficulty and which therefore greatly trouble the soul. One does not know where one is, so to speak, whether here or there, the more so because at such a time there is no sensible sign of prayer. God makes me understand that these temptations purify the soul. I know that, by the mercy of our dear God, I desire to know nothing else nor to taste any consolation; my sole desire is to be crucified with Jesus.”
Orlando’s reaction:A very dreary day. The cable news interfere with my efforts at prayer. Donald Trump and the Republicans refuse to concede the election. It seems as if our country is on hold, or walking on a treadmill. The future feels so uncertain. The number of COVID cases are increasing every day and thousands of people are dying. I feel like Paolo Daneo on his first day of retreat— unhappy, tempted to anger, not sure of what is real. But my focus is on Jesus. I forgive, I accept, I love that multitude of fellow Americans on either side of this unbreachable chasm.. My Lord, Our Lord, writhes upon the Cross while His heart burns with love for them and for me. Out of respect for Him, my Living God… I will love everyone, even the ones I disagree with. Thank you Lord, for the minutes that I spent reading and praying with the woman I love. Please heal her. Please hold us close together (“the three” of us) during these coming 40 days!
Berta’s reaction: God as family.Dear Jesus, when and how will I find peace through prayer? I was thinking that one way I find a bit of joy and peace is when something happens so that I’m inspired to say “Thank You” to You my God! It could be the smallest of things: like contemplating a bird feeder full of birds, feeling a soft breeze, sitting in the porch quietly in the morning with Orlando, spending time with friends and family (even if social-distancing), walking on a beach or in a park close to nature. All those things have inspired me to call out “Thank You, my God! I love You!”Orlando mentioned that sometimes he sees You as family, sitting with You, quietly talking as friends, putting his head on Your chest and basking in the peace and love that comes from doing that. I know deep in my heart that You, my God, are my family, but it’s hard for me, because I adore You as someone that I should look up to, and someone to reach for! I see You as my Savior and Creator. Are You then also family to me? Help me be close to You! Help me to find peace and joy in You! Let me always see the Truth through Your eyes. Let me be open to Your loving embrace as a Father, a Brother, a Friend and Advisor, Savior and Guide. Thank You my Triune God! I love You and know that You want the best for me. Teach me to use the gifts You give me! Thank You!
By Orlando Hernández Three hundred years ago, on November 22,1720, 26-year old Paolo Daneo (now venerated as the great St. Paul of the Cross), reclused himself for forty days and nights in a small room attached to St. Charles (San Carlo) Church in Castellazzo, Northern Italy. This retreat was facilitated by his mentor, Bishop Francis Gattinara, in order for Paolo to discern his vocation, under the inspiration of God.
Paolo worked there, cleaning the church and assisting the priest, but mostly, he prayed and prayed. He wrote in his diary every day. During those forty days of silence, solitude, and fasting he experienced cold, hunger, physical discomforts, temptations, and loneliness, but especially, his soul intensely felt the desolations, pains, and sufferings of Our Lord Jesus during His Passion. Most importantly, through the power of Our Lord, Paolo also experienced great consolations, joys, and unexplainable mystical experiences of close contact with Our Living Loving God. Finally he was infused by the great inspiration of the Holy Spirit, which led him to write the Rule (the blueprint) for the establishment of a new religious order.
This congregation he named initially “The Poor of Jesus,” but was later to be called The Congregation of the Passion. To think that the birth of the Passionist Order took place in this dark, cold place 300 years ago! Passionists all over the world, with whom my wife Berta and I are lay Associates, will be celebrating a Year of Jubilee in joyful remembrance of this event, beginning on November 22, 2020 and ending a year and forty days later on January 1, 2022.
I am sure that throughout this year Fr. Victor Hoagland will instruct us on the details of this Jubilee, and on the wonderful aspects of St. Paul’s life and spirituality. Many reunions and celebrations were planned all over the world, especially in Italy. It is sad to realize that most of these plans have been upset due to the Corona-Virus Pandemic. We will have to observe this Jubilee Year under conditions of “lock-down”, “stay-at-home”, “or quarantine”, in a strange solidarity with San Paolo himself, as he spent those days in a desert of isolation and prayer. We will be in a sort of retreat while our world continues to be crucified by this terrible disease. Will it still feel like a jubilant celebration? Of course! Every time we move in the Presence of Our Living God, especially during His Passion, the infinite joy of Resurrection is just ahead!
Berta and I had hoped to be part of these wonderful events, even go to Italy and pray joyfully at the places where St. Paolo lived and worked: Castellazo, Mount Argentario, Rome. This Pandemic has left the two of us dismayed, frustrated, and confused. How could we commemorate this wonderful Saint, and his Congregation, the Passionist teachers, mentors, and friends to whom we owe so much?
Suddenly an idea presented itself to us; since we are mostly confined to our home, why not go on a forty day “retreat”at home, in honor of St. Paul of the Cross? It would be a kind of Lenten experience (Fr. Victor calls it a “desert”), with fasting, prayer, silence. Each day we begin by praying together, my wife Berta and I, and sharing the readings for the daily Mass and meditating on them out loud. Then we read to each other our journal entries from the day before. Again we react, reflect, share, encourage or console each other. Then we read from St. Paolo’s journal entry for the same day, which we found in the book, Words From the Heart, Selected Writings From St. Paul of the Cross. Each day we find that we grow closer to this young holy man. His short entries are powerful expressions of prayer and emotion which teach and inspire us.
These entries explore the heart of what it means to be a Christian, and take us to the very Center of Gravity which is the Passion of Our Lord. Once more we are led to share our reactions to the reading. We then go off by ourselves and write in our journals followed by our own private time with Our Lord.
We try to go to Mass every day, since the Eucharist was so central to the experiences of young Paolo. The rest of the day is spent in a quiet way, facing whatever comes, going for walks if weather permits, reaching out to people on the phone, or participating in Zoom prayer events with folks we love. As for the fasting, we eat only two smallish meals a day. It is a wonderful surprise to see how much closer together this experience has brought us. We reminisce together, even about painful things, we cry together, we console each other, we help each other in moments of dryness and despair, we rejoice together. We sense the Presence of Jesus, our Teacher and Guide always with us.
Fr. Victor asked us to share the diary of St. Paul of the Cross, along with our journal entries, with the readers of The Victor’s Place . On November 23rd, the day of St. Paul’s first diary writing, Fr. Victor will post our first entry. We hope it will touch your hearts with the love of Our God, especially the words of St. Paul of the Cross.
Why do I find listening to Pope Francis so fitting today? Here are some snippets from “Fratelli Tutti,” his extended reflection on the parable of the Good Samaritan. Not only are individuals called to love their neighbor. Nations and politicians are too.
We’re facing a pandemic, but we’re not working together to deal with this common threat to humanity. “ For all our hyper-connectivity, we witness a fragmentation that made it more difficult to resolve problems that affect us all.” We facing a changed world, and all the nations of the world need to work together, as neighbors, not as individuals. Not grudgingly, but dreaming together.
Here are the pope’s comments on politics today. “Today, in many countries, hyperbole, extremism and polarization have become political tools. Employing a strategy of ridicule, suspicion and relentless criticism, in a variety of ways one denies the right of others to exist or to have an opinion. Their share of the truth and their values are rejected and, as a result, the life of society is impoverished and subjected to the hubris of the powerful. Political life no longer has to do with healthy debates about long-term plans to improve people’s lives and to advance the common good, but only with slick marketing techniques primarily aimed at discrediting others. In this craven exchange of charges and counter-charges, debate degenerates into a permanent state of disagreement and confrontation.”
The politicians, the media, Facebook, etc… are blaring away. Why can’t we ” dream, then, as a single human family, as fellow travelers sharing the same flesh, as children of the same earth which is our common home, each of us bringing the richness of his or her beliefs and convictions, each of us with his or her own voice, brothers and sisters all.”
True? Seem to me it is. “Love your neighbor as yourself,” Jesus tells us in today’s gospel..
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