Fr. David Versus the Volcano

It has been a while since I have had the opportunity to sit still and update this blog. Classes have been very good and we have been covering topics such as St. Paul of Tarsus, Women Doctors in the Church, Moral Theology and ethics as well as studying the art, architecture and theology of the major basilicas of St. Peter, St. Paul outside the wall, St. John Lateran and St. Mary Major.

(Left: Coronation of Mary at St. Paul's Basilica)

(Right: Mary's Coronation at Saint Mary Major)

St. Paul's Basilica

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to take a break and travel to the island of Sicily with one of the priests that is participating in the Institute with me. Since we arrived in Catania, we were staring straight up at Mount Etna. Click here for the Mt. Etna description.

Fr. John Giel, who is the Vicar General from Orlando, and I rented a car and drove up the mountain. On the way up we were joking about how great it would be if there were a gondola ride over the volcano. As we pulled into the parking area we looked up to see gondolas moving higher up the mountain. It was a sign!


After a long gondola ride and another ride in a special four wheeled drive bus...










we were dropped off at about 10,000 feet elevation at the base of a smoking crater.

Smoking Crater

Crater at Mt. Etna

The guide led us around one of the smaller craters and we were able to see views of Sicily on every side. The wind was pretty intense and the large crater above was releasing sulfur and other gases. Check out this video of us walking around the top of the crater! 

It was an amazing experience to get that close to an active volcano. What was even more fascinating to me was the hundreds of thousands of people who live all around the volcano. They either have great faith or they have just tuned out the fact that they are living on the edge of oblivion every day.

It helped me to realize that we all do the same thing. Every day life is so precious and fragile, but we rarely take notice. We have been living this way for so long that it doesn't even seem strange to us. We may not be on an active volcano, but our whole world can be shaken in an instant. If we lived with the constant realization that each moment could be our last, would we treasure the gifts we have received more? Would we be more generous and kind?

Peace and Goodness,

Father David