One of the most difficult things about being back home is trying to describe to people my experience in Rome. And I think there are a couple of reasons for that. The first is that there was just so much that happened that I could easily talk to them for hours about it and not even come close to summarizing everything. Secondly, I know for a fact that I am not even close to understanding all that happened in Rome and the way that it affected me. Many of the things I learned and received won't really be put into use until I'm back at seminary, I'm in theology, or I'm a priest. So I won't see all of those fruits for a while. And lastly, it has been hard because a lot of people ask about experiences, like what it was like when Pope Francis was elected, what my different travels were like, and some of my favorite places in Rome. And while those are all great questions, and I enjoy talking about them, they are not what I am really thinking about as I reflect on the semester. And let me explain what I mean by that.
When I think of my time in Rome, I would say the word that comes to mind most is "Encounter." And there are three different encounters I want to focus on. The first encounter is with the people I met in Rome. I met quite a few people while in Rome, from an awesome seminarian from Germany to families from New York, from a Bolivian sister to multiple Cardinals. Most notably, however, I encountered 33 other people, namely my fellow Bernardians (the people from my house). And to put it simply, living in that community was probably one of the best parts of my time in Rome. Living with so many incredible men and women was such a gift, and I could not imagine the semester without any single person not being there. Living in community brought so many graces and new friendships, and through the witness of every other person in the Bernardi house, I was able to grow in holiness and knowledge of my own vocation. While the semester was great, if I was by myself, it would not have been nearly as good as it was. Whether it was walking an hour to station churches in the morning, going out for a meal, waiting in ridiculous Italian lines for Papal Masses, or just hanging out at Bernardi, it was so great to be able to spend quality time with the holy men and women that I lived with. They are all incredible people and I cannot wait to see where the Lord leads each of them in their lives. But encountering them, each of them individually, was such a gift. It was so cool to see how the Lord worked in their lives during the semester and to learn how to pour myself out for them. Living in the community has been one of the best examples for me of true Christian love, and I can truly say that I am a better man because of the people that I lived with during the semester.
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| Bernardi Spring 2013 |
Secondly, I encountered the Church. Living in Rome, the heart of the Catholic Church, it is hard not to come away with a deeper appreciation for the Church. But I did not leave with just a deeper appreciation. It is not like I just think "Man, while I thought the Catholic Church was cool, now I think it is super cool." It is not like that at all. What I mean when I say I encountered the Church is that I encountered the most beautiful thing on this Earth. I encountered what I will give my life to as a priest. I encountered the Catholic Church, with all of Her wisdom, tradition, history, and goodness. And I just love Her. She is the home of the saints. She is the refuge of sinners here on this Earth, fighting for their salvation. She is the hope of all persecuted. She is the font of grace for the world. She is my home, and most importantly, She is my Bride. Words cannot describe the excitement and joy within my heart as I think about giving my life to the Catholic Church as a priest. So encountering the Church, both the Church Militant, those on this Earth, like you and me, fighting for their salvation every day, and the Church Triumphant, the saints who have won the race and rejoice in Heaven eternally, was just amazing. The Catholic Church is so beautiful, and it is truly a grace to have encountered Her in such a profound way in Rome.
Lastly, but most importantly, I encountered the person of Jesus Christ. Before the semester, one of the seminarians said that the only reason that we should be excited about going to Rome was because Jesus was there. We weren't going for the beautiful art, the tasty wine and pasta, or just to travel Europe. We were going to encounter the person of Christ, and that is what I did in Rome. Through prayer, the sacraments, the people around me, and through the Church, I encountered Christ. And He continued to work so as to conform my heart to His. Because that is what a priest is called to be. A priest is a man who is conformed to Christ Crucified, so that he can pour himself out completely and be a vessel of Christ's love for the world. And to act in the person of Christ, you have to know Him first. So by encountering the Lord, He will further mold me into His image, so that I can be an effective minister of the mysteries of salvation for the people of God.
So my Rome experience was all about Encounters. Encountering people, encountering the Church, and encountering the Lord. God truly blessed me with an amazing semester abroad and I am excited to be able to share these graces, these encounters with all of the people here back home. God has been so good, and I cannot even begin to express to Him the gratitude for the many graces He has bestowed upon me. So it is here that I will begin conclude my blog. While some people have requested that I continue posting, I do not think that it would be appropriate, or very prudent, for me to maintain something like this during this stage in my formation. So that means that I only have a captive audience for a few more sentences, so I better make this good. First off, thank you for reading and following this. A blog wouldn't really be much if it wasn't for the readers. Whether you followed from the beginning, or you hopped on somewhere during the ride, it has been a joy sharing my experiences from Rome with all of you. Thank you for putting up with some of my riduclousness, and hopefully nothing I said offended anybody too much. I hope that I was able to provide some sort of entertainment, joy, and brightness to your life through my writings. But more importantly, I hope that the Lord was able use some of my simple reflections and thoughts on life to move some hearts closer to His. So again, thank you so much for all of your support, especially in the form of prayer. Please continue to pray for me as I pursue the priesthood (I need all the help I can get!) and know of my continued prayers for all of you. May God Bless all of you, and it has been a joy sharing this experience with all of you. Thanks.
In Christ,
Jim Olofson
Sts. Peter and Paul - Pray for Us!
Our Lady of Guadalupe - Pray for Us!
Well said Jim....well said. Proud to call you my nephew.
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