I have arrived in Rome and will be staying in a small friary for a spell. Tomorrow I am to become a student at the "Torre di Babele," which seems like a very inauspicious name for a language school. They have placed me in the 'level 3' class. Depending on whom you ask, there are either seven or eleven levels. Such mysteries, the suggestion of secret levels, and name of the place make me wary of masonic influence. Perhaps the Holy Spirit will soon provide me with a worthy confessor willing to discuss such things.
The guardian of the friary is an Indonesian friar of Dutch ethnicity and seems very kind. Arriving in my room I found that he had left me a note of welcome in English. I just have to share a little of it:
During the summer the following time-table applies:
6:15 Morning prayer-time for prayer (Matins, Meditation, Private Mass)
7:30 Eucharistic concelebration in the choir of the Capuchin Sisters
8.00 Breakfast
12.45 Lunch
19.30 Vespers
19.45 Dinner
22.00 Silence and happy dreams
"Happy dreams." As Holden Caulfield would say, that knocks me out.
Also, I shall have to use the "time for prayer" in the morning for meditation, since I wouldn't pray a private Mass when I had the opportunity to pray with the sisters, and I can't say Matins because my set of 1962 Roman-Seraphic breviaries was one of the hard sacrifices I made when I was packing up for my move to Italy.
No time for Lauds there, or is that assumed to be part of the Meditation/Private Mass time?
ReplyDeleteI presume that it means Lauds/Morning Prayer and then the other time. But we'll see tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteGood to see you!
Congratulations!!! Glad to see you are an admirer of Holden.
ReplyDeleteI like the "happy dreams" part of your schedule! I hope you find the time there especially inspiring.
ReplyDelete