Outdoor Dinner at the Forno Pizza Oven

In The Footsteps of Thomas Aquinas

Rocca Secca, Castle Belonging to Aquinas' Family

Fossanova, Cistercian Church where Aquinas dies

Assisi

Assisi is absolutely magical.  It is small and quaint, restful, and pleasant to all five senses.  The gentle spirit of Francis permeates the town, and the poverty of Clare shines brightly through the region.

Best Day Ever

   Yesterday, our family had the day off.  We spent many hours at the pool.  The other families here joined us, and oh, what fun it was!  The philosophers among us talked philosophy.  The theologians in the group talked theology.  UD faculty all together is SO MUCH FUN.
    I came away from the conversation ready to write my next article: an evaluation of Aquinas' argument for God's existence based on contingency.  I'd like to show that it is a strong argument, and then explain what a person would need to accept in today's intellectual climate in order to find the argument persuasive.
    The faculty at the pool were saying that they have the hardest time teaching Aquinas' arguments for God's existence.  They do not completely understand the arguments, and they do not know what to do with some of the antiquated physics--does that nullify the arguments, rendering them worthless?  I have responses to those questions.  The faculty were indicating that a guide to such material would be helpful.  A worthy undertaking!  Since that was the topic of my dissertation, I am ready to get to work.
      Then we had a big dinner at the forno--the outdoor kitchen.  Ron fired up the grill and created burning logs that generate heat with which to cook the pizzas.  This takes an hour.  Then he places the burning logs/coals in the pizza oven, and we cook the pizzas one at at time.  We had a HUGE spread of grilled meats, antipasti, drinks, bruschetta, cheeses, olives, tartufo. . .  you name it.  Oh, to have a feat like that lasting so many hours--that's living.
     The families left last night, marveling at how Ron throws a party.  He is the forno king.  He does it like no one any of us has ever seen--all that food, all that pizza, all those spectacular toppings. . . he works so hard to make the fire, to make the whole thing work.  But he knows the work is well worth it.  He's got that rare "I see that this is worth it" plus the even rarer "I know I can pull it off even though it's hard" qualities.  He is the party man.
   What a wonderful summer day!

Ongoing Reflections on the Human Person

    In my course, we are finishing Augustine, having looked at the will of the human person.  His analysis of what strengthens the will versus what weakens the will is, to my mind, extremely thought provoking.
    We are starting Thomas Aquinas, and looking at his argument for the subsistent soul.  I am curious whether that can be refashioned into a compelling argument for the 21st century.
    We'll then do Descartes--the birth of the "self" and subjectivity, and the turn toward the ego.
    Then Hume: the self is just a "bundle" of perceptions, he says.  It's not a lasting, persisting substance.  Really?  Yes, he says, if all of reality is only that which can be perceived.  Empiricism dissolves the enduring self.
    Then Kant: the Copernican Revolution--phenomena being the result of a conformity to our mode of apprehending reality, rather than our intellects conforming to reality as it really is.  The loss of the thing in itself, the self included.
    Then Nietzsche: The "I" is really a construct of morality.  Societies need to be able to punish and admonish people.  The "I" is simply a construct of the series of phenomena that we can deem "an entity," "an enduring substance."
    If it were an upper level class, I'd want to get into Heidegger and post-modernism.  I've been reading a bit on that recently.
    Then we treat modern natural science: we are a bundle of atoms, sub-atomic particles.  We are nothing but that which is physical and measurable.  Can that really be so?
     I present about five arguments against that position.  I would like to find about 10 more, and publish them altogether.
     Personalism: the inner self, the mystery and dignity of the human person.  The philosophical underpinning of human rights.  The Catholic intellectual tradition trying to spare us another holocaust.
   

Jacob

    This past year, Jacob has made friends with all sorts of students at Cistercian.  He has gotten to know a few of the students who come from backgrounds very different from Jacob's--particularly in being not very religious or not very educated.
    Last night, Jacob sat down next to me and, with a sentimental look on his face said, "I think I am the luckiest person in the world."
    "What do you mean?"  I asked.
    "I am just so grateful.  I cannot believe that I have gotten to live the life I have so far.  As I have gotten to know so many people in my class, I am realizing that not all families are like ours.  Not all parents know much about faith.  Not all parents take the time to educate their children, both in matters of theology as well as in other areas.  I am so, so lucky."
    We talked about all that he was thinking about, all that was on his mind.  He talked on and on for about two hours.
    At the end of the conversation, we recounted our time living in Louisiana, then our move to Virginia, then our move to Texas.  Each of them, he said, gave his something wonderful.  Then, he spoke about homeschooling, and how the last two years (his 5th and 6th grades) were so significant in his development.  Then, his adjustment to Cistercian has been so strong and good for him.  At the end he said, "It's just been PERFECT."
    Oh, how I wish I could just freeze time.  I know life will bring him bigger challenges.  I know, no matter how hard I try, that he will not always feel like his upbringing was "perfect."
    Lord, please sanctify my efforts, and build up his life and heart so that he can be all You desire him to be!

Teaching Philosophy of the Human Person

   In my class here this summer, Philosophy of the Human Person, we are asking: How do we give a description of the dignity of the human person, an account that would show clearly what's wrong with genocide and other impingement of human rights?  Why are we a species that destroys itself?  Why do we kill each other en masse?  The Orlando shooting brings this immediately to the fore: why do we hurt our own selves?
    Some answer this question theologically: we are special because we are made in the image of God.  We are His special creation.  I completely agree with that view.
     But this does not speak to atheists or people of other faiths.  How do you convince all people to stop the torture?  Philosophers have the chance to speak to all people, all rational creatures.
    John Paul II said that in his spare time, he worked on the metaphysics of the human person, in order to combat the fascist and communist regimes.  He really believed that philosophy was more powerful than weapons and warfare.
    Let us do our job well!
    It is such a relevant question: how DO you explain the dignity of the human person?

Holy Doors for the Jubilee of Mercy

Here is the sign by the holy doors at the entrance of the basilica: walking through the doors during this jubilee year is a special action which is the occasion of God's MERCY on that person.  What an amazing event for me, getting to walk through the doors!

What a delight to have our own Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, yards away from the tomb of St. Peter! Here is Jacob serving--I was afraid he was going to faint!  It was a small chapel that had poor ventilation.

Here is Clare, after we walked through the doors.

Here are Jacob and I after our morning at St. Peter's.  

salve regina

     I am sitting in the hallway, and I can hear my four older children singing "Salve Regina" in their dorm rooms down the hall.  They have taken to saying night prayer together after our family Rosary or decade.  

    It is just amazing when your children do something you did not tell them to do.  I taught them the Salve Regina years ago in homeschool.  And here they are, singing it at the end of their night prayers. 

    Praise God!    

    Lesson: They eat up all you offer them.  If you give them your time, and help them learn something beautiful, they will want to keep it alive.  Time spent on motherhood is a valuable investment!!  It comes back to bless you!!

Leah's Birthday

Happy Birthday, Leah!
    Leah is an extra-ordinary woman.  She is giving her life to help those in need, to reform our economy, and end racism.  She galvanizes those who care about making this a better world and enables them to support social movements.  Here is a link to her organization:
       http://www.solidairenetwork.org
     She is humble, kind, sincere and adorable.  What an honor to have you as my sister!!!
Here are some memories--lots of love to you!

Highlights

    We have several highlights of our trip so far:
1) Sebastian seems finally to be getting comfortable.  He is enjoying running on the soccer field and playing on the playground.  He has made friends with the Rome campus cooks, Nino and Nuncha, which of course makes meal time smoother!
2) Ron and I are loving our classes.  Wonderful students!  What a delight!
3) We are enjoying being with the Glicksmans, friends from Irving and whom we've missed since they've come to Rome as regular faculty.  What a family!  We are also delighted to get to know the Miruses--amazing!  the Hatlies are always favorites, too--what a joy to see them again!
4) The children of all these families gather on the soccer field and play Ring Around The Rosie, Pop Up and, of course, soccer.  It is a delight to see them relish in the fun.  

Journey

From Dallas. .  .

. . . to Rome!

It is so small thing getting our whole family over here!
     We offered a 5 euro prize for the daughter or son who displayed the "best attitude" during the traveling.  Clare and Mary tied, both offering countless times to take the baby, carry my bags, walk Annie to the bathroom, etc.  They also both smiled and handled fatigue and so little sleep like champs.  We are so grateful to them both!  But as you can imagine, Jacob and Leigh were not exactly terrors--what sweet, cooperative children.  Even Annie was amazing.  They each handled their challenges with poise.  Thank you, Lord, for this family!