The second of many.

Dear Reader,

So what do I write after being in Italy (specifically Rome) for the last two years? Well, being a monk in a predominately polish order I do tend to miss out on a lot of Italian culture.  I mean that in a nice way as ex-pats , always tend to hold on to a little bit of home in one way or a another, but my brothers in the community are a little paranoid and I think they all have the hope to return back to Poland, as do I to my country but I guess at the end of the day I am here to do and finish my seminary, so I guess they are a little wrapped up in nationalism rather than patriotism. The Italians in my parish love the priest in so far as they are priest and monk, but when the fathers start on about blessed JP II and the ‘old country’, well let’s just say many eyes role, including mine. I guess what I am saying is these people do not adapt well with a change of location. But enough of my soap box attitude, as I should save that for liberal minded Catholics and atheists.

So I guess it would be nice to talk about what I am doing as I said I would in the last post. I am currently studying at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome. As of this moment I am sitting My Exams in my last year of Philosophy and am waiting to Begin Theology.  I am looking forward to continuing my studies either here or at any other institutions here in Rome, but the Angelicum is a good place for studies. The university is run and staffed by the Order of Preachers and this can cause a little confusion for the professors as the Habit of our order is VERY similar to that of the Dominicans, but I will talk about these things in the future post.
But, back to the topic at hand. If you have not gathered already, I am an Australian and Well, it (Italy) is a great change from Australia as my country has nothing to compare with in Europe, apart from the natural beauty. I think the only three countries that could come close are Ireland, Austria and Norway.

I had many ups and downs coming here, the language being a number one  problem, and then trying to juggle study with monastic life is another problem, that being the finding of time to actually get my notes and studies in order.

I did find a hard time adjusting to the Life style and pace of Rome, the Traffic being quiet perilous for a “Straniero” but You need to treat the traffic like an Italian approaches life, don’t care, and just hold your head high and cross and hope for the best.

I just finished watching the UEFA Match in Poznan, Croatia Vs Ireland and it did not go well for Ireland. So I think I will draw this Log to a close.

Please feel free to Ask me Questions and stuff such as this. it will help to stimulate the Log and 


Please do Share it with EVERYONE.


I plan on posting some Photos and visiting the Traditional Latin Mass Parish in the Next week so do stay tuned.





Vale Amicus, Till next time

Primum amplius

Dear Reader,

When a story is told,  it's usually about a magnificent tale of heroics, an adventure about the coming of age and the lessons that are learnt in life, or sometimes it is just a simple anecdote to share with others. Often, it is hard to find a start to your story, when you miss that little bit of inspiration. Well, I guess that as I am keeping a Log/story of my own, I suppose it is best to start at the beginning.

Alas, for the last two years that I have been here, although fun and with many great moments, I suppose I can sum them all up in the next post. But just as a heads up, I am leaving the eternal city for my vacation back home among the gum trees in a little more than twenty days, so, although I will endeavour to keep you up to date with my sojourn in Caput Mundi , you will have a few posts from the Land Down Under. But as of the 12^th of September 2012, I shall return to the place where all roads lead to.

So I guess that's really it for now.

In the mean time, I leave you with some of my favourite quotes:

"Dear brothers and sisters, after the great Pope John Paul II, the cardinals have elected me - a simple, humble worker in the vineyard of the Lord."

~ Pope Benedict XVI

"If you pray you are sure of saving your soul. 

If you do not pray you are just as sure to lose your soul."

~ St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori 

"Salvation and justice are not to be found in revolution, but in evolution through concord. Violence has ever achieved only destruction, not construction; the kindling of passions, not their pacification; the accumulation of hate and destruction, not the reconciliation of the contending parties; and it has reduced men and parties to the difficult task of building slowly after sad experience on the ruins of discord."

~  Venerable Pope Pius XII

"The way to Heaven is strait and narrow: they who wish to arrive at that place of bliss by walking in the paths of pleasure shall be disappointed; and therefore few reach it, because few are willing to use violence to themselves in resisting temptations."

~ St. Alphonsus Liguori

"When in doubt, set it on fire." `

~ Tobuscus

Vale Amicus, Till next time.