[caption id="attachment_69390" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Archbishop Edwin O'Brien. "]
Every morning during the 40 days of Lent many Americans studying in Rome, especially seminarians from the Pontifical North American College, will hop on a public bus early in the morning to take them to one of 40 different Catholic churches throughout the city to attend Mass.
It is called "The Station Churches Of Rome" and it was one of the greatest learning experiences of my more than four years living in the Eternal City as U.S. ambassador to the Vatican.
Both Monsignors Edwin O'Brien and Tim Dolan, the rectors of the college, were faithful participants at Mass, each and every one of the 40 days.
Both had a remarkable knowledge of the history of the church, and often shared this knowledge with my wife Kathy and I. Attending Mass in the many ancient and historic churches with them was truly an educational and religious experience for the both of us.
One day in particular will stand out for me. It was during the Lenten season. On Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, while attending Mass at Santa Sabina on the Aventine Hill, I was invited to talk with Pope John II, this following Mass and the distribution of ashes.
It was at this time when he talked about religious persecution in the world and told me about the threats to the safety of Catholics in Poland and other communist-dominated countries who wanted to attend church services.
He, of course, had grown up during the brutal era of Hitler and Stalin in his native Poland. Catholic priests were persecuted in those days of war. Some of them had even taken part in the cause of Irish freedom and independence, John Paul told me.
In turn, I shared a story with the pope which my grandmother, Ellen Collins from Cork, used to tell me about similar conditions growing up in Ireland.
Because of my close association with the Dominican Fathers while I was at Providence College I was often invited to the private and special religious events in Rome organized by the Friars.
Pope John Paul also was educated by the Dominican Fathers, so he felt close to them and attended some of these events as well. Santa Sabina is the headquarters of the Master General of the Order of Preachers (the Dominicans). Many of the young priests and seminarians we would attend Mass with and often share a coffee with after Mass, were to become future leaders of the Catholic Church in America.
Two of those men who I became good friends with and who I so much admired, have just been chosen by Pope Benedict XVI to become princes of the church and receive their red hats at a ceremony on February 18 at the Vatican.
I refer, of course, to the aforementioned archbishops, and soon to be cardinals, Edwin O'Brian and Tim Dolan.
Both men have strong ties to New York City and also take pride in their Irish roots.
Yes, it will be a special day for American Irish Catholics on February 18 in Rome. All Americans should be proud of these outstanding priests. We certainly are. Kathy and I hope to be there.
And for the record, the only dispute between us over the years has been about who was a better ball player, Stan Musial, Joe Di Maggio, or Ted Williams.
I don't think even Pope Benedict will want to get involved in that one.
