Synod opens today

Today the Church opens the Synod of Bishops in Rome to discuss the Word of God. It's been a topic we've been trying to get the Synod to do for several years now, and finally it's fulfilled. Right now as I write, the Mass of the opening is being celebrated by the Pope in the Basilica of St. Paul outside the Walls. The theme is going to be the pastoral aspect of the Bible apostolate, more than on the academic aspect.

Today is also the memorial of St. Faustina. The sisters at our monastery are celebrating it as their feastday. They consider Faustina as their second foundress of their congregation because it was dying out until Faustina gave it a boost in the 1930s.

Slept through the whole afternoon and evening yesterday as I was terribly tired. Was out in the airport at 2am to pick up Sr Maria Jiang and Fr Paul Sun and sent them to the convent of Mater Misericordia up on the Mt. of Olives next to Bethpage, where they will be staying for the next year while they study at my school. Thanks to your generous donations, they both now have an opportunity to experience the Word of God in the Holyland.

The Pope right now is explaining the readings of the Mass about the Lord's vineyard. He says if the tenants begin to claim authority over the vineyard; claiming to be the owners, they bring about more destruction than good. But not withstanding this, the vine continues to bear fruit despite what they have done. This is the good news.