5th Sunday of Easter

Yesterday early morning, I think Fr. Niccacci was sick because he was awake the whole night ... how do I know? He was dragging furniture in his room at 2.30am and again at 4am. And his room is next to mine. Well it seems some of us were indeed sick ... diarrhea. Fr Pazzini thinks it's the Gorgonzola (Israeli version)  that was served for dinner. Anyway even without the Gorgonzola, my diarrhea is into its 2nd week. Not that it's as severe as last week. But it's bothersome when you have to work.

As I was already awakened by dragging furniture, I couldn't fall back to sleep, so I decided to watch EWTN. They were showing a dramatised life of St. (Dr.) Giuseppe Moscati, who served among the squalor and sick of Naples. It was very beautifully done, and it was only part 1 (all in italian). Hope I can catch Part 2 next week. I prayed and said Mass at the tomb of St. Moscatti some years ago, and prayed for his intercession for all your healings. He was a great man, who gave up high society (royal Napolitan society!) to go even shoeless  (robbery didn't stop him) among the streets caring for the cholera victims. He's the patron saint of doctors and people who are sick. You can watch parts of this movie on Youtube.

                                           St. Moscati, pray for us!

Later in the morning I got back to work in my room and TBN (I think it's my favourite Christian channel online) was showing "A nun's story"starring Katherine Hepburn. Many of you will remember this 1959 production of a real life Belgian nun sent to Congo in the missions, and her struggles as a nurse with a headstrong doctor, attacks from locals and the deeper struggle of obedience to her Congregation and her nationalism as a Belgian in the 2nd World War. The film ends with her decision to return to the Congo village and serve the people there. You can watch it on Youtube as well.

Both stories are strong messages of conviction, perseverance, struggles and lots of sacrifice and love for the poor.