"Life on the Rock" - On Location in Rome With "Benedict XVI Priests"

Last Thursday, I watched EWTN's "Life on the Rock" with my 3-year-old son, Jamie. The show was broadcast on location in Rome, as opposed to their usual studio broadcast from Alabama. This special 90-minute episode was, without a doubt, the best episode of "Life on the Rock" that I have ever seen.

"Life on the Rock" is on EWTN every Thursday evening at 8:00 p.m., Eastern time, and consists of host Father Francis Mary and other friars of the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word interviewing "a variety of guests on this spirited and LIVE call-in show". The show is definitely geared toward the younger crowd (not sure I qualify, but I enjoy watching it anyway), or as the guys on "Life" refer to them: "Generation JPII".

As I already mentioned, last Thursday's program was on location in Rome, following the election of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI. This particular episode, described as "Generation JPII discusses the new Pope - Benedict XVI", featured interviews with a number of young priests and seminarians from the North American College in Rome, as well as interviews with other young adults (mostly Americans) visiting or living in Rome.

I was struck by the beaming faces and true excitement that these young people exhibited when discussing their love for Christ and His Church, and the newly elected Vicar of Christ and His Church, Pope Benedict XVI. They were positively beside themselves with glee at the election of a new Pope who will continue to lead the Church in the direction that John Paul II did for over a quarter of a century. Benedict is clearly their man.

Inspired by the late John Paul II's call for Catholic youth to be not afraid of taking an active role in renewing their Church, these young people are on fire for their faith - an orthodox faith, and will be the ones who will bring about the "New Springtime" that the late Holy Father often spoke about.

A final word about the young priests and seminarians I saw interviewed: how refreshing to see a future of the priesthood in America that inspires hope for the Church. It was those "beaming faces" I mentioned earlier. It was contagious. I spent the entire hour-and-a-half smiling as I watched these wonderful young men express their love for the Church.

When I looked over at my 3-year-old, who watched the entire 90 minutes along with me, he seemed entranced by what he was watching, although I'm sure he probably didn't quite understand what was going on. I asked him, "Jamie, do you see those priests?" He answered, "I'm going to be a priest."

Out of the mouths of babes.