Monday, October 09, 2006

"Try to be useful ..."

Last night Liz and I had dinner with Fr. Anthony Kelly, an Australian theologian who serves on the Vatican's International Theological Commission, and who is here in Rome for a meeting of the Commission. I met Tony in Australia on my last trip there, and we struck up a friendship. He is a truly marvelous man who laughs often and easily, and who is a gifted theologian. He has known Pope Benedict for many years and concelebrated Mass with him at the Vatican on Sunday.

Tony has become interested in Girard's work and feels that its theological assimilation will be a great benefit to the Church and to the world on whose behalf the Church exists.

Let me share something that bespeaks of Tony's spirit. He told us that his advice to those budding theologians whose graduate work he directs is: "Don't try to be clever; try to be useful."

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