Welcome to Sweden:  

I’m almost here

Yesterday, the Fourth of July, I left from San Francisco International Airport for the city of Visby, island of Gotland, country of Sweden.  I’m almost there.  After a long—a very long overnight flight from SFO to Copenhagen, things began to get a little complicated.  Connecting flight to Stockholm was delayed.  Domino effect:  missed the next one —Stockholm to Visby—by mere minutes.  Sigh.  Deep breath. Reroute mentally. The staff at SAS Airlines were more than helpful:  an overnight at the Radisson Blu, within the airport complex known as Sky City.  Minutes away from the gate.  A dinner voucher (read:  falafel-burger at O’Leary’s).  A comfortable room.  A decent half-night’s sleep.  Breakfast: gluten, but by no means glutton-free. Bags forwarded.  Boarding pass in hand.  Whatever in the world could or should I be worried about?

A wonderful surprise. During the two-hour layover at Copenhagen’s Kastrup Airport, I was able to experience the new terminal construction by the Danielsen architectural firm.  In Danish, it’s called a “forbindelsesfingeren”—literally “a connecting finger”—linking domestic and international connections.  At 1,000 feet in length, with 40-foot high ceiling, it is clearly cathedral-like feeling in its scale.  Yet it is neither sterile nor intimidating.  Artworks like the equestrian-themed frieze, Arcadia,  designed by Norwegian painter Frans Widerberg and Danish glass artist Per Steen Hebsgaard serve as a passionate counterpoint to the otherwise stark simplicity of the structure.

Later today, I hope to be standing before the congregation at Kristi-Lekamens /  Corpus Christi parish in Visby.  It’s been seven weeks since I’ve seen the parishioners—I had already been  here for a late winter/ early spring stay this year.  Just the thought of it feels . . .  underbart!  No translation needed.

California—9,000 miles and just $900 away, I tell folks—is now mostly behind. The brothers back in Danville have been more than kind to me during my packing, kvetching, and sighing (“Oy-yoy-yoy!”)  I’ll move here on a one-way ticket in September, so this isn’t the final step.  Almost, though.  The triennial provincial Chapter for us Franciscan friars—the culmination of more than a year’s preparation—concluded on June 28 in Scottsdale, Arizona.  I completed my work as Director of Communications for the Franciscan (OFM) Province of St. Barbara on June 30.  Ditto for supply work with the wonderful folks at  St. Perpetua Parish in Lafayette, California. The coast is now officially clear, except for some low-lying morning fog.

And Sweden?  I’m just here in order to be here.  No magic wand.  No extravagant plans.  A vision is not lacking, though.  I hope and pray for  a community that will grow a little bit closer the Lord,  to each other—and in service to the poor. I, we just show up. Do our best. Let the Lord take care of the rest.  And see what happens.

Gotland, here I come!