Papal Visit

Our first of 3 full days at the NAC. 6:15am Morning Prayer and Mass. 7am breakfast. We left at 8:15 for the papal audience. We had some good seats to the Holy Father's right (you can check the photo album linked on the left.) He said this and greeted us specifically "From the United States, priests and seminarians of Sacred Heart Seminary.") He even turned for a good photo. As is customary, he blessed religious items. All in all, it was a pretty "standard" audience, but my first, so it was a memorable experience to be sure, if not simply due to the heat (ecclesiastical dress and hot sun for 4 hours made Ryan and his water bottle the most cherished item in the group.) It was awsome to consider all the history that happened below the very spot we were seated and in the very buildings that surrounded us.

Small world: We ran into the abbot and abbess from Abu Gosh (the Benedictine monasteries at which we attended Mass on our first Sunday in Israel.) They were on our plane, they were at our audience, and the abbess even sat one row and one seat in front of me. The abbot had a front row seat, which was in fact only a few short rows in front of us.

After a sung Pater Noster and the blessing (in Latin of course), we ate. Lunch was pizza, calzone, or pasta. For me a coke, for others pop/soda or water.

Then we split up to cover parts of the city of our own choosing. I joined up with Jon, Ryan, and Dan. We went to some old Roman sites, including the Colosseum. Dan and I engaged in a lively discussion of the movie Gladiator. We also visited three churches, of which Gesu was one (where the Jesuit headquarters is located.) Some interesting features to each church. Getting out of the sun was nice too.

Dinner at the NAC at 7pm. Pasta, salad, and a cake that was like a cannoli. Good stuff.

Some of us prayed privately, others attended the (optional) praise and worship held at the NAC. Some went out for gelato. Others retired early. It was largely a day of our own design, and we used it to pursue our interests in the Eternal City. For my part, not a moment was wasted.

With only 2 days left, we won't even scratch the surface of Rome on this visit, but thank God for the opportunity to experience anything of it at all...