Touring Rome

Fr. Trapp toured us around various sites in Rome this morning. It was a very quick overview of the highlights of Rome, ecclesiastically speaking. The Church with St. Agnes' skull. St. Maria Sopra Minerva. Gesu and the Jesuit Headquarters. Church of St. Robert Bellarmine. Castle d'Angelo. The Gregorian. The Pantheon (dedicated to the BVM; Victor Emmanuel II's remains are there as well.) The first Roman university. A building that was formerly a papal palace but is currently Italian state property. Several fountains and obelisks. The vestment and clothing manufacturers Barbiconi and Gammarelli's (we also saw Slabbinck and others.) A few of our group acquired birettas or surplices from Barbiconi (no pectoral crosses though.)

Then it was back to the NAC for a fine lunch and a break before our next gig.

The afternoon saw a meeting with Fr. Dan Gallagher, a priest of the Diocese of Gaylord and former Sacred Heart Seminary professor who currently works for the Vatican's Secretary of State. He gave us a tour through the Apostolic Palace. It was an experience. We had an awesome view of Rome, St. Peter's, and the Apostolic Palace from the roof/porch area. It was an "insider's look" at some places the average tourist doesn't see and it gave us a view of the city that the average photographer doesn't get. I'm a fan of that last part to be sure. As I walked the halls, I considered all the history that those walls have seen and, God willing, will see. I also wondered, who will be the next pope to emerge from those windows and when... Did I walk by the cardinal unsuspecting in the last few days? (I counted a lot of pectoral crosses today.) But then, such privileged places bring on such thoughts.

After the tour, many of us went to Mass at St. Peter's. (I think) an LA auxiliary bishop said Mass. I know he was from CA because he mentioned it when he introduced the choir at the beginning (which came from a college near his archdiocese - it was the only thing in English the entire time. Otherwise, we took in Latin and Italian. Beautiful languages, but I digress.) He was a bishop or an abbot. Pectoral crosses give that sort of thing away. It was nice to attend Mass with such beautiful music in the Church built to honor the Prince of Apostles (in spite of what the inscription on the front of the building might claim.) There was so much to see, I almost missed the Pieta! That's a testament to the size of the building.

Dinner followed at the NAC. American food. Wings, fries, pop/soda/coke (depending on where in the States you are from.) A premonition of our future? Or a welcome change from "the schnitzel" of Israel? Both.

After dinner, some went out for gelato, others prayer or sleep, still others other things - whatever one thought would make the best use of the short precious hours remaining in the Eternal City. It rained on and off a bit, but not nearly enough to keep us in.

Tomorrow is our last full day!