Day 14
Its was January 10, 2007. I think it was dawning on us that our time in Italy was short and there was much to see and do even as tired as we were. We had been having some pretty full days. This day was to be no different as this was the day to experience the excavations underneath St. Peter.
Anyway, chiefly to Stan’s influence we decided not to make the two day journey to San Giovanni Rotondo. So if that was the case, there some reservations to cancel. Necessary information was lacking because of the stolen bag so we decided to stop at an Internet Café after breakfast and look up the information for the Hotel. We had Mass in English at 7:30am, breakfast at the Villa, and then walked down Via Tuscolana and stopped into a nearby Internet Spot. We got the information and made the call, but no one there spoke English and so we could not cancel the reservation. We walked over to Via Narni where The CPPS Italian Province has their headquarters. There we got Don Gennaro to call the hotel and cancel the reservation in his perfect Italian.
On our way to Via Narni we stopped at the Church of SS. Corpo E Sangue di Cristo.
This is a relatively new parish run by the CPPS in Rome and they have some interesting art there. We took some pictures fairly quickly as it looked as if they were preparing for a funeral. Then we walked over to the Colegio to see the CPPS House at Via Narni.
Their chapel has an interesting beauty to it. I have been there several times for a variety of events and it kind of grows on you. Yet, I still describe it to my friends as pretty violent art.
Much more attractive is the large fresco in the dining room of the meal at Emmaus. We would be coming back here for dinner in the evening.
After this tour we headed over to Santa Cecilia in Trastevere. Sr. Mary Mark’s baptismal name and name on her passport is Cecilia.
Then we went over to Santa Maria in Trastevere where the Community of San Egidio is centered. On the way we stopped for a gelato. We found at the church a very interesting and beautiful and very large Ambry for the Holy Oils. My companions made sure I got pictures to show the workmen here at the parish who built our Ambry. This church also had some pretty impressive mosaics.
Then we headed over to the Vatican.
First we stopped for some light refreshment at a local tourist trap. The food and drinks there are about twice as expensive as some of the Restaurants we had been going to. Here we just had a pizza and some wine and juices.
We had some time to kill so we browsed through the Vatican bookstore and got some stamps and cards at the post office. Then we waited for the Swiss Guards to let us pass to get to the Ufficio Scavi. I have taken the Scavi tour at least four times before and it is always a memorable part of the trip. I recommend it everyone who comes over there. Of course, they do not allow photographs. It is a journey back through time to the very origins of the faith.
One of the more significant moments afterward was the visit to the Tomb of John Paul II. There was a steady stream of pilgrims and many people kneeling and praying there.
Later when strolling around upstairs in the Basilica we tried to get to the small Museo they have there. But that is also the entrance to the sacristy and the guards were not letting anyone near. Apparently there was a liturgy to begin soon and there were hundreds of priests and bishops getting ready to process to the altar. Soon the bell rang and this very long procession began first of priests and then of bishops and cardinals. The end of the procession then featured Cardinal Levada and his Master of Ceremonies, none other but my friend Fr. Steven!!! It took me a while to get camera powered up, but I got a few pictures to record the moment.
Afterward we headed out to the boulevards to see if we could find a taxi. On the way we stopped at the Pauline Bookstore and I spent another Euro 100 replacing my bible and getting a few other CDs and books. When I told the sisters my bible had been stolen they gave me a very nice discount.
The taxi took us back to Via Narni where we had dinner. There were many members of the Italian Province there including their provincial who did his best to communicate to us in English. There were also several members of our Indian Vicariate there, all of whom knew our Fr. Jerard who they spoke of as Fr. Irudaya Raj.
After dinner we walked back to our Villa to retire for the evening. Stan and Donalyn were a bit unnerved by Sr. Mary Mark and I arm in arm going down that hill chanting the Salve Regina by heart. We headed home but certainly had to stop at our favorite pizzeria for some Limoncello, wine and grappa.
