Back From Pilgrimage: Some Highlights
I am back from my pilgrimage to Rome, Assisi, Siena, and Florence. We also completed the move to our new home this weekend. Praise the Lord for His many blessings and abundant graces! Thank you so much for all your prayers.
The pilgrimage was challenging for me in many ways, but the sacrifices were well worth it. Here are just a few highlights of my trip:
1. The opportunity to personally meet and shake hands with Pope Benedict XVI. (I was hoping to just be able to get a glimpse of him!)
2. The opportunity to meet with approximately 18oo fellow Oblates, Brothers, and Sisters from the Community of St. Jean (John) from all over the world in Rome to celebrate the 30th anniversary of its founding.
3. The opportunity to meet our 93 year old founder, Fr. Dominique Phillipe, O.P. -- to hear his words of inspiration and encouragement -- and to receive the Holy Eucharist from him.
4. Eucharistic Adoration at St. Peter's Basilica
5. Visiting the Catacombs.
6. Touring the Sistine Chapel, which was breath-taking.
7. Visiting the hermitage of St. Francis of Assisi. (Assisi was my favorite place.)
8. Picnicking with the Community outside of the Basilica of St. John Lateran.
9. Visiting St. Dominic's Basilica in Siena, where my Confirmation saint -- Catherine of Siena -- lived. Her incorrupt head is located here.
10. Eucharistic Adoration at Siena, where a Eucharistic miracle first occurred over 250 years ago and continues today.
I hope to share more with you as I settle into my new home. Thanks again for all your prayers. God bless you!
The pilgrimage was challenging for me in many ways, but the sacrifices were well worth it. Here are just a few highlights of my trip:
1. The opportunity to personally meet and shake hands with Pope Benedict XVI. (I was hoping to just be able to get a glimpse of him!)
2. The opportunity to meet with approximately 18oo fellow Oblates, Brothers, and Sisters from the Community of St. Jean (John) from all over the world in Rome to celebrate the 30th anniversary of its founding.
3. The opportunity to meet our 93 year old founder, Fr. Dominique Phillipe, O.P. -- to hear his words of inspiration and encouragement -- and to receive the Holy Eucharist from him.
4. Eucharistic Adoration at St. Peter's Basilica
5. Visiting the Catacombs.
6. Touring the Sistine Chapel, which was breath-taking.
7. Visiting the hermitage of St. Francis of Assisi. (Assisi was my favorite place.)
8. Picnicking with the Community outside of the Basilica of St. John Lateran.
9. Visiting St. Dominic's Basilica in Siena, where my Confirmation saint -- Catherine of Siena -- lived. Her incorrupt head is located here.
10. Eucharistic Adoration at Siena, where a Eucharistic miracle first occurred over 250 years ago and continues today.
I hope to share more with you as I settle into my new home. Thanks again for all your prayers. God bless you!
Glad you're safely back! Hope you got everything out of your pilgrimage that you had hoped.
ReplyDeleteI'd LOVE to Hear more! I can't believe you shook his hand and met him. What an honor.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back!!!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you got to shake Pope Benedict's hand. Woohoo!
Glad it went well, welcome back!
ReplyDeleteThe Pope is known to enjoy a beer called (I am going to butcher the spelling) Franzesker Weiss Bier aka Fransican White Beer. I will be enjoying one for Mardi Gras before the Lenten depravations begin.
Welcome back! Your pilgrimage highlights sound like it was a wonderful trip in many ways! Looking forward to the "expanded" version.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back! You've been missed in St. Blog's. But wow, we can't wait for your elaboration of some of those events - especially the B16 encounter! Too cool!
ReplyDeleteIt's great to be back. I missed you all and remembered each of you in prayer while I was on pilgrimage.
ReplyDeleteThere was a lot that happened in the past couple of weeks. It was like an intensive traveling retreat -- with Holy Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, community rosary and prayer -- plus so much more -- happening daily. I am still digesting it all. It was rather overwhelming for me.
Thanks for the warm welcome back messages.
God bless you,
Jean