It's Obvious
We left Rome immediately following the canonizations of ss John Paul II and John XXIII. It was not an easy achievement. Millions of people were cramming onto buses, subways, and trains...and I was one of them.
In the end we arrived at Tiburtina station, boarded another bus and journeyed to Sulmona (home of my friends family and also Ovid). While there his gracious cousins drove us to the Santuario del Volto Santo...where the shroud relic is the image of the face of Christ...God is always painting pictures for us. I arrived in time for Mass.
Later in the day we trekked to a Greek church of Our Lady, again high atop a mountain and remote. There were over 75 icons. It was a day spent in the midst of images.
After a quick visit to Rocco Pia and a coffee it was back to Sulmona where it seemed we were eating all the time!
The next day I happened upon Eucharistic Adoration across the narrow street and then onto Prescara...but first a very important stop.
San Giovanni Rotundo and Padre Pio....and just in time as I walked into the old church where Padre Pio celebrated Mass...Mass began.
I will write at greater length on my experience with Padre Pio when I return.
Now, in many ways I knew that this trip was directed through the intercession of Our Lady....after all I really didn't want to go without my wife and son....but with their and my father's insistence...I am here.
But this trip hasn't been about the Vatican or even Rome....nope
It's simple.
God has and will continue to be with us.
My trek continued along the coast to more of my friends family...we were there for 20 hours. Out of those hours I slept eight and ate for five. We then prayed at the Eucharistic miracle of San Lanciano....where a host change into flesh and blood....yeh...God made perpetual Eucharistic adoration and it has been going on since the 8th cent!
God has and will continue to be with you.
In the end we arrived at Tiburtina station, boarded another bus and journeyed to Sulmona (home of my friends family and also Ovid). While there his gracious cousins drove us to the Santuario del Volto Santo...where the shroud relic is the image of the face of Christ...God is always painting pictures for us. I arrived in time for Mass.
Later in the day we trekked to a Greek church of Our Lady, again high atop a mountain and remote. There were over 75 icons. It was a day spent in the midst of images.
After a quick visit to Rocco Pia and a coffee it was back to Sulmona where it seemed we were eating all the time!
The next day I happened upon Eucharistic Adoration across the narrow street and then onto Prescara...but first a very important stop.
San Giovanni Rotundo and Padre Pio....and just in time as I walked into the old church where Padre Pio celebrated Mass...Mass began.
I will write at greater length on my experience with Padre Pio when I return.
Now, in many ways I knew that this trip was directed through the intercession of Our Lady....after all I really didn't want to go without my wife and son....but with their and my father's insistence...I am here.
But this trip hasn't been about the Vatican or even Rome....nope
It's simple.
God has and will continue to be with us.
My trek continued along the coast to more of my friends family...we were there for 20 hours. Out of those hours I slept eight and ate for five. We then prayed at the Eucharistic miracle of San Lanciano....where a host change into flesh and blood....yeh...God made perpetual Eucharistic adoration and it has been going on since the 8th cent!
God has and will continue to be with you.
