Yes

Mary said 'Yes.'

What do you say?

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John XXIII and a possessed woman

My day in the Eternal City.... Lines at security at 7 am to get into St Peters. Holy Mass over the body of S. John XXIII....pretty cool considering he will be canonized in 48 hours. Since it was my first time in front of the actual Chair of Peter, I meandered for some time and watched the sunlight light up centuries of inspired and perspired creations.....Bernini and Michelangelo and so many more. The crowds poured in. I waited in line to order a 'new' papal blessing. Found a pizzeria and had a cappuccino with a simple pizza while gypsies with accordions worked the street. I  witnessed young seminarians or priests walk by, all day, in their best attire, clean shaven with combed hair. Young couples holding hands, musicians and acrobats and men fixing streets I walked through town over the Tiber and through some churches and basilicas...offering prayers, wondering, watching, praying. Gazed at three Caravaggios and fell in love with good live art. I prayed before crosse...
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Canonizations, Crowds, and Angst.

As I ready myself for a jaunt to Rome and Vatican City I find myself experiencing more of a desire to stay home. Don't get me wrong, I am very appreciative of my family making the sacrifices for my trip. And I look forward to seeing a part of the world that has, in many ways been on the geographic periphery of my life (for obvious reasons). But it wasn't supposed to be this way.  I wasn't supposed to be heading there without my son and my lovely wife. While the friendship I share with my old classmate is what provided this opportunity--I am just a little out of place. Allow me to explain... The purpose of the trek is to go and participate as part of the cloud of witnesses to the canonizations of Popes John 23 and John Paul 2. My friend and old seminary classmate proposed this adventure a few months back. He had reserved space at a religious house in Rome and asked if I wanted to accompany him.  The plan is to be at the Vatican for a few days then on to visit his c...
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Canonizations ...the first hours

Having landed only a couple of hours earlier, I meandered through Rome and came upon a large fortress. It was the wall of Vatican City. I made my along the wall and followed in at the tail end of some tour group.  I then made my way through the columns and stood in the faint drizzle of rain... There I stood...embraced by an edifice of Faith and Tradition. I felt my heart. I was lonely... maybe even a little 'lost' Sure my journey of faith had me come home...the 'Lost Shepherd' after a few years had returned...somewhere in this place was my story... But the overwhelming feeling that I had was that I simply missed my wife and son...and didn't belong here without them. For a while I just walked in the midst of the thousands of people. Finally I sat on a step and uttered a familiar prayer that first came to my lips back in 2005 outside St. James in Medujgorje asking for Pope John Paul's intercession, "pray for me....pray for my wife....pray for ou...
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