The highlight of my trip was seeing the Pope and witnessing (and participating in) Pope Francis' inaugural mass as the Bishop of Rome. I was not expect to be able to see the Pope. Kate and I are running a Eastertide Bible study and we meet on Wednesday evenings, so attending the Pope audience on Wednesday afternoon was out of the question. So, being able to see him was even more of a blessing!
When I woke up on the day that I was traveling back to Rome from Greece, I received and email from Kate informing me that the word on the street (aka the word in the Passsionist House that we were staying at) was that the Pope was to say a mass at either 5 or 5:30 at San Giovanni in Laterno. My flight was to get in at 3.30 into Rome...so my ability to make it to the mass was dependant upon a quick transport from the airport into the city centre.
On the way into the main termini station, the rumours were confirmed. As the bus drove past the cathedral I saw the big TV was set up, police men and women were strategically places, and tons of people were already outside of the Church. When I got into the station, I hopped on the metro and arrived outside the church 20 minutes before the mass started...perfect timing!
It was a very powerful experience, despite the fact that I could not understand the liturgy. Since it was the Pope inaugural mass as the Bishop of Rome, everything was said in Italian. But, just seeing with my own to eyes, and being in close proximity to the man who has been tasked with representing, guiding, and loving the Catholic Church was extremely powerful. I remember standing there thinking, as a Catholic, "It doesn't get better than this."
Being able to participate in such an international mass (there were clearly people there from all over the world), for me, highlighted the universal nature of the Catholic Church. We all were able to enter into the mystery of the liturgy despite the language we spoke or the country we called home. We all believed the same thing, we all desire to enter into communion with one another, and we all cheered when we saw Pope Francis. Much like those two children in the airport, the language didn't matter. Words are not a barrier for love. And what I experienced that day was a love for the Catholic faith, a love for the Eucharist, and a love for our Pope.
"Brothers and sisters,
Buona sera! I thank you so much for your company in today's Mass. Thank you so much! I ask you to pray for me. I need it. Don't forget this. Thanks to all of you! And let us all go forward together, the people and the Bishop, all together, going forward always in the joy of the Resurrection of Jesus. He is always at our side.
May God bless you!... Many thanks! See you soon!" -Pope Francis April 7, 2013
When I woke up on the day that I was traveling back to Rome from Greece, I received and email from Kate informing me that the word on the street (aka the word in the Passsionist House that we were staying at) was that the Pope was to say a mass at either 5 or 5:30 at San Giovanni in Laterno. My flight was to get in at 3.30 into Rome...so my ability to make it to the mass was dependant upon a quick transport from the airport into the city centre.
On the way into the main termini station, the rumours were confirmed. As the bus drove past the cathedral I saw the big TV was set up, police men and women were strategically places, and tons of people were already outside of the Church. When I got into the station, I hopped on the metro and arrived outside the church 20 minutes before the mass started...perfect timing!
It was a very powerful experience, despite the fact that I could not understand the liturgy. Since it was the Pope inaugural mass as the Bishop of Rome, everything was said in Italian. But, just seeing with my own to eyes, and being in close proximity to the man who has been tasked with representing, guiding, and loving the Catholic Church was extremely powerful. I remember standing there thinking, as a Catholic, "It doesn't get better than this."
Being able to participate in such an international mass (there were clearly people there from all over the world), for me, highlighted the universal nature of the Catholic Church. We all were able to enter into the mystery of the liturgy despite the language we spoke or the country we called home. We all believed the same thing, we all desire to enter into communion with one another, and we all cheered when we saw Pope Francis. Much like those two children in the airport, the language didn't matter. Words are not a barrier for love. And what I experienced that day was a love for the Catholic faith, a love for the Eucharist, and a love for our Pope.
"Brothers and sisters,
Buona sera! I thank you so much for your company in today's Mass. Thank you so much! I ask you to pray for me. I need it. Don't forget this. Thanks to all of you! And let us all go forward together, the people and the Bishop, all together, going forward always in the joy of the Resurrection of Jesus. He is always at our side.
May God bless you!... Many thanks! See you soon!" -Pope Francis April 7, 2013
No comments:
Post a Comment