After prayerful consideration earlier this year, I made the plunge and decided to sign up for a Pilgrimage to Italy through Dynamic Catholic. The tipping point for me was another opportunity to actually be in the presence of and see Pope Francis (after a failed attempt to do so in September, 2015 when my daughter and I attended the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia), as well as spending time walking in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi, one of my very favorite saints. For a long time I have been contemplating becoming a secular Franciscan and when this opportunity arose, I just had to find a way to come up with the money.
So I will not spend time on this blog boring you with the preparation, mostly because it was very low key. For me, it's hard to believe I've been there and returned and now this pilgrimage is very much a part of who I am. Documenting it will be very therapeutic for me, and difficult. With God's help, I will be able to do justice to every moment I spent seeking Him and learning about the saints who did the same.
I pray that it will also be a journey my readers will enjoy.
I pray that it will also be a journey my readers will enjoy.
I learned about my roommate prior to the pilgrimage. We emailed a couple times and shared information about our lives. Her name is Jeanne and she works for Catholic Charities in a small community in Kansas.
The pilgrimage started very early in the morning on November 6, 2016, the day after my 69th birthday. Jim, my husband, took me to the Eugene Airport just a few miles from our home at about 4:30 am. I was surprised that the airport was so busy so early in the morning. There were a lot of people there and it was bustling with activity. But here I was, headed for Italy, and it was such a breeze checking in.... all the way to Rome! The fella who checked me in seemed excited for me, and we had a brief conversation about what I anticipated I would be experiencing. A few minutes later, I was off, through security and on my way up the escalator to wait for my plane.
The very first leg of my trip was uneventful, much like flying to MN or CA, places where I frequently visit. This time though, my first connection was in Salt Lake. The second leg was from Salt Lake to Boston. I had a very tight connection in Boston in order to make my flight to Rome. I was confident, but maybe too much so, because I nearly didn't get on the flight. My arrival gate in Boston was at the complete opposite end of the airport from the international gate. There were no shuttles, or quick ways to get from point A to point B, so I ended up rushing as fast as I could. By the time I got to the gate, they told me they had closed the doors on the plane (I don't think that was actually the case) and they were resistant to letting me on. After being insistent, the finally let me board. The plane was only about a third full. It was 15-20 minutes before they finally did close the door to the plane and we were off. As a side note, I had one checked bag. I knew there was no way that bag made it on this flight, so I was grateful for the extra's I had packed in my carry-on, as I was going to need them.
The flight was long (9 hours) and uncomfortable. I tried to sleep, but even though there was nobody sitting around me, it was impossible to get comfortable. That being said, the flight was smooth and the service on the plane (Alitalia) was excellent. One of the first pictures I took was of the sunset. The beauty of nature always amazes me, even thousands of feet in the air. God art is breathtaking!
Sooo, arrival in Rome was 7:30 am on Monday, 11/7/16. I have to admit, it was a little confusing since I lost 9 hours during my travels. As I suspected, my checked bag didn't arrive, but the airlines rules didn't allow them to take a report until an hour after the plane landed (just in case the bag showed up...ha!). I knew the bag wouldn't be there, as I barely made it onto the flight. Connecting with Dynamic Catholic was a breeze as they were easily identified with their signs as I left the airport. They were very helpful with my luggage problem and very shortly we were off to our hotel in Rome. The following pics are my first impressions of this ancient city, taken on the way to the hotel. Our tour escort shared sooo much information on the long drive, but being so sleepy and exhausted, I didn't digest a lot of what he shared. I was spellbound with all he said though. I just wish I could have had a recorder... as would be the case throughout this entire experience.
The flight was long (9 hours) and uncomfortable. I tried to sleep, but even though there was nobody sitting around me, it was impossible to get comfortable. That being said, the flight was smooth and the service on the plane (Alitalia) was excellent. One of the first pictures I took was of the sunset. The beauty of nature always amazes me, even thousands of feet in the air. God art is breathtaking!Sooo, arrival in Rome was 7:30 am on Monday, 11/7/16. I have to admit, it was a little confusing since I lost 9 hours during my travels. As I suspected, my checked bag didn't arrive, but the airlines rules didn't allow them to take a report until an hour after the plane landed (just in case the bag showed up...ha!). I knew the bag wouldn't be there, as I barely made it onto the flight. Connecting with Dynamic Catholic was a breeze as they were easily identified with their signs as I left the airport. They were very helpful with my luggage problem and very shortly we were off to our hotel in Rome. The following pics are my first impressions of this ancient city, taken on the way to the hotel. Our tour escort shared sooo much information on the long drive, but being so sleepy and exhausted, I didn't digest a lot of what he shared. I was spellbound with all he said though. I just wish I could have had a recorder... as would be the case throughout this entire experience.
So, when we arrived at our hotel (Visconti Palace Hotel in Rome), we were assigned our rooms and I immediately took a two hour nap!!! My roommate Jeanne arrived and at 4:30 was our first Pilgrimage trek was to Sacro Cuore DiGuesu In Prati church where we celebrated Mass. The following are pictures in this beautiful church:
After our beautiful Mass, we walked back to the hotel for a lovely welcome reception and dinner. After dinner, anyone who chose could join in a walk to St. Peter's Square for a group rosary. I participated, and lead the first mystery. It would be my first 'live' look at the Vatican and St. Peter's Square! Below are pics from our welcome meeting and the Vatican at night.
Father Robert Sherry (aka Fr. Bob) & Evelyn Garcia (aka Evie),
both with Dynamic Catholic
Evie Garcia, Tour Coordinator
Our escorts, who would be spending the week with us. I was on the BLUE bus. My Tour Escort for the week was Javier V. (Javi for short). He is the guy in the middle. Pretty cool fella, knew his stuff, kind and way helpful when needed!
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