Big prayers and Happy St Patricks day to my grandma
up in heaven…
Went on the bus to the center of Rome with the plan
to go to church, but I ended up having a great detour! Thanks to Giulio I was
able to get a phone with a local SIM card and Google maps was great for giving
bus, train, metro directions. The bus stop was right in front of his house and
that would take me right to the center, but there was a marathon that meant
road closures and changes in bus routes.
A very nice Filipina woman saw I looked very confused
and asked where I needed to go. She told me to get off the bus at her stop and
she would walk me half way. She was on her way to work at a spa in a very posh
Italian hotel. We were both walking very quickly while I was telling her about
visits in the Phillipines. She turned right and I went straight and it turned
out the marathon had started. The church was on the other side of the bridge
and I had time to enjoy the music and watch the runners for 45 minutes or so.
It was the perfect weather for running and the band reminded me of U2 with
great energy and smiling bright with the sun.
I wanted to spend more time, but I had to go to
church…and boy was I meant to be at this service….He said that “If you are not
dying every day or suffering, you don’t know Christ…” He said this referring to
various scripture, but it was like he said it in 20 different ways just to
emphasize that suffering is being a real Christian period.
My bouts with depression come and go. While God sends
angels to uplift my spirit, it is the times alone that can be challenging. When
I am in my own silence, hearing my own voice, and dealing with past trauma.
When I am comparing myself to others life and how everything seems to go “uphill”
for them and difficult for me.
Today in church, someone would look at me and think, “She
looks like a happy girl.” The weather was spectacular and the detour allowed me
to walk through the streets of Rome quietly and peacefully.
Travel tip: Get
up early and walk when the crowds of people are away and you can be alone with
a city, your heart, and your higher power.
I always am distracted when traveling focusing on the
beauty around me. But the reality was that I did feel like I was suffering. India
was an amazing experience and the departure created some depression. It was sad
leaving I had so many plans and things I did not yet accomplish….
In this church(the name of every church service would
be impossible I think), I stood before God seeking forgiveness for my sins-Hail
mary full of grace forgive me of my sins now until the hour of my death… He
said, “Sin, forgive, and don’t fear death….” I feel the prescence of the Holy
spirit through the priest when I feel so connected to his message that it feels
like God is speaking directly to me.
When this happens(I think at times when he knows I
need him the most), I know God is listening and he has an angel on my shoulder.
I can breathe deep, renew my spirit, look up, and mentally uplift my mind for
the rest of the day.
The church services in Europe, in general, are always
very special. And that goes to say, the Catholic churches in Italy were also
very lovely. The People were so kind in
the service, dressed well, elegant, classy, respectful, and peace be with you
was such a pleasure…You felt like people really wanted you to experience peace
and joy….To be in a country with such value and respect towards Catholism-that
makes a difference in the services.
To be in these churches with not just Italian
catholics, but Catholics visiting from all over the world-that is a truly unique
experience and that comes in Italy.
My religious day continued with a visit to the
Vatican. A short line and some friendly not so friendly Italian officers lead
me into St.Peters square. I had it timed out where I could go to one service
and then have time to get a latte/a croissant and wait for the homily of the
one and only -Pope Francis(Papa Francisco).
I had been waiting for a lifetime for this moment to
hear him speak at the Vatican. I stood at the fountain right underneath his
window. We were all waiting for that moment where he comes to the window… Being
directly underneath the window,I could see him and I heard him speak…a
bucketlist moment. He spoke in some English, Italian, and Spanish… followed by
his Apostolic blessing…Did I mention how divine the weather was with the birds
flying through the square and there was a wave of peace that came over the crowd…
Next…..a thousand tourists all going inside St. Peter’s
Basilica and yes another mass at 12:30PM.After this mass, there was a Spanish
mass with the priest leading and speaking while people would kneel down and
pray around him in front of the alter…. This was powerful kneeling down and
praying at various points of the church.
What else?
Got a rosary from the gift shop….
Went through the market tasting cheese, salami,
spreads, and olive oil….
Tasted some white wines at a cute wine shop with a
nice Italian lady….
Visited only a few more churches
Listened to a young kid play a brilliant version of
Bella Ciao on the saxophone
made some fish and some ravioli with ricotta and
basil…..
It was really such a beautiful day….that just getting
that weather and seeing Pope Francis was a blessing. The Italians are not very
extroverted with tourists rather it is about making money, getting to the
point, getting things done, and next.
Rome is the New York City of Italy with people from
150 countries or more…Listening to Spanish, French, Italian, Mandarin, Russian-all
kinds of langauges to accommodate so many visitors.
Most people thought I was Spanish speaking so this
trip I was from Spain😊
So I am a European not an American.
Oh and there were some pubs and bars celebrating St. Patricks day and runners had some cute green outfits that was the extent of the Irish experience.
4 days followed in Rome before heading to Naples by train
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