Attende Domine, et miserere
Happy 1st Sunday of Lent everyone! Lent here in Rome is shaping up to be everything that I had been told - an amazing opportunity to truly enter into the penitential season of prayer, fasting and charitable works. First off, the Lenten station churches. Yeah, I've made it to every one of them so far, 5 down and only 35 yet to go! More on those in a minute. Apart from the station churches, as you may have noticed, the blog is being left to its own devices more frequently these days - I will continue to only do updates on Sundays during Lent. And as for any other Lenten penances, well, God knows. I will say that YOU are part of my Lenten prayers, all of you, and I hope that this Lenten season will be a spiritually fruitful one for you!
Apart from the Lenten practices, what else has been going on here at the house of Bernardi? Lots! It's been a busy week. The papal audience on Wednesday was great, as always, with tons of people attending and some more fun ad-libbing by the Holy Father (boy, that man can TEACH!). For us, it was more fun than usual because they called our group's name in the list of attending groups (Picture two groups of 6 people on opposite sides, both leaping up and making wordless "yay" noises... yeah, that was us.) The translation of the Pope's catechesis for the week can be found at ZENIT. Yesterday, on Saturday, we hung out in St. Peter's Square for a bit and noticed that on the big jumbotrons there was a video feed from the Paul VI audience hall - apparently there was a concert/symphony going on in there for the Holy Father, hadn't heard that bulletin! Darn! But, as a consolation prize we got to hear the music piped into the Square ("Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring" in case you were dying to know). We also managed to make it to St. Peter's Square today to pray the Angelus with the Holy Father and receive his weekly "window blessing".
In non-Pope headlines, we are happy to report that Amy Welborn has come to town! On Tuesday, she and her husband Michael, and three of their kids came and celebrated Mardi Gras with all of us here at Bernardi! It was great fun for me to finally meet after being only in blogdom contact for the past few months. More Amy again on Thursday, when a few of us went down to the Rome Theology on Tap gathering where Amy and family were guests. And then, today, whadya' know, after the Pope's weekly wave and blessing out his window at the Angelus, Jason and I were walking down one of the side roads by Borgo Pio and I see a tiny tot ahead playing in a puddle... Double-take between the mom and me - yup, it's Amy and Little Mike! So, I got to say one last good-bye to them, by Providence. (they fly back home to you all tomorrow - so you might want to check her blog again later tomorrow!)
Anyway - that's about it I guess for now, photos on the way! And, I will see you next Sunday, have a blessed first full week of Lent! Please do follow along with me at the Lenten Station Churches - I will be praying for you at each one, God-willing after walking in the morning to attend the 7am Mass there!
Apart from the Lenten practices, what else has been going on here at the house of Bernardi? Lots! It's been a busy week. The papal audience on Wednesday was great, as always, with tons of people attending and some more fun ad-libbing by the Holy Father (boy, that man can TEACH!). For us, it was more fun than usual because they called our group's name in the list of attending groups (Picture two groups of 6 people on opposite sides, both leaping up and making wordless "yay" noises... yeah, that was us.) The translation of the Pope's catechesis for the week can be found at ZENIT. Yesterday, on Saturday, we hung out in St. Peter's Square for a bit and noticed that on the big jumbotrons there was a video feed from the Paul VI audience hall - apparently there was a concert/symphony going on in there for the Holy Father, hadn't heard that bulletin! Darn! But, as a consolation prize we got to hear the music piped into the Square ("Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring" in case you were dying to know). We also managed to make it to St. Peter's Square today to pray the Angelus with the Holy Father and receive his weekly "window blessing".
In non-Pope headlines, we are happy to report that Amy Welborn has come to town! On Tuesday, she and her husband Michael, and three of their kids came and celebrated Mardi Gras with all of us here at Bernardi! It was great fun for me to finally meet after being only in blogdom contact for the past few months. More Amy again on Thursday, when a few of us went down to the Rome Theology on Tap gathering where Amy and family were guests. And then, today, whadya' know, after the Pope's weekly wave and blessing out his window at the Angelus, Jason and I were walking down one of the side roads by Borgo Pio and I see a tiny tot ahead playing in a puddle... Double-take between the mom and me - yup, it's Amy and Little Mike! So, I got to say one last good-bye to them, by Providence. (they fly back home to you all tomorrow - so you might want to check her blog again later tomorrow!)
Anyway - that's about it I guess for now, photos on the way! And, I will see you next Sunday, have a blessed first full week of Lent! Please do follow along with me at the Lenten Station Churches - I will be praying for you at each one, God-willing after walking in the morning to attend the 7am Mass there!
posted by Maria Neva @ 3/05/2006 09:43:00 PM
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