My comment on Mike Aquilina's blog. . .

I thought I'd post this here. It's just a recollection of bits of this wondrous pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi. I sure hope the photo I plan to add here remains... we shall see...or "not see" as may be the case.


Hi Mike
I’m not quite as jet-lagged as I thought I’d be. Thanks for the great seminars and wonderful time on the pilgrimage. Wasn’t it amazing how great even the “truck-stop grub” was? One of the most powerful realizations of the whole time in Rome and Assisi for me was the enormous cloud of witnesses that were all around us. I felt their prayers and encouragement everyday. And how touching it was to see Our Lady depicted in paintings and statues in niches throughout each city. If only that could be reality here in Omaha and cities across the country, if not for PC madness.

It was so moving to be back Home in Rome as a pilgrim this time around, seeing the Vatican and Papa with Catholic and sacramental eyes and not just the tourist I was in 1973. The history was thick in the air and almost seemed to drip on the walls of each church and basilica. I longed to linger more at some places, but I knew the pace had to be kept. Rome was “frenetically peaceful” with the schedule. The peaceful pauses in the cool of the Churches were so holy and made the treks easier. I hope to go back someday and visit St Susanna church.

Assisi was truly “Heaven kissing earth!” The serenity was like a delightful, soft mantle that seemed to wrap around us. The ancient, holy town was the perfect place to wind down and end the pilgrimage. I thoroughly enjoyed your talk on early Christian art and I am eagerly awaiting the book! Pilgrimages aren’t about comfort, so even with swollen feet/ankles and our flight difficulties, “all was well with our souls” and Our Blessed Mother saw to that as we trusted in her to draw us closer to her Son, which she certainly did. God bless you and yours.

PAX,
susie