Technical difficulties, faith rewards

Since we arrived in Rome, I've been unable to post to the blog, but I've been putting some pictures on Facebook at The Observer Catholic Newspaper. Through the generosity of the folks at Catholic News Service, I am posting this short note.
I'll keep trying and will post more about our wonderful trip to Rome and Italy as soon as I can.
One of the best parts of being lost in the crowd Sunday for the canonizations, though, was the wonderful moment when thousands of Catholics from around the globe realized the Mass was starting and began to settle down where they were. Every one says alleluia. Every one says amen. We became the universal church together in Rome.
At the greeting of peace, people who were jostling and shoving and bickering before the Mass turned to each other smiled and shook hands. That was a wonderful moment of church.

-- Sharon Boehlefeld from Rome

Old and new in Tuscany

Two stops today married the historic and the contemporary of Italy, but before we traveled to Florence and San Gimignano, we started our day in the church just steps away from our Tuscan residence, the Hotel Villa San Lucchese outside of the town of Poggibonsi
Msgr. Kobbeman offered Mass in the historic San Lucchese Church, in which the saint it is named for is buried. In his homily, he reminded us that the Gospels in this Octave of Easter are still sending us the message of Easter, that Jesus died for us.

As he offered Mass, the lighting on the altar reminded us, too, that Jesus died for us. The shadow from the crucifix behind the altar seemed to show Jesus looking over Msgr. Kobbeman's shoulder.
We also had a treat from one of our number, Caroline Muller, who sang the Ave Marie for us at Communion. The lighted case that holds the remains of the saint is visible behind her in the fenced-off side altar.
Outside the church, the vista of vineyards and valleys on one side, vineyards and mountains on the other, makes it easy to understand why the Franciscan friars who live there settled on that particular view.

The church is also home to a spring festival, which will be taking place this weekend while we are in Rome.
After a short ride to Florence and a drop off near the center of the old part of the city, we had options for shopping, sightseeing and people watching. For many of us, the first stop was an indoor market that has been open since the late 1800's.
Later, we met at the Accademia Gallery of Florence, where Michelangelo's famous David is housed. Originally situated outside what is now the seat of city government, it was moved to the museum to protect it from damage and replica put on its outdoor pedestal. The museum was the only place we couldn't take pictures.
We also stopped at the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, the duomo, near the center of the old town.
The colors of the marble on the face of the church are symbols of the faith. The green marble stands for hope, the black for faith and the red for charity.

Then we walked a few blocks to the Ponte Vecchio, the only bridge in the city that was not destroyed in World War II. Both sides of the river are lined with colorful buildings.
After we left Florence, we traveled to San Gimignano, a remarkably intact medieval city, known for its tower houses, which at one time numbered in the 70s.
The tower-house builders wanted to remain inside the thick, protective walls of the city, but space there is at a premium. So, buildings had to go up.The city is a UNESCO world heritage site.

Today, modern shops line many of the avenues of the walled city, as today they do in the old parts of Florence.
Tuscany has already found a place in our hearts. No doubt, Friday's visit to Siena will further link us to this region of Italy.

-- Sharon Boehlefeld from Poggibonsi,Italy

First stop -- Pope John XXIII's birthplace

It's a tiny village, Sotto il Monte, -- under the mountains -- in  the he far north of Italy. And it's the birthplace of Pope John XXIII.
Our first stop was the church where he was baptized and later said Mass, but we also stopped at the family home in the village.

We had a wonderful tour of the rustic, courtyard house where he lived with 30 family members until he went to seminary at age 11.

Our guide for much of the tour was Father Giulio Mariani, PIME. A seminary for the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions is behind the old house, and is a repository of thousands of pieces of memorabilia relating to Pope John XXIII. The statue (left of Father Mariani) has a tradition -- and a shiny spot -- much like the statue of Lincoln's nose in Springfield, Illinois. Pilgrims, including those on our trip, rub the hand and forearm of the life-size statue.

But, by the time we had a wonderful lunch at the village's new cultural center about their native son and saint, got into a bus and drove six hours south to our destination, most of us had been awake for 24 hours or longer. I'll add details about the rest of the day later.

--Sharon Boehlefeld from Tuscany in Italy

Getting ready for Rome

St.Peter's Square (CNS/Reuters)

Getting ready for a trip abroad is challenging for someone like me who hasn’t been out of the U.S. since the last time my parents took me to Canada. And that was a long time ago. My more well-traveled friends have been willing to help me with suggestions – always be alert for pickpockets, take washcloths – and with equipment – electrical converters, passport holders.

For the trip to cover the canonization of popes John XXIII and John Paul II, our pilgrimage group from the Diocese of Rockford will arrive in time for the rainy month of April. Weather websites – I found are http://www.holiday-weather.com/rome/averages/april/ and http://www.accuweather.com/en/it/rome/213490/april-weather/213490 but there are others. These say we’ll have showers at least a couple of days during our stay, so the rain poncho and umbrella are going in my carry-on bag.

I’ve been doing some other research about traveling and I’ve actually found a couple of intriguing, and potentially helpful, web sites that might be useful for other novice travelers. Here are a few good articles:

To survive the flight, try some of these tips from Erica Ho. http://lifehacker.com/how-to-survive-a-long-haul-flight-with-finesse-1551468782

To pack better, read Lisa Lubin’s suggestions. http://www.llworldtour.com/how-to-pack-lighter/

For another take on packing – what to pack for women – here’s http://travelfashiongirl.com/10-piece-travel-essentials-packing-list-spring-2013/

And here’s a list for men that can be printed out on your computer. http://www.travelsmith.com/TravelSmith/US/TravelCenter/guide-packing-checklist/landing-path

This list also has some great packing reminders, though I know I won’t bring everything. http://www.vacation-lists.com/vacationpackingchecklists.html

I’m still looking for more information, but I believe the best advice I’ve heard so far comes from a frequent traveler to Italy who said, “You’ll love it.” 

I’m far from the only one getting ready for the canonization, though. According to this Catholic New Service story, the whole city it getting ready. http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1401346.htm

--Sharon Boehlefeld

St. Fidelis Church - Victoria, Kansas

 (CNS photo/ Doug Weller, The Register)

Destination: Bishop Edward J. Weisenburger of Salina, Kan., received the news from the Vatican in early March that it had granted the diocese’s application to have St. Fidelis designated a minor basilica. It’s dedication as a basilica will be June 7. 
Masses are 5 p.m., Saturdays; 10 a.m., Sunday; 6:45 a.m., Tuesday, Thursday, Friday; 7 p.m., Monday and Wednesday.
Why to go: Visiting a basilica can provide Catholics with a plenary indulgence — remission of the temporal punishment a person is due for sins that have been forgiven.
The historic church’s 141-foot twin towers are easily seen from nearby Interstate 70, and about 16,000 people visit it each year. The Romanesque structure is 220 feet long, 110 feet wide at the transepts, 75 feet tall and seats 1,100. At the time of its dedication in 1911, it was considered the largest church in the state. Colored-glass windows made in Munich were installed in 1916, and stations of the cross were imported from Austria in 1917. The cost to build the church and furnish it totaled more than $95,000.Democratic presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan dubbed it the “Cathedral of the Plains” when he visited in 1912.
The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. Since 1994, the parish has spent nearly $1 million on restoration, repairs and mechanical and physical updates.
It is also among the “8 Wonders of Kansas,” so named during a ceremony at the Capitol in Topeka in January 2008.
Amenities: Guided tours are available for people who call the parish office several days ahead of time.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Absolutely.
Info: Address: St. Fidelis Church, 601 10th St., Victoria, KS 67671. Phone: 785/735-2777 Web: http://www.stfidelischurch.com/

- Compiled by Sharon Boehlefeld
Send your Catholic destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org