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

Two popes to be canonized April 27

On Divine Mercy Sunday, April 27, Pope Francis will recognize the sainthood of two of his predecessors -- John XXIII and John Paul II -- in a canonization ceremony.

Pope John XXII (left) and Pope John Paul II will be canonized April 27.

Canonization, according the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website, is "the formal process by which the Church declares a person to be a saint and worthy of veneration universally."
Catholic News Service reported that Pope Francis had been considering Dec. 8, 2013, but was concerned about the possibility that icy roads could have made it difficult for Polish pilgrims traveling by bus to Rome for the ceremony.
The other option, he said, was Divine Mercy Sunday, a celebration instituted worldwide by Pope John Paul.
Reporters on the plane taking the pope to Brazil for World Youth Day last July asked him to describe the two late popes.
Pope Francis said Blessed John was "a bit of the 'country priest,' a priest who loves each of the faithful and knows how to care for them; he did this as a bishop and as a nuncio."
He was holy, patient, had a good sense of humor and, especially by calling the Second Vatican Council, was a man of courage, Pope Francis said. "He was a man who let himself be guided by the Lord."
As for Blessed John Paul, Pope Francis told the reporters on the plane, "I think of him as 'the great missionary of the church," because he was "a man who proclaimed the Gospel everywhere."
Look for coverage of the Rockford Diocesan pilgrimage to the canonization, here, in April.
You'll also be able to follow us on Facebook at The Observer Catholic Newspaper.

--Sharon Boehlefeld 

(CNS photos)

Spanish Missions - San Antonio, Texas

Destination: There are plenty of reasons to visit San Antonio,
Mass times vary at the missions. For details, check http://oldspanishmissions.org and click on Mass Schedule at the Missions.
The map (left) is available online at  http://oldspanishmissions.org. The missions are Mission San Jose (top) and Mission Concepcion (below).
Why to go: The history of the Catholic faith in the Americas is closely tied to the history of Spanish missions, including the five in San Antonio. In January,  the U.S. nominated the missions for World Heritage site status. Four of them are part of  the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, through a partnership with the Archdiocese of San Antonio. The Alamo, called “The Shrine of Texas Liberty,” is operated separately as a state historical site. According to the National Park Service, Mission Concepcion marked the 250th anniversary of its dedication in 2005 and is the only one of the five missions that has its original roof and walls intact, so its interior frescoes retain remnants of their original colors.
Texas. Even the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has selected it for meetings. But a key reason is to see the missions there — and we don’t mean the minor league baseball team (although they might be worth a visit, too). We mean the Spanish missions of San Antonio — San Jose, Concepcion, San Juan, Espada and San Antonio de Valero, which you probably know as the Alamo.
The park service recommends setting aside two to four hours for the free guided tours, movies, and demonstrations at the missions.
Hours: The four NPS shrines  are open 9 a.m.-5 pm. daily, except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and Jan. 1.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Absolutely.
Info: Address: Old Spanish Missions, Inc., P.O. Box 7804, San Antonio, TX 78207-0804 Phone: 210/357-5601. Web: http://oldspanishmissions.org or http://www.nps.gov/saan/index.htm

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

We're going to Rome!

(CNS photo/Paul Haring)

The Observer's features and multimedia editor Sharon Boehlefeld will be accompanying Msgr. Gerald Kobbeman and other pilgrims on the Rockford Diocese's official pilgrimage to Italy this April for the canonization of Popes John XXIII and John-Paul II.
Watch here starting April 23 as she reports from the trip.

Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation - Carey, Ohio

(Photos/ www.olcshrine.com)

Destination: For 100 years, the Conventual Franciscan Friars have served this church in the Diocese of Toledo, Ohio. Today’s church sits across the street from the original building.
Mass times vary at the Basilica Church. From Nov. 1 through Palm Sunday, Sunday Masses are at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. From Easter through Oct. 31, Sunday Masses are at 8 a.m., 10 a.m. Year-round, Masses are at 7 a.m., 11 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. on Saturdays and at 7 a.m. and 11 a.m. weekdays.
Why to go: Pilgrims have traveled to the basilica and shrine since 1875. Devotion to Mary as Our Lady of Consolation goes back to the second century. The shrine website says, “In 1652, the pope fostered devotion to Our Lady under this title by establishing a confraternity. The devotion spread to the United States, and the first shrine to Our Lady of Consolation was built in Carey, Ohio.” The church commissioned a replica of a statue of Our Lady from Luxembourg, which arrived in 1875. In addition to the basilica, there is also a park where pilgrims may stroll, sit and pray.
Amenities: The shrine includes both a gift shop and a retreat house. Hours of the shop are 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. The shop is also open 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Sunday, although it closes during 2:30 p.m. devotions. It also closes from noon to 3 p.m. on Good Friday.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Children are welcome to visit. The retreat house even offers retreats for teens.
Info: Address: Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation, 315 Clay St., Carey, OH 43316. Phone: 419/396-7107. Web: www.olcshrine.com

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