Take the Train Vatican City to Castel Gandolfo

(CNS photo)

Destination: Pope Francis’ desire for a church whose doors are wide open isn’t just a metaphor for encouraging a greater spirit of welcoming. He also has told the Vatican staff to lift the locks on places and spaces that were long closed to the general public -— the latest being the papal summer home in the hilltop town of Castel Gandolfo.
Masses are available all over Rome, but aren’t part of the tours.
Why to go: The head of the Vatican Museums, Antonio Paolucci, said the pope told him he did not want the rich botanical and architectural treasures of the papal gardens and villas to be wasted.
The tiny train station of the smallest country in the world is now open to ticketed tour goers so anyone can take a specially chartered train that leaves every Saturday for a round trip journey to Castel Gandolfo, just 13 miles away. Tourists can choose two itineraries and must book ahead online at museivaticani.va.
It’s the first time the apostolic palace, which houses the still-private papal apartments and the observatory dome of the pope’s Jesuit astronomers, has officially opened to the public.
Six large rooms display papal portraits, historical clothing and liturgical vestments. People can get an up-close look at a “sedia gestatoria,” or portable papal chair, popes’ embroidered cloth slippers and a gold and silver desk set used by Pope Pius VIII. Visitors also can venture onto a huge balcony to admire Lake Albano — an ancient volcanic lake.
Both itineraries have tourists leave the papal property right at lunchtime for three to four hours of “free time” in town before a late afternoon train back to Rome.
Options: A full-day ticket for $45 starts with a two-hour visit to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel. After a one-hour walk through the Vatican Gardens, there is a one-hour train ride from Vatican City to Castel Gandolfo with a one-hour mini-train ride through the pontifical gardens. An $18 ticket includes only train transport and entrance to a museum space created in the apostolic palace.
Accessibility: It’s Italy, so most places will have stairs, cobblestones and hills to negotiate.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Of course.
Info: Web — museivaticani.va

— Catholic News Service
Send Destination ideas to SeasonedObserver@rockforddiocese.org

Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

(Photos/ http://cammonline.org)

Destination: An outgrowth of a devotion to Mary, the Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal was established for the Central Association of the Miraculous Medal in Philadelphia. The CAMM was formed in 1915 and directed by its founder, Father Joseph Skelly, CM. Each Monday since 1927, nine novena services are held. Check the website for details.
Masses  are 9 a.m. Sunday; 12:05 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; 7 and 9 a.m., 12:05 and 7:30 p.m. Monday.
Photos: Left--The shrine is housed in the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception.
Right--A mosaic at the shrine shows an image of the first apparition of Mary and the medal to St. Catherine Labouré in Paris, Nov.  27, 1830.
Why to go: The shrine on the west side of the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception, which had been dedicated to St. Vincent de Paul, was enlarged, remodeled and rededicated to Mary the Immaculate. Father Skelly, considered it the “center and heart” of CAMM.
Hours: During the World Meeting of Families, Sept. 20-28, shrine hours are Monday: 6:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday: 8:30 a.m.-8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday: 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday 8-10 a.m. The website lists regular hours. There will be historical tours on Saturdays until Oct. 3.Extras: Near the shrine is the the Museum of the Miraculous Medal Shrine, containing more than 500 pieces of religious art, ranging in date, technique, origin, and subject. The museum is at 475 E. Chelten Ave. Museum hours are 1-3 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, or by  appointment by calling 215/848-1010.
Accessibility: As the top picture shows, there are stairs to the main shrine entrance, but it is accessible to the handicapped.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Of course.
Info: Address — Miraculous Medal Shrine, 500 E. Chelten Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19144 Phone — 215/848-1010 Web — http://cammonline.org

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

Vatican Splendors - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

(CNS photo)

Destination: Planning to head to the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia in September? Make time to see works of art and rare artifacts from the Vatican while you are there. Philadelphia is the only announced destination for the exhibit, which will be on a two-city North American tour.
While there are no Masses at the Franklin Institute, check www.worldmeeting2015.org/plan-your-visit/places-worship to find some. 
Why to go: More than 200 works of art, 40 percent of which have never been shown publicly anywhere, are part of the “Vatican Splendors” exhibit opening Sept. 19 at Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute. (If you don’t go right away, you’ll have time to visit the exhibit later. it’s running through Feb. 15, 2016, in Philly.)The nearly 10,000-square-foot exhibit, organized into 11 galleries, will consist of significant objects collected by Vatican Museums over the span of 2,000 years.
It includes objects from the ancient St. Peter’s Basilica and tools used in the construction of the 16th-century basilica and the Sistine Chapel; artwork by Michelangelo; historical maps, signed documents and a bas-relief sculpture; works by Baroque masters such as Bernini and Guercino; intricately embroidered silk liturgical vestments; uniforms of the papal Swiss Guard; artwork that dates to the first century; and bone fragments of SS. Peter and Paul as well as relics discovered at their tombs.
The photo shows a statue of St. Paul from the Vatican collection.

Hours: There will be daytime, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., and evening, 5-9 p.m., exhibit hours with different non-member ticket prices for each session. Group rates are also available. Onsite parking is limited. Check the website for details.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Absolutely.
Info: Address — The Franklin Institute, 222 N. 20th St. Philadelphia, PA 19103  Phone — 215/448-1200 Web — https://www.fi.edu/exhibit/vatican-splendors

— Compiled by Sharon Boehlefeld; CNS contributed to this story
Send Destination ideas to SeasonedObserver@rockforddiocese.org

The Ringling Museum - Sarasota, Florida

(Photos provided)

Destination: If you are planning vacation to Florida, consider a stop at The Ringling, the State Art Museum of Florida. Its story begins in 1911 when the circus impresario John Ringling and his wife, Mabel, bought 20 acres in Sarasota and poured their love tor the Florida city, for Italy and art, into the property. In addition to the art museum, of course, there is also the Circus Museum on the grounds.
While there are no Masses on The Ringling grounds, there are several parishes to select from in Sarasota. Click on Find a Parish at http://dioceseofvenice.org
Why to go: In the vast collection of The Ringling museum, there is a significant number of religious art. Its website says the museum’s 31 galleries feature “old masters, contemporary art and exhibitions from around the world.”
But art’s not the only reason to visit The Ringling. Ca’ d’Zan, or “House of John,” in the Venetian dialect, is the  Ringling’s 56-room mansion, billed as “a testament to the American Dream of the Roaring Twenties.” There are also the Bayfront Gardens, the Historic Asolo Theater and an education center.
Hours: Most days The Ringling is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m; Thursdays until 8 p.m. Ca’ d’Zan closes at 5 p.m.and the Bayfront Gardens are open 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day. Admission varies, but includes seniors (65 and older) is $23; children 6-17, $5.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Did we mention the Circus Museum?
Info: Address — The Ringling, 5401 Bay Shore Road Sarasota, FL 34243 Phone — 941/359-5700 Web — www.ringling.org

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

Shrine of St. Gianna Beretta Molla - Warminster, Pennsylvania

The Catholic World Meeting of Families will be held in Philadephia, Pennsylvania, Sept. 22-27, 2015. Learn more about the meeting at www.worldmeeting2015.org/. This is one of several shrines in the Philadephia area that we’ll highlight before the meeting.  

(Observer screen shot)

Destination: If you are driving to the World Meeting of Families (or renting a car while there), you may want to plan a side trip to the Shrine of St. Gianna Beretta Molla. But the shrine is only open on weekends, so plan accordingly.
Masses at Nativity of Our Lord Parish, where the shrine is located, are 5 p.m. Saturdays; 8, 10 a.m. and noon Sundays; 6:30 a.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 8 a.m. Monday through Saturday.
Why to go: St. Gianna Beretta Molla was a mother who gave her life that her child might live. She and St. Pope John Paul II have been selected patrons of the meeting. A physician, she well understood the choice she was making. The shrine houses special relics — a pair of gloves that belonged to the saint. They were presented to the shrine by her late husband with one condition. He asked that they be available to people to touch and handle instead of being locked behind glass. His request provides a rare opportunity for those who visit the Shrine of St. Gianna.
Shrine hours: Two sets of hours for veneration of the unsealed relics of St. Gianna are listed on the website. In a pop-up on the home page, they are listed as  the second Saturday of every month, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Shrine hours are 3:30-5 p.m. Saturdays and after Masses until 2 p.m. Sundays. Group arrangements are available by reservation.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Children are always welcome, but should behave as they would at any parish.
Info: Address — Shrine of St. Gianna Beretta Molla, Nativity of Our Lord Church, 625 West Street Road, Warminster, PA 18974 Phone — 215/657-3101 Web — http://saintgianna.org

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

A Virtual Tour of Basilica of St. John Lateran - Rome, Italy

(Observer photo by Sharon Boehlefeld)

(Observer screen shot)

Destination: Wishing you could make a pilgrimage to Rome, but just can’t make it? You can still see one of the most important churches in the history of the faith, the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome if you have a computer and an Internet connection.

Why to go: The Basilica of St. John Lateran was the first Christian cathedral in Rome, ordered by Rome’s first Christian emperor, Constantine the Great. It became the pope’s own cathedral and, for the first 1,000 years of Christian history, it was his official residence. Constantine gave the property, which had belonged to the Laterani family (hence, the name St. John Lateran), to Pope Melchiade (311-314). Over the years, it has suffered damage and been restored several times. When the papacy returned to Rome from Avignon, France, in the 14th century the residence was in such bad shape, the pope moved to the Vatican, which had been a pilgrimage church until then.
Today, St. John Lateran remains one of the four patriarchal basilicas that make up the “Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome,” as designated by the Vatican. The others are St. Peter’s Basilica, the Basilica of St. Paul Outside-the-Walls and the Basilica of St. Mary Major. The other three churches are two minor basilicas — St. Lawrence Outside-the-Walls and Holy Cross of Jerusalem — and a shrine, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Divine Love.
In the top photo, a crowd gathers in front of St. John Lateran Cathedral the weekend of the canonization of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II in April 2014.
The tour begins with an overhead view of the cathedral (bottom photo). The facade in the top photo is the eastern exterior, number 13 in the photo.

How to go: To take the virtual tour of St. John Lateran, go to the website and click on the numbers in the photo. As each “room” opens, slowly move your cursor to the right or left, up or down. Stop any time and the image will focus. Take your time examining the stunning views and listening to the choir singing.

Info: http://www.vatican.va/various/basiliche/san_giovanni/vr_tour/index-en.html

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

Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The Catholic World Meeting of Families will be held in Philadephia, Pennsylvania, Sept. 22-27, 2015. Learn more about the meeting at www.worldmeeting2015.org/. This is one of several shrines in the Philadephia area that we’ll highlight before the meeting. 

(Photo http://cathedralphila.org)

(CNS photo/Nancy
Phelan Wiechec)

Destination: On April 8, 1808, Pope Pius VII established Baltimore as the first archdiocese in the United States and created four new dioceses: Philadelphia, Boston, New York and Bardstown, Kentucky. This September, the now-Archdiocese of Philadelphia will be the host of the World Meeting of Families and Pope Francis will be there. 
Regular Mass times at the cathedral are Saturday 7:15 a.m., 12:05 p.m. in the chapel and 5:15 p.m. in the basilica; Sunday 8 a.m. English and 12:30 p.m. Spanish, chapel; 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., basilica; Monday-Friday, 7:15 a.m. and 12:05 p.m. Mass times may vary if you go during the World Meeting of Families, so check locally.
The photos show the second-story windows and art (left) and the dome (right) of the cathedral.

Why to go: The historic church, open since 1864, features a carved walnut organ screen casing in the choir loft. The website says, “The richly ornamental screen is the design of Otto Eggers, who also designed the Jefferson Monument, the Mellon Art Gallery, and the National Gallery of Art, all in Washington, D.C.”
Anti-Catholic sentiment was high in Philadelphia when construction began on the cathedral, so it was designed without windows at street level to discourage vandals. The design is based on the Lombard Church of St. Charles (San Carlo al Corso) in Rome, and is an example of Roman-Corinthian architecture. Cast bronze doors leading to the narthex and bronze handrails were added in a 1950s renovation.
There’s an audio tour of the cathedral basilica for MP3 players. It’s about 20 minutes long and you can download it free from the Visitor Information page (under About on the home page).

Special events: The cathedral basilica is celebrating its 150th year and three more choral concerts are scheduled in May. Details are at http://cathedralphilaconcerts.org/events/

(Grand) Kid friendly: Children are always welcome.

Info: Address: Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, 18th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103 Phone: 215/561-1313 Web: http://cathedralphila.org/

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