(Please Note: In this very special article, Catholic Business Journal has linked each site and book mentioned. It’s worth clicking on the links to get a robust sense of the magnificence of this pilgrimage to Rome.—ed.)
We had high excitement and expectations as Pat and I prepared for our Rome adventure with our dear friends, Carole and Reid Carpenter from Ave Maria, Florida. We had met them on a trip to the Holy Land with Steve Ray about five years ago and kept talking about going to Rome together. All had been to Rome, except Reid, and it was our chance to show him the sites we particularly enjoy.
We arrived on April 21 and checked into the Michelangelo Hotel just two blocks from the Vatican. Soon we were off to meet Ana Cristina Villa Betancourt with the Pontifical Council For the Laity – Women’s Section.
We shared with her about the St. John Paul II Life Center and Vitae Clinic and the use and teaching in the Center of the medical science of NaProTECHNOLOGY developed by Dr. Thomas Hilgers. She was familiar with NaProTECHNOLOGY and knew of Dr. Hilgers. We were able to share current activities and discussed how we might collaborate and spread the word worldwide about NaProTECHNOLOGY.
Leaving her we walked to St. Maria in Travestere (one of the oldest churches in Rome) then into the piazza for the first of many gelatos. After dinner that evening we were delighted to see Jennifer and Joe Fulwiler from Austin, also staying at the Michelangelo Hotel.
Carole and Reid arrived the next morning and after getting them settled, we walked to the Vatican to observe the thousands of people waiting to go thru the Holy Door of St. Peters.
That special door usually opens only every 25 years and was now open because of the extraordinary Holy Year, called by Pope Francis as a Jubilee of Mercy.
Pope Francis in his announcement letter said, “I have often thought of how the Church may render more clear her mission to be a witness to mercy; and we have to make this journey. It is a journey that begins with spiritual conversion. . .. This is the time of mercy. It is important that the lay faithful live it and bring it into different social environments.”
Carole, Reid, Pat and I wanted to answer that call of Pope Francis by participating in Rome.
Pope Francis said, “Feeling mercy, this word changes everything. This is the best thing we can feel; it changes the world. A little mercy makes the world less cold and more just. We need to understand properly this mercy of God, this merciful Father who is so patient. Jesus is the face of the Father’s mercy. These words might well sum up the mystery of the Christian faith.”
“The initial rite of the Jubilee is the opening of the Holy Door . . .. which illustrates symbolically the idea that, during the Jubilee, the faithful are offered an ‘extraordinary pathway’ to salvation, said Joan Lewis in her book, A Holy Year in Rome.
Each of the four papal basilicas—St. Peter’s, St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major and St. Paul Outside the Walls—had their Holy Door opened and are to be visited on a pilgrimage.
There are three additional churches considered a part of a pilgrim’s itinerary—St. Sebastian, Holy Cross in Jerusalem and St. Lawrence Outside the Walls.
“To complete the pilgrimage each pilgrim is asked to make a brief pilgrimage to the Holy Door, make a good confession, receive the Eucharist, make a profession of faith in Mass and pray for the Holy Father’s intentions, the good of the Church and the entire world all within a two-week period of passing through the Holy Door.” Ibid.
That evening we had dinner with Joan Lewis, the EWTN Rome correspondent, and visited with her about many things happening in Rome and particularly about her now ongoing book tour in the United States for A Holy Year In Rome. It was a delightful evening at La Scaletta Degli Artisti near Piazza Navona.
The next morning, we started early meeting our guide outside the entrance of the Vatican museum. Our guide was outstanding, giving us much history and insight about the Vatican museum, the building and the timing of additions. She highlighted particular outstanding museum pieces and prepared us for the Sistine Chapel which is overpowering.
Since we had visited the Vatican museum, we were able to avoid standing in line to pass through the Holy Door into St. Peter’s Basilica.
Upon entering St. Peter’s, we were next to the Pieta, another of Michelangelo’s masterpieces. Next is St. John Paul II’s tomb. We were able to enter and pray for God’s guidance and blessing for the St. John Paul II Life Center and Vitae Clinic, its employees, volunteers, patients, women in crisis, board members, and families of all. We toured throughout the main floor and saw the confessio where the bones of St. Peter are buried.
After a short walk, we arrived at La Vittoria for lunch and were joined by our afternoon guide.
During the afternoon we passed through the Holy Door of each of the other three papal basilicas and went to the other three churches previously listed. Upon leaving St. John Lateran we went next door to the Scala Santa or Holy Staircase and climbed the 28 steps on which Jesus walked to Pilate’s house in Jerusalem. Making all seven of the churches in one day was a daunting undertaking, but we did it.
Sunday we were able to attend Mass at one of the local churches near our hotel and just outside the Vatican. That night we had a wonderful dinner with Msgr. David Jaeger previously from Austin, but now a member of the Roman Rota, the Supreme Court of the Vatican. It is always a treat to be with Msgr. Jaeger, so brilliant yet so down to earth and fun to visit with.
Early Monday we were off to Assisi by private car. It was a fabulous day seeing the church of St. Francis and the Basilica where he is buried. We visited where St. Claire is buried and saw the original St. Damiano Cross.
One of the highlights of the day was visiting the mountaintop town of Todi and getting into the town parade for their patron saint. A full day as we made it back to Rome about 10:00 PM.
The next day we went to the beautiful Piazzi Navona and saw the local artists’ paintings. We walked a short distance to the Pantheon and ate lunch nearby at Clemente Alla Maddalena on our way to the North American College (NAC) to pick up our tickets for the regular Wednesday Papal audience. It was good that after getting the tickets, the NAC made confession available in English.
The next morning was the general audience with Pope Francis. Reid and Carole were positioned just right as the Holy Father came very close to them in his Pope mobile. Unfortunately, I got a virus and Pat was sweet to stay with me, but we missed seeing Pope Francis up close.
The next day we were off by train to the Amalfi Coast through Naples to Positano. We were able to slow down and enjoy the ceramics, shopping, good food and Italian wine. We even went to Mama Agata’s cooking school one day and it was great fun – now can cook eggplant parmesan. Positano is so beautiful you feel like you are stepping into a postcard.
Back to Rome for one last evening and we were joined by Ashley and John Noronha. Ashley is the Rome anchor for Relevant Radio and teaches media at the NAC and other seminaries. John is an accomplished businessman and Catholic theologian. Both are tour guides in Rome. It was an exciting dinner at Pierre Luigi’s Restaurant. We learned that Ashley and John are now producing, directing, and narrating the TV show the Voice of the Vatican on Shalom Worldwide TV Network and carried on EWTN.
What a way to conclude this Rome adventure. One of the greatest blessings was for Pat and me to get to know Carole and Reid better, see their commitment to our Catholic faith, their love for each other and their family. God truly blessed us in our Holy Year visit to Rome.
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Timothy Von Dohlen is the founder and president of the John Paul II Life Center and Vitae Clinic in Austin, Texas. (www.jpiilifecenter.org) For a more robust bio, click here: www.catholicbusinessjournal.biz/content/tim-von-dohlen. He may be reached at Timothy@CatholicBusinessJournal.biz