I'm afraid I did not take many photos this year in Lourdes (posts from the past two Summers show Lourdes in detail), but overall it was a great experience, as Spanish Seminarian Jorge expressed one morning outside of the Seminarian residence:
I celebrated my 27th birthday my last day in Lourdes, and my friend Father Hugues Beaugrand from the Institute of the Good Shepherd (a French Priestly Society of Apostolic Life) came to visit. He celebrated Mass next to the relics of Saint Bernadette, and we made a visit to the grotto:
I made a quick visit to Rome since I was already so close:
My friend John Paul Sonnen of Orbis Catholicus gave my family a tour of the Vatican:
Papal carriages:
The Jeep that was carrying Pope John Paul II when he was shot:
One evening, John and his wife invited me to dinner at their apartment in the resort town of Santa Marinella, right outside of Rome:
Lunch the next day with my friend Msgr. Soseman from the Congregation for the Clergy:
On Wednesday, I went to the Papal Angelus at the Holy Father's Summer residence, Castel Gandolfo:
Swiss Guard guarding the entrance:
I was able to sit in the "sick" section, which was in the front row underneath the Holy Father:
I spoke with the Pope's private secretary, Msgr. Georg Ganswein. He is one of the nicest people I have ever met:
4 comments:
Wonderful pictures! Thank you for sharing these and for letting us know how you are doing.
Always in my prayers,
Joe A.
Happy belated birthday, dear Philip!
Thank you for sharing the pictures with us; I fear it is the closest I will ever get to either Lourdes or Rome.
God bless you, and I continue to pray for you.
L
You did a lot Philip.
Happy birthday and welcome home!
Ad Multos Annos!
Dan Hunter
You remain in my thoughts and prayers. I liked the photos (esp. of you and John Sonnen with your pipes !).
Fr. A.M.
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