Posted on 08/01/2002 9:07:43 PM PDT by Pokey78
Edited on 04/23/2004 12:04:41 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
There was silence again until it was broken softly by my rocker. "This is the greatest day of my life," he said to me. And my eyes filled with tears again because I knew it was true and because it is a privilege to be there on the best day of another human being's life.
We were ushered out and I went into the streets of Rome and in time hailed a cab and told the cab driver all about it. I was so excited I left my eyeglasses on the seat. But I still had the rosary beads, and they're here with me right now, right in front of me on my desk.
Wonderful testimony!
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Truly awe inspiring as well as inspired writing!
Naaah, those calls will still come. This last North American trip was so, like, umm, yesterday. Dude. Asking those who reject the Pope to stop calling for him to resign is like asking a tiger to change its stripes.
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It is really sad that some people don't feel they can leave others to be happy, and have to spread their misery everywhere.
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So true!! I had the Dominicans for 3 years, the Sisters of Charity of Halifax (they had us march into school, singlefile, to the accompaniment of John Phillip Sousa and their clapping hands) for 5 years, and the Sisters of St. Joseph (Brentwood), for another 4 years. Classes were 50+ and the sisters took no guff. Neither did our parents.
My private audience took place at Castelgandolfo. You're right; it does take pull. My mother, sister, cousin, and I were shown into the Papal palace, and offered a seat at the window while across the way the pope spoke to a seething mob sweating in the courtyard. We were closely watched by a Swiss guard who saw to it that we didn't try anything funny. Afterwards, the pope saw us for a few minutes, gave us rosaries, and posed for a group photo.
It hadn't occurred to me to think about this. I shrugged and said, like a happy American idiot, "I think you shake his hand."
"You do?" he said. "I thought you, like, kiss it, or bow."
"I don't know," I said, and turned to the Australian burgher to ask him when suddenly there was silence. Like a blanket of silence had fallen on us.
Kiss his ring, silly.
Forgive this lack of charity, but how can people be so dopey? Is this what Catholic education has come to, that not even a former White House insider knows the protocol for being presented to the Bishop of Rome?
For the record, he is addressed as "Your Holiness" or, more familiarly, "Holy Father." "Santo Padre" will do very well if he's Italian; if he's a polyglot Pole you'll probably do better to stick to English.
For those seeking souvenirs, bring a white mozzetta (buy one at Gamarelli; they'll know his size), which tradition requires that he accept from you in exchange for the one he's wearing. I have no idea whether this custom is still recognised. If anyone tries it, please report back to me. :-)
I ask a simple question, "Yeah..... but is he a PROPHET!? ", and people go ballistic!!
So, in your view, it's TRASHING to post their 'scripture' along side other writings, and try to get a straight answer from them.
OK
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