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43 pilgrims were met in Naples, Italy by Robert and Christine di Cecco for their pilgrimage with the Saints in
Italy. Included were a 5-year old boy, Andrew,
and 2 older boys, Paul Monks (aged 12) and Jacob Aldridge
(aged 13) and of course all ages up to our 80's-still-going-good-Wynn.
We started our pilgrimage by visiting and praying at the shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii, we continued on to San Giovanni, Father Tom Scott offered Holy Mass by the tomb of Padre Pio. Afterwards we received the blessing with the stigmata glove of Padre
Pio.
We visited the Cave of St Michael in Monte San Angelo that was consecrated by the presence of Saint
Michael, then we continued on to Lanciano to venerate the Eucharistic
Miracle.
One of my favorite shrines is Loreto, the House of the Blessed Mother where the Annunciation took place; that house was transported by the
angels 3 times before it landed in
Loreto. Pilgrims were able to go around the house on their knees praying the Holy
Rosary.
Assisi was our next stop and we all received the Pardon of Assisi
(the famous Portiuncula Indulgence that
St. Francis asked Our Lord to grant to pilgrims visiting this
church).
St. Rita of Cascia was the first visible incorrupt body that the pilgrims would see on the pilgrimage as later on we saw
St. Catherine of Bologna sitting in a chair and
Bl. Imelda who died at the age of
12.
While in Rome we visited the Major and Minor Basilicas
(and of course more!) and climbed up on our knees the Holy Stairs praying the Holy Rosary. These stairs are the Holy Stairs Our Lord walk up to Pontius Pilate and that St. Helena brought back to
Rome. We attended the Papal Audience and 2 of our
more brave pilgrims went to shake hands with the Holy Father and
deliver to him a letter from one of our
former pilgrims from back home.
We continued on to Padua where everybody was overwhelmed with the beauty of the Ark of
St. Anthony and also the incorrupt tongue that so eloquently proclaimed the Word of God.
We ended our pilgrimage by praying at the tomb of St. Mark the Apostle in Venice and before returning to the hotel we ended the day with a memorable gondola ride in the canals of Venice.
Our return flight was exciting because the incident with London has just occurred a few days prior our return so security was tight for our own safety and planes were delayed, at the end we all came home more blessed, many graces, and newly found
friendship.
May God Bless you all. |
