Vatican Catholic Bloggers Meeting - A Trip to Rome

Did you know that Vatican has invited 150 Catholic bloggers to Rome? Incredibly, I am one of them.

LINK to announcement.


From USATODAY


I do not know yet how the PCCS meeting at the Vatican will be organized. (They write,"... will receive further indications after Easter.") And for some reason God sees fit to make it so that my family can be there.

Many of the other Americans going, as my Italian great-grandmother Taddei used to say, are "bigga shots" like...

18. Carol Glatz http://cnsblog.wordpress.com/
33. Elizabeth Scalia http://www.patheos.com/community/theanchoress/
59. Joan Lewis http://www.ewtn.com/news/blog.asp?blog_ID=1
72. Katrina Ebersole http://thecrescat.blogspot.com/
76. Lisa Hendey http://catholicmom.com/
125. Rocco Palmo http://www.whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/
126. Roderick Vonhögen http://sqpn.com/
142. Taylor Marshall http://www.cantuar.blogspot.com/
143. Thomas Peters http://www.americanpapist.com
144. Tim Kelleher http://www.firstthings.com/

I've been thinking a lot about how I can participate and thinking about what a blog like mine offers. I think it offers a support network to those in similar situations. For those who, like me, homeschool or are attached to the Traditional Latin Mass, we are 2 somewhat fringe elements in the Universal Catholic Church. We can doubt ourselves and what progress we are making and we need to connect with others for encouragement and support.

Via the social communications of Blogging, Facebooking, and being a part of Catholic yahoogroups we find blessings and certainty in these connections. Certainty that
we have a community, one that we lean on. I am grateful to live in a time when I can so easily communicate and in many cases befriend others from all over the world who share a love for the Catholic Church.

Speaking of faith and certainties, I reached out to a dear priest who I admire. I shared my uncertainties with him. "Father, about the Pontifical Councils for Culture and Social Communication, do you have any thoughts or guidance about them and what they are looking for? Father, pray for me. I feel a bit out of my league..."

And what do our priests do? They support us. They lift us up and fortify us. Taking a pause from his day he immediately wrote me back, thought some more and wrote me again! These are the questions my priest set before me to ask myself and I extend them to you as well...our community. Even though I don't know if these are questions on topics germane to the meeting, they are worthwhile to think about and give me something to ruminate on over a long plane ride.

#1 How can they (PCCS & The Vatican) support you in your work of Catholic homeschooling?


#2 Can they make resources available to you, what would be helpful?


#3 What guidance would you like from the Vatican? Are there any issues that you feel need to be addressed?


#4 Are they doing enough to support big families, especially home schoolers?


#5 How could the church help you more in your homeschooling?


And finally he asked me, "how could you homeschool/evangelize more effectively and pleasingly to the Catholic Church?"

These are the questions I will be pondering as I travel to the Vatican. Again, I don't know how I might be asked to share my perspective...and as it says on my blog sidebar, my blog is our family's photo journal...just our perspectives. But I recognize that I am a part of a community. Your comments are most welcome at the link below.

I hope you'll visit here often as I blog from Roma. After Easter, my goal is to be blogging daily from the Eternal City about this incredible field trip through the eyes of my family.

One more thing, may I ask for your prayers as well? I will be praying for your intentions in every Church I visit!

Ciao.

Meeting for any and all Bloggers after the PCCS Vatican meeting - http://catholic-bloggers.com/#Event

13 comments:

Lisa Boyle said...

Oh, Allison, again, my heartfelt congratulations! I am so happy for you! :-) Please remember my family and intentions in Rome, as I will keep your family's safe travels in mine. I know it will be an incredible experience for all of you! And, say hello to Rocco Palmo for me, lol. He is an old friend from the parish in which I grew up. God bless you and Happy, Happy Easter!

Kimberlee said...

Congratulations! What a fabulous, blessed, wonderful opportunity for your whole family!

amy said...

ALLISON!!!

I AM OVER THE MOON FOR YOU ALL!!! I can’t find any other words-- this thrills me to no end.

God Bless you my friend.
Love,
Amy

Ashley said...

Allison,

This is amazing!! I'm so thrilled your children can make this trip with you. That is a dream we have for our own children someday.

You and your family will be in my prayers.

God Bless you for all that you do.

Ashley

Elizabeth in Wisconsin said...

I am so excited for all of you. This is just amazing! But I shouldn't be surprised. Your blog is just wonderful!

Charlotte said...

I don't know how or why you got picked to go. However, as soon as I saw your name, here's what I thought:

You were chosen because you represent the normal, average faithful Catholic. It matters not that you homeschool or that you prefer the Latin mass. It's because you show the world family, like and faith in a charitable, positive way. There is a place at the table for a blog like that.

MaryH said...

Congratulations on being chosen! That's awesome. Our prayers are with all of you. All to the glory of God.

Allison said...

I don't know if there's a how or why in a lottery.

I only know my niches...what my blog speaks to...our family life.

Charlotte, your words meant a lot to me. Thank you for always being so supportive.

Thank you ALL for your support. I promise to pray for all your intentions.

Laura O in AK said...

I'd completely second Charlotte's comments. And, like Amy, I am thrilled that you will have the opportunity to be there.

I'll give some thought to your list of questions. I can say that the Vatican could support Catholic families by reiterating the parents are primary educators of their children. Reading about the Bishop of Austin's reply via the Catholic Schools superindendant made my stomach turn. (http://the-american-catholic.com/2011/04/20/diocese-of-austin-homeschoolers-need-not-apply/)

Lena said...

Deo gratias! We will be praying for you.
Pax Christi - Lena & JOYfilledfamily

Unknown said...

Congratulations!
I've done the blog of bloggers: http://catholic-bloggers.blogspot.com/

Laura The Crazy Mama said...

SHUT THE FRONT DOOR! YOU'RE GOIN TO ROME??? YAY!

Kay said...

I just found out about this. How wonderful. I agree with Charlotte. Congratulations and I hope every travel arrangement goes perfectly. God bless. Kay

© 2011 Bushel & A Peck Designs. Powered by Blogger.