Rome Travelogue - Day Six - Vatican Blogger Meeting
Monday, May 2nd is Day Six.
And then the day that brought us here....
Incredible.
Although our family motto, Totus Tuus, is derivative of Pope John Paul II's and his (and our) devotion to Jesus through Mary, we had not made plans to be at the Beatification. We had been saving up for a trip to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary but thought it might be to California...later....
On that Saturday morning when the announcements were posted I turned on my computer and saw excited posts from blog friends.
For five years now I have been writing this blog as a photo journal for my family. It is a creative outlet for me, writing and photographing our experiences as well as trying to chronicle the times we live in through the lens and celebration of our Catholicism and homeschooling. If all it ever gave me was a photo journal to print off each year that was what I was expecting, but it gave me more. I found a community of Catholic bloggers, quite a number that I cherish as friends now. With this opportunity, the Vatican Bloggers Meeting, the blog has given my family the trip of a lifetime for us. Also it has encouraged me to remember the scripture, 1 Peter 3: 15"But sanctify the Lord Christ in your hearts, being ready always to satisfy every one that asketh you a reason of that hope which is in you." The blogging community can be an encouragement to it's readers and a way to spread the faith.
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=13517302&page=1
Prior to my 3:30pm meeting start time, we went out for lunch near the Vatican and found a spot where we were serenaded.
Arriving at the Pontifical Council for Culture and Social Communications, I was nervous. There were people at the door ready to take my proof of ID. I turned to my family and gave them each a kiss to buoy me. A friendly voice said,"Are you by chance Totus Tuus Family? Can I meet the family? Richard Rouse, who works for Cardinal Revasi of the PCCS and who came up with the idea for this meeting, must have memorized all 150 of us! I am in awe of graciousness like that!
I entered into what seemed like a sleek and modern office building with high ceilings and marble. Very official, there were lots of people in suits and name badges with clipboards. Directed into the large meeting area, it seemed as if all the seats were taken! I came at the beginning of the registration time but these savvy bloggers must have come earlier. I was more than happy to take a seat at the back where I felt I could get a great photographic aspect.
Sitting to my left, pictured below, 145. Vicente Javier Navas of www.vecinosdefuenlabrada.blogspot.com. This picture (below) courtesy of the lovely woman in front of me, 122. Philomena Ewing http://blueeyedennis-siempre.blogspot.com/
To my right, 43. Georg Feßlmeier http://www.triff-den-papst.de pictured below with Fr. Lombardi of the Vatican Press Office and Vatican Radio.
Georg was the one who noticed Father Lombardi behind us and encouraged me to introduce myself while he took this video.
While the meeting was live, I blogged live postings of notes and quotes of what I was seeing and hearing. See HERE and HERE.
Rocco Palmo, of Whispers in the Loggia blog headed off the meeting and mentioned at the outset prayer intentions for Hilary of Orwell's Picnic battling cancer. I extend those prayer intentions to all you prayer warriors.
I was also thrilled to meet pretty Kat of the Crescat and Joan Lewis from EWTN. Here's a photo from after the meeting with the sweetest, 110. Narda Centeno http://fromthepews.wordpress.com/
For excellent coverage of the event, I refer you to the posts of the Anchoress, Elizabeth Scalia.
In this ROMEREPORTS video recap of the meeting you might catch a glimpse of me at the :43/44 mark and again at 1:21-1:29. The Vatican is committed to making strides in the area of social networking and is working on websites and reaching out in an exciting way to the Catholic blogsphere.
While I was having my excitement, my husband and kids had some of their own. They met Michael Voris of the Vortex on RealCatholicTV.
I am so grateful to have had this opportunity to meet all these fine people, thank you Richard Rouse, thank you Cardinal Revasi and Archbishop Celli of the PCCS!
And then the day that brought us here....
Incredible.
Although our family motto, Totus Tuus, is derivative of Pope John Paul II's and his (and our) devotion to Jesus through Mary, we had not made plans to be at the Beatification. We had been saving up for a trip to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary but thought it might be to California...later....
On that Saturday morning when the announcements were posted I turned on my computer and saw excited posts from blog friends.
Hey Allison....YOU are going to ROME!!!!!! errr, at least you were invited. I Told you so!!!"
WooHoo!!! Just saw your name on the list, Allison! That is outrageous!! SO happy for you. Once in a lifetime awesome!! WOW. Can't wait for you to post pics afterward!!! You will LOVE it, LOVE it, LOVE it. My dh and I went 15 yrs ago----can't wait to go back one day. Congrats!!!"
My husband was in shock as well and yet, even at such a late date getting the plane tickets and the hotel all fell into place fairly easily. Suddenly we were taking our four children to Italy! So unexpected, even improbable and yet, we were doing it!For five years now I have been writing this blog as a photo journal for my family. It is a creative outlet for me, writing and photographing our experiences as well as trying to chronicle the times we live in through the lens and celebration of our Catholicism and homeschooling. If all it ever gave me was a photo journal to print off each year that was what I was expecting, but it gave me more. I found a community of Catholic bloggers, quite a number that I cherish as friends now. With this opportunity, the Vatican Bloggers Meeting, the blog has given my family the trip of a lifetime for us. Also it has encouraged me to remember the scripture, 1 Peter 3: 15"But sanctify the Lord Christ in your hearts, being ready always to satisfy every one that asketh you a reason of that hope which is in you." The blogging community can be an encouragement to it's readers and a way to spread the faith.
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=13517302&page=1
Prior to my 3:30pm meeting start time, we went out for lunch near the Vatican and found a spot where we were serenaded.
Arriving at the Pontifical Council for Culture and Social Communications, I was nervous. There were people at the door ready to take my proof of ID. I turned to my family and gave them each a kiss to buoy me. A friendly voice said,"Are you by chance Totus Tuus Family? Can I meet the family? Richard Rouse, who works for Cardinal Revasi of the PCCS and who came up with the idea for this meeting, must have memorized all 150 of us! I am in awe of graciousness like that!
I entered into what seemed like a sleek and modern office building with high ceilings and marble. Very official, there were lots of people in suits and name badges with clipboards. Directed into the large meeting area, it seemed as if all the seats were taken! I came at the beginning of the registration time but these savvy bloggers must have come earlier. I was more than happy to take a seat at the back where I felt I could get a great photographic aspect.
Sitting to my left, pictured below, 145. Vicente Javier Navas of www.vecinosdefuenlabrada.blogspot.com. This picture (below) courtesy of the lovely woman in front of me, 122. Philomena Ewing http://blueeyedennis-siempre.blogspot.com/
To my right, 43. Georg Feßlmeier http://www.triff-den-papst.de pictured below with Fr. Lombardi of the Vatican Press Office and Vatican Radio.
Georg was the one who noticed Father Lombardi behind us and encouraged me to introduce myself while he took this video.
While the meeting was live, I blogged live postings of notes and quotes of what I was seeing and hearing. See HERE and HERE.
Rocco Palmo, of Whispers in the Loggia blog headed off the meeting and mentioned at the outset prayer intentions for Hilary of Orwell's Picnic battling cancer. I extend those prayer intentions to all you prayer warriors.
I was also thrilled to meet pretty Kat of the Crescat and Joan Lewis from EWTN. Here's a photo from after the meeting with the sweetest, 110. Narda Centeno http://fromthepews.wordpress.com/
For excellent coverage of the event, I refer you to the posts of the Anchoress, Elizabeth Scalia.
In this ROMEREPORTS video recap of the meeting you might catch a glimpse of me at the :43/44 mark and again at 1:21-1:29. The Vatican is committed to making strides in the area of social networking and is working on websites and reaching out in an exciting way to the Catholic blogsphere.
While I was having my excitement, my husband and kids had some of their own. They met Michael Voris of the Vortex on RealCatholicTV.
I am so grateful to have had this opportunity to meet all these fine people, thank you Richard Rouse, thank you Cardinal Revasi and Archbishop Celli of the PCCS!
1 comment:
Wow! What a trip. I can't imagine what its like to be there in real life. We've only seen pictures. Pretty neat you got to meet so many people while you were there.
We listen to Micheal Vorris :>)
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