Buon Anno!

Happy New Year!

By now we have all arrived at Rome and our fearless leader Fr. Andrew Cozzens is steering the helm as far as our course goes. Today, after a visit to St. Peter's for Mass, we are going to Termini Station to purchase a month long pass for the metro transit system and then we will visit Santa Sabina (Very old Roman Basilica style church on the Aventine hill and the home of the Dominicans), San Anselmo (Home of the Benedictines) and Santa Cecilia in Trastevere.

We had a very eventful and enjoyable weekend. Some of us were able to attend the Papal Liturgies which included First Vespers for the Solemn Feast of Mary Mother of God on Dec. 31 and the Mass the next morning. Both were awe inspiring in their solemnity and use of beautiful Gregorian Chant. Perhaps you were able to tune into them on one of the networks that carried them in the USA.

Here are a few more photos (NB: I realized after taking these that the date on the camera is one day behind, so please excuse the date on the photos):

This view never gets old, does it?



Pope Benedict giving the Benediction at the conclusion of Vespers:



A few of us before Mass in St. Peter's:



The Holy Father delivering his homily at Mass:



The Angelus at Noon after Mass:



These last pictures are from this morning at St. Peter's.

Here is Deacon Kirk Slattery paying the customary sign of respect and homage to the Office of St. Peter:



Fr. Steven Hoffman offered Mass for us and Deacon Jeff Dobbs assisted: