Here are more updates from Dr. Joe Bound, who has been kind enough to send along reports of his participation in the pilgrimage to Italy over the course of this week. Thanks, Dr. Joe!
Wednesday, September 26
This morning right after breakfast at our hotel we took a cab to the Vatican Museum. We had made arrangements for a 3 hour tour of the Museum, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Bascilica which started at 9am. Despite the large crowds, this was one of the most memorable tours I have ever been on. Our tour director had an art history degree which enabled her to add so much history to what we were seeing. Everything we saw was so impressive! Linda and I had been to the Sistine Chapel back in June of 1984 when they were working on restoring the ceiling. I must say the restoration has really brought out the colors of the paintings. Everything was so much more vivid than before. St. Peter’s was also so impressive – words can’t describe it.
After the tour we took the bus back to our neighborhood, stopped for a quick lunch at a local bistro, and then went back to our hotel where Julianne Stanz, our Director of the New Evangelization, joined us for the Conference. She had just arrived from France where Bishop Ricken had lead a pilgrimage to the major religious sites in that country. We all hoped on a bus for the Vatican and arrived at the conference site around 3pm. The conference started with prayer at 3:30pm and concluded around 6:30pm. We heard six presentations on catechesis which I hope to summarize in the next day or so. Following this we took the bus back to our neighborhood whereby Linda and Julianne did a little shopping before joining Sister Jacqueline and I for a lovely dinner. Following dinner we walked a couple of blocks back to our hotel ready for a good night’s sleep. It has been a long, but very interesting day.
Linda is the photographer in the family and has taken pictures along the way. She will be able at some point to send some to you. Not sure when, though.
I am beat and ready to call it quits for the day. I will send you another update tomorrow night.
Take good care.
Joe Bound
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