Mass at the Church of St. Agnes in the Piazza Navona

Our final Mass of the pilgrimage was at the Church of St. Agnes in the Piazza Navona.  Bishop Murphy reviewed the rich reflections we had heard during the week and encouraged us to bring home the graces of the prilgrimage to our wonderful Diocese.  We ended in thangsgiving for the blessings we were privileged to receive.

After Mass we went to St. Peter's Square for the Angelus and the blessing of the Holy Father.  It is amazing that, at this time of the year when it is getting cold in Rome, there were still so many pilgrims.  The Square was very crowded.  Part of the richness of this moment is the realization of the universality of the Church as represented by the many languages spoken around us.  Some groups sang songs or chanted the name of Benedict in anticipation of his coming to his aprtment window.  We were first greeted by rain which lasted about twenty minutes.  The sun came out as the Pope greeted the assembled.

Bishop Murphy reviewed the rich reflections we had heard during the week and encouraged us to bring home the graces of the prilgrimage to our wonderful Diocese.

We spent the afternoon at a final dinner in the Castelli Romani, the towns outside of Rome.  Our abundant Italian meal was at La Foresta. This grand pranzo weaved its way into the evening as we did not get back until 7:00 P.M.  We toasted Bishop Murphy who was officially our host for these seven days.  He was omnipresent to the pilgrims especially at our meals together, a true shepherd.