Trip to the Vatican Museum

Today the group went to the Vatican Museums.  When they left the hotel it was raining, the first bad weather we encountered.  When they came out of the museums at noon the sun was shining.  We celebrated Mass at 4:00 P.M. at the Basilica of St. Paul outside the Walls.  Bishop Murphy preached on the Church as apostolic.  He did a great job in inviting us to imitate St. Paul in his zeal to spread the Gospel of Christ to others.  After visiting the two gift shops we went to Cecilia Matella Restuarant on the Old Appian Way opposite the catacombs of St. Sabastian.  The specialty of the house is called "scrigno."  It is a pasta filled with cheese that is baked in a crock pot.  Msgr. Jim Vlaun has been trying to get the recipe for years.  We heard he succeeded this trip.  The scrigno was a big hit with the group.

One of the women in our group fell on a street near St. Peter's after the morning visit to the Vatican.  She was taken by ambulance to the hospital.  Afer some anxious moments we located her and one of the guides went to be with her.  She received a couple of stitches and is fine today.  She is a rreal trooper.  This is a tour director's nightmare but this one worked out well.

inviting us to imitate St. Paul in his zeal to spread the Gospel of Christ to others