After morning Mass at Chiesa Nuova we headed off toward the Vatican for a visit with Fr. Becchina, Under Secretary at the Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education. It was a very hope-filled and positive experience. He emphasized that for us religious, our witness is the most important thing we have to offer. It is not the numbers, but the visibility and sanctity of the members. It is not just the effectiveness we perceive but the presence of the Holy Spirit in our mission.
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| Father Becchina and Sisters |
Leaving the Congregation we headed toward Castel Sant'Angelo and came across a moving sculpture of St. Catherine of Siena, who was with us the whole day!
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| Several lovers of St. Catherine |
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| Scenes from the life of St. Catherine |
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| Ponte Sant'Angelo, the bridge near Castel Sant'Angelo, looking toward Rome. |
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| Ponte Sant'Angelo, the bridge near Castel Sant 'Angelo, looking toward the fortress. |
During the plague of 590 AD in Rome, Pope St. Gregory the Great prayed for relief. On top of the building he saw a vision of St. Michael sheathing his sword. The plague was ended. The name of the building now comes from this story and the angel statue that reminds us of it.
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| Venerating the relics of St. Monica |
On our way back to the Domus we stopped at the Church of St. Augustine to visit his mother, St. Monica. Her relics are beneath the altar.
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| Cell of St. Catherine of Siena |
On our return to the Domus we stumbled across the building housing the room where St. Catherine of Siena died. Although currently part of a hotel, we were welcomed to see this room!
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| The original ceiling has been retained in this room, the same ceiling Catherine would have looked at in her last days! |
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| A painting in the room of Jesus giving Catherine His Heart. |
After
pranzo (lunch) we decided that Catherine was inviting us to spend more time with her, so we headed to Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, the church where Catherine's body is laid...minus her head, which is in Siena.
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| Tomb of St. Catherine of Siena under the high altar |
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| Waiting for our next adventure! |
Our last stop was the Church of
Santissime Stimmate di San Francesco (The Holy Stigmata of St. Francis). Although it was closed, we prayed and a young woman there was able to get us in after about 10 minutes!
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| Painting portraying the stigmata received by St. Francis |
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