In the morning, around 10 am, a group of us arrived at Piazza San Pietro. After some prayer, we were let into the seating area around 11 am. After meeting some other American who had traveled just to be a part of the conclave, our attention was turned to the chimney. Everyone thought that the smoke was white at first - and I still stand by saying it was white. Compared to the black of last night, this was very white. But the bells didn’t come. The next batch of smoke was black. No one really knows how to read this. I like how one Italian man interpreted the smoke. “The first smoke was white. The second smoke was black. The pope must be missing!” We wait in prayer for the evening!
posted by Kevin Regan at 4/19/2005 01:23:00 PM
April 2005
Monthly Archive
Tue 19 Apr 2005
Sun 17 Apr 2005
The Passing of the Holy Father - Part Three: The Funeral
Posted by kjregan under Holy Father , Thoughts , RomeNo Comments
It has been over a week since the Papal Funeral of John Paul II. Since then, one of the programs from the funeral has been sold on eBay for $700 (it wasn’t mine). But other than that and the American Cardinals staying at the NAC, life has returned to as normal as it can be in Rome. Many have been asking about my part in the funeral. Personally, I didn’t participate in the choir. There were many seminarians from the college who did - for example, the pictures taken in the “Behind the Scenes” photo section are courtesy of a few of them. I did have the opportunity to be a part of the choir, as did three of the other men from Washington, but we chose to spend the day as a diocesan group. William Cardinal Baum, the former Archbishop of Washington, extended an invitation for us to use his apartment to view the funeral. The Cardinal would be participating in the Mass but was still extremely hospitable in offering his home to us for the day. Many men spent the night outside. They took blankets and guitars and met many people from around the world as they praised the Good Lord for blessing us with His Servant, John Paul. There was also an opportunity in the house to view the funeral in our Auditorium. Just to give an idea of the size, this auditorium was used last year to screen the movie “The Passion” for the Americans in Rome. We, the men from D.C., on the other hand, headed out at 7 A.M. on Friday to make our way to the Cardinal’s Residence. On a normal day, arriving at Cardinal Baum’s is a very quick and simple process. But, this was not a normal day. His residence is on the north side of the Via della Concil, the main road leading to Piazza San Pietro. The NAC is just to the south, through a parking garage. We had to walk down the hill, up to Castel San Angelo - and then back down the Via and up. I suppose it took about 45 minutes, but we had to convince police officers of where we were going. We arrived and prayed Matins and Lauds (the Office of Readings and Morning Prayer). There was enough time for Mass in the Chapel at the Residence, because there was no way we were going to be able to partake in Communion from 5 stories up. If you take a look at the pictures you can see the view. The crowd filling up the piazza is amazing. We were far away from the action but had the bird’s eye view. When the homily was being read, I was able to watch it from the TV with the English translation. One could feel the energy from the congregation even from our perspective. I hope that each one of you was able to participate in the funeral in someway. No other event has brought people together in this natural way. The only event that has before was supernatural, and that was the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ Jesus. Our Holy Father did himself carry the cross of Christ. This life and event scream out to the world the beauty of our Salvation.
Sun 10 Apr 2005
The Passing of the Holy Father - Part Two: Procession and Viewing
Posted by kjregan under Holy Father , Thoughts , RomeNo Comments
There is no way in which I am able to process everything that the Lord blessed me with this past week. Since we are currently in mourning for our past Holy Father, I will reflect on and share the Lord’s goodness to me in this historic and memorable days. I was on retreat in Ars when I found out about the condition and eventual passing of John Paul II. Ars is a small village in France, just north of Lyon. A group of us made our way there for Easter week to be with St John Marie Vianney, the patron saint of parish priests. It was a week that I will carrying with me for the rest of my years - and it prepared me for this past week, which is even more-so memorable. The chance to be with the Holy Father’s patron - since he was a parish priest - at the time of his death was complete Providence. And using Providence, I will now look to my time in Rome leading up to the funeral this past friday. I returned to Rome in the midst of travel chaos. But soon, it was nice to again be inside the walls of the NAC. Monday was a regular day, until the afternoon. I walked back across town from class and entered Piazza San Pietro, preparing for the body of John Paul to be brought from the Papal Palace into the Basilica at 5 p.m. I was able to get close to the front - near the Bronze Gate - after walking in with my Spiritual Director. There was a Jumbo-tron just in front of us and we could view the Chamberlain presiding over the ceremony in the Palace. The Litany of Saints was sung as we watched on TV the processing making its was into the square. First - priests, deacons, bishops, monsignors and cardinals - and finally the former Pontiff. When he had made his way down the stairs, a cloud of applause rose from the people. It continued for about 15 minutes as they made their way up the front stairs of the basilica. Just before they were about to enter, they turned the body around so we could see Him one last time. One final viewing in the piazza where so many Catholics have gathered around him for 26 years. This was the most moving moment of the event. Tears and cries were released. “Giovanni Paolo” - the chant from World Youth Days past continued for minutes. We all watched on TV as he was placed in front of the High Altar and the cardinals, bishops etc. gave final respects. I didn’t have a camera that day - but I hope to obtain some intimate photos soon. I will post these as soon as I get them. The line to view the Holy Father opened at about 8:00 p.m. that evening and grew and grew over the next three days. Because of responsibilities in the house, I was unable to enter the line until Wednesday morning. Deacon Adam Park and I arose at 3:30 am to make our way past blanket hand outs and sleeping pilgrims to enter the viewing line. We found ourselves on the Borgo Pio and assumed upon arrival that we would be through the line between 8 and 9. Boy, were we wrong. Very quickly we met Anne, a lady from Belgium, who had traveled solely to view the Holy Father. Providence had blessed her on her trip and now Providence had brought us together. She was quick to share the story of her conversion and her recent struggles - even a small cookie from her yellow backpack. We rounded the first corner of the line between 6 and 7. From this point we were able to see the Papal apartments from which the Holy Father presided over the Wednesday Angelus throughout his years. At around 8 a.m., we met a couple from Maryland. Truly a small world! Over the next few hours, we prayed the rosary, talked about the impact of the Holy Father on our lives and on our families and eventually made our way to view the body of John Paul II. By then it was 1:30 in the afternoon, hunger had finally set in and the adrenaline rush was coming to a close. After lunch and a short tour of the NAC, we said our goodbye’s and returned to our stations in the city from some much needed rest. On Thursday, after experiencing the line, a few seminarian’s went to the Piazza to offer the pilgrim’s courage. We handed out one thousand rosaries and five thousand Miraculous Medals before returning to the College. We met many people from all over the world - although most were Italian or Polish. We didn’t take to much of their time - because they wanted to see the Holy Father - and rightly so. But we did offer a kind word and a smile as they were growing weary.
Mon 4 Apr 2005
The Passing of the Holy Father - Part One: First Reactions
Posted by kjregan under Holy Father , Thoughts , RomeNo Comments
This is an email I received from a priest in Rome. I only arrived last night after having been gone for two weeks. It was a beautiful retreat in France and I will update more soon. It is 10.30 Saturday night here in the Eternal City - and the bells of the churches of Rome which have tolled the announcement of the death of the Holy Father are only now beginning to fade as the Church begins a nine day period of prayer and mourning for the repose of the soul of John Paul II.
“Simon Peter, do you love me more than these? Peter responded: ‘Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.’ And Jesus told him: ‘Feed, my sheep.” These words of commissioning, addressed by Our Lord to Peter come to mind as I reflect upon the passing of His Holiness John Paul II. Over the past 26 years the Church and the global community has been blessed with the leadership of John Paul. We have witnessed and experienced the physical strength of his youth as he traveled the world over with the Gospel message, and in recent years the gradual decay of his body, but not his fatherly soul. As his voice grew weak and even fell silent, his proclamation of the Gospel grew stronger, not by his words but in his example and very being. I am reminded of an incident that has recently been recounted. A few months ago, a Vatican official concerned with the Holy Father’s physical condition suggested to the personal secretary to the Holy Father: “You must do something! You must make the Holy Father slow down. You must persuade him to stop his hectic pastoral schedule.” The secretary responded: “How can I? He will not listen to me. Each day he hears the voice of the Lord whisper into his hear: John Paul, do you love me more than these… Feed my sheep!” We call the Pope, “Holy Father” and a father does not stop being a father to his family simply because he has grown old and sick — a father does not retire from his position, his vocation — he lives and dies tending to his family. And this John Paul II has done till the end. This night the Church mourns the passing of Her earthly Father, may our prayers and affection for the sweet Vicar of Christ on Earth, now assist him into the Glory of Heaven.