Rome Trip Part 1 – the Layover in Philly

We’re back in the States after an amazing trip to Rome. Now that I’m home and have proper computer access (i.e. my mac) I plan to chronicle the events.

We began with a lay over in Philadelphia for several hours. Our good friends the Scharbachs picked us up at the airport and we went spent the afternoon together. Fr Scharbach is the curate at Good Shepherd Rosemont. Good Shepherd is the place where I learned Catholic devotion. I made my first confession there. I ask Our Lady’s intercession for the first time there. I went to Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament for the first time at Good Shepherd. It is a very special place to me.

I went to visit Our Lord there in the chapel and the memories came back in a flood. Oh how I loved that altar in the chapel. I hadn’t planned on saying Mass, but I got the strong sense that I should. I asked Bishop David Moyer (the rector of the parish) for permission. He granted it. Fr Scharbach and I said Mass in the Lady Chapel. It was the Mass of King Charles I, King and Martyr. We concelebrated – not something I typically promote but it was wonderful to stand beside my brother priest The last time we saw one another, we were seminarians. In a certain sense, concelebration isn’t so awkward when you celebrate ad orientem.

That’s us in the pictures above. I’m on the left in each.

After a a wonderful panini eggplant sandwich lunch, Father took us back to the airport and we journeyed onward to Rome. More about that later.