A miracle in Rome

Today Joy Wittke and I struck off for Rome on our own while Chuck and Bette were off on another excursion. We were a bit apprehensive about being dropped off in Rome and having to navigate our way to Vatican City and then to find our way back to the meeting point to come back to the ship. Joy and I did quite well with our little map and for those of you who know me, that was one of the miracles that occurred in Rome today.
We arrived at Saint Peter‘s Basilica and were inside within 40 minutes. There is no more beautiful church on earth. Whether you look up or down or left or right or directly in front of you, it is all absolutely and stunningly beautiful. This was Joy‘s first visit to Saint Peter‘s Basilica and I loved seeing it through her eyes. At noon, the organ started to play and we walked over to the altar behind the main altar where they were starting a mass. What a precious opportunity for Joy to worship in Saint Peter‘s Basilica and to receive communion there. I don’t understand Italian and so I did not understand one word of liturgy or the sermon and yet the music and the ritual spoke to my soul. For the first time since I learned of my brother Randy‘s death yesterday, I was able to sit quietly and thank God for the gift of Randy Hallman in our lives and to pray for Bradley and Angela. Randy was one of the most honorable, ethical and honest men I’ve ever known and I was blessed to call him my brother. It was good to have a few moments to grieve his passing and to thank God for the time that I had with him.  After the service we started to move back toward the meeting point and stopped for a pizza at a sidewalk Café. Joy and I did a little shopping and reached our meeting point to return to the ship with time to spare. Read more