January 11th

Praying for the missions in front of St. Therese of Lisieux's habit

We started our day by visiting the Propaganda Fide (the Propagation of the Faith).  This congregation is responsible for the pastoral care of the mission territories in the world, those places where the Gospel of Christ has still not been fully proclaimed.  The collections that the Church takes up on World Missions Sunday goes to this congregation so that they can help support these missions.

The priest who spoke to us said that the goal of the Propaganda Fide is to run itself out of business; in other words, to help proclaim Jesus Christ to every corner of the world so that there is no longer any need for missions.

One of several archive rooms containing the documents from the missions

In the afternoon, we had the opportunity to go on the Scavi Tour.  This is the excavation that have taken place underneath St. Peter's Basilica and square.  There is an entire City of the Dead  (collection of large tombs) from Roman times underneath the Church.  In the midst of the tombs is the grave of St. Peter. We were able to pray just a few feet from St. Peter's bones.  As I prayed to St. Peter and thought about the mistakes he made in his life, with the massive St. Peter's Basilica above me, I appreciated how the Lord could build his Church on rocky foundations, how God can make saints out of sinners.

In the evening, we visited the Neocatechumenal Way.  They are an Ecclessial Movement in the Church dedicated to giving people a post-baptisimal catechumante.  In other words, to help adults already baptized, to go deeper into their faith and their commitment to Jesus Christ. We were inspired by their zeal and love for Jesus and the Church.

Listening to members of the Neocatechumanal Way

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