Italian Embassy to the Holy See & Tuesday's Station Mass

So tonight we went to a reception at the Italian Embassy to the Holy See for Archbishop-elect Peter Wells - a long-time priest worker at the Vatican who, last month, was named Nuncio to South Africa and Botswana.  His ordination is on Saturday morning (which I'll be going to with the Cardinal) and the ordaining bishop will be none other than the Bishop of Rome!  An interesting fact about Archbishop-elect Wells: he baptized the daughter of my (now former) business manager at St. Francis Xavier Parish in Gettysburg.  I talked to Archbishop-elect Wells last night and told him of the letter and photo that I brought with me and was on its way to him via Vatican inner-office mail.  He was very happy to hear of it and anxious to receive the photos.

Anyway, it's a very poor photo - but here is the only one I took at the reception.

Reception for Archbishop-elect Wells at Italian Embassy to the Holy See

That was last night - this morning Cardinal O'Brien was the main celebrant at the Lenten Station Mass.  It's a wonderful custom whereby every Morning Mass is celebrated in a different church around the city of Rome (for information about it, click here).  Today was Santa Maria in Via Latta.  Underneath the church they have found some rooms dating to the 1st Century - in which, tradition says, St. Paul stayed while in Rome (read about the church here).  

I should have taken pictures downstairs (and done some research last night before going) - but I didn't.  I'll have to go back another day to spend some time in these ancient ruins - close to a place that (by tradition) my Confirmation Patron, St. Paul, once spent some time.  Sorry I didn't take any pictures...  Sorry, none of this is in English - but you can see the photos.

This morning was also the Consistory (where Pope Francis announced that Mother Theresa will be canonized on September 4).  Of course Cardinal O'Brien attended.  I went with him - hoping that perhaps they would let me in - but I got turned away at the elevator.  Next time! Instead I went to the office and did some work.  Nothing the rest of today (except continuing trying to get a handle on my job and what I need to do and keep track of - it's a BIG learning curve).