A VISIT WITH PAPA

Thanks Mary. Really moving account. Reminds me of my own feelings when I saw Him. Lucky, lucky you - touching HIS hand. WOW

ANOTHER ENCOUNTER?

Yvonne, you said that you saw Papa too???? Do you think you could tell us about that experience (leaving out absolutely no details)? These personal encounters are so moving, especially to those of us who are landlocked in our daily lives and totally unable to get to Rome. Come on, Yvonne, please.

Dearest MaryJos/MaryBenedict...I am SOOOO happy for you and very thankful that you finally posted THE picture...I reiterate my suggestion - if you have not already done so, send a copy of the picture to the Vatican with a letter to the Holy Father and a request for him to sign it. I think it won't be in vain- at the very least, you might be sent a signed picture, one of those they keep in stock for such requests. But the overall thoughtfulness of the Papal household - cf. Giorgio making sure Monica's rose was received by the guard, and all the stories we've read about letters answered by the Vatican - leads me to believe you might just get what you ask for.

And dearest Yvonne - I add my plea to benefan's (and to all the others in the forum, I bet) for you to tell us your own story about seeing Papa up close.

Sorry, I cannot. I haven't got the talent to do so. I posted three photos on the RFC with a couple of sentencesa a month ago. Writting a longer account seems beyond my ability.

Grazie infinite per la traduzione!!

Yvonne, yes, I remember. Your post at the RFC was great ! I do understand how you feel, but please don’t believe you haven’t got the “ability” . The main thing is that we understand each other and can share our love and devotion for our Papa. It doesn’t matter whether our love is “grammatically correct” or if it’s not expressed like a Shakespearean sonnet!!

Although I have been reading this thread all along, I just took the time to read it again from page 1... wow!!! Thanks everyone for sharing such personal... heart warming details... I only hope that when it's my turn to share that I can put it all into words...!!!

thanks Mary for finally sharing that pic!!!
who took that pic? thanks to whoever captured that moment..i know how personal this pic is for you and so thanks again for letting us see your pic with Papa..to be able to touch his hand,it mustve been close to heaven!

again,couldnt thnak u enough!!
and yes, send thaty pic so Papa could sign it for you!

God Bless!

Thank you to everyone who wrote their appreciation of my true story and of the fact that I, finally, posted my special, special photo. I realised that I DID want to share my photo and experiences; after all, the other people who saw Papa recently shared theirs. That's what friends are for.
What a good idea - sending one copy to Papa. I did buy two copies of THE photo! It would be worth taking a chance on getting him to sign it personally. I don't know who took these official photos; someone from one of the agencies. I was given several business cards at the beginning of the audience and didn't realise that they were from the various official photographers. In the end,I saw the photos outside a shop at the top of the Borgo Pio - there were thousands of small pics from the audience and they were there within a couple of hours of the end of the audience. I was so blown away by the whole thing that I don't know the name of the shop. It could have been the same one which the Italian girls visited - I don't know.
Here's to the next time! w w
Un saluto e un abbraccio a tutti voi....
Un abbraccio a Papa.....
Mary

Dear Friends,
As you have pressed me to write an account - here it is. First just short explanation - when JP II died I wanted to go to the funeral but my Mum was in hospital and had to stay home. I have promised myself that I would go to Rome as soon as possible. Little did I know that watching the funeral on TV I'd fall in love his successor. So the purpose of my pilgrimage was to visit the grave and see B16. My husband is an agnostic so our trip would balance between religious and tourist character. Another thing - we got married in Italy (in Loreto) and went to Rome on our honey-moon (we were hitchhiking around Northern and Central Italy - I had my wedding dress in my back-back together with the camping gear) So again visiting Rome had a special flavour for both of us.
The first thing we did in Rome on Monday morning was to get tickets for the audience. The Swiss guard gave them to us and we could go to the basilica and the grottoes. My husband just paid short respect to JP II - the national Polish hero - I stayed longer trying to pray the rosary but I was crying most of the time and losing count of Hail Mary's.
On Wednesday morning the alarm clock went on early but there was the problem with the bathroom. There was another couple staying in the guest rooms of Polish embassy's economical departments and we had a common bathroom. They got there before us and stayed really long. I was loosing my patience and my religious mood was disappearing. My ancestor's warrior blood was awaken and I was looking through my stuff trying to find any weapons of mass destruction. Finally they got out and left he bathroom.
So we were late and the tram was slow and I was worried that we wouldn't get any good seats. Wasn't so bad really. When we got to the Piazza there was quite a lot of people there but we were able to find quite good places. It was still well over one hour to the audience and only half of the Piazza was full. Next to us there was a group of Spanish elderly ladies praying on the rosary and taking pictures with their mobile phones at the same time. The atmosphere was festive - sort of big picnic. I was nervously checking my camera which nevertheless was to fail me in the last moment.
I wasn't able to pray - all I could was looking on my watch and checking the time. The Pope must have flown earlier because we didn't see or hear his helicopter. A group of children was playing football on the Piazza, later they were next to us - I knew Papa would look at them.
Then the noise of shouting and clapping hands - we suddenly saw him on the screen. "Benedetto, Benedetto" the crowd started to shout. Everybody jumped on their chairs - a bit tricky but who cares. The Spanish ladies suddenly were very agile and in a second they were on the chairs shouting and screaming with everybody else. I got my camera, looked through it and saw a white figure in the car - here he was smiling gracefully, blessing everybody - him, the very men I love so much. I don't really know what I was doing - shouting , crying, trying to take pictures. And his smile - oh..., the description passes the reality. He didn't really look at me - but I wasn't disappointed. It was passing my expectations anyway - just being here and seeing Him was enough.
When the audience started I wasn't able to concentrate. With my little knowledge of Italian and some I am usually able to follow some basic things but not here. When he spoke in Polish we all ( there was lots of Polish groups) jumped up like on a football match (sorry for this comparison but it was my husband's expression and he is a great football fan).
After the audience some people stayed on the Piazza and suddenly we heard the noise of the helicopter - here was our beloved Papa leaving. People started to shout and wave - could he see us? Doesn't matter.
Next day we wanted to go and look at the pictures but we started with some sight seeing and my bag was stolen. As I mentioned on RFC there was my diary, ticket to the audience, old rosary blessed by two Popes (JP II and B16). There was also the key to our room with the address so we had to return there and explain and the thoughts of the pictures disappeared.
Anybody know how long do they keep them?

I'm so glad - and I'm sure everyone is - that you decided to write out your story, after all, and I hope that somehow, someday, you will get back the bag that was snatched from you!
(I lost a rosary from John Paul II - one I received in 1978 - the same way to a pickpocket who fished out my little purse from my shoulder bag during an outdoor Mass at St. Peter's 20 years later, so I know the horrible desperate loss one feels!) Meanwhile, would you like to put in the pictures you took that day (posted in the RFC forum) with this story?

OK how do I do it?

It works!!!

[Modificato da Yvonne44 06/12/2005 16.36]

[Modificato da Yvonne44 06/12/2005 16.40]

[Modificato da Yvonne44 06/12/2005 16.43]

ANOTHER VISIT WITH PAPA


Yvonne, thanks so much for writing your story. It was lovely and the photos are wonderful. I don't recall seeing the photos on the RFC forum but they go so much better on this forum along with your story and surrounded by our little Italian community. Now that you have written about your pilgrimage, you are an experienced enough journalist to handle the papal visit in June. Thanks again.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! - for your touching descriptions on your encounters with Papa. Makes me feel I’m being there, too. Maybe next April, the 19th ….?????

Yvonne, I'm so glad you posted your account! It wasn't boring at all, but very well written and interesting. You convey so well the depth of emotion you felt and the excitement of the occasion - I felt I was there in the Piazza with you.....

How truly awful about your robbery. A very dear lady once told me that when one loses a rosary, Our Lady gives it to someone who needs it more. I don't know. Some years ago I lost my child's blue rosary my grandmother (RIP) gave me when I was a girl - I can never replace it, but I hope that it found its way into someone's life.

I look forward to reading more accounts of papal sightings from you!

thanks Yvonne!!! no account is ever boring!!

---

Scritto da: maryjos 05/12/2005 23.39
Thank you to everyone who wrote their appreciation of my true story and of the fact that I, finally, posted my special, special photo. I realised that I DID want to share my photo and experiences; after all, the other people who saw Papa recently shared theirs. That's what friends are for.

---

Dear Mary,
I have just posted on the french section my translation of your deeply moving account, which I enjoyed very much. I hope that my work is more or less correct.

Béatrice

Euge55 at the main forum just filed her breathless account "upstairs" of how she saw Papa today at Piazza di Spagna. Here in translation, with exclamation points as originally posted -
--------------------------------------------------------------
Dearest ones- I don't know if this is the right place to insert these few lines, after the emotional experience I had this afternoon along via Condotti and in Piazza di Spagna here in Rome. Our beloved Holy Father was scheduled to arrive at via Condotti at 4 p.m., and so my friends and I were already in place as of 2 p.m. behind one of the police barriers to await our Joseph. The wait was agonizing, though I felt almost on the verge of Paradise - in fact I did get to Paradise later, after having looked into his tender, loving and marvellous gaze!
Gradually, the crowd built up behind the barriers and Piazza di Spagna was packed!!!

Punctually at 4 p.m., the Papal car started down via Condotti, with the Pope in an open car, greeting the crowds with smiles and loving gestures. When he passed very close to me, I could not resist it, and while shouting out "BENEDETTO, SEI GRANDE!", I also sent him a great big SMACK! After which I couldn't take in any more - my legs felt numb and my heart.......... was in runaway tachycardia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was a most beautiful moment that I wanted to share with you all.

P.S. (Posted later) As you can well imagine, I am still in a state of total disarray!!!! The first thing I noticed was (Papa's)inebriating look which is nevertheless clean and pure and tender like a child's. His sweetness is something one cannot describe with words...but you know what I mean!!!! Later, when it started to rain, my first concern was for him...

On Sunday I will be at St. Peter's for the Angelus - I feel as if I can't stand a single moment not seeing him, (so) on my cellular phone, I recorded part of Wednesday's general audience from Telepace.

Dearest ones, I am happy to have found you who, like me, love our great and most gentle JOSEPH!!!!
---------------------------------------------------------------

And Paparaxvi has posted one of the first pictures from via Condotti.

[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 08/12/2005 21.17]

[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 09/12/2005 0.21]

gratzie Euge55
Papa is so sweet!