The Dawning of the age of the New Evangelism

Dawn at the opening of the Synod on the New Evangelization

 Here I am inside the Basilica waiting for Mass to get underway.

Himself

This is His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan arriving to vest for Mass.  Each group vests in a different chapel of the Basilica.  We vested in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, next to us in the Chapel of Blessed John Paul II were Cardinals and Major Archbishops.

Cardinal Dolan arriving

 The Cardinal on the left is His Eminence Walter Cardinal Kasper, former chief of ecumenism for the Church before his retirement.

Cardinal Kasper on left speaking with another Prince of the Church

 I was seated four pillars to the left of the Papal throne (if you were facing the basilica).  Before the Mass today there was a formal ceremony in which the Holy Father declared St. John of Avila and St. Hildegard of Bingen Doctors of the Church.  Here I am standing at my place and above me is the image of St. John of Avila.

Two John's, one of Avila the other of Matawan

 We were instructed to give Communion ONLY on the tongue. This was challenging given almost everyone came with their hand out and everyone spoke different languages.  One German became rather loud about it but he must have made a joke as all the other Germans started to laugh.  You may only receive Holy Communion on the tongue from the Holy Father.  I think some of this has to do with several tourists who would pop into these Papal Masses and then take the hosts and sell them on e-bay.

B 16

B 16 at the Altar

B 16

In the Pope Mobile

 After the Mass was concluded the Pope made his way through the crowd in his Pope Mobile.  I went into the Basilica and was able to access the Pio-Clementine Chapel for Private Prayer,  behind the Altar in this Chapel are the bones of St. Peter.  I was there all alone with Peter.  A momentous day!