CMSWR Summer in Rome 2013

Sr. Sarah and Sr. Dorcee reporting in.  We expected to have a fairly uneventful day as our tour with Fr. Landry had finished yesterday.  So the two of us took off this afternoon to go back to some churches we had visited already.  Sr. Sarah wanted to stop at St. Mary Major to pray before the icon of Mary before which Pope Francis prayed the morning after his election.  When we got there, we noticed that the chapel of the icon was not open, but there was a chair placed directly in front facing it.  We started to suspect that something special was happening, especially when we saw numerous secret service types standing around.  We were directed to sit down by a bishop who kept repeating, "Sancte Padre, Sancte Padre." Yes, we ended up seeing Pope Francis!  He came to St. Mary Major to pray before the icon before leaving for World Youth Day.  No one knew he was coming!  We ended up being six feet from him when he processed in.  Everyone was crying and clapping. He prayed for about 45 minutes and then came out to address all of us.  As he processed out, he came right over to us because there was a mother with a five month old baby boy standing right between us. Pope Francis came right over to put his hand on the baby's head to bless him.  We could have reached out to touch him.  What a blessing for us, for all of us here, and for all of you.