Angelus Domini Nuntiavit Mariae...

Today after the 10 am Mass at the college, the group of new men, orientation leaders and a few priests walked down to St. Peter's Square for the noontime Angelus address of Pope Francis. 

In his address, he reminded us that Jesus is "open to everyone, without distinction, without exclusions, without privileges. Jesus does not exclude anyone." After the address and the Angelus (traditional Catholic prayer prayed usually at 6 am, 12 noon and 6 pm, that prays the Angels announcement to Mary that she was to bear the Son of God), Pope Francis greeted various pilgrim groups that were in the Square. A special shout-out was given to "I Seminaristi e sacerdoti di Pontificio North American College".

Immediately after the Angelus, we walked back to the NAC and boarded buses for Castelgondolfo, the traditional papal summer residence. Though Pope Francis was not going to be there, we were going to be given a tour by Cardinal Harvey of Milwaukee, who was Prefect of the Papal Household under Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI (and is currently Archpriest of Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome).

It was a very long and exciting day. Tomorrow we start to ease into the typical school year schedule at NAC by having the 7 am Morning Prayer and Mass (during school year this will be at 6:15 am--this is why we're easing into it!) and then our Italian classes begin at 8:30.

Buona notte e Buona Domenica...

KPL

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