Another quick update! Only two weeks in Rome and it really feels like two months! It is just such a privilege to be here at the heart of the Church learning to be true missionaries for Christ! Following our opening retreat in Assisi we all returned to the school at the Domus Aurelia where we have been receiving practical training this week in music and liturgy and in leading missions. We have also begun supporting the work of the International Youth Centre at the Vatican where we help with the liturgies twice weekly and bring the World Youth Day Cross onto the streets for evangelisation. In a packed programme we were also visited by two Australian Bishops, played sport and had an amazing talent show with all the students! For the talent show I sang a few songs as Gaeilge & did some céilí dancing! This weekend (October 15/16) it was great to be present at the Vatican with 8,000 people from around the world for a conference for those working in the New Evangelisation. The conference and audience with Pope Benedict was so uplifting and later we joined with the other Communities and Movements for evangelisation on the streets, taking the World Youth Day Cross to the Campo dè Fiori, (an area similiar to Temple Bar in Dublin) and meeting many locals and tourists. It was brilliant to go on mission in this way, bringing the joy of our faith onto the streets! I was also interviewed by the Catholic News Agency/EWTN, click here for the published article. The Papal Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica which concluded the weekend was also a special highlight I’ll never forget. I was also delighted to meet with my friends from Youth 2000 who were in Rome for the event. So all in all a great weekend. Our theology classes start this week and our mission preparation continues! Thanks to everyone for all the support, encouragment and prayers, I really appreciate it! Ciao for now!
