Message from Rome

Three of our sisters from the States just went to Rome last week to take part in a month-long program on our history and spirituality. They e-mailed to let us know that they would be there today to pay their respects to the Holy Father. One of the three is Sr. Diane, who was here in Chicago until just last fall. I know she considers it an enormous gift of grace to be able to participate first hand in this moment in Church history.
Here in Chicago there was a simple service of the Word in the Cathedral this evening. The assembly was made up in great part of priests and religious, along with many laity involved in Church activity. Two of us were able to make it; our new professed, Sr. Phivan Therese, was planning to go, but then our bookstore computer went kaplooey on her, so she had to stay on the line with our Pauline tech support.
And, speaking of our Michigan Avenue bookstore, we had the local CBS affiliate in this afternoon, and the early afternoon news gave some wonderful coverage of the books by or about the Holy Father. Sr. Helena says she doesn't like to be on camera, so it must have been pure grace that made her so photogenic and articulate.
Our stock of Pope books is already impressively low.
And speaking of books, Sr. Lorraine's work presenting and compiling the Marian thought of Pope John Paul should be coming out very soon.