Day 14

Monday, July 6, 2014

Our day began with 7:00 a.m. Mass at the Church of San Andrea della Fratte, where the Jewish convert Alphonse Ratisbonne
 received the gift of faith when the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to him.

Following Mass the group met at the Immaculate Conception Pillar at Piazza de Spana to admire statues of
 Isaiah, David, Moses and Ezekiel along with their  Scriptural depictions of Our Lady:
  "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son..."  -Isa. 7:14

Sr. Raffaella, FSE (Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist )presented a splendid tour of the Propagation of the Faith,
 including the chapels where Bl. John Henry Newman was ordained and said his first Mass.
 Through her kindness we were also able to view a remarkably well-preserved habit of St. Therese of Lisieux.

Sister takes advantage of one of Rome's  many free fountains (amazingly,
the water is quite clean.) Much appreciated, as the temperatures have been hovering around
 100 F for days now - with no break in sight.
Lord, may our deepest thirst be for You, the fountain of life everlasting. 
(Jn. 4:1-42).

Statue in Our Lady of Victory Church recalls Mary's gift of the Brown Scapular
to St. Simon Stock. Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, pray for us. 

The Ecstasy of St. Teresa of Avila, Our Lady of Victory Church.

Back at the Domus, this afternoon Msgr. Steven  Lopes of the Congregation of the Doctrine
of the Faith (CDF) presented the first of his series of conferences on the Mysteries
of Christ's life.  When God reveals Himself to us, he explained, what results is not mere
intellectual knowledge of Him, but rather a living encounter which changes us profoundly.
Prime example: God's revelation to Moses in the Burning Bush (Ex. 3:1-6).
 Lord, we are the people who long to see Your face.  (Cf. Ps. 24:6)
 Statue of  Moses from the Immaculate Conception Pillar, Piazza de Spagna.