Meeting the Holy Father
Chris DuFresne
December 17, 2002


Well, I have some exciting news to share with ya'll!  

Today, I got to meet John Paul II one on one.  Here's the story:

(Before I start...sorry if there are too many details...I have included all of the details since 
i know some people want to know everything about this :-)).  

Monday night we were told at dinner that about 10 of us had mass with the Holy Father 
in his private chapel at the Vatican the next morning, Tuesday (today!).  We were all 
shocked and totally excited!  This was even more important than meeting the President of 
the U.S. 

So today we woke up at the crack of dawn and walked to St. Peter's.  We went in the 
official entrance to the Papal Residence where we climbed a bunch of steps to a waiting 
room.  There were about 25-30 people total, most from the U.S.  We waited for about a 
half an hour.  Then we were lead into another waiting room that had an amazing view of 
the Vatican and the city of Rome.  This room we were waiting in is the main room where 
all the press photos are taken, for example the photos of John Paul II and Cardinal Law 
last week.  

After a bit, we were lead into the Holy Father's chapel where he was sitting in his chair 
facing the altar.  It was really surreal to walk in there!  We all prayed silently for about 5 
minutes, then he had help putting on his vestments and started mass.  Mass was in Italian.  
It was a usual daily mass, nothign too different.  He did not give a homily.  He spoke 
pretty softly and in a sort of mumble since he is pretty weak.  

After mass, we all filed out of the chapel and went back to the waiting room.  After we all 
got into the room, the Holy Father entered with the help of two aides.  He sat in a chair in 
front of his desk in the large room.  We each went up to him one at a time and knelt 
down, grabbed his right hand, and kissed his ring (the usual gesture people do when 
meeting the Pope).  As this happened, he handed each person a rosary.  

I remember walking up to him and it was just surreal as I mentioned before.  I didn't say 
anything to him, I just knelt, kissed his ring, got up and waited for the rest to do the same, 
since i didn't really know what to say :-).  

He was pretty weak and needed help getting around.  He was also pretty winded after 
walking just a short distance.  All in all it was an amazing experience that words cannot 
begin to describe.  It was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity that I am so thankful for!  
Wow.  What else can I say.