Helloo Rinda,
I’m sorry I have taken long in replying to your e-mail, but being 14 it means my summer’s are packed to the maximum. My mother and I were pilgrims on the Shrines of Italy pilgrimage in late April and early May. We arrived in Rome 12 hours before our tour group assembled. We spent 7 of those 12 hours in St. Peter’s Bascillica. It was virtually empty. The bascillica was, in a word, breathtaking. I didn’t want to go back to our hotel for dinner.
The Michaelangelo hotel was beautiful. As was the view from our balcony. Our tour group traveled from Rome to Monte Casino while my mom and i went to Pompei. ( I go to a private school where I take Latin as my language. My latin books are a series of factual stories begining in Pompei. I simply had to go there. ) We rejoined our tour at San Giovanni, where we went to Monte Sant Angelo and Padre Pio’s place, and from there we went to Lanciano, Loretto, Assisi, and Siena. I did get homesick from being away from my friends and animals, but the entire trip was AMAZING!!!!! I will go back one day, visit the places I saw and see new sites as well. I never dreamed that any place could be anymore beautiful than where I live, but I was wrong. Being that close to my faith on that pilgrimage was the best thing that ever happened to me. I was Confirmed 2 weeks later and I took the knowledge and the grace that I was filled with back to my school and my Catholic youth group. I sincerely hope that others enjoy the pilgrimage as I did. It’s worth the time and the money.
God Bless you!
marisa iseman, 14
ronan, montana