At the Beatification

In St. Peter's Square in the midts of the crowds (Italian Media - 1.7 Million in attendance)

At the Beatification

After an awesome start of the weekend, I find myself in St. Peter's square awaiting the start of the Beatification of John Paul II. The square is getting packed and the feelings and excitements of the many who have travelled hours to be here is increasing. There is a tapestry on the front of the Basilica that is veiled, soon that will reviel a picture of John Paul II as he will be declared Blessed by our Holy Father Pope Benedict...

Just hours away from the Beatification

Just hours away from the Beatification, I find myself in the midst of the thousands that will enter St. Peter's square for the Beatification of John Paul II. I have the Kennedy Catholic banner with me! Can't wait to unveil it for all to see! I promise lots of pictures once I get settled. Thank God for WIFI or else I could never be able to show you all of this until I go back home Sunday night... God Bless... Mr. Mobini

Video from the Vatican

This video was taken a day before the millions of people gather to see John Paul II beatified. Preperations are being finalized and news just came out this morning that the body of the late pope is being moved to the front of the main altar in the Church for pilgrims to venerate after the Beatification Mass. I will try to take some pictures and a video of this as well. His body will then be moved from the papal crypt to the main church to a side chapel next to the chapel that has Michelangelo's Pieta. If you are planning on visiting Rome in the near future, you will be able to see. The sound might be a problem...

Day 1 - Thursday, April, 28, 2011

I arrived in Frankfurt, Germany this morning around 9:00 AM. The flight was under 10 hours and Lufthansa was an awesome airline to fly with. Talk about good customer service. The only downer about the flight was the air conditioning and the fact that we never saw night. Since this flight goes up to the North Pole, daylight practically dominated the 10 hours. To make things interesting, the cabin was really warm. I guess that helps some people sleep... Upon arriving I was blessed to get on an earlier flight that got into Rome at 12:30 PM instead of my original schedule that had me arrive at 5:30 PM.I arrived to a really warm and sunny Rome. My aunt and uncle picked me up from the airport and brought me home to freshen up. I ended up catching a ride with them into the city eventually leading me to St. Peter's Square. As I crossed the Tiber River, I saw many scafeltines set up for the big screens that will be set for those who will not be able to be in front of the Church. Many people were walking the streets and many groups from all over the world are coming to Rome either tomorrow or Saturday anticipating the start of the weekend ceremonies that will conclude with the Beatification of John Paul II.As I walked the Via della Conciliazione, the main road that leads to the front of the Vatican, I ran into the President and CEO of Life Teen international, Randy Raus. What a small world to run into people you know. I quickly walked through the crowd infested streets to St. Peter's square and got in line to enter the Basilica of St. Peter before the chaos of the next couple of days. After passing through a metal detector and having your bags screened I made my way to the front of the facade. I noticed lots of workers in the main square setting up the chairs that VIP's will be seated in and the many plants and flowers that will decorate the front of the main altar. Lots of hard work goes into these ceremonies that people often times miss. To my shock and surprise, the tombs of the Popes were closed today to prepare for the Beatification ceremonies that will come. I was a bit disappointed because I really wanted to go and spend some quiet moments there offering up all of intentions people have given me, nonetheless I was able to go in the main church and see what will be the plan for the post-Beatification.After a nice tour, I visited my favorite place to pick up religious articles for a really good price to pick up 1200 Beatus JPII medals for all of the Kennedy Catholic families. The banner I have brought to Rome with me will be at the Beatification ceremony. I will definitely have pictures to post of that soon. Today has been an eventful day, and it’s just the beginning. My thoughts and prayers go out to my wife, whom I miss dearly, and all of the Kennedy Catholic Family. May God bless all of you! PAX!

Just landed in Rome

The plane from Frankfurth to Rome was full but luckily the flight was short and now getting cleaned up and off to the Vatican before the chaos of Sunday's Beatification. I will try to take lots of pictures of what St. Peter's Square looks like and have a full report of the day.

Leaving for Rome

I tried to stay awake as much as possible last night in preparation for the time zone difference. My bags are packed and I am ready to go. I spent this morning with my students wrapping up their group projects and now I am off to the Seattle Airport to board my flight to Frankfurt and then to Rome. I will try to post some stories and pictures soon of the environment and activities happening in Rome. You are all in my thoughts and prayers. May the Lord bless us this week as we draw near to celebrating Divine Mercy Sunday and the Beatification of JPII...

One Week Away...

He has Risen,

Alleluia, Alleluia!

Happy Easter!!!

My bags are almost packed and the Beatification of John Paul II draws near. I have been getting many requests for religious articles and prayer intentions from friends and family. If you have a special prayer intention you would like for me to bring, feel free to leave them in the comments section of this post. I will make sure to bring your intentions to the tomb of John Paul II after the Beatification Mass this coming Sunday.

John Paul II: A radiant example of faith, Pope says

Vatican City, Apr 21, 2011 / 10:38 am (CNA/EWTN News).- During the celebration of the Chrismal Mass at the Vatican this morning, Pope Benedict said that despite many scandals in the Church, there are still "radiant examples of faith" such as John Paul II, who will be beatified on May 1.

Below is a part of Pope Benedict XVI's homily -

"For all the shame we feel over our failings, we must not forget that today too there are radiant examples of faith, people who give hope to the world through their faith and love. When Pope John Paul II is beatified on 1 May, we shall think of him, with hearts full of thankfulness, as a great witness to God and to Jesus Christ in our day, as a man filled with the Holy Spirit. Alongside him, we think of the many people he beatified and canonized, who give us the certainty that even today God’s promise and commission do not fall on deaf ears.

I turn finally to you, dear brothers in the priestly ministry. Holy Thursday is in a special way our day. At the hour of the last Supper, the Lord instituted the new Testament priesthood. "Sanctify them in the truth" (Jn 17:17), he prayed to the Father, for the Apostles and for priests of all times. With great gratitude for the vocation and with humility for all our shortcomings, we renew at this hour our "yes" to the Lord’s call: yes, I want to be intimately united to the Lord Jesus, in self-denial, driven on by the love of Christ. Amen."

October 22 will be the official feast day of Bl. John Paul II, the date that marked his first public mass after becoming Pope in 1978.

What is Kennedy Catholic doing?

This coming Thursday, there will be an assembly to give our student body information on what is happening in Rome the following week. The Kennedy Girls Club, led by Alexa Diaz and Kayla Titailii, graciously designed a banner with the following words: Blessed John Paul II, Pray for us!

All students, faculty, staff, and school families are going to be invited to sign the banner. This banner will then be brought to Rome by our Theology teacher, Mr. Mobini and placed at the tomb of Pope John Paul II prior to his beatification, if possible. This way all of us are united as we prepare for Pope Benedict XVI to beatify Pope John Paul II. As the beatification draws near, we pray that Bl. John Paul II will intercede on behaf of all of our intentions.

If you would like to sign the banner, make sure to visit the school office on Monday and Tuesday, April 25 & 26 before and after school. Contact the school office for more details.