Hang with the Pope on any given Wednesday....

On Wednesday 10 February 2010, we attended the General Wednesday Audience in Pope Paul VI Hall. The Holy Father delivered the regular address in Italian. A clergyman for each language greeted the Holy Father and listed off the various groups registered in attendance to great cheering! The Holy Father greeted and acknowledged each including: "The Students and Faculty of the University of Saint Thomas...etc."

THE HOLY FATHER'S ADDRESS AND ENGLISH GREETING

The newly ordained Bishop Paul Sirba of Duluth, Minnesota was in attendance. Prior to his appointment he was on faculty at Saint Paul Seminary and was very excited to see us. The feeling was mutual.

Darin Schmidt got a little hungry during our two and a half hour wait for the audience to start. I wasn't aware the Vatican sold concessions....

After a quick lunch at a cafeteria-style restaurant next to Saint Peter's Square, we were off to meet our art history professor for an adventure on the metro to study the frescos in the catacombs.