Italy
CATHOLIC DEAF PILGRIMAGE TO ITALY
JUNE 16: BETTER LATE THAN NEVER. Our group left on two diffrent flights to Milan: Chicago to Munich to Milan. Chicago to Frankfort to Milan. Travelling these days is difficult. For example, in Frankfort airport, everyone must go through Security checkpoints twice. Then, go through Immigration checkpoints. Our two groups finally arrived in Milan, Italy on the morning of JUNE 17th. The weather was overcast and a bit cool. We were read to begin our trip through Milan, but....
JUNE 17:BETTER LATE THAN NEVER! As we were ready to begin our trip, we realized that seven people were missing. All of them were flying from New Orleans to Washington to Munich to Milan. The problem was they did not arrive in Milan, and the airline did not knw where they were! We began touring Milan, but kept up a frantic phone search for this group. We could not locate them. FINALLY, we got a call from the airport. What happened was that there had been a very bad rain storm in D.C, and their flight was delayed 3 hours, so they missed their connection in Munich, and arrived in Milan 5 hours late with no one to meet them. At last we were all united.
We had a wonderful tour of Milan, a large business city of northern Italy, and especially the DUOMO, the magnificent cathedral. People simply could not believe this building. We then a a three hour drive to our hotel near Venice which became a four hour drive because of horrible thunderstorms, as bad as anything I have seen, with hail. By the time we got to the hotel (very nice and modern), had a good dinner, we were all ready for bed. I was exhausted, but glad we were finally all together.
JUNE 18: PERFECT PADUA. Our day started early as we drove to Padua (Padova in Italian), a university city of 250,000 people(60,000 students!). The day was warm and sunny. We celebrated Mass ina special chapel at the shrine of St. Anthony of Padua. Twenty-four deaf from Padua joined us for the Mass(their sign-langauge is different). They were so thrilled that our group was there and invited them to share in the Mass. Afterwards, I joined their group for a lunch at a local restaurant.
That afternoon, we had a terrific tour of St. Anthony"s basilica. We prayed at the tomb of St. Anthony of Padua, and I remembered all of you, especially the members of the deaf community of Chicago. Then a street tour of Padua, and a chance meeting with a deaf mother from Ukraine and her hearing dughter who were amazed to see us signing.(The group is about 50-50 deaf/hearing. 74 people all together.) We finished with a tour of the beautiful church of San Giustinia(the true patron saint of Padua). I was able to visit with my friend Ilario who is a teacher for the deaf at the school for the deaf in Padua; it was good reunion.The day was wonderfully sunny and warm. Lovely Italy! Our busses are very modern and the drivers very professional. Fresh Salmon dinner tonight. Venice tomorrow!
JUNE 16: BETTER LATE THAN NEVER. Our group left on two diffrent flights to Milan: Chicago to Munich to Milan. Chicago to Frankfort to Milan. Travelling these days is difficult. For example, in Frankfort airport, everyone must go through Security checkpoints twice. Then, go through Immigration checkpoints. Our two groups finally arrived in Milan, Italy on the morning of JUNE 17th. The weather was overcast and a bit cool. We were read to begin our trip through Milan, but....
JUNE 17:BETTER LATE THAN NEVER! As we were ready to begin our trip, we realized that seven people were missing. All of them were flying from New Orleans to Washington to Munich to Milan. The problem was they did not arrive in Milan, and the airline did not knw where they were! We began touring Milan, but kept up a frantic phone search for this group. We could not locate them. FINALLY, we got a call from the airport. What happened was that there had been a very bad rain storm in D.C, and their flight was delayed 3 hours, so they missed their connection in Munich, and arrived in Milan 5 hours late with no one to meet them. At last we were all united.
We had a wonderful tour of Milan, a large business city of northern Italy, and especially the DUOMO, the magnificent cathedral. People simply could not believe this building. We then a a three hour drive to our hotel near Venice which became a four hour drive because of horrible thunderstorms, as bad as anything I have seen, with hail. By the time we got to the hotel (very nice and modern), had a good dinner, we were all ready for bed. I was exhausted, but glad we were finally all together.
JUNE 18: PERFECT PADUA. Our day started early as we drove to Padua (Padova in Italian), a university city of 250,000 people(60,000 students!). The day was warm and sunny. We celebrated Mass ina special chapel at the shrine of St. Anthony of Padua. Twenty-four deaf from Padua joined us for the Mass(their sign-langauge is different). They were so thrilled that our group was there and invited them to share in the Mass. Afterwards, I joined their group for a lunch at a local restaurant.
That afternoon, we had a terrific tour of St. Anthony"s basilica. We prayed at the tomb of St. Anthony of Padua, and I remembered all of you, especially the members of the deaf community of Chicago. Then a street tour of Padua, and a chance meeting with a deaf mother from Ukraine and her hearing dughter who were amazed to see us signing.(The group is about 50-50 deaf/hearing. 74 people all together.) We finished with a tour of the beautiful church of San Giustinia(the true patron saint of Padua). I was able to visit with my friend Ilario who is a teacher for the deaf at the school for the deaf in Padua; it was good reunion.The day was wonderfully sunny and warm. Lovely Italy! Our busses are very modern and the drivers very professional. Fresh Salmon dinner tonight. Venice tomorrow!
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