FAD&DAD

Ciao!

As FAD&DAD mentioned in our summer break episode, my wife and I just recently returned from our pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi. We walked over 60 miles, climbed over 80 flights, and visited over 30 churches. Not too shabby.

Ultimately, it was a trip packed with graces on all fronts. It was spiritually enriching, historically fascinating, culturally valuable, and much more. On top of it all, it was virtually a week-long date night with my bride in the epicenter of our Catholic faith.

After a chaotic travel episode getting back home then coming down with a nasty virus, I finally had the time to sit down and reflect on the graces of the trip. For the full version of that, you can read it all on The Emmaus Institute website: The Sacrament of Rome: Reflections from a Roman Pilgrimage.

For the tl;dr version: the pilgrimage was an eye-opening experience of when faith intersects with beauty. In the countless churches we visited (well, actually we counted them, but it felt countless), we beheld naves, ceilings, frescoes, altars, baldacchinos, and chapels that witnessed to the heavenly reality that is always around us, interpenetrating into space and time through the Church. I’m thankful beyond words to have had the opportunity to go and I’m eager to return one day.

Soooo why am I writing a blog about Rome when I’ve already written a blog about Rome? Well, in short, I promised our dozens of listeners that I would not only see but pray for you at the tombs of the many church fathers that we have had the chance to read through on our show. I’m here to say happily that I was able to do so.

For example, under the altar of the Basilica of St. Clement lie the remains of not only St. Clement but also St. Ignatius of Antioch. We also visited the relics of Sts. Philip and James the Less (believed to have written the Didache, see Season 1 Ep. 11) as well as the relics of St. Gregory of Nazianzus—a father we haven’t covered in the podcast yet but plan on mentioning in Season 2!

Unfortunately, I did miss the churches that hold the remains of Justin Martyr and Polycarp (and Irenaeus isn’t buried in Rome).

It was an honor to bring each of you, our listeners, and your intentions to the burial sites of these saints, who, as we speak, intercede on our behalf before the throne of the Lamb. Part of my prayer was that we would all join their company one day in the Church Triumphant. Thanks for being our dozens and following along in this journey!

Ciao! – Josh

PS: on our rollercoaster of traveling back home, somehow we ended up in Ireland. So as they say, when in Ireland?

So I guess ciao and slán (yes, I had to Google “goodbye” in Irish).