Beautiful Thoughtful well researched piece! Loved learning new insights on the People’s Pope & the context of current world events. The Golden rules on how to treat people shared by Mom are needed more than ever right now. Thank you for sharing her light & yours with us!💖💫
A poignant, multi-layered article Katie! Replete with the divine markers - the Pope’s soccer club card with his death numbers and your birthday/conclave/Real ID deadline numbers.
This is a beautiful piece. You have included so much in it. It is honest and beautifully written. Thanks for sending it.
I’m not Catholic but have been so moved by Pope Francis’s lessons in simplicity and humility. The contrast between his life and Trump’s is stark—frankly sickening. You pointed this out so well.
I loved how you personalized it with your personal story and experiences. It is a very rich piece. Thanks.
I read your piece twice, Katie, savoring your musings on this humble pope and soaking up so much new information. Your writing is such a thoughtful blend of current events, history. philosophy, and personal reflection. I was raised in a non-religious family, but I hear my parents’ voices in your recollections of your mother’s gentle guidance. Lessons for life. Thank you, Katie. Grazi, Papa.
Excellent piece my friend. Definitely could not have said it better myself.
I learn something new everyday. Today I learned that a month after you were born, my family and I were in Rome on a month long vacation while my father was stationed in Kiel “West” Germany as part of NATO. As a 12 year old boy, I don’t remember fences, tickets, lines, or hordes of tourists at St. Peter’s just another very fancy church. I do remember everything else about the Eternal City, catacombs, the Coliseum, ancient ruins, and other churches including the Pope’s church, as Bishop of Rome, St. John Lateran for Sunday mass. We also had the privilege of visiting the former Summer retreat of the popes, Castel Gandolfo and having an audience with Pope John XXIII, (along with a hundred others) in its small piazza. He was known as “the good Pope” for his humble and active papacy.
After all these years, I remember thinking that you need at least a month to visit Rome properly.
Wow, great to know John! Karl lived in Germany and went to kindegarten and highschool there as part of a military family. I agree Rome requires at least month if not a year!
Hi Katie, you captured my upbringing and my views on the church so beautifully. I like you, the church is the closest thing I have to a cultural identity.
Thank you for this, Katie. It is well written and very informative.
Beautiful Thoughtful well researched piece! Loved learning new insights on the People’s Pope & the context of current world events. The Golden rules on how to treat people shared by Mom are needed more than ever right now. Thank you for sharing her light & yours with us!💖💫
Thank YOU sister!
A poignant, multi-layered article Katie! Replete with the divine markers - the Pope’s soccer club card with his death numbers and your birthday/conclave/Real ID deadline numbers.
Beautifully researched and crafted, as usual.
Hi Katie
This is a beautiful piece. You have included so much in it. It is honest and beautifully written. Thanks for sending it.
I’m not Catholic but have been so moved by Pope Francis’s lessons in simplicity and humility. The contrast between his life and Trump’s is stark—frankly sickening. You pointed this out so well.
I loved how you personalized it with your personal story and experiences. It is a very rich piece. Thanks.
Marion
I read your piece twice, Katie, savoring your musings on this humble pope and soaking up so much new information. Your writing is such a thoughtful blend of current events, history. philosophy, and personal reflection. I was raised in a non-religious family, but I hear my parents’ voices in your recollections of your mother’s gentle guidance. Lessons for life. Thank you, Katie. Grazi, Papa.
Thank you, Katie. There is a lot of wisdom in your writing. We are going to miss Francis but his inspiration is timeless.
Excellent piece my friend. Definitely could not have said it better myself.
I learn something new everyday. Today I learned that a month after you were born, my family and I were in Rome on a month long vacation while my father was stationed in Kiel “West” Germany as part of NATO. As a 12 year old boy, I don’t remember fences, tickets, lines, or hordes of tourists at St. Peter’s just another very fancy church. I do remember everything else about the Eternal City, catacombs, the Coliseum, ancient ruins, and other churches including the Pope’s church, as Bishop of Rome, St. John Lateran for Sunday mass. We also had the privilege of visiting the former Summer retreat of the popes, Castel Gandolfo and having an audience with Pope John XXIII, (along with a hundred others) in its small piazza. He was known as “the good Pope” for his humble and active papacy.
After all these years, I remember thinking that you need at least a month to visit Rome properly.
Wow, great to know John! Karl lived in Germany and went to kindegarten and highschool there as part of a military family. I agree Rome requires at least month if not a year!
I’m guessing he was in Southern Germany, the “American” sector at the time.
Hi Katie, you captured my upbringing and my views on the church so beautifully. I like you, the church is the closest thing I have to a cultural identity.
Thank you Molly! Interesting that we share that sentiment.