IT IS GOOD TO BE BACK: I got back from Rome on Friday after two weeks away. There were some surprises when I was there. Obviously the Holy Father, Pope Leo, had his operation and I was of the view that there would not be an opportunity to see him, but remarkably he came to the window on the Apostolic Palace on the Sunday to address the crowd, recite the Angelus, and to give his Apostolic Blessing, the crowd was large as we were all moved to see our beloved Holy Father. My second week was with Bishop Marcus and recently ordained clergy (5 years or below). It was a mixture of time together, spiritual talks, and short pilgrimages. To everyone’s surprise we learnt that the Wednesday Papal Audience was going ahead and we had an early start to be in Rome to be there. Again, despite some very rainy weather, the Square was full of people wanting to see and greet the Holy Father. Both the Angelus and the Audience illustrated the universality of our Catholic community, our fellowship with each other in faith, also our loyalty to God’s Church and the office of the Pope. Another surprise was an opportunity to go into the Apostolic Palace (a first for me) to have an informal meeting the Archbishop Paul Gallagher, a priest of the Archdiocese of Liverpool, who is the Foreign Secretary of the Holy See. So, it was an eventful time, but as always, I celebrated the Mass and prayed for intentions every day. Also, as I normally do when in Rome, I brought back prayer cards at the back of the church which has Pope Leo’s Apostolic Blessing.