ROME - Sister Yvonne Mary Loucks, RSM, of the Diocese of Saginaw traveled to Rome for the beatification of Servant of God John Paul II on Divine Mercy Sunday, May 1.
Today, the day after the beatification, Rome is still packed with pilgrims and activity around the celebration of Blessed John Paul II.
There was a Mass in St. Pter's Square at 10:30 a.m. celebrated by Cardinal Bertone, the Secretary of State. About 300,000 people attended that Mass. St. Peter's Basilica was opened all night as people passed by the coffin of Blessed John Paul II, leaving piles of written intentions near him. You can be sure that we left the intentions of everyone in the Diocese of Saginaw when we went in to pray. We got in the line at 7:00 p.m., and at 10:00 p.m. we finally entered the
Basilica. It is remarkable how people still press hard to get a glimpse of him. There is truly a sense of his sanctity and of his prayerful concern for all who ask for his intercession.
At 5 :00 p.m. today, the official relic will be transferred to Santo Spirito Church, which is the Roman Church of Divine Mercy. Yesterday at the Beatification Mass, the nun who was cured of Parkinson's disease through his intercession, carried the relic up to the main altar. She had told her story of a complete cure during the vigil preparation for the beatification. She was almost completely debilitated with Parkinson's, and now she is completely healthy through Blessed John Paul's intercession.
It is awonder to us that people still have such intense devotion to Blessed John Paul even 6 years after his death. Without the gift of faith it would be odd to think of going to venerate the remains of a man who died and was buried six years ago. It is also odd to think that two million people from all over the world came to honor him at his beatification. Something like this can only be explained by faith, the very gift that he shared deeply with the whole world.
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