If its Friday this must be Roma

Well - I bet many of you have thought I had dropped off the face of the earth. I won't tell you how many meters I have walked trying to find an Internet Cafe! What's up with that.

Well I am now sitting in a cafe within shouting distance of San Pietro Square. What a good time we have had here. This morning we were privileged to have tickets to the Concistory - the solemn occasion when the Pope creates Cardinals. Unfortunately heirarchy is well at work here and while we all had tickets, the clergy were separated from the "regular" people of God for the service. So our bishops and clergy trooped up to front seats while the rest of us sat many meters back. The view for us was really good tho and we had the advantage of having the large screens to see the up close shots. Fifteen men became cardinals and now have the cardinal hats and all the responsibility that goes with it. [We think they may also have a secret handshake now}

The weather here has been less than beautiful. It has rained almost everyday and when the wind blows we pull up our winter coat collars. It was more than a tad chilly sitting out in St. Peters Square this morning, but then if we looked back at the thousands behind us who didn't have seats at all we realize we were quite well cared for.

We have had amazing access inside the Vatican walls. Our host is Father Matthais Turk a long time friend of the ELCA - he is about 40 and rides a motorcycle with helmet and shades while smoking a cigarette. Do you get a picture. --I canàt find the question mark on this keyboard...sorry--. We saw the Sistene Chapel yesterday ...Joshua, I thought of you! It is just so amazing. We also spent time in the Vatican Museum but that could take a week instead of an hour. Prior to that we met with the Archbishop in charge of Communications for the Vatican. He has a staff of 200. We met in the movie theater...they actually have movie nights! We saw the big white armchair that the Pope sits in when he watches a movie! We did wonder about the popcorn and diet cokes! All of that presentation and conversation was just excellent.

We have also spent time at Vatican Radio.

Our hotel is not so posh as in Istanbul. In fact... Well. We are not inside the walls as we had thought but in a Vatican owned hotel just off the Piazza Navanno which is my fav piazza in the world. The hotel is strange and sad. If you think retreat center you will understand it better. Many priests stay here . I am in room 108 which takes about 15 minutes to find on a good day. Up one staircase and down a nother, through the dining room and a back door and up some other stairs. It is two rooms joined by a giant arch and no one is ..thankfully.. in the other room. I have a bathroom with a huge tub which I have loved. My view out the big picture windows is of the store across the street and the alley. Oh well. It serves me well.

We have had wonderful meals in many great little trattorias - many of them heated with the big heat lamps like Tommie and Joanna have up at the lake. Much wine has been enjoyed in those settings.

We had significant meetings with Cardinal Kasper and his staff in the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity. These are people we work with often and it did indeed feel like we were home. We discussed the challenges of pentecostalism. The new pope has declared ecumenism to be a priority so that has given them and us some strong signs. 'Spirituality is not a slogan. It is subjective, individual and the teachings of the church flow through it.' HE also said 'I must be patient with our Orthodox converstiaons. And I admit patience is not my best virtue.' (must be related to Erica Jo Koser!

Then we met in the chambers of the Pontifical Council for InterReligous Affairs. -- all of these are very very nice offices-conference rooms to which most people never have access. We just get waved through as long as Father Turk is with us!! We had interesting discussions on Muslim relations.

We were taken on a private tour of the Scavy - where popes are buried and where Peters burial site is. Quite moving except for the fact that I got clostrophobic and had to ask to be let out of the underground. Lovely. I really thoguth I was going to faint. Fortunally Bishop Roy Riley was also feeling short of oxygen so the two of us came up out of the catacombs into the light and the rain.

There is much much much more to tell but this will suffice for now. Oh yes - we were part of the General Audience of the Pope on Weds morning and had private seating for that. Not as cool as the private audiences we have had in the past but with the Concistory this week things in Vatican City are hectic. We have also seen some of the Catholic universities here which has been interesting and a fab evening last ngiht with the Sant Edigio Community. That was incredible. Also had dinner on Weds night with the Lutherans in Rome!!

All is well - tomorrow we leave about noon for London via Munich.