Updates from Rome From Bishop Daniel Mueggenborg
Bishop Daniel Mueggenborg has traveled to Rome after the many events of remembrance in the Diocese of Reno for Pope Francis. Bishop will be sharing moments as he can. This page will be updated throughout his journey.
Bishop Mueggenborg Visit to Rome, A Yearly Journey "American Week"
I planned this trip a year ago to be part of “American Week” in Rome. That is always the 2nd week after Easter and a host of US Catholic groups converge on Rome at the same time to participate in the Rector’s Dinner at the Pontifical North American College. Although the dinner was cancelled this year due to the time of universal mourning following the death of Pope Francis, the various US Catholic groups still converged in Rome. The groups include members of the Papal Foundation, the Napa Institute, FOCUS Missionaries, EWTN, Legatus, benefactors of the Pontifical North American College and others.
It also provides a chance to visit with the many bishops who travel with these groups – about 40 in all. I attend this week every year since having served on faculty at the Pontifical North American College from 2005-2011. Several people from Reno also go to Rome each year so I had an opportunity to visit with them during my time there. It really is a great time to be an American in Rome, even during this time of papal transition.
My connection to the Pontifical North American College is long-standing. I attended the College from 1985-1990 as a seminarian and young priest. Then I returned to serve on faculty from 2005-2011. Having spent 11 years of my life at the PNAC, Rome is very much like a 2nd home for me. Returning to the Eternal City provides me with a chance to visit both American and Italian friends and introduce others to its rich religious and historical aspects.
This year in particular gave me more time to spend with Reno families due to the cancellation of the Rector’s Dinner. I already look forward to being there next year as well.
Staying at the Pontifical North American College also gave me an opportunity to interact with several of the US Cardinals, all of whom (11 total) are staying at the College as they prepare for the Conclave. In addition, I had the chance to catch up with other bishop friends staying at the College including Archbishop Henning of Boston, Archbishop Aquila of Denver, Bishop Checchio of Metuchen and Bishop Vetter of Helena.
Bishop Walks In History: About the Conclave
On Monday, April 28th, I went on pilgrimage to the city of Viterbo (more on this city in the video) where the first conclave took place in 1268–1271.
While there, I celebrated a mass in the cathedral and went to the actual room in which the first conclave took place to pray for the Cardinals who will soon be gathering in Rome to elect the 266th successor of Saint Peter.
The vestment I am wearing to celebrate mass is the same vestment that St. John Paul II used when he made a similar pilgrimage to the city in the mid 1980s.
This is a photo of Friday morning’s mass in Saint Peter Basilica. We are in the chapel of the choir. St. John Chrysostom is buried in the sarcophagus under the altar.
I celebrated mass at the church of Saint Agnes on Piazza Navona. The altarpiece depicts the moment of Agnes‘s murder then when she was 12 years old. Her death in 304 helped bring about the end of Christian persecutions. The priest celebrating mass with me is father Michael Drea, who is with FOCUS missionaries.
As part of the Roman pilgrimage, I spent a morning at the Pope’s Summer residence of Castel Gandolfo. Pope Francis has opened that residence to the public since he did not use it during the past 12 years. Part of the papal estate includes the gardens which are on the site of the emperor Domitian’s villa from the first century. Because this property is extraterritorial Vatican possession, it was provided as a place of refuge by Pope Pius XII during World War II for 12,000 people including 1000 Jewish families.
At the end of the pilgrimage to Rome, we were blessed with a spectacular rainbow over the city. A great way to end a truly great week. Please continue to keep the Cardinals in your prayers as they now move forward with their discernment and election of the next successor of Saint Peter, the Vicar of Christ.
