Today was the day around which this pilgrimage was planned and we weren’t going to miss out on a good seat. Poppy and Mary beat us to the lineup area and we were there by 5.45am. Gates weren’t to open until 8am but were we glad we rose so early. The crowd was definitely a majority of Aussies so the anthem, Waltzing Matilda, Mary’s songs rang out to call the pope to his morning ablutions! It was great fun until the guards began to arrive and moved barriers thus narrowing the waiting area and squashing us in like sardines. If one fell then there was no way the person could get up again. It was a bit scary actually. As each step was taken … arrival of more guards, unpacking of the security screens…. the crowds swelled to their thousands but we had prime run-off positions and once the barrier was moved it was on for young and old. The more spritely of the twosome took off first and GREAT seats were barred for our party of 5!!!! There was singing and waving of banners, chats to other Aussie pilgrims, photo opportunities with many from different cultures within our Australian nation. The Josephite nuns stood out in their teale scarves and the other pligrims had on the yellow and brown ones. There were SO MANY AUSSIE FLAGS and gold balloons, banners of Mary MacKillop. when cameras went by the noise was deafening. We won’t go over the ceremony with you but, as the popemobile arrived, the crowds suddenly changed their demeanour and the whole mass was without yahoos and flag waving or anything else that could detract from the solemnity of the occasion. MAYBE THERE WERE A FEW NODDING HEADS DURING THE SERMON. …. but we sure woke up when the Pope began his English words on Mary MacKillop. Communion was an eye opener. At least 240 priests started filing into the piazza and then a good number of guards joined them. The guards put up yellow and white umbrellas so the crowds knew where the communion stations were. The Mass ended; the Pope disappeared and the crowds started to disperse. For the second time the same guards checked us on our standing 0n chairs. There were hundreds and hundreds doing it but he honed in on us!!!! He told us we might do that ( stand on chairs) in Australia but it wasn’t done in Rome. We saw lots of the sisters but all were ready to find a bite to eat and visit the ladies after a VERY long time in the Piazza – for us 6.5 hours!!!!! IT WAS WORTH IT. WE ARE SO TIRED BUT SO HAPPY and plan a VERY early night for it all begins again tomorrow for we catch a couple of trains to go to the thanksgiving mass at St Paul Outside the Wall. We know you all are with us in spirit as you have been with us over this incredible weekend….. HAPPY FEAST DAY AUSTRALIA!!!!

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