The Chapel on the Rock
(Officially St. Catherine of Siena Chapel)
Allenpark, Colorado
Early Fall Ron and I took our annual trip to the "promised land" in Colorado. With the companionship of our family we went to places we hadn't gone in years. One of those places was Camp St. Malo. It's a beautiful place, quiet, tranquil and so close to heaven.
When I was a kid we'd have an annual trek to the camp for a family picnic. Dad, who as a kid himself had gone to camp here would revel in the memories of the times he had here. I just remember those wonderful meals with Dad, Mom, my sister, brothers and the Aunts and Pat. (Aunt Mary's potato salad was amazing.)
Then, too, I was reminded that Pope Saint John Paul II came here for quiet time when he was there in 1993.
DENVER — With rosary beads, a new pair of white sneakers with yellow laces and a book of poetry, a beaming Pope John Paul II strode high into the Rocky Mountains on Friday for a rare day off.
The break in the Pope's visit to his church's World Youth Day ceremonies here was uncharacteristic, but it was long planned at the suggestion of Denver Archbishop J. Francis Stafford.
On a warm cloudy day, John Paul--who has a lifelong love for the outdoors and for mountains in particular--walked in his white cassock at an altitude of nearly 10,000 feet near Estes Park north of Denver.
"He hiked, and therefore rested. He prayed and he read. I think he was very, very happy," said papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro, who accompanied the Pope on a two-hour walk before lunch. John Paul donned the size 11 sneakers that were a gift from local children, who also provided a blue warm-up jacket and a walking stick. (Los Angeles Times)
I treasure the moments I've had in MY promised land. So I begin preparation for our journey to the Holy Land in February. Unlike most trips I prepare for there is more to do than just pack the suitcases and make sure I have the tickets and passports. I want to travel with a real purpose. Walking in the footsteps of our Lord. And so my preparation has begun by rereading Father James Martin's book, Jesus: A Pilgrimage.
~~~^j^~~~
And so my preparation begins.
Cathy
