Travel Groups From Diocese Find Themselves Witnesses To History
Talk about being in the right place at the right time! On March 13, the day the world cheered the historic introduction of a new pope from Buenos Aires, Argentina, one group of pilgrims from the Diocese of Evansville, led by Holy Family, Jasper, pastor Father John Boeglin, was in Rome, while another group, led by retired Father Joe Ziliak, was visiting Buenos Aires.
Both groups planned their trips long before the news that Pope Benedict XVI would be stepping down and that a conclave would be held to choose his successor. Father Boeglin noted that his tour group was originally scheduled to have a public audience with Pope Benedict, but “that all changed on Feb. 11 when he announced that he would resign.”
Father Boeglin said his group spent much of March 13 visiting the catacombs of Dormittila and St Paul, and John Lateran and Mary Major basilicas.
“We had asked all day whether a pope had been elected,” he said. “Storekeepers told us that all of Rome would know immediately if white smoke would be seen.”
At 7:20 p.m. in Rome, while the group was attending a dinner show, word filtered out that an Argentinian had been chosen. “At the dinner show, all participants began to sing ‘Viva la Papa,’ which means long live the Pope,” said Father Boeglin.
Meanwhile, Father Ziliak’s group was at a Buenos Aires airport preparing to depart when they began to receive text messages from friends and loved ones telling them the new pope was from Buenos Aires.
“We understand that there was boisterous and enthusiastic honking of horns in downtown Buenos Aires,” said Father Ziliak. He said he later saw published photos of “joyous faithful” in the same cathedral that the group had visited just two days prior.
Father Ziliak mentioned that the group’s Argentinian guide, Nicolas, was thrilled to hear the news. “Nicolas had just shared that St. George was his favorite saint to whom he looked for special help and guidance,” said Father Ziliak. “And now our new pope's baptismal name is Jorge (George).”
Father Ziliak also said the employees at the airport were “beaming” with pride about the news.
Father Boeglin’s group of 18 arrived in Rome on March 12, the day the conclave began. He noted that the group ran into diocesan seminarian Keith Dewig, a college senior at Bruté Seminary in Indianapolis, on their way to St. Peter’s Basilica.
“Among all the thousands of tourists in Rome, I considered this to be a miracle to meet someone from our diocese,” said Father Boeglin.
As Father Boeglin’s group arrived in front of St. Peter’s on the 12th, American and Italian media interviewed some of the group.
“I was interviewed by ABC News from Los Angeles,” said Father Boeglin. “There were hundreds of media cameras with bright lights focused on St. Peters.”
Father Boeglin said he feels extremely blessed to have been in Rome during such a historic time. “I have never witnessed so much activity before in Rome."
