A Vatican visit to remember
A Pilgrimage to Rome in the Jubilee Year, 2025 by Naomi Langan
My father, John Langan, Chair of The Friends of the Holy Father (FHF), arranged a visit to Rome to meet Cardinal Arthur Roche, Prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments, to discuss the possibility of the FHF helping to fund a project to digitise the archive of post-Conciliar papers from the period of implementation of the Council’s mandate to reform the liturgy, leading up to the publication of the new liturgical books. He also planned to meet the staff of the Vatican Dicastery for Communication and see the new portable studio in front of the Vatican, which the FHF had funded. My mother and I were thrilled to be invited to accompany him.
During the visit, we were informed that we should be ready to leave our hotel at 5.45 am in order to attend the General Audience with the Pope and be presented to him. Unfortunately, my father fell ill but insisted that my mother and I should go anyway and represent him. We had arranged to meet Monsignor Philip Whitmore, FHF Ecclesiastical Advisor, who was leading a pilgrimage from his Church, St James, Spanish Place at that time for the Jubilee Year. Some fellow members of the FHF, Ann-Marie Rivers, and John and Irene Sinfield were part of that pilgrimage. Throughout the period of queueing and security, I noticed warm smiles, and hats tipping respectfully to the Monsignor from every direction, as elegant stewards ushered us swiftly to the front row beside newlyweds awaiting the Pope’s blessing of their marriages. Thousands filled the Square and cheers rose as each group was named. His Holiness, Pope Leo, thanked the Friends of the Holy Father warmly for our gift of the mobile studio. After the Angelus, an endless queue of Bishops and dignitaries formed in front of him. Only minutes before he reached us did I believe we might truly get to meet the Holy Father. When he finally stood before us, his tranquillity and warmth were disarming, even after a busy morning shaking thousands of hands. I wished ardently that my father could have been there.
During the visit, we were informed that we should be ready to leave our hotel at 5.45 am in order to attend the General Audience with the Pope and be presented to him. Unfortunately, my father fell ill but insisted that my mother and I should go anyway and represent him. We had arranged to meet Monsignor Philip Whitmore, FHF Ecclesiastical Advisor, who was leading a pilgrimage from his Church, St James, Spanish Place at that time for the Jubilee Year. Some fellow members of the FHF, Ann-Marie Rivers, and John and Irene Sinfield were part of that pilgrimage. Throughout the period of queueing and security, I noticed warm smiles, and hats tipping respectfully to the Monsignor from every direction, as elegant stewards ushered us swiftly to the front row beside newlyweds awaiting the Pope’s blessing of their marriages. Thousands filled the Square and cheers rose as each group was named. His Holiness, Pope Leo, thanked the Friends of the Holy Father warmly for our gift of the mobile studio. After the Angelus, an endless queue of Bishops and dignitaries formed in front of him. Only minutes before he reached us did I believe we might truly get to meet the Holy Father. When he finally stood before us, his tranquillity and warmth were disarming, even after a busy morning shaking thousands of hands. I wished ardently that my father could have been there.
It was now almost 1pm. We parted ways with our fellow FHF members, and the Monsignor, my mum and I threaded our way through the dense crowds to our next appointment, with Cardinal Roche to see the archives of the Second Vatican Council. A Yorkshireman, Cardinal Roche is a tall, imposing figure, with a quick wit and a warm, open demeanour. He and Archbishop Viola (tasked with protecting and organising all the historical material of the archive), took us down to see the archives, filled with floor-to-ceiling bookcases, lined with journals and hundreds of boxes of papers and historical records. We then discussed the project to digitise the records and preserve the original paper records and how the FHF might help. I could only imagine how many religious historians would love to be in my shoes at that moment.
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After a classic Roman lunch with Monsignor Whitmore, we went to view the small but well-equipped broadcast studio funded by the Friends, nestled just inside Bernini’s colonnade. From here, the Vatican Communications team could interview the faithful coming to Rome for the Jubilee year. My delicious lunch began to turn as I was asked to give an interview live on Vatican Radio. Luckily, Monsignor Whitmore was on hand to help.
From there we were whisked upwards through the lush Vatican gardens for a private tour of the Vatican’s communications museum, which included the original equipment developed by Marconi at the site of the first Papal broadcast, and Edison’s first ever ‘music machine’. Reflecting on the many historical treasures we saw, it was wonderful to see how technology had developed and changed, and to marvel at how the Church had called into service one of history’s greatest inventors to help spread the Pope’s words throughout the world. |
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Walking up through the beautiful gardens, past the replica of the Lourdes Grotto, we were shown into the Summer apartment of Pope Leo XIII. Paolo, a charming and extremely knowledgeable veteran technician of Vatican Radio, ushered us into the tiniest wooden lift imaginable — and suddenly we were on the roof.
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Vatican City and all of Rome beyond her ancient walls stood below us, bathed in crisp autumn sunlight. For the hundredth time that day, I wondered what twist of the divine plan had placed me and my mother on the rooftop of Pope Leo XIII’s summer apartment, gazing out over a city I never imagined I would see from such a viewpoint.
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Gradually the whole group joined us, each pointing out a different landmark sparkling in the afternoon sun. As the wind rose, we descended and Sister Bernadette led us into the private chapel, a cylindrical space with a domed roof, steeped in stillness. Overwhelmed by the day’s events, my mother and I paused to pray for a moment.
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Gently, Sister Bernadette’s voice broke the silence: “Have you noticed the inscription?” What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the rooftops. (Matthew 10:27). She smiled, her face full of warmth and serenity; “This is why we are grateful to the Friends of the Holy Father. Thanks to this gift, what is whispered to him, we can now share with the world and bring His light to millions living in darkness across the world.”
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A few minutes later, we were shown into the Control Room of the Dicastery, where broadcasts in 57 languages were being translated and aired simultaneously, all around the globe.
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We were then treated to a wonderful buffet and ended our day chatting with the Dicastery staff in a room, where we were informed Pope Benedict had loved to watch football or listen to classical music, in rare moments of leisure.
As our visit ended, and our hosts warmly thanked us for coming, I had not thought it possible to feel more humbled. To carry that message of thanks home to share with The Friends was a profound honour, and the privilege of that day will stay with me forever. |
