Pilgrim's progress

Dear Friend,

This happy pilgrim was up last night with a group of actors and writers at Family Theater in Hollywood for a staged reading of the screenplay, The Accidental Pope, by Tony Marinozzi, adapted from the novel of the same name by Raymond Flynn, Former Ambassador to the Vatican, and Robin Moore. Following the reading, the actors and writers and Ambassador Flynn and I discussed the screenplay with Tony Marinozzi, who joined us by phone. Very heated and helpful dialogue. Back to the drawing board for the writer.

After getting home by midnight, and having a sandwich with Mayor /Ambassador Flynn, I retired and got up early, excited about preparing for the trip to Cologne. A surprise sore throat will mean a visit to the doctor to see if he can offer some relief. Prayed this morning with the other priests at Saint Monica's for a safe and fruitful pilgrimage. They are a big support and told me to invite Pope Benedict to come and visit Saint Monica's Parish. I will tell him that and remind him that his new Prefect for the Doctrine of the Faith was stationed at Saint Monica's for five years in his early days as a priest.

Father Linus, from Tamale, Ghana, who is with us for two years at least, had a great message in his homily: P.U.S.H., Pray until something happens.

For those who do not know of Saint Monica's, it is the parish that inspired the 1944 Oscar-winning film, Going My Way, starring Bing Crosby.

I also have an iPod with iTalk and a digital camera to bring along for recording the daily activities in Germany. The plane leaves LAX at 5:30 PM, Monday, God willing. I arrive in Cologne at 5:50 PM on Tuesday.

You are in my prayers. More later.

God bless,

Fr. Willy Raymond, CSC.