Part III - The Final Chapter

Bee Gees Song of the Day: E.S.P.

Danger, suddenly an early warning Suddenly the soul is burning But I still believe in someone, somewhere

Four years ago I had the good fortune to go to work for a well-regarded regional architecture firm. It was good fortune for a variety of reasons: great opportunity for career advancement; good solid management team; stellar reputation in the industry. (Okay, wait a second. What in God’s name does this have to do with the Pope, rosaries or redemption, you ask. Have we moved on to a new blog? Is this even the same guest blogger? What the HE** is going on here?)

Patience. There is a valid segue here. For it was at this firm that my true redemption was to come to fruition, very much by chance.

I was sitting at lunch one day with some coworkers and my tale of rosary woe came up in conversation, as it had so many times with others over the past several years. I regaled them with much of the same drama that I have shared here, and got the obligatory laughter, as well as the appropriate commiseration that I had not, and would never. achieve my goal. So I went on, thinking nothing more of it.

Two days later, I came to work and sat at my desk, where a small white envelope was waiting for me. Puzzled, I picked it up and noticed that it was quite thick in the middle. I carefully pried it open, and pulled out a small note card, from which an even smaller brown envelope fell onto my desk. I picked up the brown packet and held it in my hand as I read the note:

“I was so moved by your story about your father and his desire for a rosary blessed by John Paul II. I would like you to pass this rosary along to him, which I received during one of my private audiences with him.”

I couldn’t believe my eyes. You see, as it turns out, one of my principals is married to one of the lead architects from the team that designed the John Paul II cultural center. During the construction of the project, she and her husband were invited twice to meet with the Pope. And their “audience” with the pope was a bit different from mine. She showed me a photo of her kneeling to kiss his Grace’s ring, and told me that, after you kiss his ring, he drops a small envelope into your hand that contains a rosary that he has blessed himself. Personally.

“I already have another of my own, so it would mean a great deal to me for your father to have this one. I hope he will like it.”

He did.