The Cardinal O'Connor Conference

We all met at the local train station that morning at 7 to head over to the Cardinal O'Connor Conference at Georgetown University. Georgetown University is annoyingly inaccessible by subway so we ended up in cabs over the rest of the way. My jaw dropped. It was so pretty, stunning buildings covered in a light dusting of snow everywhere. The building we were in was amazing. The main auditorium was like walking into another world, if only everyone was in pantaloons and hoop skirts!

Our opening keynote was given by Archbishop Chaput. He is a very tiny man! I'll give it to him, he doesn't mince words and is a wonderful mix of realism but still holds a vision of something better, a difficult rope to balance. He spoke about the importance of religious liberty, freedom OF religion as opposed to freedom FROM religion.  We had a bit of Q&A afterwards and I got up to represent. I asked him for advice around the Australian Political culture and how difficult it is to bring religion into the public square in Australia. His advice: "Get over it." Religious people need to just put it out there because it matters and to hell with the rest of it.

We then had the first workshop. There was a pretty impressive line up of speakers. The first one we decided to go to was Vicki Thorn who's workshop was the Science of Theology of the Body. I really enjoyed it but I wasn't too sure at one or two of the things, I would want to check the research myself but I don't really have the time. We then had lunch which were ginormous sandwiches with lots of sandwich meat on it. Just the way I like it. It was then onto the next workshop. We all split up and I went to a workshop with a Jesuit on Natural Law and abortion. He was also excellent, going through it step by logical step. The Q&A time on the end got sidetracked by a guy talking about the governor of Maryland who he thinks should be excommunicated. Other than that it was good.

It was then back to the auditorium for the panel of Congressmen & women. I have to admit, I fell asleep. I lasted about 15 minutes and I just couldn't keep my eyes open and the seats were comfy and the room was warm and... I dozed in and out until the end... I felt really bad, everything was painfully interesting, but I was so tired. Apparently everyone was also passed out cold asleep too! Ha there! I'm not just rude!

It was then straight to the National Shrine which was where the overnight vigil was being held. When we got there the church was overflowing already! Mass wasn't due to start till 8 pm and it was 6! We just squeezed in seats anywhere we could. I went for a walk around the upper basilica saying a rosary. Every side chapel had a significant Marian theme. It took me quite a while to get around there, there were that many people! I eventually went down into the crypt to find a spot to sit. Mary joined me and while we were waiting for Mass to start we said a rosary. Mass was pretty full on. The entrance procession of all the deacons, priests, bishops and cardinals took 45 minutes! The mass was the full bells and smells shebang. It took a long.... time.... but it was nice to go to a mass like that once in a while.

The vigil at the Basilica would be going all night so we left after mass and headed back on the subway to our homestay at around 10. When we got to west Hyattsville, we were all starving cos we didn't have dinner! So we went to the KFC, and the drive through was thank God still open! So we got KFC and took it back to homestay. I got into a bit of discussion with Anitra and didn't get to sleep till 1:30 am. And we had an early start the next day too!