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Sanctification in Daily Work
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Visiting the Shroud of Turin

Shroud of TurinI have been very blessed in my work career to have traveled to places that I would never be able to otherwise. A few weeks ago that place was Turin, Italy. With a group of agricultural journalists from around the world we traveled there courtesy of New Holland tractor company.

I had a free afternoon so I took off to visit the Shroud of Turin while it was on public display. You had to pre-register for a specific time with a ticket to visit but there was no cost. I arrived just before a loud thunderstorm hit the area. A long covered walkway is set up for pilgrims to walk through before entering the Cathedral of Turin which is undergoing some major restoration. We were held in groups and watched a short video description of the shroud in comparison to scripture. Then we were allowed to enter and spend a little while in front of the Shroud in prayer. It’s hard to describe the feelings of seeing what seems very likely to be the actual cloth that Jesus was buried in. Let’s just say that I will never forget it.

After the time we had in Turin we traveled to Milan for the current version of the World’s Fair, Expo Milano 2015.

Pensacola Island Cross

I hope to be able to take some photos of the cross on Pensacola Beach where the first Mass was held in what is now the USA! This one was taken by my wife Cindy at sunset a couple days ago.

The 10-foot, cast concrete cross on Pensacola Beach commemorates the first Christian mass held in the United States. The Knights of Columbus first placed it on the north side of Fort Pickens Road in 1959 as part of the Quadra centennial celebration of Don Tristan de Luna’s landing in Pensacola, establishing America’s first European settlement. Some time later, the cross was moved to its current home on the south side of Fort Pickens Road.

The Cross has stood firm through many bouts with Mother Nature, including most recently Hurricane Ivan, which flattened most gulf-front dunes for several miles east and west. So far, there is no scientific explanation as to why the dune and the cross have been spared so many times. According to several residents, the answer will never come from science but instead can be found from within.