Maggio a Roma--Race for Vocations

Bernardi after the race.

On May 7th, in the year of our Lord two thousand and eleven, I accomplished something that I never thought I would do--I ran/jogged/walked a 5K.  Yes, my 6-2, 195 pound frame made it 3.2 miles around Rome, via walking, jogging, and running.  Now, I would definitely not do this without some great impetus, and this great impetus was the Race for Vocations.  "What is the Race for Vocations?" you may ask.  Well, I'm here to tell you. Or rather, instead of trying to read my rambling words, you could watch this short video of Tyler Tenbarge, a seminarian from the Archdiocese of Evansville, and studying at Simon Brute Seminary, and with us for the semester in Rome, explain just what it is: http://www.archindy.org/vocations/race-video.html. So we in Rome, in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Christ in Indianapolis, started our 5K at the same time as they did back in Indianapolis (we at 2pm, and they at 8am ET).  It was one of the neatest experiences of which I have ever been a part--running for a true cause with others made the universality and connectivity of the Church even more real, if that were possible.  So, this is the route that we ran, and the route, which makes a figure-8, actually ended somewhere on or before Ponte Matteoti: http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Lungotevere+delle+Armi&daddr=41.91864,12.47028+to:Lungotevere+Flaminio+to:Lungotevere+Maresciallo+Cadorna+to:Lungotevere+delle+Navi+to:Lungotevere+delle+Armi&hl=en&ll=41.916298,12.465491&spn=0.017276,0.042272&sll=41.91815,12.465148&sspn=0.017276,0.042272&geocode=FUuSfwId9kS-AA%3BFbCgfwIdCEi-AClXd5Ev8GAvEzEBJWB7nk8JEw%3BFRbDfwIdQiS-AA%3BFUPKfwIdFhq-AA%3BFZiffwId-E2-AA%3BFUGQfwIdQkW-AA&vpsrc=6&gl=us&dirflg=w&mra=dme&mrsp=5&sz=15&via=1&z=15  Afterward, we all had a great feast of burgers, brats, and dogs, cooked up by Dr. Coulter et al., and the ladies of Bernardi (Monica, Kelsey, Maddie, Katie, Maria, et al.) prepared the desserts and salads.  So, after it was all said and done, it was an awesome day, and it all ended with a great meal with even greater company.