VATICAN CITY — One doesn’t have to be of the Catholic faith to see the mighty hand of God when you visit the Vatican.

His presence is all over the world’s tiniest country.

It’s impossible not to feel it as you marvel in the its ancient past, while taking in the works of the great Michaelangelo and his stunning talents that grace St. Peter’s Basilica — the seat of the Roman Catholic Church.

St. Peter’s is so moving that it’s impossible not to be awe-struck as you take in the beauty of the location where Pope Francis celebrates daily Mass.

Some say the leader of the free world is the president of the United States. It can be argued, however, that the title actually belongs to the head of the Roman Catholic Church.

Pope Francis carries a strong presence of the Lord, a gravitas if you will, when he addresses the thousands of people who gather in St. Peter’s Square each Wednesday to hear his message. The throngs are forever awaiting as the pontiff enters the square in the famed Popemobiles.

The faithful cheer him as he rides through the people, who strain to get a glimpse or a photo of him.

During his ride, he orders his driver to stop and seeks out a toddler as the crowd responds enthusiastically. The message he is sending appears obvious: This is our future. The gesture is not done for showmanship, but to ignite a spirit bestowed by the Lord to enhance one’s faith.

On this particular hot and humid day, Francis gave an important homily to the crowd. Drugs are running rampant and have taken a foothold all over the world. But the pope is not condemning. Instead, he implores those listening to be compassionate and help people overcome their addictions. Don’t shun them; embrace and help them.

Pope Francis was not just delivering his own words; he was echoing the teachings of Jesus Christ: compassion, forgiveness and love.

‘Important message’

The message didn’t fall on deaf ears for the Rev. Brian Miller, who led a group that included 71 members from parishes in Schuylkill and Berks counties and the pilgrimage to Vatican City.

“I’ve seen him before,” Miller said moments after the pontiff’s stirring homily. “I was very interested in his message. It was a very important message for America … drug use, drug trafficking and all that use. I spent a lot of time up in Schuylkill County, where a high percentage of people are effected by drug use. It was a very good message and very relevant message for us in America today.”

Miller is known for his own ability to deliver homilies with impact. He has spent time at Marian Catholic High School, and knows the culture and problems faced throughout northern Schuylkill and Carbon counties.

“We focus on one who has the addiction, which is important, but that addiction also affects so many members of the extended family,” said Miller, who is now in residence in Reading.

Another focus of the pontiff is sending his blessing to those in attendance, many harboring their own hopes and beliefs for comfort or healing.

“It’s amazing to see the leader of the church and truly the universality of the church,” said the Rev. Giuseppe Esposito, who attends to the faithful at St. Joseph the Workers Parish in Frackville and St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Ashland. “For me as a priest, it is very moving, for he is a decedent of Peter. He is a holy man. It is amazing to see a person of such importance that previously you have only see on television.”

Carried by faith

Among those on the trip were Bernard Bruni and his wife, Felicia DiCasmmiero Bruni. The visit was especially moving for Bernard Bruni, who has had not one but two miracles in his lifetime.

A severe head-on crash in 1993, caused by a wrong-way driver as Bruni headed home from work in Pottsville to Frackville, left him mangled, with broken bones from his legs to his chest and his arms. To this day, Bruni suffers unbearable pain and post-traumatic stress disorder.

“The doctors told me that I may never walk again,” Bruni said while sitting next to his wife of almost 44 years and thinking back to that painful day, his life hanging in the balance.

He never lost hope or his strong religious beliefs as he battled to overcome his injuries. Bruni said that his faith carried him as he constantly prayed to his patron saint at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Shenandoah, where he was extremely active before the crash. He vowed he would be ready for the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Feast in July 1994 to attend Mass and be part of the parish’s procession, which has been held for more than a century.

Years after the crash, Bruni developed a blood cancer. Again, with his devoted wife by his side, he stayed the course, praying and seeking God’s graces. And for the second time in his life, those prayers were answered.

“We all have struggles,” Bruni said. “Felicia and myself were here in 2019, but we wanted to come back to pray for Linda Agosti,” his eyes welling with tears for their dear friend who has ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease. “She is going through so much. Her husband, Bob, is one terrific man, we’re praying for him, as well.”

“If it wasn’t for our faith, things could have been a lot worse,” Felicia Bruni said. “We’re very religious, and we pray every day. We teach our children all the prayers, because family is very important to us.”

Sistine Chapel

While the tour was packed, with many sites and stories, the most moving part of the pilgrimage had to be the visit to the Sistine Chapel. The famed Michaelangelo masterpiece, which he toiled on for six years, elicits strong emotions.

“We read about him growing up and were taught about Michaelangelo,” Cindy Murray, a retired guidance counselor, said while gazing at the ceiling. “But you can’t imagine what it is like. Sure we’ve seen photos in books, but when you look at it in real life, it is so beautiful. You think how much he put into this. God helped him do this, he was blessed by the hand of God.”

John Smolock was also impressed by the Sistine Chapel, with the famed depiction of Adam and the divine connection.

“You know, you had all the teachings in high school, and the readings about Michaelangelo, but then to see it … wow, it’s so impressive,” said the Girardville resident, who graduated from the former Cardinal Brennan High School. “I can’t imagine that any person could create all this.”