The Rev. Bob Lynam to attend the pope’s funeral in Rome.
By: Melissa Hayes
When the Rev. Bob Lynam was in Rome a few weeks ago, he knew that the pope’s medical condition was worsening.
"I just came back from Rome, just before Palm Sunday," he said. "I saw the holy father come back from the hospital when we were in the garden and he blessed us as he passed by. I thought that would be the last time I saw him."
But Father Lynam, pastor of St. Augustine of Canterbury R.C. Church, can expect to see the pope one more time when he returns to Rome today (Thursday) to pay his respects to the pope with millions of other mourners. He will also attend the papal funeral Friday. Father Lynam was set to leave Wednesday night for Vatican City.
"Thursday I’ll be able to view the body as we patiently wait on line. Then Friday we’ll be attending the funeral Mass and then, God willing, over the weekend go see his tomb. He’s taking the place where Pope John XXIII was buried so we presume that is where he would go," he said Tuesday.
Father Lynam said he will pray for the pope’s soul and his successor.
Father Lynam said many of his parishioners expected him to go to Rome when they heard of the pope’s death.
"The people, after they were leaving Mass this weekend, were coming up to me and saying ‘safe trip,’ " he said. "I didn’t even know I was going yet."
Father Lynam said he wanted to go to Rome, but didn’t think it would be possible because of a prior commitment and lack of time to pull together the trip.
"I had a desire, but I said, ‘well it’s not going to happen,’ " he said.
"Everything fell into place yesterday," Father Lynam said Tuesday.
Father Lynam was supposed to baptize his brother’s son on Saturday, but said that when his brother heard of the pope’s death, he rescheduled so he could attend the funeral.
Father Lynam also was able to book a flight and hotel room near the Vatican only two days before his trip. Other priests will fill in for him at the Saturday and Sunday Masses. He will return next week.
"I’ve been blessed," Father Lynam said. "Twenty times to Rome and five times (to) his private chapel."
Several times when Father Lynam was able to meet with the pope in his private chapel, he was given blessings, which the pope personally signed, for the parish. The last time he was there he brought a DVD of the St. Augustine school choir singing a song for the Virgin Mary. Father Lynam was also given a blessing to commemorate his 20th anniversary with the parish.
On his last trip, Father Lynam brought back a brick from the Holy Year Door at St. Peter’s Basilica, which was opened for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000.
The Holy Door at St. Peter’s is only opened on special occasions. This particular brick had been sealing the door for 16 years. The last time it was opened was in celebration of the millennium. When the door is sealed again, three bricks are put in place to hold it closed until it is re-opened.
"Brick by brick I’ve been bringing over the Vatican," Father Lynam said, figuratively referring to the blessings and brick.
Father Lynam said the pope’s works have been a great influence on his own homilies.
"We call him the Vicar of Christ in church," he said.
The name implies his supreme and universal primacy of the church, he said.
"Often, I incorporate his understanding of the faith to the people," Father Lynam said. "We call people to a high standard and he always said to preach the truth and he was a champion of that. And even the whole Terry Schiavo situation he spoke out on the teaching of our church, that the tube should remain. Food and water is a necessity of life."
Father Lynam said it is touching to see how many lives Pope John Paul II has touched.
"There is a picture of the pope in our sanctuary and candles are burning. It’s so moving to see people come in and it’s tearful. He was like a grandfather to many of them," he said.

