KHOU Vatican

DiNardo Returns To Houston - Journey Ends

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 18:12:06 -0600

Cardinal DiNardo arrived in Houston this evening - Wednesday. Click to watch video My photog, Lynn Roder, and I got back late last night after a 20 hour trip from Rome to Houston. Hope you enjoyed the blog. Here's a slideshow of the ceremony: DiNardo elevated to cardinal Vicente Arenas blogging from my couch back in Houston.

How 11 News got to and from Assignments

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 14:13:24 -0600

Click to watch Vicente's 10 p.m. report Photojournalist Lynn Roder and I are staying at a hotel just outside the Vatican. Everyday we walk to most of our assignments and we have done a lot of walking. Click to watch our journey

74 Year Old Houstonian Raises Cane in Rome

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 14:10:02 -0600

I have met people from many different backgrounds while on this trip to Rome. One of them - Aurelia Acosta - caught my eye because of a cane she was carrying that turned into a chair. She had to use it because she had a hard time getting around. Arthritis. I interviewed her just after she attended the audience with the pope this afternoon. Click to watch Ms. Acosta's interview

Cardinal Before the Big Meeting

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 14:08:19 -0600

I just happened to catch Cardinal DiNardo before he went in for the Private Audience with Pope Benedict the XVI. I recorded the interview with my amateur handheld camera. Click to watch video

Prince Of Peace Parishoners Show and Tell

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 12:56:28 -0600

Just before I sat down to eat lunch today, I ran into a group of people from the Prince of Peace Church in Houston. They were dining at a cool little restaurant right outside the Vatican. I shot some video of them and they talk about the good food and time they are having. Click to watch video

Stained Beauty

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 12:51:31 -0600

The Pope's audience hall is huge. It holds thousands of people. This is a picture of stained glass near the roof that is at least the size of a car.

Everything's Smaller in Rome

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 12:31:35 -0600

Here's some video of just how small the elevator is at our hotel. Space is hard to come by in this ancient city, our hotel was no exception. The video shows how photojournalist Lynn Roder and I managed to squeez into a mirrored elevator in our hotel to get to our rooms. Click to watch video

Cardinal Clears Security

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 12:27:42 -0600

When Cardinal DiNardo showed up at this morning's Private Papal Audience he was actually waiting in line with hundreds of people. That was a little unusual because Cardinals usually don't have to wait in lines outside hte Basilica. This picture I took shows him when he was trying to figure out where to go. The second shows when he got to the "right" entrance for the new "Princes" of the church.

White Box Mystery Solved

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 12:18:45 -0600

Earlier I sent a picture of this box. Some of you sent questions wanting an update. Recap: Each Cardinal got one during today's private audience with Pope Benedict the XVI. No one knew what was inside, not even Cardinal DiNardo. Ta dah! the answer. Archdiocesan spokesperson Claudia Descamps just told me it was HEAVY book. The subject centers on the Social Doctrine of the church. It addresses Economic and Social teachings. I thought it might have been some kind of vestment. There's your answer.

Press Area at Papal Audience

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 12:13:37 -0600

Here's some behind the scene stuff from Pope Paul the VI audience hall during a private audience today with Pope Benedict the XVI. This is area where all the media was placed. It's a hallway designed for picture taking. Its on the second floor. There were about 100 reporters and photographers there today. Reporter from around the world came to cover the elevations of their respective cardinals.

Houstonians Cheering At Papal Audience

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 12:07:57 -0600

The crowd at today's Private Papal Audience was very loud yet respectful. The people were so excited to see the Pope and the Cardinals. I took video of people from Houston cheering during the audience. Click to watch video

People at Private Papal Audience

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 09:37:47 -0600

Here are couple of more snapshots I took of people at the Pope's Private Audience this morning. Thanks to some of you who have been reading this blog, I've identified the priest. He is Fr. Christopher Shackelford of St. Andrews in Channelview. You can also see Deacon Jesse Tollet and his wife in the other picture.

Click to watch video

The Ring

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 09:34:26 -0600

Here's a picture of the ring the Pope gave Cardinal DiNardo. It's a symbol of the new Cardinal's commitment to service in the church. Each Cardinal is given the same of ring with the Pope's name engraved on the inside.

Mysterious White Box

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 09:31:59 -0600

Right now I'm trying to find out what the Pope gave each of the cardinals - you can see a man carrying one of them down the steps during the private audience this morning. I asked Cardinal DiNardo but he hadn't opened yet. So I'll keep checking and let you know.

Cardinal Meets Pope

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 09:00:17 -0600

These are a few pictures that I snapped at the Private Audience with Pope Benedict the XVI this morning. In the first picture you can see Cardinal DiNardo, his twin sister and brother in law meeting the pope. The second picture shows a lady from El Campo waving a Texas flag in the audience. Right now we are creating a slide show and I'll also be sending some video blogs later this morning with some of the people who attended today's ceremony. This is Vicente Arenas blogging from Rome 4:04 pm 11/26/07.