 JD Sebastian leads Soulforcers and members of Dignity USA in the singing of "Marching in the Light of God" as they arrive for Friday’s demonstration at the Vatican in St. Peter’s Square. |  We stand, bearing gifts to be taken to a battered women’s shelter, as a crowd gathers around us. |
 Members of Soulforce and Dignity/USA hold gifts and sing as a crowd gathers to watch and listen. |  Members of Soulforce and Dignity/USA hold gifts and sing as a crowd gathers to watch and listen. |
 Members of Soulforce and Dignity/USA hold gifts and sing as a crowd gathers to watch and listen. |  Members of Soulforce and Dignity/USA hold gifts and sing as a crowd gathers to watch and listen. |
 Two PFLAG parents from Philadelphia who have come to Rome to join us in solidarity, bring their gifts to the growing pile |  No one from the church came to bless our offerings. Each of us, one by one, bring the gift we brought to be blessed and place it in a pile on the ground in St. Peter’s Square. |
 We sing and some of us raise our hands in praise and blessing of the gifts as they lay in St. Peter’s Square before us. |  Mary Louise Cervone, President of Dignity/USA, is interviewed by the National Catholic Reporter immediately after Friday’s demonstration. |
 A baby of one of the women at the Rome shelter at which we distributed gifts enjoys the attention of Soulforcers Mario Perez and Dennis Golbourne. |  We sing as refreshments are brought to us by women from the shelter. |
 Soulforcers and women from the shelter sing joyfully as our gifts lie on the table, awaiting distribution. |  Our Italian host and translator explains our mission to Rome to interested residents of the womens’ shelter as Soulforcers look on. |
 One of the shelter residents sings a rendition of "Oh Happy Day", in perfect English, as we listen appreciatively. |  We sing children’s songs in a room decorated by two women from the shelter for the children who live there. |
 We spontaneously begin dancing with the women while we sing. A visit that started shyly and quietly has become a joyous celebration of life. |  We gather to sing with the women in a hallway in the living quarters of the shelter. |
 We say goodbye to the women and children of the shelter as we return to our hotel for evening worship. Our spirits have been richly blessed by this visit. |