Philadelphia—I’m sitting on the runway waiting to fly to Rome. I’m not looking forward to the near-nine hour flight, but I am excited about what comes after that.

Because after that, I'll be going to Vatican City, staying at the Domus Sanctae Marthae—the hotel where Pope Francis lives—and eating in the cafeteria where Il Papa takes his meals.

I am part of a delegation from American Bible Society, an interconfessional organization that believes in sharing the Word of God around the globe. ABS has a thriving Catholic ministries team that offers biblically based programs to Catholics around the world.

Together with the Museum of the Bible, we are going to inaugurate the launch of Verbum Domini II: God’s Word Goes Out to the Nations, an exhibit that showcases more than 200 ancient and rare biblical texts and artifacts. The exhibit, launching on April 1, will make its home at the Baccio De Carlo Magno museum right on St. Peter’s Square.

As a reporter on this assignment, I am honored and privileged to bring you the sights and sounds from the heart of the Catholic Church. I’ll be blogging daily on everything from sightings of Pope Francis himself to the exhibit’s launch to special tours, including the Vatican Museum Library.

Stay tuned for photos, updates and blogs from Vatican City State.