Vatican/St Peter's Basilica skip the line tickets

I am trying to do the same for the Vatican on 9/19, but it doesn't
look like I can direct from the Vatican website.

Lou, I'm curious why not? I just did a dummy booking (not all the way through) for "open tour" (that's for self-touring on your own) tickets to the Vatican Museums on 9/19 and the calendar shows ticket availability. Are you using this website?

http://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en.html

http://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en/visita-i-musei/scegli-la-visita/visitatori-singoli.html

St Peter's is free. You only purchase tickets for that one if you want a guided tour of the basilica in conjunction with the museums. And ALL museum tickets are "skip the line". You skip the long ticket lines but not the security-check queues: those move quickly, though.

yes- thanks. After I enter the time and put in my cc, it says operation not completed, so maybe something is wrong with the website right now. I'll try again later.

This is the best ticket value for the Vatican Museums and St. Peter's.

https://biglietteriamusei.vatican.va/musei/tickets/do?action=gototipovisitapertag&tag=museiebasilicavgarteefedegruppi&weblang=EN

38 Euros for a private tour of museums, Cistine Chapel and special entrance to the church. Everyone else charges more.

After I enter the time and put in my cc, it says operation not
completed, so maybe something is wrong with the website right now

It's more likely with your credit card and is a common hangup with tickets to the Vatican Museums as well as some others. See these previous threads for some solutions:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/vatican-museums-ticket-res-problem

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/vatican-museum-tickets-issue

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/unable-to-order-tickets-at-the-vatican-museums-and-borghese-gallery

jv.shakespeare, yes, the guided tour offered by the Vatican is an economical purchase if she's interested in that one versus self touring. The benefit is time-saving, direct entry to the basilica from the Sistine via a passage reserved for tours.

That was it!! I called my CC last night and just purchased the tickets. Thanks so much for your help!!!

Excellent! Very glad the problem is solved and you got your tickets.
And you're welcome, Lou. :O)