Marc Fisher on "Celebrity vs. Spiritual" and Benedict XVI

"Celebrity vs. Spiritual" in the Papal Visit Washington Post March 20, 2008:

. . . In our celebrity-drenched culture, fame brings with it a certain sacrifice of privacy and of dignity, yet the Pope must remain almost above all a figure of majesty and mystery. Yet the most beloved popes of modern times have been those whose humanity broke through to people of all cultures, and that message has been communicated largely by the Vatican's increasingly sophisticated approach to mass media.

So a touring pope is a rock star of sorts, even as he must operate on a different plane altogether. "He's a celebrity in a very unique area," the archbishop of Washington says, "a voice for religious faith."

Do the trappings of celebrity in some way diminish the pope's authority, I asked.

"That is a real possibility," Wuerl says. But it's also true that "he comes with such a focused message and it's clearly not focused on himself. He's come really to be a voice and a spokesman for a message."

The clash between celebrity and representative of one of the world's oldest and largest faiths is especially clear in this country, and in this city. "In a secular society, the church is trying to be faithful to the spiritual," Wuerl says. Even though the Catholic Church has seen its membership numbers decline in many parts of the United States, the archbishop says he believes that as young, lapsed or disaffected Catholics grow into adulthood, they start to wonder how to reconnect with the faith of their childhood.

"Ultimately, it's the recognition that there is something there in the church that speaks to their innermost needs and that connects them to God in a way that they cannot be as an individual," he says.

Archdiocese of New York: Papal Skateboard Art Design Contest

If you are between the ages of 11 -18 and live in the Archdiocese of New York, you are eligible to submit your artwork to the Papal Skateboard Art Design contest. The winner will recieve three tickets to the Youth Rally at St. Joseph's Seminary.

The winner will be commissioned to design the artwork of the Official Papal Skateboard, a gift to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI from the youth of the Archdiocese of New York. Contestants are limited to the use of only four (4) colors: Papal Gold, Black, White and Red. One winner will be determined by a panel of judges based on creativity and originality. The use of symbols such as the Papal Visit Logo, Papal Crest, and the motto "CHRIST OUR HOPE" are highly encouraged. The winner’s design will be used to decorate the convex side (bottom side) of the Papal Skateboard.

• Papal Skateboard Artwork Submission Form
• Gallery of Entries in the "Papal Skateboard" Design Contest"

(Via Domini Sumus @ We Belong to the Lord).

Update

• Washington Heights Children Design A Papal Skateboard, by Tara Lynn Wagner. NY1 News. March 27, 2008.

2 Catholic students chosen to greet the Pope at JFK

The Queens Courier has a lengthy profile of two students selected to present flowers to the Holy Father when he arrives at JFK:

On Friday, April 18, 10-year-old Christopher Jordan and 13-year-old Kaitlin Karcher will do something most people can only dream of doing.

Not only will the well-rounded students from Ozone Park and Howard Beach, respectively, get to meet Pope Benedict XVI, but the “two youngsters have been selected to present flowers to the Holy Father when he alights from his flight to JFK airport from Washington,” according to The Tablet.

Both were selected by their school’s principals “for the way they express their religious faith, their accomplishments as students and outside involvements.”

Related

• Queens girl, 13, to give bouquet to Pope when he arrives at JFK by Nicholas Hirshon. NY Daily News March 20, 2008.

Diocese of Brooklyn plans a "multicultural" departure ceremony for the Pope

The Diocese of Brooklyn provides the fine details on the Pope's Departure Ceremony and its distinctly "ethnic" nature:

People from ethnic cultures of other parts of the world, ranging from Asia and the Americas to Africa and Europe, will display their diversity at the farewell ceremony when Pope Benedict XVI concludes his apostolic journey to New York at Kennedy International Airport Sunday evening, April 20.

Prayers in various languages, persons wearing the traditional garb of their native countries and a gift from the Diocese of Brooklyn to the Holy Father presented by four youngsters representing foreign lands will permeate the program, said Father Anthony M. Hernandez, who is coordinating the papal events at the airport.

“This will be a multicultural event, as requested by Bishop (Nicholas) DiMarzio, who asked that it reflect the ethnic diversity of the metropolitan area,” he said.

Four elementary school-age children will present the diocesan gift to Pope Benedict. They represent families whose forebears came to this country from Germany, Ecuador, Trinidad and Korea.

Fifteen hundred representatives of more than 20 ethnic apostolates of the Diocese will be represented in the audience at the departure ceremony. Among them will be Filipinos, Poles, Brazilians, Nigerians, Croatians, Ghanaians and Vietnamese. [...]

Father Hernandez said Bishop DiMarzio’s desire was for the guests to participate in a prayerful buildup to the Holy Father’s arrival.

In light of that, the departure ceremony, which is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m., will follow a program of prayer, including a Scriptural multilingual recitation of the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary, and religious and classical music performed by more than 200 singers and musicians.

The Rosary will be recited in 23 languages, including Mandarin and Cantonese Chinese, Gaelic, Italian, Spanish, Arabic, Romanian and Urdu.

Archbishop Donald Wuerl: Americans will meet "the living link to the Apostle Peter"

Archbishop Donald Wuerl: Americans will meet "the living link to the Apostle Peter" Archbishop Donald Weurl spoke with Washington Post editors & staff today about Pope Benedict's visit, commenting that Americans will be expecting something different from what they saw in his previous occupation as the Vatican's doctrinal enforcer (Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith):

Back then, Wuerl said, one of Benedict's key responsibilities was "to throw a flag if someone went out of bounds. If you're going to have intellectual ferment, intellectual discussion, you also have to have someone who throws the flag."

As pope, Wuerl said, Benedict has a different role - to be the living link to the Apostle Peter, to the earliest days of Christianity and to spread a message of hope to Catholics and non-Catholics alike, "that we are capable of a personal relationship with God." That, Wuerl says, is something many Americans want to hear, particularly at a time when religious practice and belief are in dramatic flux. He believes recent data showing one in ten Americans is an ex-Catholic simply reflects normal American "drifting," and "shopping around." The history and truth of Catholicism, he says, will bring them back eventually.

"In our country we are so taken up with the individual. Everyone wants to realize their greatest potential, and that's good, but there are some things we do as a family," he said. People want to know: "How do I verify that what I believe is more than just what I think about things? Our function is to make people realize it's in this 2,000-year-old family that you find that verification."

More of the Wuerl interview here.

Washington Post's Popewatch: How many have bailed on Catholicism?

"How many have bailed out of Catholicism?", asks Jacqueline L. Salmon of Washington Post's PopeWatch, referring to the publication of a recent report from the Pew Forum:

Benedict will have a big audience here in the United States. According to a megastudy of Americans' religious identification released recently by the Pew Forum on Religion in Public Life, almost one in four Americans--24 percent--is Catholic. But Pew also found that no American faith group has lost more adherents than the Catholic Church; 10 percent of Americans are ex-Catholics. However, in the pollster version of a smackdown, some of Pew's findings are getting an argument from the go-to research center for all things Catholic--the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University.

It's kind of a wonky dispute, but interesting nonetheless. CARA maintains its 2003 research shows the situation isn't as bad as Pew paints it. . . .

Jacqueline may also be interested in InsideCatholic.com's symposium, which asked 34 prominent Catholics from various backgrounds to answer the question, "Why Are So Many Leaving the Catholic Church?"

Stehle: Haugen's "Mass of Creation" will NOT be performed

Tim Drake (Pope2008.com) does some fact-checking and nixes the rumors and the misleading list that has been circulating:

I just got off the telephone with D.C.'s "Music Man" Tom Stehle regarding the conversation taking place online with respect to the music being performed at the Mass in Washington, D.C. Stehle was able to confirm that the list that made its way to freerepublic is neither complete nor accurate and should not be circulated.

Stehle is in the midst of preparations for Holy Week celebrations at his parish and so couldn't comment further, but said he has been shocked by the level of "vitriol and hate" that has crossed his desk in the form of emails.

"There will be chant. We're not performing 'The Mass of Creation Fraction Rite'. The papal Master of Ceremonies and I went through the music," said Stehle. "The list that was posted online was neither complete nor accurate, and there are pieces that are missing."

Stehle has promised to speak with Mr. Drake next week, after Easter, when the Archdiocese plans to release the list of the 48 pieces of music being performed -- catch updates on this topic at Pope2008.com.

Related

• Thomas Stehle named director of music for upcoming Papal Liturgy in Washington Catholic Standard January 23, 2008.

Bin Laden mentioned in recent Obama Bin Laden Message

The New York Police Department says it has been working closely with the Secret Service to provide the highest level of protection possible:

Pope Benedict XVI has been mentioned in a new Osama bin Laden message. The pontiff is due to speak next month at the United Nations, pray at the World Trade Center site and celebrate Mass in Yankee Stadium.

Bin Laden says the pope has played a large role in a "new Crusade" against Islam.

In an audio message posted Wednesday on a Web site bin Laden condemns the Danish publication of drawings he calls insulting to the Prophet Muhammad. He warns Europeans of a "severe" reaction to come.

Back in December 2007, Al Qaeda expressed its dismay at the prospect of the Pope seeking to "dialogue" with Islam in a spirit of peace (Zenit News. December 18, 2007):

Al-Qaida is worried by Benedict XVI's efforts to dialogue with Muslims, says a Vatican spokesman.

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi affirmed this today when commenting on a one-hour 37-minute video from al-Qaida's second-in-command, who criticized Benedict XVI's Nov. 6 meeting with Saudi Arabian King Abdallah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

The video from Ayman al-Zawahri was posted Sunday on the Internet. The al-Qaida leader said the Pope's meeting with King Abdallah, the first ever between a Pontiff and a Saudi monarch, was offensive to Islam and Muslims.

Update

• Vatican dismisses bin Laden's charges of pope's anti-Islam campaign, by John Thavis. Catholic News Service:

  VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican spokesman dismissed Osama bin Laden's accusations of an anti-Islam campaign by Pope Benedict XVI, noting the pope's efforts to dialogue with Muslims.

  Bin Laden, citing the controversy over cartoons ridiculing the prophet Mohammed, said the pope was part of a "new crusade" against Islam.

  "The content of the accusations makes no sense," Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, told Catholic News Service March 20.

  "But these kinds of allegations are not new," Father Lombardi added. The Vatican responded to similar accusations by al-Qaida's deputy leader, Ayman al-Zawahri, last December.

  The Vatican spokesman said it was not surprising for bin Laden to name the pope among his many "perceived enemies," but said the more moderate Muslim world knows the pope's commitment to good interreligious relations.

New York City's Cardinal Egan, on the Papal Visit

Catholic News Service' Mary Ann Poust spoke with New York City's Cardinal Edward Egan on the papal visit:

Cardinal Egan said he hopes the papal visit to the New York Archdiocese will offer an opportunity to focus on "what the Catholic Church is all about -- the Gospel, prayer and our commitment to justice and charity."

He pointed out that the two main events to be held in the archdiocese will be Masses, one at St. Patrick's Cathedral April 19 and the other at Yankee Stadium April 20.

The Mass at St. Patrick's will be the first offered in the cathedral by a pope. Although Pope John Paul II visited the cathedral twice in his papacy, in 1979 and in 1995, he did not celebrate Mass there.

Egan also spoke of the Pope's request to visit the site of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center:

He said that he expects to tell Pope Benedict about his own experiences on Sept. 11, when he and his secretary, Msgr. Gregory Mustaciuolo, saw the second tower of the trade center come down from their post outside St. Vincent's Hospital where they waiting for victims of the attack to be brought for medical attention.

The cardinal said he will speak especially of the "heroism" he saw on the part of firefighters, police officers and emergency service officers and their leadership in intensive rescue and recovery efforts that followed the attacks.

The Archdiocese of New York is currently celebrating its bicentennial:

The visit will be an immense blessing for all of us," he continued. "We look forward to listening to the bishop of Rome, praying with him and celebrating with him as well.

"It is my prayer that when he returns home on April 20, we will all be a good deal closer to our Lord and Savior, whose vicar here on earth Pope Benedict XVI is," he said.

The Washington Post contains a breakdown of papal ticket distribution to the Archdiocese:

• More than 100,000 requests have been submitted to the Archdiocese of Washington for tickets to Pope Benedict XVI's Mass in the District on April 17. Dioceses across the country were told how many tickets each parish would get at the end of last month.
• Nearly 45,000 seats are available for the Mass, which will be at the new Nationals Park.
• About 16,000 tickets will go to 148 parishes and missions in the archdiocese,
• Nearly 13,000 tickets will go to clergy, Catholic high schools and campus ministries in the Archdiocese of Washington, Catholic organizations, volunteers and others.

Parishes are distributing tickets through free lotteries, letter submissions and other methods. Some parishes are asking those interested to write letters saying why they would like a ticket. Tickets are free, non-replaceable and may not be sold. For details, visit http://www.adw.org/papalvisit.

Video: Catholic U. students discuss papal visit

The Catholic University of America has produced a video featuring students sharing their thoughts about the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to CUA on April 17. The video showcases more than 10 young men and women who range from freshmen to seniors answering the question, “How do you feel about the pope coming to visit Catholic University?”

Papal Visit a Boon to the Struggling John Paul II Cultural Center

Pope Benedict XVI's visit will be a much-needed boon for the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center - Greg Trotter (Medill Reports, March 19, 2008):

The pope has scheduled a conference of about 200 religious leaders – of the Jewish, Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist and Jain communities -- in the rotunda of the center in Washington on April 17. The leaders and youth representatives on hand will hear a papal address on world peace, provide greetings of their own and present symbolic gifts to the pope.

The pope’s visit will also help the center reinvent itself.

“We’ve shifted our focus from destination museum to place for interreligious dialogue,” said Hugh Dempsey, deputy director of the John Paul II Cultural Center, “and we look at the Holy Father’s visit as a confirmation of that shift.”

Conceived by Detroit’s Archbishop, Adam Cardinal Maida, the center first opened its doors in 2001 as a think tank, research center and religious art museum. It also features technologically interactive exhibits, a Polish history exhibit and a room containing unique artifacts belonging to John Paul II, such as his snow skis and running shoes.

Abundant with exhibits, and critically-acclaimed architecture, the museum seemed to have everything but visitors. . . . More

Related

• John Paul II Cultural Center Official Website
• Financially strapped archdiocese subsidizes troubled center National Catholic Reporter February 10, 2006.
• D.C. Papal Museum Struggles For Financial Foothold, Focus Washington Post February 12, 2006.

USCCB: Washington's public is invited to greet the Pope

Public Invited to Greet Pope as He Travels Through Washington U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. March 19, 2008:

Washingtonians and visitors to our nation's capital will have opportunities to greet Pope Benedict XVI during his three-day visit to Washington, D.C. when he arrives April 15. An important part of the pope's demanding itinerary includes opportunities for the public to see the pope as he travels to some events.

Details of the pope's travel routes are still being finalized, but there will be several opportunities for the general public to welcome the pope as he travels in the popemobile. Created for Pope John Paul II, the customized, bullet-proof vehicle allows for optimal visual contact between the pontiff and his audiences.

The general public can see the pope on Wednesday, April 16, as he departs from the White House visit with President and Mrs. Bush and travels to the Papal Nunciature on Massachusetts Avenue. Pope Benedict will ride in the popemobile for part of the route.

Later, the public will be able to see the pope as he travels in the popemobile to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Michigan Avenue.

Kelly Clarkson will sing "Ave Maria" for Pope Benedict XVI

It appears that "American Idol" winner Kelly Clarkson will sing "Ave Maria" for Pope Benedict XVI, and will perform at a pre-mass concert along with Harry Connick Jr at Yankee Stadium. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram has further details:

According to Joseph Zwilling, spokesman for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, Clarkson will perform a few of her songs at a youth rally at St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers on April 19, as well as Ave Maria after the pope arrives.

Clarkson, who is touring Europe and will turn 26 on April 24, is looking forward to her date with Benedict.

"I was so excited to be asked to sing for the pope," Clarkson told the Star-Telegram via her publicist. "I grew up singing church music, and it's always been a dream of mine to perform Ave Maria. To have that dream come true on such a special occasion is truly a blessing."

[...]

Clarkson, who grew up in Burleson and attended Crestmont Baptist Church, is one of American Idol's biggest success stories. The singer-songwriter's three albums, including last year's controversial My December, have sold more than 18 million copies worldwide. She's reportedly working on a new record with a variety of songwriters (including OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder). The disc is tentatively set for release at the end of the year.

Debbie Pesnell, a Crestmont member and Clarkson's Burleson High School choir teacher, said she's "thrilled" that her former pupil will have an opportunity to perform before one of the world's most visible religious figures.

"Knowing Kelly like I know her and knowing how soft her heart is, she will be more moved than anyone there," Pesnell said. "She will be so honored and very gracious -- she will perform beautifully."

Staten Island Students to present Pope Benedict with Handmade Rosaries

Pope Will Receive Homemade Staten Island Rosaries - Tara Lynn Wagner, NY1 News. March 19, 2008:

Fingers are flying at Our Lady Queen of Peace Elementary School in New Dorp, where roughly a dozen children from the island's only Junior Legion of Mary, a religious youth organization, spend their afternoons beading their very own rosaries.

“You can go to mass and get them blessed so they'll be special rosary beads. So it will be even more special knowing that you made them,” said student Hugo Fernandez.

The students have been stringing rosaries beads for five years, and their handiwork has traveled around Staten Island and around the world.

“We usually send [the rosaries] to people that need it, need the prayers,” said student Kristine Lauro. . . .

Their students aim to make 600 sets that they will bring to a meeting with Pope Benedict XVI, who will be addressing a youth rally at St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers next month.

“When I told them that the pope was coming, they were like ‘We have to go!’ and they were so excited,” said Annette Viso, president of the Staten Island Legion of Mary. “So this will be fun for them because they’ve never done anything like this.”

Iraq -- Between Pope and President

Bush meets Benedict 2007

For Pope and president, a chasm over Iraq, by Tom Feeney. New Jersey Star-Ledger March 18, 2008:

On social issues like abortion, gay marriage and stem cell research, the conservative Pope Benedict XVI and the conservative President Bush find much common ground.

But a month from now, when Benedict makes his first visit to the U.S., his meeting with Bush is likely to underscore an issue where there remains a deep divide between the Vatican and the White House -- the war in Iraq.

The war began five years ago tomorrow, and from the start, the pontiff and his predecessor, Pope John Paul II, have spoken out against it. "Nothing positive comes from Iraq," Benedict said during his Easter message last year.

Benedict will be greeted by Bush when his plane lands April 15, the Vatican announced yesterday. The pair will meet the next day to kick off the Pope's six-day U.S. visit that includes a Mass at Yankee Stadium and a speech at the United Nations. Observers expect the Iraq war will come up during the White House visit.

"If it doesn't, I'd be disappointed in the pope," said the Rev. Richard P. McBrien, a professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame. "If it does, however, I would expect Benedict XVI to be a bit softer in his approach than John Paul II. But the effect will be the same, namely, the war will continue through the remainder of the president's second term."

President Bush and Pope Benedict last met each other in June of 2007, when the President visited the Vatican for the first time.

Middletown, NY band Full Armor to play Papal Youth Rally

Middletown, NY's "Full Armor" will play Papal Youth Rally, by Ashley Kelly. Times-Herald Record March 18, 2008:

OTISVILLE — The letter arrived in Douglas Hutchings mailbox on a mundane day in February.

But the news inside the envelop changed all that: His band, Full Armor, had been selected to perform for the Pope.

The upbeat folk/rock Christian band will be performing at the Archdiocese of New York's Meeting with Youth and Seminarians. The April 19 youth rally at Saint Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers will be in honor of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to New York. The papal journey to the U.S. will be Benedict's first since his papacy began in 2005.

Full Armor submitted their music in December, but weren't sure they would get the nod.

"I was optimistic, but I had no idea 150 groups were being considered — I thought no way," said Hutchings, the band's manager.

After reading the letter from the archdiocese he called the band's vocalist, Tara Lakeman.

"We were freaking out on the phone," Lakeman said. "It's probably the most honorable performance I've ever done and probably will ever do in my life."

Full Armor, a six-member band, was formed in 2005 at the request of a former priest at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Middletown. The priest asked Hutchings, now 19, to form a band that would perform every Sunday for the youth Mass. The band now performs at Mount Carmel and numerous churches throughout the area regardless of denomination.

Yankee Stadium Papal Stage Unveiled

Via Tim Drake @ Pope2008.com, an artist's rendering of the papal stage at Yankee Stadium. Stig Edgren, president of SEG Events, will be producing this event, along with those at St. Joseph's Seminary and "Ground Zero." According to SEG's website:

Staging productions on a universal scale has always been [Edgren's] trademark - having produced 3 Papal events in the United States, including The Mass At Central Park for over 250,000 people, and the two largest events of the 1987 Visit at The Los Angeles Coliseum and Dodger Stadium. The L.A. Coliseum has also been the site of many other events Edgren brought his expertise to including The XXIII Summer Olympic Games and Nelson Mandela’s ‘Rally For Freedom’.

Archbishop Sambi: "pope comes to strengthen faith, hope, love of US church"

Catholic News Service' Julie Asher profiles the papal nuncio Italian Archbishop Pietro Sambi, who will help celebrate the Pope's 81st birthday on April 16th.

[Archbishop Sambi] hopes the message U.S. Catholics get from the papal visit is "one of the things that the pope pronounced the first day after being elected pope: Don't be afraid. Jesus Christ takes away nothing from you, but he will enrich you." . . .

Aside from a meeting with President George W. Bush and a major U.N. address the pope will deliver April 18, the papal trip is first and foremost "a pastoral journey," said Archbishop Sambi.

The pontiff "comes to strengthen the faith, the hope and love of the Catholic Church in the United States," the archbishop said, adding that he hopes the pope's visit will "bring a new wind of Pentecost ... a new springtime" to the U.S. church.

But Pope Benedict also "will bring his friendship and his holy word to all the people of the United States," he added.

Sambi touches on the presidential election (""If there is something that is an exclusive prerogative of the Americans, it is the choice of their leaders. And the foreigners should not interfere") and speculation as to what the Pope and President Bush will discuss when they meet ("If it's private, it's private"). He does address the matter of the war:

Asked about diplomatic relations between the Vatican and the U.S. in light of the church's criticism of Bush's decision to go to war in Iraq, Archbishop Sambi replied that "the deep conviction of the Holy See is that war must be always the last option. All other options have to be tried before starting a war. A war is always a sign of human failure in reaching an agreement.

"Peace is not a defeat for anybody but is a victory for the future," he added.

And what does Archbishop Sambi think of Catholics in America?

Archbishop Sambi said the pope will find "a really alive Catholic Church" in the United States, something the nuncio has seen in his own travels around the country. . . . "I have found everywhere Catholics of excellent quality, youth, full of joy, of energy and of creativity," he said.

"Many good things are done in the Catholic Church in the United States," Archbishop Sambi said, but "as a good nuncio, I should say much more can be done to bring Jesus Christ to everybody who is thirsty for him, and to invite those who abandoned (the church) or (left because of) a decision of the church to return home."

"There is no church alive without a permanent evangelization," he continued. The church must "continuously give the word of God and the instrument of salvation," the sacraments, "to the faithful," he said.

Related links

• Pope's ambassador to host the boss on a grand stage, by Daniel Burke. Religion News Service. March 13, 2008.
• Pope's man in U.S. has won hearts all around Winston-Salem Journal. March 15, 2008.

President Bush to greet Pope Benedict upon arrival at airport

Vatican: Bush to greet pope at airport in unusual gesture at start of papal US trip International Herald-Tribune March 17, 2008:

VATICAN CITY: Pope Benedict XVI will be greeted by President Bush at Andrews Air Force Base next month at the start of the pontiff's weeklong U.S. trip, the Vatican said Monday.

The Vatican released the pope's itinerary for the April 15-20 visit, saying that Bush and first lady Laura Bush would give the pope a private welcome upon his arrival at the base.

There was no immediate confirmation from the White House.

Bush is scheduled to preside over a formal welcome ceremony on the White House South Lawn on the second day of the visit before hosting the pontiff in the Oval Office.

The president traditionally greets visitors at the White House. The most elaborate welcome has been a South Lawn ceremony with trumpet salutes, booming cannons and the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, dressed in 18th-century uniform, parading by the reviewing stand and invited guests.

The White House has said that during their meeting, the president and pope would continue discussions they began during Bush's trip to the Vatican in June on the importance of faith and reason in reaching shared goals.

CUA President: Pope Presents "A Challenge to be Authentic and Faithful"

Not everybody agrees with the speculation that Benedict XVI will take the opportunity to "deliver a stern message" to Catholic colleges during his visit (see: Catholic Schools Expecting a Fatherly Rebuke? March 14, 2008); -- David M. O'Connell, President of the Catholic University of America responds to the Washington Post editorial:

I could not disagree more with those who predict a "stern message" and a "rebuke" when Pope Benedict XVI addresses Catholic university and college presidents and diocesan education leaders at Catholic University on April 17. The fact that the pope, as teacher of the faith, takes on the compromises advanced within contemporary culture, pushes hard against moral relativism, and seeks to present the intelligibility of the alliance between faith and reason in the quest for truth does not constitute an attack on the Catholic academy. They are the very things that Catholic universities and colleges, too, should be considering, precisely because they are Catholic.

The pope is presenting a challenge to all of us in Catholic higher education to be authentic and faithful to what we say we are and what we say we do. No one should fear such a challenge or paint the call to authenticity as some sort of public reprimand. It is the pope's role and responsibility to lift up Catholic principles as goals to be achieved and as elements of truth, identity and mission for all institutions within the church.

Positive messages do not often make headlines. Controversies -- real or imagined -- do. The suggestion that the pope is coming to the United States with a hammer for Catholic educational leaders is not only premature but also prejudicial. Instead of condemning Catholic universities and colleges for what may be perceived as failures -- and failures do exist -- the pope might very well thank Catholic educational institutions for being beacons of light in a society that sometimes prefers darkness.

No! Not Marty Haugen! -- Say it isn't so!

Sanctus for the Pope's Mass: Haugen's Mass of Creation The New Liturgical Movement March 16, 2008 - Jeffrey Tucker has a bone to pick regarding the music selection for the Pope's Mass in Washington:

The music in New York and at Vespers in Washington at the Shrine is forward looking and impressive. It seems impossible that at the Pope's April 17th Mass in Washington, D.C., that anyone could possibly schedule The Mass of Creation by Marty Haugen,: the Sanctus, the "Great Amen," and Agnus Dei. Composed in 1984 (I think), with obvious Broadway influence and overdone melodrama, it has been an unrelenting presence in parishes all over the country. In fact, it is legendarily over used, in every season, again and again and again, so much so that these parts of the Mass sometimes seems like the movie Groundhog Day.

[...]

"God of Power, God of Might." "Jesus, Lamb of God." The text departs not only from the Latin but even from the ICEL translation approved for English use. In this sense--and it is a small thing with big symbolic importance--how could it be possible that this setting would be used at a Mass celebrated by the Pope?

[...]

Surely, organizers would not shun this for Benedict XVI and surely they would not bypass this in favor of what might be the most embarrassing aspect of American liturgy? What signal would the organizers be sending to the Pope by scheduling the Mass of Creation by Marty Haugen? That America is stuck in the past, refuses to update itself, refuses the aesthetic leadership of the Vatican, refuses even the approved texts of the Mass, refuses to get passed the confused times of the postconciliar era and embrace the new times, and refuses to make the larger tradition of our faith a living presence in our lives?

[...] So who is responsible? The name that keeps coming up is Thomas V. Stehle, who directs music at Our Lady of Mercy, in Potomac, Maryland. (He is also available to be hired as a consultant on architecture.) The diocesan paper announced that he would be organizing the music for the Pope's visit, and here is what he said is guiding him when it comes to making musical choices:

"The most important thing to me is that everyone present is fully engaged," he said. "The music is aimed at allowing the assembly to take up its role and not just be spectators, but full participants in the celebration, no matter where they are sitting."

Well, it so happens that Cardinal Ratzinger wrote an entire book, The Spirit of the Liturgy, to explode this anthropocentric, community-obsessed view of liturgy. In his writings, he actually said of this perspective, that liturgy is all about maximizing the singing of the congregation, is "insipid pedagogic rationalism."

Do the organizers of this Mass care at all about the cause to which this Pope is so obviously dedicated? Are they seeking to say: your cause is not our cause?

This isn't responsible liturgical planning. This is an insult. American Catholics should be deeply embarrassed and outraged.

Perhaps it's high time to introduce the Holy Father (and Thomas Stehle) to the Society for a Moratorium on the Music of Marty Haugen and David Haas?

(100+ comments and counting - join the debate!)

New Revised List for New York Liturgical Events

Pope2008.com (maintained by Tim Drake of the National Catholic Register) has published a revised list of the music for the New York liturgical events during the Pope's visit provided him by Dr. Jennifer Pascal, who says:

Throughout the three days of Pope Benedict’s visit to New York, there will be a lot of music accompanying the Papal ceremonies and liturgies.

For our German Pontiff, primarily German music will be featured at the Ecumenical service at St. Joseph’s Parish on the Upper East Side, which was originally a German parish.

Young musicians of our Archdiocese will be providing music for the events at St. Joseph's Seminary, both inside the chapel and outdoors on seminary grounds. Music that is more contemporary and familiar to youth will be featured.

For the Mass at the Cathedral of St. Patrick and Yankee Stadium, an eclectic spectrum of styles is the goal. Gregorian chant - the most revered form of music in the Church, Renaissance music, music of the master composers such as Victoria, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Rheinberger, and Perosi will be featured as well as traditional and contemporary hymnody to encourade full and active participation in the liturgies as mandated by the documents of the Church. With an increasing Spanish-speaking population in the Archdiocese and throughout the United States, the use of bilingual hymnody, the norm at our Cathedral, will also be utilized at both Masses. Talented composers and arrangers from around the country and Canada are contributing to this visitation by composing new works and arranging existing works for orchestra.

St. are contributing musically to this visitation by composing new works and arranging existing works for orchestra.

The Yankee Stadium Mass music will be led by a 200-voice mass choir and 58-piece orchestra that will be situated behind home plate.

Click here for the list of the exact musical selections, composers and arrangers that will be used for each event or liturgy, and the music personnel involved.

Catholic University Announces Judges for Essay Contest Pope2008.com:

Catholic University of America President David O'Connell has announced the judges who will recommend a winner and runner up for the university's Student Essay Contest. The contest is a 500-word written essay answering the question: How Catholic education has changed my life?

Hispanic Catholics eagerly await the Pope's Visit

Many Hispanics pin hopes on pope’s visit, by Pamela Constable. March 15, 2008:

WASHINGTON — When Pope Benedict XVI comes to Washington next month, he will set foot in a Roman Catholic community that is now one-third Hispanic. It is a vibrant and fast-growing segment of the regional church whose members overflow Spanish-language Masses and high-energy revival shows but who often say they feel socially isolated and harassed under local and national laws.

Their hopes for the visit of El Papa widely echo those expressed by Lilian Castillo, a housecleaner from El Salvador and mother of three who is a regular worshiper at St. Camillus Church in Silver Spring, Md.

“Our community is facing persecution and poverty. People are being deported, even members of our own church,” said Castillo, 46. “I hope the pope can be a bridge to bring together Americans of all ages and races and levels. He is coming to bless all of us, and I hope everyone will be listening.”

In addition to spiritual reinforcement, Hispanic church members and leaders in the metropolitan region are looking for moral and political support from the pontiff. They hope his visit to the nation’s capital, as lawmakers continue struggling with immigration reform and the presidential race unfolds, will include a message of tolerance and inclusion toward immigrants. . . .

Speculating on the Pope's address to Catholic educators

Carol Zimmerman reports on Benedict's planned April 17 one-hour address on Catholic education to the administrators and faculty of Catholic colleges, universities and schools across the nation:

In 1999, the U.S. bishops approved a document specifying how they would implement [John Paul II's] "Ex Corde Ecclesiae" and, specifically, how they would define the "mandatum" -- or church authorization granted by the local bishop to teach theology. The document was confirmed by the Vatican in 2000.

"Much of the heat has dissipated" on "Ex Corde Ecclesiae," said Richard Yanikoski, president of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities in Washington.

He speculated that Pope Benedict might "reiterate the central thesis" of the document but with an emphasis on progress made by colleges and the growing secular changes they face. Yanikoski noted that campuses today are not the same as they were 20 years ago, because they focus on global issues and international students make up a larger percentage of the student body.

He said the fact that the pope is not planning to address parish religious educators in this gathering might indicate that he means to narrow his focus solely on the "positive contributions" Catholic schools makes to the church and society.

Yanikoski noted that the pope's address is scheduled for television broadcast, and said that suggests the pope "has a larger audience in mind" and will most likely give a "positive, inclusive statement."

He said Catholic college presidents have expressed regret they will not have an opportunity for dialogue with the pope, but they also understand the pontiff's tight schedule during his U.S. visit.

German Catholics prepare for Pope's Arrival

Yorkville German Catholics Prepare For Special Papal Event Shazia Khan for NY1 News. March 15, 2008:

Catholic mass in New York City is typically held in English or Spanish, but one Yorkville parish in the Upper East Side continues their traditional services in German.

St. Joseph's Church, founded by German immigrants in 1873, holds a monthly Sunday mass in German, attended by more than 100 people from the neighborhood and beyond.

Located in a once-thriving German immigrant neighborhood, today it is the only German parish in the New York Archdiocese.

“It’s nice to find your roots again. And reconnect with them,” said attendant Karen Staub.

Pope Benedict XVI, the first German-born pope since the 11th century, is scheduled to address ecumenical representatives at St Joseph's during his upcoming April visit to New York City.

Julia Winter, who chairs the church's German-American committee, says it is a great blessing for the pope to grace her parish.

“For me personally and for all of us of German descent, it’s important because he represents a part of us,” said Winter.

Related

• Benedict to celebrate Ecumenical Service at St. Joseph's, Yorkville January 11, 2008.

Staten Island parishes have been holding lotteries to determine which parishioners get tickets to see Pope Benedict XVI’s mass in Yankee Stadium this April Jessica Fragoso reports for New York 1 News (NY1.com) March 15, 2008,

Pope's visit a time for discussion - 5 top Catholics pose questions Mississipi Sun-Herald March 14, 2008:

[W]hat can be expected from the first papal visit in almost a decade? Five Catholic leaders talked about their perspectives, and what issues they would like to be addressed. . . .

Tim Drake: The "WOCHA" Mantra Has Officially Begun!

"The "WOCHA" Mantra Has Officially Begun," says Pope2008's Tim Drake:

I was wondering how long it would take before the "WOCHA" (Women's Ordination, Contraception, Homosexuality, Abortion) mantra would begin. Five weeks out from the Pope's visit, it looks like Cleveland.com is the first to begin the mantra with this story juxtaposing American disagreements over contraception with the Church's teachings. I coined this term during World Youth Day in Cologne after witnessing reporter after reporter ask young Catholics the same question..."Do you agree with the Church's teaching on...(Insert social topic here)?"

The story does much to show the disagreements, but little to clear them up by actually reporting what it is that the Church teaches, and more importantly, why. It's so completely predictable. Yesterday, I spoke with Tim Graham, director of media analysis with the Media Research Center . . .

Pope Prompts Peaceful Protest for Protection of Pluralism!

Now say that three times really fast! -- The so-called Forum for the Protection of Religious Pluralism (FPRP) is organizing a peaceful march to protest the papal visit:

[The march] will proceed at 10 a.m. on Friday, April 18 from the United Nations building to the Gandhi statue in Union Square Park. Another demonstration and parade will be held outside Yankee Stadium during the Papal address there from 1-4 p.m., on Sunday, April 20. FPRP is holding these events to voice another view of religion, international politics, and civil rights.

Forum for the Protection of Religious PluralismFPRP is devoted to raising public awareness of religions that have been victimized by aggressive proselytization campaigns that are grounded in religious exclusivism, which is there is only one way to God and all other ways are wrong and even evil that needs to be destroyed.

"We represent faiths, including several Christian denominations, that do not support proselytization and view the practice of it as a complete contradiction of their beliefs," says Jonas Trinkunas from the World Congress of Ethnic Religions (WCER), one of the organizations that is sponsoring the event. "When the members of the U.N. say that they support religious freedom and then give privileged treatment to the leader of a religion that regularly endorses deceptive proselytization campaigns at the expense of others, we feel that we are being penalized for remaining true to our faiths. If religious freedom is going to be shared by everyone, this unequal treatment must stop."

Detailed information is at www.protectreligions.org.

Deacon Keith Fournier on "Benedict the Builder"

Benedict the Builder Comes to America, by Deacon Keith Fournier. Catholic Online. March 14, 2008:

Pope Benedict XVI's ministry has been that of a builder, working in continuity with the 2,000 year teaching of the Catholic Church and helping to ensure that the proper understanding of the great treasure left by his predecessor, and the proper understanding of the Second Vatican Council becomes reality. He has also surprised many, particularly in the area of ecumenism. I believe that he is leading the Church into a Catholic Millennium. Though things may at times seem dark, I believe even more than I did on that day when I heard those words "Habemus Papem" that we will see the springtime that his predecessor, our beloved Pope John Paul, prophetically anticipated.

I also believe that we are witnessing the beginnings of the coming full communion of the Church, East and West, as the "two lungs" on the One Body of Christ begin to breathe together again in order to animate this new missionary age. We are beginning to witness the recovery of the Catholic academy through the rebuilding of some institutions almost lost to the Church and the building of new ones. We are seeing the flourishing of good, solid theological and philosophical work along with a flourishing of the arts and human culture, led by the Church, as it has been in ages past. He, like his namesake, is helping as well to bring the Christian influence back to Europe and beyond.

This mission task of building has not been easy. And, it will probably get even more difficult. The old adage is true; it always seems darkest before the dawn. Those who wanted to try to change the teaching and doctrine of the Church are deeply disappointed. However, for all of us who hunger for a vibrant, faithful, dynamically orthodox Catholic Church, the source of all truth, the God who is Truth, has once again been true to his promise to Peter, "upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against her".

The writings of this Builder Pope have only just begun.

Samuel Weber to compose original chants for Papal Visit / Private Mass

WFU professor writes chants for Pope's U.S. visit - Wake Forest University Divinity School profiles Samuel Weber, associate professor of early Christianity and spiritual formation and composer of original chants for Benedict's visit to Washington DC:

The chants will be sung during Evening Prayer at 5:30 p.m. April 16 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception with Pope Benedict XVI presiding, and during a private mass with the Holy Father at the Apostolic Nunciature (Papal Embassy) the following morning.

"I am deeply honored to have a small part to play in the preparation of this vesper service,” says Weber. He composed original chant melodies for the antiphons, which are scriptural verses sung before and after the Psalms and Canticles of Vespers. Peter Latona, Basilica director of music, invited Weber to compose the chants and has created polyphonic settings based on Weber’s chants. During the service, the antiphons will be sung by the 24-member Choir of the Basilica in plain chant before the Psalms and Canticles of Vespers, and then repeated afterward in full harmony.

Weber, a Roman Catholic priest and Benedictine monk, says the decision to use chant melodies reflects the aesthetic and tradition at the heart of prayer life in the Roman Catholic Church. “Historically, sacred compositions were based on the chant melodies which formed the core of liturgical music.”

• Samuel F. Weber Faculty Homepage

Pray, that Pope Benedict XVI's Visit may Inspire Vocations!

Priests hope Pope Benedict visit inspires vocation, by Gary Stern. Westchester Journal News March 11, 2008:

When Pope Benedict XVI addresses 20,000 youths at St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers, N.Y., and 60,000 people at Yankee Stadium next month, many priests will be crossing their fingers that the pontiff urges -- demands, even -- that young Catholic men consider a collar.

Like the Detroit area, the Archdiocese of New York is in serious need of new priests. Of the 176 Catholic dioceses in the U.S., the Archdiocese of New York ranks 170th in terms of the ratio of seminarians to the total Catholic population, according to a December study by Catholic World Report.

Detroit also ranked in the bottom 20 in the report, but unlike New York, will not be receiving a papal visit.

Right now the main seminary at St. Joseph's is preparing only 23 seminarians for possible ordination as diocesan priests over the next four years.

And not a single man is scheduled to enter the seminary program next fall.

Related:

• Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations
• Priestly Life and Vocations Summit: Fishers of Men

AXcess News' Jennifer Rios reports on Washington Archbishops' preparation for the papal visit (March 14, 2008):

The city's Catholic leader hopes Pope Benedict XVI will see a "little slice of the church" that represents the rest of the United States when he makes his first U.S. visit as pope next month.

"If we ever get all the tickets distributed," Washington Archbishop Donald Wuerl said, laughing at a news conference Thursday.

An estimated 45,000 people will need those tickets to attend Mass April 17 at Nationals Park, the first non-game event to take place at the new baseball stadium. He will speak to Catholic educators at the Catholic University of America, and to interfaith leaders at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center, after the Mass.

On April 16, his 81st birthday, the pope will meet with President Bush. He will also meet with U.S. bishops at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

The archdiocese is still sorting out seating arrangements for the Mass, but "for every seat available we have at least three requests" from people in the area and from across the country, Wuerl said.

Tickets for the Mass will be mailed two weeks in advance, Wuerl said, in part to cut back on time recipients could use to sell the free tickets. Individual churches are deciding how to distribute their ticket allocations. Blocks of tickets are slotted for high school students and for nursing home residents.

Wuerl said the archdiocese wants to make sure that every aspect of the community will be represented.

Catholic Schools expecting a Fatherly Rebuke from the Pope?

Catholic College Leaders Expect Pope to Deliver Stern Message, by Jacqueline L. Salmon and Michelle Boorstein. Washington Post March 14, 2008:

After years of Vatican frustration over what it views as the failure of many U.S. Catholic colleges to adhere to church teachings, school leaders are intently watching for a rebuke from Pope Benedict XVI during his Washington visit next month.

The pope requested the meeting with more than 200 top Catholic school officials from across the country. The gathering will come amid debate over teachings and campus activities that bishops have slammed as violating Catholic doctrine: a rally by pro-abortion rights Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton at St. Mary's University in San Antonio; a Georgetown University theologian's questioning whether Jesus offers the only road to salvation [Peter C. Phan]; and a performance of "The Vagina Monologues" at the University of Notre Dame.

This will be the first papal address in the United States on Catholic education in more than 20 years, and some Vatican watchers predict that it will be the most enduring part of Benedict's visit. Before becoming pope, Benedict was known as "the enforcer" of church orthodoxy, and since taking office, he has said Catholic education must bow to Catholic "truth" and the "rule of life." Such comments have some educators keyed up.

"With people expecting his address on these issues, hopes and concerns are beginning to resurface," said Mathew Schmalz, a religious studies professor at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., who has researched and lectured about Catholic identity in higher education.

[...]

As pope, Benedict has not been as explicit about the limits of academic freedom as some had expected him to be, and some educators predicted that the talk next month will have a pastoral tone. However, they said, it will make clear that the pope thinks change is necessary.

"One thing the pope will emphasize is the importance for all [Catholic] schools to realize that they aren't independent contractors, they are part of the church," said the Rev. David M. O'Connell, Catholic University's president.

Catholic U. invites other Catholic schools to join in welcoming the Pope

Catholic University’s president, Rev. David M. O’Connell, C.M., has invited students from other Washington, D.C., area Catholic colleges and universities to join the CUA community in welcoming Pope Benedict XVI to campus on April 17:

In his invitation to what he called “Catholic University and College Students Welcome the Pope Day,” which he sent to local Catholic college presidents and Catholic chaplains, Father O’Connell said he wanted to “share the wealth” of the CUA community by inviting other students “to be present … to gather and cheer the pope as he finishes his speech.”

Father O’Connell, who serves on the committee helping to plan the papal visit to the United States, added that “the students may even want to bring a banner representing their university or college.” He also extended a similar invitation to the chaplains and directors of campus ministry and Newman clubs at non-Catholic universities and colleges in the Washington area.

Washington Metro Pocket Guide for Papal Visit

D.C. Catholic unveils the Washington Metro Pocket Guide for the Papal Visit.

"Planning the Papal Visit" - Catholic New York on Michael Ackerman)

Catholic New York's Claudia McDonnell profiles Mark G. Ackermann, executive director of the archdiocesan Office of the Papal Visit, whose mission, together with a 50+ person task force and hundreds of volunteers, is to see that the Pope's visit will "run as smoothly as the limousine that carries him from John F. Kennedy International Airport into Manhattan":

His job is to oversee almost every detail of planning and managing the visit of the pope and those who will be traveling with him. That includes such tasks as working on security; arranging for lodging and hospitality for visiting dignitaries, including U.S. cardinals and bishops; distributing tickets for papal events; booking popular entertainment for the papal youth rally at St. Joseph's Seminary; making sure that reporters and other media people have lodging and any technical assistance they need; and seeing to it that the papal schedule is followed to the minute.

It's a job that requires the skills of a corporate leader, a major general and an impresario, not to mention unflappability and the patience of Job. Ackermann, who spent 25 years at St. Vincent's Hospital in Manhattan and was most recently its chief administrative officer, seems both exceptionally qualified for the job and delighted to be doing it. In a recent interview in his office at the New York Catholic Center in Manhattan, he spoke about his role in the New York papal trip.

"It is truly a privilege and an honor," he said. He also praised the many people working with him to make the visit a success. . . .

Ackerman is working with everybody from the New York Police Dept. and secret service to Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the U.S. Department of State and the White House:

He noted that the pope, as head of Vatican City State, receives the same protection as any other visiting head of state. And he said that President Bush has asked the White House physician to work with the pope's physicians to ensure that Pope Benedict remains healthy and safe during his visit. Last week the White House physician toured the sites where papal events will take place.

Consider some of the logistics of organizing this massive event:

• about 800 buses are due to arrive at Yankee Stadium for the Mass, the largest number of buses ever to arrive at a single site in New York City.
• There will be 800 concelebrants-cardinals, bishops and priests-on the altar, and an additional 550 priests in the stands who will distribute Communion.
• Up to 400 buses will bring 25,000 young people-including 2,500 seminarians-to Yonkers Raceway to be transferred by shuttle bus to St. Joseph's Seminary.

Amazingly, beyond all the minute technical details of the Holy Father's visit, Ackerman stays focused on its spiritual significance:

Ackermann noted that Cardinal Egan wants the visit to be spiritually enriching for as many people as possible, and not just Catholics. The service at St. Joseph's Church in Yorkville, Ackermann said, will be an "unprecedented gathering" at which the pope will address members of other churches about his vision for the future of ecumenical relations. In addition, the timing of the visit has a strong interfaith link: it will occur as Jews gather for Passover, one of Judaism's holiest and most joyous celebrations.

For Catholic New Yorkers, there will be moments of special significance. Pope Benedict will become the first pope to celebrate Mass in St. Patrick's Cathedral. And Ackermann observed that the Mass at Yankee Stadium "is becoming a national event" because it will celebrate the historic anniversaries of five dioceses: Baltimore, marking 200 years since it became the first archdiocese in the United States; and the four dioceses marking the 200th anniversary of their founding: New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Louisville (originally Bardstown). Attending the Mass will be representatives from virtually every diocese in the United States.

Ackermann noted that Cardinal Egan strongly desires that the papal visit will be "truly pastoral," and that the people of the archdiocese spiritually prepare for it. He said that the cardinal's constant focus on the spiritual side of the visit "really has been inspiring to everybody involved."

Washington Catholic School Students compete for Pope Tickets

Students Prepping for Papal Visit: Catholic School Children Highlight Area's Religious History in Video for Pope, by Christy Goodman. March 13, 2008:

If Pope Benedict XVI cannot make it to St. Clement's Island during his April visit to the Washington area, then the children of Southern Maryland's Catholic schools will bring it to him.

Thirty-six students, ranging from kindergartners to eighth-graders, from the dozen Catholic primary schools in St. Mary's, Charles and Calvert counties joined forces last week to create a two-minute video to welcome the pope to the area.

Their tape will compete against videos from other Catholic youth programs and schools throughout the Washington, Baltimore and Arlington archdioceses for a grand prize: 15 tickets to attend the pope's April 17 Mass at the Washington Nationals' baseball stadium. The winning video may be shown on the stadium's big screen. . . . READ MORE

USCCB officially launches USPapalVisit.org

Zenit News. April 13, 2008:

WASHINGTON, D.C., MARCH 13, 2008 (Zenit.org).- In anticipation of Benedict XVI's visit to the United States, the country's bishops have launched an insider's view blog for the upcoming event: USPapalVisit.org.

The new Papal Visit Blog will include preparations for the April 15-20 papal visit, views from the pew during the visit, and post-visit reflections on the event.

The blog, orchestrated by the U.S. episcopal conference's Department for Communications, was launched Monday.

Ambassador Glendon: "Anticipation is running high on both sides of the Atlantic"

Zenit News Service interviews U.S. Ambassador Mary Ann Glendon, on her new position as envoy to the Holy See and the coming papal visit:

Q: What are your thoughts on Benedict XVI's upcoming visit to the United States and what do think some of the main themes of his trip will be?

Ambassador Glendon: Anticipation is running high on both sides of the Atlantic. The Pope said during my credentials ceremony that he was looking forward to his trip to the United States, and from his address on that occasion one can see that he is very interested in the way that faith and reason have been intertwined in our democratic experiment.

We also know from his writing is that he is very intrigued by certain contrasts between America and Europe, and certain distinctive features of American culture. He seems intrigued by our version of the church-state relationship and how that seems to be compatible with great religious vitality.

As for the themes he may address, that is the question all of us are asking. Everyone is waiting and intensely speculating. I think all one can say is that whatever themes he chooses to emphasize, there will be much food for thought from this brilliant scholar who has stepped so smoothly into the role of a spiritual leader whose moral voice resonates throughout the world.

I would not be surprised if -- like Tocqueville in his reflections on "Democracy in America" -- the Pope's speeches in the United States contained much material that is also addressed to Europe.

Q: Many Americans, like the rest of the world, had such a devotion to Pope John Paul II. What do you think the reception of Benedict XVI will be?

Ambassador Glendon: One can speculate based on the way that Pope Benedict has been received by audiences that are getting to know him for the first time here in Italy and in other countries.

From the moment he delivered the homily at Pope John Paul II's funeral -- and I was there that day -- people the world over were moved and astonished by his pastoral eloquence. They saw a man most had known, mainly through his writings, as a very scholarly person. But on that day and since then, we have come to know him as a "humble shepherd," as he has called himself, and a wise teacher who can speak clearly and profoundly yet in ways that are accessible to everyone.

Click here for the full interview with Ambassador Glendon.

Mary Ann Glendon is the Learned Hand Professor of Law at Harvard University and president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences established by Pope John Paul II. She has also served on President Bush's Council on Bioethics. In 1995, she led the 22-member delegation of the Holy See to the Fourth U.N. Women’s Conference in Beijing and and served on the Holy See’s Central Committee for the Great Jubilee 2000.

Christ Our Hope: A Parish Study Guide To Pope Benedict XVI’s "Spe Salvi"

Christ Our Hope: A Parish Study Guide To Pope Benedict XVI’s Encyclical Letter, On Christian Hope (Spe salvi) - "A Catechetical Resource of the Archdiocese of Washington, in preparation for the Apostolic Visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Washington, DC April 15 – 17, 2008." Complete Study Guide (51 page PDF document) Introduction Session 1 Session 2 Session 3 Session 4 Session 5 Session 6 Session 7 The study guide was prepared for the Archdiocese of Washington by Jem Sullivan, Ph.D., professor in the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception at the Dominican House of Studies, Washington, D.C., where she teaches courses on Catholic Education and the Documents of Vatican II. [Courtesy of the Dominican Friars]

Rainbow Sashers' "childish" scheming to disrupt Pope's welcome

LifeSiteNews picks up the story of the Rainbow Sash Movement's stated intent to throw ashes at the Pope during his visit:

The RSM plans to throw ashes at the Pope, because "ashes are an ancient and appropriate greeting for a sinner who has caused the Church so much division and pain," stated the movement.

"We will also be greeting him with whistles; these were used by the Polish People to show shame for the violation of human rights by the Communist Government prior to the end of the cold war," added a RSM statement.

"We are a community of Catholic GLBT along with our allies who work for change in the Church. To continue to hide our identity only enables shame and homophobia. We are committed to working from within the Church," says the movement.

The RSM is best known for its large Pentecost Sunday protests, in which openly practicing homosexual, bisexual, and "transgendered" individuals identify themselves as such with multicolor sashes and demand Holy Communion during Mass.

The Pope has been a vocal opponent of homosexual "marriage". In January 2007, after praising traditional families, the Pope said, "projects that aim to attribute to other forms of union inappropriate legal recognition appear dangerous and counterproductive."

The RSM contrasts with ministries in the Church that support Catholics in their efforts to live a life of chastity and to overcome homosexual inclinations when possible. The Courage apostolate, founded by Fr. John Harvey, OSFS in 1980, has five main goals: Chastity, Prayer and Dedication, Fellowship, Support, and Good Example.

Insight Scoop's Carl Olson responds: "This deeply principled and loving act is meant, I assume, to show the world how devout, committed followers of Jesus Christ express their respect and love for one another".

The Pope's visit to the Archdiocese of Washington will come at a hefty price, the Associated Press reports -- to the tune of "at least 3 million. Fortunately, sources besides the diocese are picking up the check.

A Fragile Tomorrow to play for Papal Youth Rally

The folk-rock group "A Fragile Tomorrow" will have the honor of playing before Pope Benedict XVI and a crowd of 20,000 at a Papal Youth Rally -- Alexa James of the Times Herald-Record reports:

I hope we get to meet the pope," says sophomore drummer Dominic Kelly, 16. "I guess he's going to be real busy with everything." . . .

Access to the pope's tour is in high demand. Bands who wanted to perform at the youth rally had to submit CDs and DVD performance footage to the pontiff's entertainment committee.

The band mates from A Fragile Tomorrow - vocalists Dominic and his twin, Sean; their guitarist brother, Brendan, 13; and new addition Shaun Rhoades, 21, on bass and keyboards - shipped performance videos and demo tapes from their new album to the Archdiocese of New York.

Last week, in the mail, they got the next best thing to a recording contract. "Congratulations," said a letter from the archdiocese. Their band was deemed "engaging and appropriate" enough to play for the bishop of Rome, who is himself an accomplished pianist.

The Kelly boys insist they aren't nervous. They go to church every Sunday.

• A Fragile Tomorrow [Official website]
• MySpace/afragiletomorrow [MySpace Band Page]

Distribution of Yankee Stadium Tickets a Difficult Exercise in Fairness

Yankee Stadium Mass proves to be hot ticket - Fairness key issue for priests (Times Herald-Record, March 10, 2008) -- Michael Randall reports on a difficult task facing priests across the New York dioceses:

It's the kind of decision even wise old King Solomon might have tried to avoid.

Imagine you're the pastor of a local Catholic church and your parish has been allotted, say, 20 tickets for Pope Benedict XVI's upcoming Mass at Yankee Stadium.

What's a pastor to do?

In the Hudson Valley, some churches like St. Joseph's in Kingston simply announced the tickets were available and handed them out on a first-come, first-served basis.

Others picked the winners' names out of a hat or other handy container, like a low-tech Lotto drawing.

They used the latter method at Sacred Heart Church in Newburgh, where Bishop Dominick Lagonegro is pastor. They had 43 tickets and more than 120 people asking for them.

The article goes into some detail on how the tickets were apportioned to individual parishes:

Each parish's allotment for the stadium Mass was based on 3.5 percent of its average Sunday attendance in 2006. So, parishes with larger memberships got 50, 60 or more tickets, while the smallest got maybe 10 or 12.

Ticket allotment for the other public event — a youth rally and prayer service at St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers — were based on the population of a parish school for those that have them, as well as participation in parish youth groups or religious education programs.

But once those tickets were spoken for, that was it.

Crowds of 60,000 are expected at the stadium and 20,000 in Yonkers, but even that many tickets go fast when you're dividing them among the 395 parishes in the archdiocese and visitors from other dioceses.

as well as the intensive security precautions involved:

Parishes had to give church officials the names of those receiving tickets well ahead of time for background checks. Those with a ticket will have to show it and a photo ID to get in. So if you can't make it at the last minute, you can't pass the ticket off to your grandma or Aunt Harriet or cousin Phil.

Homosexual protestors plan reception for Pope Benedict XVI

Last year we reported on the rather rude and obnoxious reception then-Cardinal Ratzinger recieved at the hands of gay-activists ACT-UP when he visited New York City in January 1988 (See Pope Benedict XVI: Grace Under Fire August 31, 2007). According to the New York Times:

The demonstrators — some shouting “He’s no man of God,” “inquisitor” and “Nazi” — interrupted a talk by Cardinal Ratzinger for about 10 minutes. The A.P. reported that Cardinal John J. O’Connor, the archbishop of New York at the time (he died in 2000), “sat somberly beside him during the disruption at the presentation.” Six demonstrators were arrested.

Unfortunately, it looks like a few of these ruffians have something in store for the Holy Father when he comes to visit in April 2008.

• According to PinkNews.co.uk, The Rainbow Sash Movement is calling on "Catholics of good will" to take the Papal visit as an opportunity to shower the Pope mobile with ashes instead of confetti:

  "Ashes are an ancient and appropriate greeting for a sinner who has caused the Church so much division and pain," RSM said in a statement.

  "We will also be greeting him with whistles; these were used by the Polish People to show shame for the violation of human rights by the Communist Government prior to the end of the cold war.

  "This will be a loud call for reform, that the Pope will be unable to turn a deaf ear to."

• Dignity USA plans a somewhat less disruptive response (Gay Catholics to ‘address’ Pope during Washington visit Washington Blade March 7, 2008):

  The gay Catholic groups Dignity USA and New Ways Ministry are planning to send a respectful but forceful message affirming the presence of gay people in the Catholic Church during Pope Benedict XVI’s April 14-18 visit to Washington.

  New Ways Ministry, which has advocated for reconciliation between gay Catholics and the church hierarchy for the past 31 years, announced plans for four prominent gay and lesbian Catholics to deliver statements to the Pope about their “lives, loves and hopes for the church” at an April 10 news conference at the National Press Club.

  Among those addressing the Pope at the news conference will be Heather Mizeur, the openly gay member of the Maryland House of Delegates, whom New Ways Ministries says is a practicing Catholic. . . .

  Marianne Duddy-Burke, executive director of Dignity USA, whose local chapters organize weekly Sunday Masses for gay Catholics, said representatives of her group plan to greet the Pope with signs along his motorcade route in Washington.

  “We will present a positive message in a respectful way to counter the hurtful things he has been saying about GLBT people for so many years,” Duddy-Burke said.

  “The policy we have for the Dignity events is to keep them peaceful, prayerful and positive,” she said. “We want to let people know we have great joy in our lives, that we are productive citizens and that we have faith in our lives.”

Chicago Tribune: "Pope Benedict Hottest Ticket in Two Towns"

The pope -- hottest ticket in 2 towns, by Manya A. Brachear. Chicago Tribune March 7, 2008:

It doesn't matter to Rev. Charles Fanelli that Pope Benedict XVI lacks the panache of his predecessor John Paul II. The vicar of Christ and pastor of the Catholic world does not need charisma to draw a crowd.

That's why Fanelli, who has seen not one but two of Benedict's predecessors, hopes to be one of the few, the proud and the doggone lucky to win permission to see the pope.

"I admire his teaching so much," said Fanelli, 62, pastor of St. Thomas More parish on the South Side. "He really speaks so well to the Western world. He just hits it right between the eyes. I'm sure he's going to say something very important to the North Americans. It'd be nice to be there when he says it and see how he says it."

For most Catholics, a mass celebrated by the pope is the chance of a lifetime. Since he became pontiff in 2005, Benedict, 80, has traveled mostly in Europe. His only overseas travel was to Brazil last year. That said, the papal visit will likely be his only trip to the U.S. during his papacy.

That has many Catholics still chasing tickets for two of the pope's appearances. . . .

* * *

Susan Gibbs, a spokeswoman for the archdiocese of Washington, said a majority of tickets to Nationals Park have gone to the 140 parishes in Washington and neighboring dioceses in Maryland and Virginia. Other dioceses received tickets based on the number they got from New York and the poignancy of their personal appeals, Gibbs said.

For example, more than 20 faithful from Fargo, N.D., will attend the pope's mass in Nationals Park, among them 16 youth and chaperons from the Ft. Tottem Sioux Indian Reservation who could not raise enough money to travel to Rome or Australia where Pope Benedict XVI will host World Youth Day.

Teresa Hefland of St. Francis Borgia said she looks forward to attending mass with the masses. Though she saw Pope Benedict last year as part of a smaller audience in Rome, she said the crowds will serve to remind the pope's flock of the church's unity. She described the pope as "a magnetic force" that will draw the American faithful together to pray.

"Being with brothers and sisters brings us closer together," she said. "There's no one closer to God than the pope."

Kathy Siniawski of St. Thomas More agreed. To her, it's impossible to separate the power of the pope's presence from the intensity and devotion of the crowds who come to see him.

"We're very blessed to have him as our pope," said Siniawski, who will take medals of St. Thomas More, her parish's namesake and St. Rita, patron saint of impossible cases, to be blessed by Benedict. "We're blessed to have him walk on our land. Blessed that he's coming to New York to bless us all."

Monastery Greetings offering 'The Pope's Cologne'

New Cologne Honors Papal Visit Christian Newswire: March 7, 2008:

To honor Pope Benedict XVI's upcoming visit to the United States, Monastery Greetings is now offering The Pope's Cologne. Monastery Greetings is a "one-stop-shop" service that brings together hundreds of monastic products, including gifts, music, books, soap and body care items, and, of course, delicious foods -- from abbeys, convents, monasteries and hermitages throughout the United States and the world over. Monastery Greetings helps them support themselves.

Monasteries are famous for their Old World recipes made with whole ingredients. Examples include creamy fudge from Brigittine monks, melt-in-your-mouth pralines from Benedictine nuns in Texas, whiskey cakes from Trappist monks, chocolate and candy from Trappistine nuns in Massachusetts, and Nun Better Cookies from the Sisters of the Holy Spirit in Cleveland, Ohio.

Monastery Greetings also handles mail order of Trappist Preserves (28 different jams, jellies and preserves made by Trappist monks in Spencer, Massachusetts) and has the largest selection of Trappist Fruitcake anywhere.

The Pope's Cologne is made in the United States from the private formula of Pope Pius IX (1792-1878). The recipe was faithfully followed by Dr. Fred Hass (who happens to be US Poet Laureate Robert Hass' brother) and, therefore, the longevity is also authentically that of a perfume from that period.