Dr. Alan Schreck on Pope Benedict

CatholicMediaJournal has posted a useful audio interview with Dr. Alan Schreck, chairman of the Department of Theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville, highlighting the upcoming Papal visit and some insights on Pope Benedict's ideas regarding authentic Church renewal. It's a shame that more secular media sources don't turn to Dr. Schreck. He's extremely knowledgeable about the Church.

Children at Our Lady of Good Counsel Have a Gift for the Holy Father

Under the direction of Chris Gillespie a group of children at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church in New York have a gift for the Holy Father - the Ave Maria, composed by Gillespie. They're sharing their gift of music not only with Pope Benedict, but also with others via this video. Go take a look. It's a beautiful expression of their love. Make sure you have the volume on your speakers turned up. As time goes on, I suspect we'll be seeing other efforts, but this is among the first like it that I've seen.

Exclusive: White House Welcoming Ceremony Invite

A colleague who has been invited to attend the White House shared this official invitation with me (click on the image at left), minus the particular details. Regarding the White House Welcoming Ceremony, another source told me that she had received a ticket for the event through her local Congresswoman. One commenter told me this is President Bush's opportunity to pay back all those Catholics who were involved in the Catholic-outreach effort during the election.

Ecumenical Leaders Who Will Greet the Pope

A press release has the details on the ecumenical leaders who've been invited to greet Pope Benedict XVI during the April 18 ecumenical prayer service. Here's the release:

       Pope Benedict XVI will lead an ecumenical prayer service April 18, at St. Joseph's Church in the Yorkville area of Manhattan.
    Participants at the service will include 250 national and local Protestant and Orthodox Church leaders.
    St. Joseph's Church was built in the 19th century by the immigrant German community that settled in the area and today serves a diverse population. A Sunday Mass is still celebrated in German.
    The pope will address the group after a reading from Paul's letter to the Ephesians (4:1-6) and before the congregation prays the Lord's Prayer.
    At the end of the ceremony, the pope will greet ten national and five local ecumenical leaders.
    The national leaders include:
    Archbishop Demetrios of America, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America and Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. In June 2003, the Archbishop led the delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate to the Vatican for the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. He serves as Chairman of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas.
    Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America. Archbishop Barsamian is a member of the international dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches, and is Chairman of the Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches in the United States.
    Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, legate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) in Washington and ecumenical officer. He became President of the National Council of Churches USA January 1, 2008.
    Rev. Dr. Donald McCoid, representing Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, is Director of the Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations Office of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
    Bishop Jeremiah J. Park, Bishop of the New York Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.
    Rev. Dr. Wesley Granberg-Michaelson, General Secretary of the Reformed Church in America since 1994, and one of the five Presidents of Christian Churches Together in the USA, representing the historic Protestant family.
    Rev. Dr. Clifton Kirkpatrick, Stated Clerk of the Presbyterian Church (USA) since 1996.
    Rev. Dr. William J. Shaw, President of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., since 1999. Dr. Shaw serves as one of the five Presidents of Christian Churches Together in the USA, representing the Racial/Ethnic family of churches.
    Bishop James Leggett, General Superintendent of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church, a position he had held since 1997. Bishop Leggett is the Evangelical/Pentecostal President of Christian Churches Together in the USA.
    Dr. Leith Anderson, President of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) and senior pastor of Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie, Minnesota since 1977.

Leaders from the New York area who will personally greet the pope include:
    Bishop David H. Benke, president of the Atlantic District of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. Rev. Benke was elected president of the Atlantic District in 1991, and has been re-elected five times, most recently in 2006. He is also the primary ecumenical leader for the Nehemiah Project which provides housing for the poor in New York City.
    Rev. Dr. A. R. Bernard Sr., President of the Council of Churches of the City of New York and founder and Senior Pastor of The Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn, New York. He is also host of two weekly television programs, Faith in Practice with A. R. Bernard and The A. R. Bernard Show.
    Elder Bernice A. King, the second daughter and youngest child of civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. With her brother Martin Luther King III, she has been active in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference once led by their father. She is currently an elder at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Georgia.
    Rev. Jimmy Seong G. Lim, Executive Director of the Council of Churches of the City of New York. Rev. Lim has served the Council of Churches of the City of New York since 1999. Rev. Lim is an ordained minister in The Reformed Church in America.
    The Right Rev. Mark S. Sisk, the 15th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York. Bishop Sisk was consecrated Bishop Coadjutor of the Diocese of New York in 1998. Prior to his election as coadjutor, Bishop Sisk served as President and Dean of Seabury-Western Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois.
   
       The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has been in ecumenical dialogue with a broad spectrum of Christian churches and communities for decades and has embarked with them on many ventures. One of the most recent is establishment of the Christian Churches Together in the USA. Members include Catholics, Orthodox, mainline Protestants, Evangelicals and Pentecostals. For the first time in U.S. history there is a structure to enable the great majority of Christians in the United States to speak together with a common voice on the issues that face both church and society.

Exclusive: A Chair Fit for the Pope

Click on the photo at left and you'll be given a close up view of the chair that Pope Benedict will be using during his visit to the National Shrine in Washington, D.C. when he addresses the U.S. bishops. The chair was designed by St. Jude Liturgical Arts Studio. For more details on the chair, visit here.

It's a bit blurry, but here's the hand-embroidered Papal seal on the chair's back.

A Papal Gift-bearer

Baltimore's WJZ-TV has a story on 15-year-old Elizabeth Kane, who has the honor of being one of the gift bearers during the offertory at the Papal Mass in Washington, D.C.

Like more and more of the individuals I'm running across, it's not the first papal run-in for the Kane family. According to the story, the Kane family - parents and nine children - were chosen to sit front and center for Pope John Paul II's Mass on the Mall.

I wish the reporter had dug a bit harder to find out how these selections get made.

Seeing the Church through Political Eyes

It's a shame that the media cannot seem to look at the Church without seeing it through political eyes. By doing so, anyone who supports the Church's teachings in all areas will, by extension, be labeled "conservative," carrying all of the baggage that goes along with that word.

The big U.S. News and World Report story on the pope's visit heavily utilizes political language to describe the Church. As if it weren't bad enough to use such terms to describe an a-political organization, like so many stories, it also uses the terms in an unbalanced way. It's quick to describe those who it sees as conservative, while avoiding the liberal label.

That CUA Address

It's not only Father Benedict (see previous entry) who's speculating on what Pope Benedict will have to say at Catholic University of America. That address has been receiving a fair amount of press coverage and speculation.

This Reuters' article seems to follow the lines of the previous Washington Post article. It doesn't use the word "stern," but uses the words "rebuke" and "reprimand." Writers would do well to ask themselves whether Pope Benedict has "rebuked" or "reprimanded" anyone since his election as Pope.

Terry Mattingly provides a historical look back at Pope John Paul II's words to Catholic educators in his recent "On Religion" column.

Mattingly also quotes Pope Benedict:

"Today, the ecclesiastical disciplines, especially theology, are subjected to new questions in a world tempted on the one hand by rationalism which follows a falsely free rationality disconnected from any religious reference, and on the other, by fundamentalisms that falsify the true essence of religion with their incitement to violence and fanaticism," he said. "Schools should also question themselves on the role they must fulfill in the contemporary social context, marked by an evident educational crisis."

The Pope's Chair

Pope Benedict XVI will be using several chairs during his visit, but the Philadelphia Inquirer has this story on the chair being used by the Pope at his meeting with U.S. bishops at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

The wooden chair was designed by the DiCocco Family's St. Jude Shop in Havertown and was commissioned by the Shrine's rector, Monsignor Walter Rossi. After its use, it will be displayed at the Shrine.

The Inquirer has these details about the chair:

Rossi laid out the specifications: The chair had to reflect the pope's status as global leader of the Catholic church. It had to blend with the crypt of the basilica, which would act as backdrop.

"It had to have [the pope's] coat of arms," DiCocco said. "It had to be stately. It had to suggest that he is the shepherd, the leader. It had to be unique - and worthy."

At the same time, the chair couldn't be too massive or ostentatious, the men agreed.

The two finally settled on a chair 5 feet, 9 inches high with a simple back and rounded arms. On the sides would be the raised image of a cross in matching wood.

The two flanking chairs would be similar, but not as tall or ornate. The kneelers would be plain, with cushioning for the pope's knees.

The men picked American walnut for its strength and beauty. They selected elegant ivory damask, a mixture of silk and wool imported from Belgium, for the seat and back cushions.

For the wood finish, the two decided on a quick-drying lacquer, with a hard surface.

"We didn't want anything glossy," DiCocco said. "It really complements the wood."

Singing "Happy Birthday" to the Pope

The Washington Times' Julia Duin has this story on the big birthday party being held for Pope Benedict on April 16 at the Italian Embassy. According to Duin, world-famous tenor Placido Domingo will be in attendance. One can only surmise that he'll be singing "Happy Birthday" to Pope Benedict who is turning 81.

Duin notes that the party is being sponsored by all eight former and current U.S. ambassadors to the Vatican. Several hundred people have been invited.

Whether the Pope will attend the party or not is uncertain.

Writes Duin:

In fact, he's not even been officially invited, said Thomas P. Melady, ambassador to the Vatican from 1989 to 1993. But the papal nunciature on Massachusetts Avenue Northwest — where the pope will be spending the night — has been notified of the event in case he wishes to drop by. The embassy is on Whitehaven Street, within walking distance of the nunciature.

"It's really not in his tradition to attend parties," explained Mr. Melady, now senior diplomat in residence at the World Institute of Politics. "His happiest days were when he was a young priest and teaching at the seminary."

WYD Finds "Jesus"

Yes, you read that right. The WYD organizers announced their selection for the cast members for the Stations of the Cross. Jesus will be played by Alfio Stuto - the first man pictured on the left.

The main cast members are:

Jesus – Alfio Stuto

Mary – Marina Dickson

Pontius Pilate – Don McDonald

Judas – Chehade Richa

Peter – Mark McCormick

Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney and Bishop Anthony Fisher OP, WYD08 Coordinator, met the four Jesus finalists and the two finalists for the part of Mary on Friday 28 March to decide who would play the coveted roles.

“We were all very impressed with the short list presented by Fr Franco and are confident that those who have been selected will deliver a most spectacular Stations of the Cross re-enactment,” Cardinal Pell said.

“The Stations of the Cross was a most memorable part of the Toronto WYD – it will be wonderful to have these young people demonstrate in such a powerful and dramatic way the great love God has for all of us.”

SOTC director Fr. Franco Cavarra will now begin rehearsals with the entire cast to prepare the actors for their ‘big moment’ on the world’s stage.

“I’m extremely delighted to introduce to the world this wonderful group of young people as they embark on what will hopefully be a life-changing experience,” Fr. Cavarra said.

“The cast were selected for their individual strengths as well as the dramatic impact that I am certain they will deliver during this exciting performance.”

The Stations of the Cross will be telecast live to the world on the afternoon of Friday 18 July. A similar production at

Toronto

’s World Youth Day in 2002 was watched by one billion viewers worldwide.

“We want this to be a landmark event, one that will appeal to all Australians, not just Catholics,” Fr. Cavarra said.

Supporting the major cast members will be Roman Soldiers, women of

Jerusalem

, religious authorities and extras that will see a total cast of around 80 performers.

Fr. Cavarra brings a wealth of professional experience to the WYD08 team. He has directed operas internationally and around

Australia

, including at the Sydney Opera House. He is founding member of the longstanding Melbourne International Arts Festival.

"WOCHA" Sighting

The interview questions in this interview, from the Boston Globe, reads like every tired cliche that's ever been written about Pope Benedict and the Church. In its title, it describes Pope Benedict as a "more complex pope." It uses language- specifically "liberal" and "conservative" - which is not correct in explaining the Church. Not surprisingly, it also engages in the "WOCHA mantra." Thankfully, it's salvaged by the intelligent responses of Francesco Cesareo, president of Assumption College.

Here's a sample question and response:

Q. Do you expect anything of lasting significance to come out of the pope's visit, or is this more a show-the-flag tour?

A. A pope's visit is not simply for rallying the troops. [It's] meant to encourage the faithful living out the Gospel, making a connection between the faithful and the pope in terms of the unity of the church throughout the world. It always has an important impact

Here's where the Globe tries to stress the cliche that there's a disconnect between the Church and American Catholics, and the "WOCHA mantra" rears its ugly head.

Q. In his book "The Faithful," Boston College's James O'Toole predicts that American Catholics will "continue their ambivalent relationship to the papacy," loyal to it, yet often disregarding its teachings.

A. That's where the value of a visit of the pope comes into play. It allows at least for the faithful to think about their commitment, how they want to live out their faith, to think about the church in more an international scope than national or individualistic. I wouldn't necessarily agree that American Catholics overall are ambivalent. We have a vibrant church that strives to be faithful.

Q. You would not disagree that American Catholics are going to still practice artificial contraception and divorce and disagree with the pope on various matters in large numbers?

A. No, I wouldn't say that.

Peter Steinfels offers his take on the cliched-media coverage in this article at the New York Times.

Plácido Domingo and Denyce Graves to be part of Papal Mass at Nationals Park

From a press release issued by the Archdiocese of Washington:

 

American opera star Denyce Graves and world-renowned tenor Plácido Domingo will sing at the Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI at

Nationals

on April 17.

Park

 

Mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves will sing “We are One in the Spirit” as Pope Benedict XVI is poised to walk onto the field just before the start of the 10 a.m. Mass. The 250-voice Papal Mass Choir, the 175-voice Children’s Choir and the entire assembly gathered in the stadium will join in singing with her.

 

“It is a simple but evocative call to worship,” said Tom Stehle, director of music for the Mass, of the song, “and one particularly fitted for this special Mass whose themes focus on the Spirit of God in our lives.” The song, approved by an archdiocesan committee and the

Vatican

, is arranged by Valeria Foster - a well-known

Washington

area interpreter of Gospel music.

 

Following communion Plácido Domingo will sing César Franck’s “Panis Angelicus” (translated as Bread of Angels.) A native of

Spain

, Domingo has sung 124 different roles – more than any other tenor in history and made well over 100 recordings. He is the recipient of nine Grammy Awards and two Latin Grammy Awards. Domingo spends much of his time in

Washington

for his job as General Director of the Washington National Opera, a position he has held since 2003.

 

Denyce Graves is a native of

Washington

,

D.C.

, where she attended the

Duke

for the Performing Arts. She continued her education

Ellington

School

 at Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and the New England Conservatory and is best known to operatic audiences for playing the title roles in Carmen and Samson et Dalila. She will sing the lead role in Carmen for the Washington National Opera in November.

 

Father Benedict on Pope Benedict

Father Benedict Groeschel, co-founder of New York's Franciscan Friars of Renewal spoke to a group of approximately 150 priests, brothers, and nuns this morning at the Institute on Religious Life National Meeting being held in Chicago. The photo is from the talk. While the two-part talk focused on the damage that modern psychology has done to religious life, and the importance of virtue, Father Benedict did offer some interesting asides related to the Pope's upcoming visit.

First, according to Father Benedict, Cardinal Edward Egan asked that representatives from the religious community be on-hand at the airport when the Pope arrives in New York. I didn't obtain the exact numbers, but it sounded as if at least 20 priests and brothers and many sisters from the community will be there to greet the Pope. Imagine all that gray along with the Pope's white.

Secondly, while Father Benedict didn't delve into what he thought the Pope might say while he's here, he did have one thing to say about the Pope's address to Catholic educators and Catholic college and university presidents at Catholic University of America.

"He's not going to give them roses," said Father Groeschel.

More on the Student-Designed Altar

NBC 4 has a report on the Catholic University of America architecture students who are designing the papal altar for the Mass in Washington, D.C. It doesn't add much more to the coverage we've already seen, but there was this nice addition:

The students milled the pope's coat of arms that will be inserted into the back of his chair. They also crafted the top of the altar. At Saint Joseph's Carpentry Shop in Poolesville, Deacon Dave Cahoon spent hundreds of hours turning Pennsylvania figured maple into the altar.

"I think the real thing for me, anyway, is just the honor of being asked to do this," Cahoon said. "Being a Catholic and building an altar is kind of like the highlight of my craft or my work."

"You know, for us, it's where the body and blood of Jesus comes into the world, and so it's where heaven meets earth," he said.

Students Who Will Get to See the Pope

ABC 7 Online reports that 18 students from the Bronx's St. Angela Merici Parish School have been invited to attend the youth rally taking place at St. Joseph's Seminary.

And this story, from last week, which I missed, is from the Philadelphia Inquirer. It tells of 21-year-old Aditya Vora who is one of five young adults who have been chosen to meet the Pope at the Inter-religious event taking place at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center. Vora will be present representing the Jain religion. He was chosen for peace work that he did on Long Island.

From the story: At the April 17 meeting, Vora will shake the pope's hand and give him a small metal cube, according to the Rev. James Massa, who helped organize the event.

The cube represents the Jain principles of nonviolence, truthfulness, tolerance of others' views, and never stealing or being swayed by materialism, Vora said. The ceremony is expected to last 10 to 15 minutes.

The Media Themes We've Seen So Far...

Let's recount the ways that the general media has so far covered the Pope and his upcoming visit. Generally, the media portrayals have fallen into these broad categories:

"He's coming to deliver a stern message"

"He's no JP II..."

"He's a mystery"

And

"He and the Church he represents is distant from most American Catholics"

Amy Welborn presents a manifesto on the subject in this post, saying:

"American press coverage of the papacy has had a single overriding theme for twenty-five years: the dissonance between what the Pope represents and the way American Catholics actually live their lives.

It’s worth talking about those who disagree with Pope Benedict. But it’s also worth, in the reporting of those differences, pushing those who disagree to account for the specifics of their reasoning, in the context of an understanding of what the role of the papacy actually is vis-a-vis Catholic teaching.

And it’s also worth - and perhaps pretty interesting - talking to those who are inspired by Pope Benedict and are learning from him: laity, religious, priests and bishops alike. Seminarians. Book-buyers. Internet-discussion participants.

I’m not saying there’s not a gap in understanding. There is.  But what’s lacking is an informed, critical examination of that gap, as well as a look at the other side - who’s buying all those Pope Benedict books…and why? Who are these people who are shifting their thinking on liturgy because of what they’re reading and seeing from Pope Benedict? There are Protestants who have appreciated Pope Benedict’s theological work for decades. Who are they and what do they appreciate in him?

Throw the old template away. It’s worn out and obscures more than it clarifies. Clean out the Rolodex and replenish it with new names. Tell us something we don’t already know.

That is, I think what it’s called, isn’t it?

News?

When I was working on research for my book "Young and Catholic: The Face of Tomorrow's Church," I first discovered the great truth in what Welborn's saying.

On one hand, I was confronted with all the media stories that portray young people as disassociated, disaffected, and disconnected with their faith; while on the other hand, at events such as World Youth Day and the March for Life, and local events throughout the country, I was confronted with the reality that there are a great many young people who are engaged in their faith. In my book, I attempted to share that great untold story - the "Good News" if you will - by interviewing hundreds of young adults and asking them what motivated them to live their faith "out loud."

The result: The book was completely ignored by the secular media. Yet, I'm not alone in sharing a story that's seldom explored. Colleen Carroll Campbell told a similar story in "The Young Faithful." Naomi Schaefer-Riley told it in "God on the Quad," and Dave Hartline tells it in his recent "The Tide is Turning Toward Catholicism." 

The Popemobile Cometh

Catholic News Service has a story about the arrival of the Popemobile, which will reach the U.S. two weeks before its famous occupant. According to CNS, the white, 2002 Mercedes-Benz has left the Vatican and will be delivered via air cargo.

Also from the story:

The Vatican has three popemobiles currently in use:
 
-- A four-month-old, open-topped Mercedes based on the company's G500-series sport utility vehicle, used almost exclusively in St. Peter's Square. The vehicle has an attachable, curved windshield that can protect the pope from rain and wind. Mercedes describes the color as "Vaticanmystic white."
 
-- Two closed, white popemobiles, which are modified versions of the Mercedes-Benz ML430 off-road vehicle. The "glass" top is a cube made of advanced, bulletproof plastic. Both vehicles feature a high seat so the pope can still be visible.
 
One of the ML430 models is being used for the U.S. trip, Gasbarri said.
 
An official in the Vatican motor pool said there really was not a choice to make between the two ML430s since "one is in the repair shop."
 
Mercedes-Benz originally delivered one of the vehicles with a "mother of pearl" tint, but the Vatican decided it was too gray, and so repainted it, the motor pool official said.

My question: Do they need someone to drive it from Washington, D.C. to New York City? Where do I sign up?

 

The Buzz about "Benedict of Bavaria"

DeSales University professor and author Brennan Pursell has been making the media rounds regarding his  new book - "Benedict of Bavaria: An Intimate Portrait of the Pope and His Homeland."

It couldn't have been released at a better time, considering Pope Benedict's arrival in the U.S. in three weeks. Pursell has been a guest on Sirius Satellite Radio and will be a guest on Relevant Radio, Catholic Answers, the Bishop's Hour, KVSS and others over the coming days and weeks. The book is also being featured in the National Catholic Register, Our Sunday Visitor, and The Catholic Answer.

Word from the author is that Father Bernard O'Connor, president at Pursell's university is going to try to present a copy to the Pope, through Father David O'Connell, at the Catholic University of America presentation...that is if he can slip past Secret Service.

 

Writer Hugh McNichol saw the galleys for the book and had this to say:

"This significant work on the complex developments of Joseph Ratzinger’s life from his birth in Bavaria to the Chair of Saint Peter in Rome portrays not only the personality of the pope, but also the dynamics of the man.

The intense intellectual ability of the Pope is pointed out in this book. However, the ability of Benedict XVI to be a source of personal affection and closeness are not forgotten either. After one reads this work, perhaps the world will finally have a deeply felt and spiritual portrait of Benedict XVI that has been misunderstood for so long."

Perhaps all those who find Benedict a "mystery" would do well to invest in a copy of this book.

"Benny Bear"

We've reported on this previously, but Fox News New York has a story on the "Benny Bear" - a bear with a commemorative T-shirt that's being made available as a souvenir of the Pope's U.S. visit. The bears are being made available through Build-A-Bear Workshop. You'll find a video story here. Expect the papal merchandisers to be out in full force.

Tickets in the Diocese of Rockville Centre

Newsday has reported that the Diocese of Rockville Centre will be receiving 1,000 tickets for the Mass at Yankee Stadium, and that the Diocese received 13,000 requests for those tickets, which will be distributed by a lottery system.

The article highlights the level of security for the Mass. In addition to going through security pre-screening being handled by federal authorities, the article says that Mass-goers will have to go through screening before they board buses for the Mass.

How Might Benedict's Visit Influence the Election?

The Star-Ledger is one of the first secular publications to publish an article that I'm sure we're likely to see more of - highlighting how the pope's trip might influence the election, coming as it does on the eve of the Pennsylvania primaries.

They're not alone.

Catholic News Agency ran this article 16 days ago. The article says: "Catholics could compose up to one third of voters in the important April 22 election.

Exit polls from past presidential primary elections indicate that Catholics have preferred New York Senator Hillary Clinton to Illinois Senator Barack Obama by a margin of up to 65 percent.  Even the majority of Catholic Democrats in Senator Obama’s home state of Illinois voted for Senator Clinton."

The mistake that both articles make is that neither separate out for practicing versus non-practicing Catholics - a distinction that means a great deal when dealing with polls and surveys.

The Star-Ledger article attempts to be balanced in its approach, but gives Fr. Thomas Reese more print (five paragraphs) than Fr. Richard Neuhaus (one paragraph). I'd be interested in readers' take on the article. Does it provide clarity or confusion?

Says the Star-Ledger,  "And while no one believes the pope will speak directly about the presidential election during his visit, the tone and focus of his speeches could help influence millions of Catholic voters, many of whom live in key swing states such as Ohio, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, which holds its primary next month."

Tim Graham of the Media Research Center predicted this when he told me a couple of weeks back, “The media sitting in their newsrooms are worried about, in this election year, what effect the Pope’s visit can have on Obama’s or McCain’s campaign,” said Graham. “They don’t understand the Sacraments, theological principles, or Scripture. They see the Catholic Church coming to ruin stem cell research, or end abortion. But the people in the pews aren’t coming to see Pope Benedict for the politics; they’re coming for the Eucharist and to honor this great theologian.”

Thomas Peters, over at AmericanPapist offers his commentary on the need people feel to link the Pope with politics. He rightly calls such coverage a "fool's quest."

Peters links to articles by various pundits, offering their take on what candidates might do while Pope Benedict is in town. His links include:

- An article at InsideCatholic by Robert Reilly commenting on what Senator McCain might do.
- An article from America by Michael Sean Winters commenting on what Senator Clinton might do.
- An endorsement from former Catholic University of America Law School dean Douglas Kmiec for Barrack Obama.
- A refutation of Kmiec's argument by Deacon Keith Fournier at Catholic Online.

Defending the "Mystery Man" Headlines

An interesting debate, of sorts, has been taking place online regarding whether it's appropriate to describe Pope Benedict XVI as a "mystery man" or an "enigma."

It all started with the title of Gary Stern's well-balanced article, which was reprinted in USA Today - "Benedict a Mystery after 3 Years as Pope."

In response to that article, bloggers such as Christopher Blosser, Amy Welborn and Carl Olson cried "foul," saying that he's hardly a mystery for those who attempt to get to know him. The folks at GetReligion then noted, and entered, the discussion.

In their "Pondering the Pope" post, they wrote: "It is this ability to listen from start to finish that is really separating the press corps between the men and the boys. Those who don’t have the facility to listen to Benedict’s complete thoughts are the ones who write the laughably bad stories. Those who are paying attention are able to grasp the full impact of his views."

After receiving some complaints, Stern wrote a reasoned response in defense of why he called the Pope a "mystery." He sees it as neither negative nor derogatory.

"The main point: When talking to Catholics over the last few months, it became clear to me that many people don’t know what to make of Pope Benedict," writes Stern. "It’s not that they’re critical of him. Or overly supportive.

Most people don’t have the time or interest to following papal happenings closely in the Catholic press—what the pope is writing or saying. And this pope is not nearly as prone to the grand gesture as was John Paul II. You have to pay attention to get a sense of what he is about."

There are many, suggests Stern, who haven't paid much attention to Benedict since his election in April 2005.

And Catholic News Service editor, Jim Lackey, wrote in defense of their use of the term "enigma" in the comment boxes, saying that they used the term specifically with reference to non-Christians.

"For many non-Christians, Pope Benedict is an enigma, a man who has visited a mosque and prayed toward Mecca with his Muslim host, yet who repeatedly speaks about the need to proclaim Christ as the unique savior for all people." (From "Scholar, pastor, enigma: German pope defies easy caricature," CNS 2/15/08)

I agree that "for those of us in the Catholic world, he's no mystery" and that many journalists have botched their profile stories on him," wrote Lackey. "But when 17 percent of Americans have never even heard of Pope Benedict (from the poll released yesterday by Carl Anderson), it's not too hard to believe, as our story said, that millions of Americans simply don't know who he is."

So, summarizing the kerfuffle (if we can even describe it as that), the Pope is a "mystery" or an "enigma" to many non-Christians, and those non-Catholics and Catholics who haven't paid much attention to him over the last three years.

Perhaps those of us who work in the Catholic press - and can recall the headlines from the Pope's election - are sensitive to such characterizations. We're always suspect of the way that a headline can characterize a person or a reader's perception of that person.

Update: Kudos to Christopher Blosser who not only provides a response, but also provides the facts on the popularity of Benedict's books, and the increased number of visitors he has received in Rome.

Others have contributed their thoughts to the conversation as well, whether intentionally or not. Delia Gallagher has a piece at Our Sunday Visitor, where she points out that while the personalities of the popes are different, their message is the same.

Sheila Liaugminas over at her InForum Blog has weighed in on the conversation. Liaugminas writes:

"The headline is a giveaway. They don’t know Benedict still, never did, and always held the image of him as the Vatican’s “doctrinal hardliner”, which I recall vividly from all the reporting in the first days of his election to the papacy.

It’s the media’s responsibility to practice sound and truthful journalism, to do their homework and when that requires some extra reading and study and background research, then do that and be prepared to not put Pope Benedict into soundbites. Like they did with his Regensburg address."

Here's why writers might want to use caution in how they describe the Pope. The American Muslim has taken the USA Today headline and used it as its opening salvo in an article examining Benedict, who it describes as "confusing" and "mysterious."

Finally, Sister Mary Ann Walsh, director of the Office of Media Relations for the USCCB, squarely hits the nail on the head over at the USCCB Papal Visit blog site when she writes:

"One of the best things to come from Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the United States will be that people will get to know him. There's a lack of awareness of who he is for three reasons: He follows Pope John Paul II, who revolutionized the papacy. Before his election, the papacy had basically been a stay-at-home job. When John Paul with his fine stage presence set out globe-trotting, he captured the world's imagination. With telecommunications, John Paul took the office public as no one before him. His is a hard act to follow.

Pope Benedict's 24 years in his previous job typecast him....Many made up their mind about him before his election."

Good News: Receiving Our Assignments

Well, official word arrived today from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, who were handling the credentialing. It looks like the National Catholic Register will have access to most of the major events during the Pope's visit, aside from the Interreligious Gathering at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center, the Ecumenical Prayer Service at St. Joseph Catholic Church, the Mass for Clergy and Religious at St. Patrick's Cathedral, and the visit to Ground Zero. It looks like we may have to find other alternatives for covering those events.

Other Register writers will be covering the Pope's visit to the White House, the Pope's U.N. address, the Rally with Seminarians and Young People, and the departure ceremony.

Here are the events that I will personally be covering:
Tuesday, April 15
4:00 p.m. - Arrival at Andrews Air Force Base

Wednesday, April 16
5:00 p.m. - Vespers and Address to U.S. Bishops at the National Shrine

Thursday, April 17
10:00 a.m. - Mass at Nationals Park (I may be attending this event as a participant, rather than with the media pool)

Update:  5:00 p.m. It appears I may be attending the speech at Catholic University of America.

Saturday, April 19
4:30 p.m. - Blessing of Youth with Disabilities at St. Joseph Seminary

Sunday, April 20
2:30 p.m. - Mass at Yankee Stadium

Given the large Vatican press corps (40), the papal entourage (30), and the national television broadcasters who always receive preference, we were afraid that we would be shut-out from many of the events, so we're delighted that we'll have access to as many as we have. Recall that credentialing was handled in such a way as to limit each reporter to covering only one event each day. John Norton, editor at Our Sunday Visitor, reports that the USCCB's media coordinators awarded spaces to 1,141 news outlets for the visit.

Thomas Peters, over at the American Papist blog, has received his assignments as well.

D.C. Ticket Delays

I've learned through a diocesan chancery source that because Nationals Park is not yet fully operational, there have been some delays regarding the actual seat numbering for the Pope's Mass in Washington, D.C., and in the printing of the tickets. As a result, the tickets have not yet been sent from the stadium authorities to the Archdiocese. The Archdiocese plans to distribute the tickets during the week of March 31, meaning that most diocesan offices will receive and distribute them in as little as two weeks prior to the Mass.

Attendees are being encouraged to arrive at the stadium between 6:00-7:00 a.m. either by Metro or shuttle bus from RFK Stadium or downtown D.C. as there will be hardly any parking at the park. The Metro will open at 5:00 a.m. The Navy Yard Metro stop (Green Line) is one block from the entrance to Nationals Park.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be available at the park beginning at 6:00 a.m.

Prior to the Mass, there will be three hours of entertainment.

Sirius Gets Serious about Papal Coverage

On the heels of the news that Sirius Satellite and XM Satellite Radio will be allowed to merge...Sirius Satellite Radio has announced its channel lineup today for its coverage of the Pope's visit to the U.S. One wonders if the merger will take pre- or post- papal visit?  Here are the details on Sirius' Papal Visit coverage:

- Sirius 119 will be the Papal Archives Channel. It will showcase historic speeches from Pope John Paul II and Pope Paul VI, plus some of the earliest known recordings of a Pope - from Pope Leo XIII (circa 1902).

- Sirius 159, The Catholic Channel, will provide 24-hour coverage of the current Papal visit.

- Sirius 143, Papal Playback, will rebroadcast key events from the Papal visit.

The Papal Archives Channel will air Monday, April 14 through Sunday, April 20 exclusively on SIRIUS channel 119, showcasing rare archival recordings of Masses and speeches from historic Papal Visits – which will include Pope John Paul II’s visits to the U.S. in 1979, 1987 and 1995 and Pope Paul VI's visit to the U.S. in 1965. SIRIUS listeners will also hear the earliest known audio of a Pope’s voice, an extremely rare recording of Pope Leo XIII, the Holy Father from 1878-1903, singing Ave Maria at the Vatican circa 1902.

The Papal Archives Channel will be one of three SIRIUS channels dedicated to Papal coverage when Pope Benedict XVI makes his historic visit to the U.S. from April 15 – 20 and is a production of SIRIUS’ The Catholic Channel, SIRIUS 159, which is the flagship station for coverage of the first visit to the U.S. by a Pope since 1999, broadcasting all the major Papal events and hourly updates with the latest news and information on the Pope’s activities during his visit.  Additionally, Papal Playback, SIRIUS 143, will offer re-broadcasts of key moments and events from Pope Benedict’s current trip, allowing listeners multiple chances to hear his Masses and public addresses.

 

Other historic recordings featured on The Papal Archives Channel will include:

• Pope Paul VI addressing the United Nations on October 4, 1965 
• Pope John Paul II addressing the UN on October 2, 1979

From Pope John Paul II’s 1987 visit:

• Address to Jewish Leaders in Miami, Fla. 
• Mass at Tamiami Park, Miami
• Address to African American Catholics at the Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, La.
• Youth Rally, Louisiana Superdome
• Address from the balcony of St. Mary’s Basilica, Phoenix, Ariz.
• Inter-religious meeting at the Japanese Cultural Center, Los Angeles, Calif.
• Address to U.S. bishops, Los Angeles, Calif.
• Mass at Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles
• Address to the laity at St. Mary’s Cathedral, San Francisco, Calif.
• Mass at Candlestick Park, San Francisco
• Address to Permanent Diaconate at Hart Plaza, Detroit, Mich. 
• Farewell address, “Ultimate test of your greatness…”

From Pope John Paul II’s 1995 visit:

• Welcome address at Newark International Airport, Newark, NJ
• Address to the United Nations, New York
• Homily at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
• Homily at Aqueduct Racetrack,  Ozone Park, NY
• Homily at Central Park, NY
• Homily at Oriole Park, Baltimore, Md.

 

Details on the Pope's Ecumenical Service in N.Y.

The New York Sun has a story about the Pope's upcoming visit to the German-speaking parish, St. Joseph's Catholic Church. Pope Benedict XVI will be leading an ecumenical prayer service at the parish on April 18. According to archdiocesan spokesman Joseph Zwilling, the Pope will hold the prayer service and then meet briefly with the Church leaders. The story provides some interesting historical background on the church.

According to the story:

"One of the reasons Cardinal Egan invited the Holy Father, who was born in Germany, to St. Joseph's is that we offer a German mass," the church's pastor, Monsignor John Sullivan, said. The prayer service led by the pope next month will be in English, however.

St. Joseph's has the historical distinction of being a German national parish; in the early 20th century, instead of delineating its parish neighborhood with traditional geographical boundaries, it did so culturally: It was open to any Roman Catholic of German descent, no matter where he or she lived in New York City.

WYD Already Inspiring Young People

World Youth Day is just over 100 days away, yet the event has already inspired young people in their faith. This story from Catholic News Agency recounts how young people have gathered - some in ecumenical groups - to perform Passion Plays and The Stations of the Cross in Australia.

From the story:

“The spirit of WYD has changed me,” said Maria Vu, a member in the Lockridge World Youth Day group of 42 young people. “I am inspired by other youth at school and in my parish who bear witness to our Catholic faith and our belief in Jesus. I know for sure in Sydney, I will be more aware about the universal Catholic Church in which we are all swept up in the love of Christ. I think WYD is a wonderful thing. It's something that gives life to the Church.”

Father Vinh Dong, the parish priest of Lockridge, said that the impact of the preparatory program for World Youth Day would continue “well beyond” the July event.

Americans Have an Overwhelmingly Favorable View of Pope Benedict

Just three weeks before his visit to the U.S., the Knights of Columbus have released the results of a survey conducted by the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion showing that Americans have an overwhelmingly positive view of Pope Benedict XVI. The complete survey results can be found at: www.kofc.org/un/cmf/resources/maristpoll.pdf. The Knights, like everyone else, have also unveiled their own papal visit website at: www.papaltrip.org.

Among the survey's findings:

- By a ratio of four and a half to one (58% to 13%), respondents said that they had a favorable or very favorable view of Pope Benedict.

- 65% of respondents had a favorable view of the Catholic Church.

- 42% of Americans said they would like to attend one of the Pope's public appearances while he is in the U.S