'No Darting Out After Communion Today'

Perhaps what was most surprising about the papal Mass at Yankee Stadium was what wasn’t present -- if there were protesters, I saw none; neither did I see peddlers on the streets outside trying to sell every “pope” item possible. I didn’t witness any loud or rowdy participants. People were peaceful and respectful; there was little to no talking during the Mass itself. Winds were such that it was possible to catch a whiff of incense from time to time. As they have been doing at papal events all week, several groups of Spanish-speaking participants began chanting, “Be-ne-dic-to! Be-ne-dic-to!” and “Al-le-lu-ia! Al-le-lu-ia!” They even tried to start the wave -- before Mass began.

There were a few single shouts of “Viva il Papa!” and one “I love you, Benedict!” loud enough for the whole stadium to hear. Those were met with loud applause and acknowledged with waves from the Pope.

During Cardinal Edward Egan’s welcoming remarks, he mentioned the celebration of the bicentennial anniversaries of four dioceses (New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Louisville, Ky.) and the elevation of the Diocese of Baltimore to an archdiocese. Though the number of cheers for New York far exceeded cheers for the other dioceses, Philadelphians seemed to cheer the loudest (and longest) from their block of seats.

A group from Chicago held up a banner that read, “Chicago Catholics (Heart) Pope Benedict” and another group from Texas held one saying, “Texas Loves Pope Benedict.” Those seated around me sang the hymns and anthems and followed the Mass from their programs. Someone remarked, “Bet there’s no one heading out the doors after Communion today!” Indeed, there wasn’t.

There was a good mix of young and old in attendance. I spotted countless young seminarians throughout the stadium. One a few rows up from where I was sitting could be heard on his cell phone excitedly telling his friend, “Dude! I got into Yankee Stadium!”

The two times the crowd interrupted Benedict’s homily to applaud were after he mentioned “those among us who are most vulnerable … the unborn” and when he addressed seminarians, encouraging them in their vocations.

-- Tina Dennelly