Strength in 'Poorness'

I'm a little late blogging on the Mass at St. Patrick's earlier today. Better late than never? I hope so. Three quick observations.

1. One thing that struck me from the "press box" (okay, the folding chairs in front of a side altar with an obstructed view of the main altar) was the number of vociferous, almost rowdy, rounds of applause and cheers that went up for the Pope. After all, this was a cathedral full of priests and nuns. I didn't count, but the communicants must have communicated their love for the Holy Father at least a dozen times. One warm welcome for the entrance and another at the departure wouldn't have made me think twice. But the repetition of the roars did.

I wondered how Pope Benedict felt about the adulation. Not to mention the noise level. He's famously attentive to the real presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament wherever it's reserved, and famously insistent on reverence in (or just before, or just after) the liturgy. He's careful to make sure people understand that the celebrant isn't the star; Christ is. Even when the celebrant is Christ's vicar.

Well, guess what? He handled the development very deftly indeed. No, not deftly. Pastorally. At the close of Mass, in an apparently impromptu statement, he both warmly thanked his wowed and vowed "fans" -- and, with fatherly gentleness, reminded them whose shoes he wears.

In this moment I can only thank grace for your love of the Church, for the love of Our Lord and that you give your love also to the poor successor of St. Peter. I will do all that is possible to be a (worthy) successor of the great St. Peter, who also was a man with his faults and sins, but he remains finally the rock for the Church. And so also I, with all my poorness -- spiritual [poorness] -- can be, with the grace of the Lord in this time, the successor of Peter. And with your prayers, your love will give me the certainty that the Lord will help me in this, my ministry.

So I am so deeply thankful for your love, for your prayer, and my answer in this moment to all what you have given to me in this moment and this visit is my blessing at the end of the Holy Mass.

Amen, Holy Father. And Amen again.

Or, as the priests and nuns chanted while the Pope exited: BEN-E-DI-TO! BEN-E-DI-TO!

2. What a scene to step into after Mass, the hordes of humankind queued up behind police cordons for just a glimpse of this man of "spiritual poorness." It seemed the whole of Manhattan turned out to form one long, serpentine line. The view from inside the cordons = a sight I'll never forget. Anyway, I decided to get a few quick quotes from some young priests and religious walking along at about my pace. What, I wanted to know, did celebrating Mass with the Holy Father -- in English, in America -- mean to you?

"I've never  been to Rome but he brought Rome to us a little bit here in the United States," a young member of the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration in Mishawaka, Ind., told me. "This really, I'm sure, inspires a lot of people to follow the faith more closely and with greater fidelity. Seeing our Holy Father inspires us so much." Were the ovations a distraction from the sacrament at hand? "Well, having the whole Body of Christ here -- complete with our head, priests, religious, lay people -- everybody's here but we're all centered in Christ and in the Eucharist. I was thinking about that at Mass. Everyone was united spiritually in this spot right now but Christ is always here; we have him always. It's amazing, the fullness."

Father Sean Timmerman, ordained five years ago in the Diocese of Lincoln, Neb., said the experience was "a tremendous opportunity, and just very special knowing that we could celebrate with the Holy Father. It's always nice to go to Rome but this was special, having him come to our home." (I got the sense Father Timmerman was a man of few words. His beaming comportment filled in the blanks.)

And a young priest from the Philippines who's in New York for studies put it like this: "When you are inside a church with the Pope, it's really an awesome experience. I cannot explain it. It's the mystery of God's presence in us. It's really wonderful to have this kind of experience in which each one of us is an instrument of God's love. Now we have to communicate that love to the world."

(BTW, the text of the Holy Father's memorable St. Pat's homily, from whose script he did not veer, is here.)

3. Remember the question I raised a few days ago about the "interior struggle" Catholic journalists sometimes experience when covering big Church events like papal Masses? The whole Am I here as a Catholic or as a journalist thing? Well, I now admit what a dumb question that was from the get-go. (Then, too, if you can't hash out a dumb question on a blog, where can you take it?) What settled the matter for me was recognizing, and introducing myself to, a writer I very much admire and respect, Peggy Noonan, before this Mass. I repeated the question and asked her -- klutzily, with an inappropriate specificity that probably alarmed the poor woman (D'oh! Guess I've gotten a little rusty on the ol' field-reporting skills) -- whether or not she would be receiving Communion. "Oh, absolutely," she said. "Absolutely."

Question closed. Promise.

-- David Pearson

Liturgical Critiques

Tom Hoopes here. Lots of people are commenting on the liturgy at Nationals Stadium. To those who have been reading Pope2008.com (see "Liturgies") nothing in the liturgy was much of a surprise.

But the concern is understandable, given what Msgr. Guido Marini, the new papal Master of Ceremonies said:

"I hope the liturgical celebrations presided over by the Holy Father may be an example and also provide an orientation for the church in the United States."

It's important to note that Msgr. Marini was not here recommending papal stadium Masses as a model for your parish. He was speaking of Pope Benedict's Rome liturgies.

It will, however, be interesting to see Pope Benedict XVI celebrate Mass in a church this weekend. Will it be a Msgr. Marini Mass, or a Mass in which participating dioceses get to show off their pride and joy?

The Body of Christ at Nationals Park

Tom Hoopes here. I'm down at the priest's checkpoint area. Rows of priests are lining up to receive ciboriums. Then they stream out into the stadium holding the Body of Christ in the vessels in their hands. It's an awesome sight.

One doesn't know whether to kneel or bow or genuflect. One heartening sight is the vendors standing idly by their shops. No food is allowed to be sold during the time of the hourlong Eucharistic fast before Communion. This caused some consternation in the press booth where only water is available.

But sorry folks, you're in Our House now.

Listening to Peter

Tom Hoopes here. A very attentive crowd is sitting, listening to the Holy Father's homily. The only movement is from the security guys.

His message is that unity becomes many, not the other way around. The unity of Pentecost led to evangelization, the Church going out into new places, including the United States. Secularation then set in, and caused divisions and isolation. Now he wants to call us to unity -- through evangelization.

Division means smallness, ironically. Unity means expansion.

He's reviving many concepts on this trip that John Paul initiated but which he has not mentioned as often. On the plane: The Great Jubilee of the Church in America. Yesterday: The new springtime of the faith. Today: The New Evangelization.

Beautiful.

The Pope's Homily at Nationals Park: Return to the Sacrament of Penance

"In the exercise of my ministry as the Successor of Peter, I have come to America to confirm you, my brothers and sisters, in the faith of the Apostles," said Pope Benedict XVI in his homily at Mass this morning at Nationals Park. "I have come to proclaim anew, as Peter proclaimed on the day of Pentecost, that Jesus Christ is Lord and Messiah, risen from the dead, seated in glory at the right hand of the Father, and established as judge of the living and the dead."

"The readings of today's Mass invite us to consider the growth of the Church in America as one chapter in the greater story of the Church's expansion... I pray, then, that this significant anniversary in the life of the Church in the United States, and the presence of the Successor of Peter in your midst, will be an occasion for all Catholics to reaffirm their unity in the apostolic faith, to offer their contemporaries a convincing account of the hope which inspires them, and to be renewed in missionary zeal for the extension of God's Kingdom.

The world needs this witness! Who can deny that the present moment is a crossroads, not only for the Church in America but also for society as a whole? It is a time of great promise, as we see the human family in many ways drawing closer together and becoming ever more interdependent. Yet at the same time we see clear signs of a disturbing breakdown in the very foundation of society: signs of alienation, anger and polarization on the part of many of our contemporaries; increased violence; a weakening or the moral sense; a coarsening of social relations; and a growing forgetfulness of God."

Pope Benedict called upon the power of the Holy Spirit for a renewal of the Church in the U.S.

Again, the Holy Father took up the subject of the pain which the Church in America has experienced as a result of sexual abuse.

Here, he also took up, for the first time the subject of the sacrament of reconciliation, particularly its decline in our country.

"Let us trust in the Spirit's power to inspire conversion, to heal every wound, to overcome every division, and to inspire new life and freedom. How much we need these gifts! And how close at hand they are, particularly in the sacrament of Penance! The liberating power of this sacrament, in which our honest confession of sin is met by God's merciful word of pardon and peace, needs to be rediscovered and reappropriated by every Catholic. To a great extent, the renewal of the Church in America depends on the renewal of the practice of penance and the growth in holiness which that sacrament both inspires and accomplishes."

-- Tim Drake

The Pope Is Here!

Tom Hoopes here.

And Pope Benedict XVI, now, too.

His Popemobile is rounding the outfield. Waves of fluttering flags indicate his progress. The crowds are on their feet waving, cheering, and applauding.

Heck, the crowds of priests in white robes are applauding and cheering, also.

In the press box, the radio guys are revving up. Their deep resonant voices are talking about this "ballpark turned into an open-air cathedral on this beautiful sunny day."

Hey, wait! It's working! The papal media dynamic that always happens: The negativity followed by the surprised positive joy.

The radio guys are saying, "We don't see a crowd jaded or cyncical. We don't see a crowd turned off to the Pope's message. We see a crowd alive with excitement."

The Holy Father is back in the outfield, having made the full circle. Excuse me while I join the hymn.

"Holy God we praise thy name .."

Meet Michael Hertl

Tom Hoopes here. With Michael Hertl of the German bishops' conference. He's based in Frankfurt.

Notice the following aspects of the picture taken with his iPod camera thingy.

1. The Benedict of Bavaria book, which I can no longer read because I gave my copy to my old classmate Delia Gallagher who is doing stuff with CNN. I promise I haven't been posting about it simply for self-promotion (Circle Press, who publishes it, is a fellow Circle Media operation). I was posting from it because it's good stuff. But I gave it to Delia for self-promotion.

2. Also notice the Vatican flag Gus Lloyd at Sirius Catholic Channel gave me, so that I have seven now -- which is lucky, because I have seven children, and one of them would have been grumpy either now, or when she is old enough to develop the awareness that I dissed her.

3. In the upper right, see the shattered glass pane that is near our seat, but which looks like a 1970s Church window.

Shhh! Take your seats. Word is the Pope is about to show up ...

Filling Up

Tom Hoopes here. The stands are filling up. Here's what it looks like from the Sirius box. I'm trying to post pictures while I have Gus' camera and cable ...

Morning at the Ballpark Vatican

Tom Hoopes here. This morning, I  headed out early to the ballpark. I was walking with Patrick Novecosky of Legatus, an ethnically Polish guy who was a big fan of John Paul II. I ask him if it's hard to accept a non-Polish pope and he says No. But his eyes say Yes.

We walk down the row into the the ballpark, past the pro-lifers who are out in force. They're passing out stickers that quote Benedict saying: "Defend Life!" I want to start passing out signs that said "Another Pro-Abortion Relativist for Benedict" just to see how people handle the situation.

But it was a joy to walk through the excited atmosphere. A big screen television shows a Gospel choir singing their hearts out for Jesus. A Mexican guy with a guitar and an amp is singing his heart out, too. In heavily accented English, he is singing, "We luh-uh-v you, Holy Father; Alleluia, alle-loo!"

My head was full of media reports last night. All the "deep shame" and "too little, too late" stuff that acted as if the horror of the abuse crisis was the one and only story about the Catholic Church in our time.

But here, no one is focused on shame, outrage, regret or self-consciously avoiding the same. It feels exactly like a ballpark St. Peter's Square. Herds of regular folk are walking with a spring in their step to an event in a stadium, squinting at the concession stands to find the balance between what they are willing to pay and what they are willing to eat. This is a Catholic crowd. It's a crowd of families, fresh-faced professional women, scruffy grinning guys, old ladies glowing with delight, Colombians, Salvadoran immigrants, beaming monsignors and random priests, deacons and bishops, all lining up to cheer on the same home team.

On Popes Dining Alone

Much ridiculous commentary last week centered on the fact that Pope Benedict would not be attending a White House dinner held in his honor on Wednesday. As I said then, it was a non-story.

Hugh McNichol provides some of the background on the protocol regarding papal dining.

"The fact that the Holy Father does not dine in public is often an issue that is more deeply rooted in traditions associated with a monarchial papacy," writes McNichol. "John-Paul II during his papacy often dined with people outside of the well-insulated Papal Household, but he chooses always to be the polite host and not the guest at the table. Such is the same with the present Holy Father. One needs to understand that for Catholics, Benedict XVI is the embodiment of temporal and spiritual authority in the Church, and as a result, wherever he goes, he brings the presence of the Church with him. Popes until John-Paul II usually dined alone. Blessed John XXIII compared this unique aspect of papal behavior as something compared to being punished."

It's well known that Pope John Paul II frequently had other non-Vatican guests join him for lunch or dinner. It's been reported that Pope Benedict does not.

Yet, I could't help but think of the couple of times where the Pope will "dine" in public during his visit.

At Nationals Park and Yankee Stadium, Pope Benedict, surrounded by hundreds of bishops and priests, and tens of thousands of faithful Catholics will join together in the Supper of the Lamb. Pope Benedict will publicly break bread, and together, for all the world to see, they will take the Sacramental Presence of Jesus Christ - Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity into their very bodies. Now that's Communion!

During his December 22, 2005 Christmas Address to the Cardinals and members of the Roman Curia, Pope Benedict XVI had this to say about the Eucharist:

“It is moving for me to see how everywhere in the Church the joy of Eucharistic adoration is reawakening and being fruitful. In the period of liturgical reform, Mass and adoration outside it were often seen as in opposition to one another: it was thought that the Eucharistic Bread had not been given to be contemplated, but to be eaten, as a widespread objection claimed at that time. The experience of the prayer of the Church has already shown how nonsensical this antithesis was. Augustine had formerly said: “...No one should eat this flesh without first adoring it ... we should sin were we not to adore it.”

A Pope's Blessing

For those attending the two public Masses, the USCCB's Papal Visit Blog reports that Pope Benedict XVI will bless religious articles (rosaries, medals, crucifixes, etc.) brought by those attending the public Masses on April 17 and 20th.

According to the report, the Holy Father will bless some additional objects as well. As Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., he will bless the new cornerstone and tabernacle of Pope John Paul II High School in Arlington, Va., and the cornerstone of the new chapel of Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula, Calif.

At Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, the Holy Father will bless a cornerstone for the bicentennial garden of the Cathedral of St. Patrick and a crucifix for the chapel of St. John Neumann Seminary residence.

Who's that Man Beside the Pope?

Time's Jeff Israely has a mostly helpful article about the man who will be seen at the Pope's side throughout his visit - his personal secretary Monsignor Georg Gaenswein.

Writes Israely, "Like the pontiff, Gänswein is Bavarian by birth and an academic by training, with a doctorate in canon law. His impressive intellectual credentials notwithstanding, Gänswein is devoted to the administrative and ceremonial requirements of his current job. Though he tends to keep a low profile, the 51-year-old prelate did tell one Catholic newspaper last year a bit about a typical day in the papal apartment: he and the Pope begin with breakfast, often with one or two other staffers, and Gänswein prepares documents for the papal signature and lays out the list of upcoming appointments. The pair typically take a daily stroll together after lunch in the Vatican gardens."

Video of Papal Furnishings for D.C. Mass

Saturno tip to Thomas Peters for this video of the carpenter who has been working on the furnishings for the Papal Mass in Washington, D.C.

Priestly Stoles for the Papal Mass

Saturno tip to Christopher Blosser who brings us the link to the Fashion blog, where there for all eyes to see, is a first look at the white stoles that will be worn by the priests distributing Holy Communion at the Yankee Stadium Mass. Each stole is embroidered with "Benedict XVI, April 20, 2008".

The stole, says the site, is the primary emblem of ordained ministry, symbolizing the yoke of Christ.

These stoles were produced by Church outfitter, CM Almy, which was founded in New York City in 1892. Like so many who have been involved with this papal visit, Almy produced communion vessels and vestments for Pope John Paul II's Yankee Stadium Mass in 1979.

Papal Missal Now Online

There's no question, Pope Benedict XVI is breaking new ground. First, there was the unprecedented pre-visit video released by the Vatican. Today, the Vatican has posted all of the liturgical celebrations - Scripture, songs, and prayers - for the visit online. On a quick look-through, I was surprised at the level of detail it provides about what will be happening at each of the liturgical venues. It's worth spending some time looking at it. Perhaps that's why the Vatican decided to release it five days ahead of his arrival.

WWBW? and Appropriate Dress for Mass at the Ballparks

WWBW - What will Benedict wear?

Much has been made of the Pope's clothing, but this article from ABC 7 comments on appropriate dress at the Mass at the ballparks. In addition to his recommendation on clothing, Monsignor Bartholomew Smith says that the most appropriate title to use (in case you should meet the Pope) is "Your Holiness" or "Holy Father."

Forty-five thousand people will attend the papal mass which will take place at a sports venue, but experts say that doesn't mean you should dress like you're going to a ballgame.

"It's much as if you were meeting the President of the United States, or being invited to the White house, you would dress in business attire," said Monsignor Bartholomew Smith.

The Papal Chalice & Crucifix

Julia Duin also has a photograph (at left) of the chalice to be used by Pope Benedict XVI during the Mass at Nationals Park.

For those interested in things liturgical, you'll also be interested in this press release about the crucifix which is being moved for use at the baseball park. This comes courtesy of the Archdiocese of Washington.

The nearly 14-foot tall crucifix suspended above the altar of St. Mark Church in Hyattsville, Md. will be taken down from its thick airplane cables on Thursday to be moved to its temporary new home: Nationals Park baseball stadium. The crucifix was selected to form the backdrop for the April 17 Mass with Pope Benedict XVI. It will be removed from the church on Thursday, April 10 at 1:00 p.m.

Associated Builders, Inc. of Hyattsville will erect scaffolding at 1:00 p.m. to get the crucifix off its cables and safely to the ground. The crucifix is expected to come down at or after 1:30 p.m., depending on how long it takes to build the scaffold. It will be taken for inspection before being hung behind the altar at Nationals Park.

“This is an honor for our parish, to have the cross that hangs over our altar to hang over the altar during the Mass that Pope Benedict will be celebrating,” said Rev. John McKay, pastor of St. Mark parish, which serves a thriving bilingual community (English and Spanish.)

The Archdiocese of Washington undertook a search for a crucifix that would be large enough to be in scale with the 50-foot-square sanctuary and also moveable. The one in St. Mark’s was installed when the church was built in 1999. The cross was made of walnut by Buster Watkins of Barnesville, Md. The corpus, or body of Christ, was made by Statuary Church Products, Inc. of Poughkeepsie, NY and purchased through McKay Church Goods of Ohio.

Yankee Stadium Communion Distribution Safety Video

The Archdiocese of New York has released a 6-minute video explaining how Holy Communion will be distributed at Yankee Stadium. They are encouraging all those who are attending the Mass to watch the video, so that distribution can be safe, reverent, and timely. They've described it as their "Safety-First" video to help explain how they will distribute Holy Communion to 50,000 of the faithful in just under 15 minutes (at least that is the hope).

Keeping Track of Liturgical Logistics

Cindy Wooden of Catholic News Service has a great story on Monsignor Guido Marini, the papal Master of Ceremonies.

According to the article:

"Msgr. Marini, 43, did not plan every element of the five U.S. services, as he does with Vatican services, although he did make suggestions and did have veto power.
 
In an interview in early April, the monsignor said the readings, the prayers of the faithful, the music, and the readers and servers, for the most part, are those decided by the liturgy organizers in the archdioceses of Washington and New York, who coordinated their efforts with a representative of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops."

"A few small things were modified to reflect the liturgical attitudes of Pope Benedict," he said; they include a request that a crucifix be placed on the altar for eucharistic celebrations, that concelebrating priests be as close to the altar as possible and that the offertory gifts be limited to the bread, wine and charitable gifts."

Later, she addresses the issue of music.

"Msgr. Marini said the Vatican did not dictate the choice of music and hymns for the U.S. liturgies.
 
"The repertoire is rather vast," he said. "There will be Gregorian chant, polyphony and some hymns that are more popular in the American repertoire.
 
"I really like this variety of styles that has been prepared for the celebrations," he said."

And this...

"Msgr. Marini knows that changes in papal liturgies at the Vatican have been fueling speculation and heated discussions on Italian blogs and Web sites; he insists the increased use of older liturgical elements -- such as Gregorian chant and ancient vestments -- do not indicate a return to the past but rather reflect "development in continuity."
 
"In the liturgy, as in the life of the church itself, development in continuity should be visible," he said. "There are great riches, treasures that we have received, that we cannot forget, but this does not mean we oppose new developments."

Papal Mass Servers and Gift-Bearers

The Archdiocese of Washington released information this morning on some of those who will be serving and bringing up the gifts during the Mass in D.C. The servers include:

Deacon Mark Ivany, 30, is a seminarian at Immaculate Conception Seminary in South Orange, N.J. His father is a retired Army General and Mark hopes to someday become an Army Chaplain. He will be ordained a priest for the archdiocese in June 2008. He hails from Washington, D.C. and earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Merrimack College in North Andover, Mass., where he played lacrosse. Before joining the seminary, he worked as a legislative correspondent and a personal assistant in the U.S. Senate. He will participate in the papal Mass as a deacon.

Yolanda Bolaños is a native of El Salvador, who came to the U.S. 26 years ago as a student. She has worked for the Archdiocese of Washington in the Office of Hispanic Ministry for more than 20 years. She was going to stay in the job for six months but found she enjoyed working the growing immigrant population in the archdiocese so much that she decided to stay. “I had the same problems that new arrivals have now, like getting a green card, not speaking the language and finding it hard to integrate, so this work means a lot to me” she said.  Yolanda also volunteers at various agencies in the area, helping Hispanic immigrants complete their citizenship applications. Nearly one-third of Catholics in the Archdiocese are of Hispanic descent. Yolanda will give the scripture reading in Spanish.

Valencia Camp, a Washington native, now lives in Capitol Heights, Md. She is a budget officer for a federal agency and a lector at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington. She has three younger brothers, all of whom were altar servers at the Basilica. She is a 1976 graduate of Immaculata Preparatory School in Washington and a 1990 graduate of Randolph-Macon Women's College in Ashland, Va. Valencia will give the scripture reading in English.

Dr. Hector Asunsio has been a member of St. Francis

has been a member of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Derwood, Md. for over 20 years.  He was born in the Philippines where he attended the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, a Catholic university. He began practicing medicine in the U.S. in 1969, and is known to take care of all the priests at his parish when they are sick. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus. He and his wife have four children. Hector will serve as a petition reader in the Filipino language of Tagalog at the Mass.

The following are some of the gift bearers in the Mass, who will bring the bread to the altar for consecration:

• A four-generation family who all attend Our Lady’s Church at Medley’s Neck in Leonardtown, Md.: Jack Holly, 89, and Elizabeth Holly, 88, have been married for 69 years. They attend Mass at least three times a week. Their granddaughter, Janet Wright and her husband, Kevin Wright will also serve in the Mass. "I am lost for words and so honored," said Janet. Their daughter, Amber Wright, 7, carries up the gifts every week at Mass for her church.  Mom Janet has ordered a special dress for Amber to wear to the papal Mass as a surprise.

• Megan Lehnerd, from Crownville, Md., is a senior at George Washington University majoring in public health. For the past two years, she served as president of GWU’s Newman Catholic Student Center, where she started a fundraising committee and directed community service projects in Washington. After graduation, she plans to work with the homeless through Americorps in Colorado.  Megan said she is honored and “excited that youth are being involved in the Mass."

• Theresa Travis, 77, became blind at age 34 but it hasn't held her back. She raised three children and obtained a master’s degree in mental health counseling.  She has won numerous awards and worked for many years at the Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind as Director of Rehabilitation. Now retired, she still serves the disabled as an advisor to the DC Center for Independent Living. She has six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. She is honored to take part in Mass, she said. “When you think about the millions of people who would like to be there, it’s a nice thought that I will be part of it,” she said. She is a member of St. Gabriel’s Parish in Washington, DC.

The Music in New York

We've blogged about the music in D.C. and NY previously, but this story from NY1 profiles St. Patrick's Cathedral music director, Dr. Jennifer Pascual, who is overseeing the music at Yankee Stadium.

From the story: “So there was one day in October where we sat down for several hours and just listened to a lot of CDs,” said Pascual. Since Pope Benedict is German, we were all trying to lean towards some classical German music, so we're doing a lot of Brahms and Schubert and Mozart.”

As Dr. Pascual plans and coordinates all of the music of the pope's visit, there's an added pressure because the pope himself is a musician.

“He's a pianist. So is our archbishop and so am I,” said Pascual. “So it's kind of tricky to try to figure out what he likes. You read the newspapers, you listen to the news and everything and we all have heard that Mozart is his favorite composer, so we have to make sure to get Mozart in there.”

Priests and the Pope

NY1 has an interesting story that provides the perspective of two New York priests on the Pope and his visit. Some of their comments seem to corroborate what I was trying to say in my post on describing the Pope.

From the article:

"While both agree John Paul had a profound ability to touch people and raise spirits, they disagree with criticism that Pope Benedict is dry and more remote. They prefer to see him as a great intellectual.

"Pope Benedict is a theologian and he's much more focused in on creed," explained Cush. "He's much more focused in on morality, perhaps than even John Paul II."

It's inevitable, I suppose that folks seek to compare Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, considering their close relationship with one another for so many years.

Yet, just as our Heavenly Father doesn't create two souls who are alike, neither does He create two Popes who are alike. He always chooses the pontiff who is just right for the Church's particular time and place in history. During Pope John Paul II's pontificate, much was made of his being from a country in the East that had experienced the ravages of World War II. Pope Benedict, on the other hand, comes from a country in the West that not only also experienced the ravages of World War II, but was also the aggressor. That gives him a unique perspective on Europe, in particular, and he hasn't hidden the fact that he sees as part of his mission the calling of Europe back to its Christian roots, and that this is also at the heart of his selection of the name "Benedict."

Sandro Magister, writing at Chiesa, offers the America of Benedict as a role model for Europe.

Exclusive: First Look at D.C. Stage

Susan Gibbs, Archdiocese of Washington director of communications provided some images that give us the first look at what the stage will look like at Nationals Park. At left you can see an artist's rendering of the stage provided by Showcall, the producers for the Mass.

The second photo, taken inside the stadium shows the point-of-view from the ground level.

Finally, at left is one of the bus ads that the Archdiocese is running.  It's a quote from Pope Benedict that reads: "One Who Has Hope Lives Differently." Click on the images to see larger versions of them.

-- Tim Drake

Yankee Stadium Mass Furnishings

Whereas the altar, chair, and lectern for the Mass at Nationals Park was designed by CUA architecture students and is being manufactured specifically for the event, that's not the case for the Mass at Yankee Stadium. This afternoon I spoke with Archdiocese of New York spokesman, Joe Zwilling, to inquire whether any images or artwork are available of any of the furnishings that will be used at the Yankee Stadium Mass. Zwilling wasn't aware of any.

"We're bringing things from many different places," Zwilling told me. "There's a lot of movement going on."

He said, for example, that a papal chair that is currently in Cardinal Edward Egan's residence is most likely going to be used at St. Patrick's Cathedral and at the events at Yorkville. He did not think that the same chair would be used at the Mass at Yankee Stadium.

Meanwhile, the USCCB papal blog posted a first look at the official Papal Missal that will be used at all of the liturgical events while the Pope is in the U.S. (The photo is at left).

 

--Tim Drake

D.C. Choir Details and Challenges

The Miami Herald provides this story with lots of interesting details about the D.C. Papal Mass choir's preparations.

This section, in particular, is filled with several fascinating details:

This Mass presents some unique challenges, however.

For instance, Stehle was concerned that choir members would not be able to hear the full sound of the group in the stadium, where there are no walls or a ceiling for the music to reflect off. To compensate, he devised an unusual seating arrangement.

In most choirs, all the sopranos sit together as a section, and likewise for the altos, tenors and basses. In Stehle's arrangement, smaller groups of sopranos are interspersed with smaller groups of altos, tenors and basses. The hope is that the arrangement will help each singer hear the whole choir.

That arrangement has its own challenges, as singers must be able to carry their parts without relying on those around them. It also complicates communication. At the start of the rehearsal, Stehle explained that if he signals to one group of sopranos, then all the sopranos should take it as their cue, regardless of where they are sitting.

Will it work? "The proof of the pudding is in the eating," Stehle said with a smile.

The test won't come until the day before the April 17 Mass, when the choir will have its only opportunity to rehearse in the stadium.

The music itself is challenging, many of the singers said.

"We don't sing anything younger than 150 years old at our church," said Susan England, music director at Our Lady's Church at Medley's Neck, who also is singing alto in the papal Mass choir.

The story ends with:

"Unlike anything that might happen in that stadium ever again, you might have 46,000 people singing their hearts out, which would be an amazing thing. That doesn't happen during the 'Star-Spangled Banner,' you know?" Stehle said. "So that's what I'm looking forward to, to hearing the whole stadium just erupt, and have the pope go: 'Wow. This is the American church. This is a beautiful thing."

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.

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.

 

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.

Music in D.C.

A complete list of the music being performed in Washington, D.C. hasn't yet been released, but the Archdiocese has released the following list of highlights of the music that will be featured at the Mass at Nationals Park. Maryland's Gazette.net has this story on the choir, which notes that with the exception of 13 singers from the Arlington Archdiocesan Choir, all of the choir members come from 83 parishes within the Archdiocese of Washington, which includes Washington, D.C. and five Maryland counties.

Here's the archdiocese's press release in full:

Music for Pope Benedict XVI’s Mass at Nationals Park will Reflect Archdiocese's Diversity
When Pope Benedict XVI celebrates Mass at Nationals Park on April 17 he will hear four choirs totaling 570 members from across the Archdiocese of Washington, singing in ten languages.

He will hear a 65-voice Intercultural Choir with members from 35 countries singing in French, Zulu and Spanish, among others. A 250-voice Papal Mass Choir and a 175-voice Children’s Choir will sing in Latin. The uplifting sound of an 80-voice Gospel Choir will ring out across the stadium.

The musical program for the Mass was chosen by an archdiocesan committee, with approval from the Vatican.

“It is music that represents our long Catholic and Christian tradition and the current diversity of our church,” said Tom Stehle, director of music for the Mass and pastoralassociate for liturgy and music at Our Lady of Mercy parish in Potomac, Maryland. In the Archdiocese of Washington, nearly 580,000 Catholics worship in more than 20 languages at 140 parishes.

Musical highlights:

During the processions and prelude the program includes:

o All choirs performing the opening Spiritual “Plenty Good Room,” newly arranged by Washington Symphonic Brass founder, Phil Snedecor.

o The Children’s Choir singing “Send Forth Your Spirit” by Andrew Wright and “Ave Verum” by Mozart.

o The Gospel Choir singing “I Call upon You God” by Leon Roberts and “Lord Make Me an Instrument” by Roger Holland.

o The Papal Mass Choir singing “Sing Aloud Unto God Our Strength” by Daniel Nelson and “Spirit of God Within Me” by Robert LeBlanc.

o The Intercultural Choir singing “Let’Isikia” arranged by Tracy McDonnell and “Source d’eau Vive” by C.E. Haugel.

Choir Rehearsals for D.C.

Washington's Catholic Standard has a story about choir rehearsals for the D.C. Mass. It doesn't say a great deal about the music that's been chosen, but does mention two songs - "We Are One" and "Tu es Petrus." The article offers a nice overview of the work that goes into rehearsing for an event like this.

The Crucifix at Nationals Park

NBC4 reports that St. Mark's Catholic Church in Hyattsville, Md. will provide their 14-foot crucifix as the backdrop for the Mass at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. In addition to a print story, there's video with footage of the crucifix.

According to the story, the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., was looking for a crucifix that would be large enough for the sanctuary and also be moveable, officials said in a statement.

A local company is covering the cost of moving the crucifix, which will be transported the day before the pope's arrival.

The parish is receiving about 200 tickets for attendance at the Mass.

Catholic Mass, Lutheran Hymn

As a former ELCA Lutheran, I was fascinated by the revelation in this Telegraph-Journal story that among the hymns being sung at the Mass at Yankee Stadium will be the "Feast of Victory." It was one of my favorite songs to sing in the Lutheran church around Easter because it was so uplifting - the very term used by Richard Kidd, who has been asked to arrange the piece for New York's 58-piece orchestra and 200-member choir. Augsburg-Forth, the publishing house for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, holds the copyright to the hymn. There's a separate, shorter story here.

According to the article, "A seasoned composer and consummate arranger, Kidd is a member of the Richard Kidd Quartet jazz band. He teaches music at Rothesay Netherwood School, plays the organ at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Saint John and has played trombone with Symphony New Brunswick for nearly 20 years. In December he assembled a 55-member choir to sing Handel's Messiah with the symphony.

Over the past couple of weeks Kidd has set himself to the task of arranging The Feast of Victory for a 58-member orchestra and choir of 200. In most churches, the four-verse Easter hymn would be accompanied by a lone piano or organ."

In his arrangement so far, the strings and woodwind instruments carry the bulk of the approximately four-minute piece; Kidd said he is saving stronger instruments, such as trombones and timpani, for flair.

"They can really punch it up."

He is also writing a descant for the choir, a high melody for the sopranos that will rise above the hymn's theme for a "real soaring effect."

Garnering Attention from the Washington Post

The Washington Post's Pope Watch blog has an entry about the "musical disharmony" over the Pope's visit.

"A small crowd of serious Catholic music traditionalists went on a tear in the last few days after a list of pieces was posted on the Web purporting to be the Mass musical line-up - but which was apparently incomplete," writes Michelle Boorstein. "After the list went up last week, Catholics who believe church music has veered too far into entertainment (and away from tons of Gregorian chants) objected angrily on various blogs (here, and here) and reportedly sent a torrent of hateful emails to Thomas Stehle, director of the special papal choirs put toget