The Elephant in the Communion Line

Tom Hoopes here. There is a lot of buzz about John Kerry's decision to receive Communion at the papal Mass. His decision to do so is odd, considering that it was because of his presidential candidacy that Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who is now Pope Benedict XVI, wrote to Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who was then archbishop of Washington, about this issue.

As Kerry well knows, this is what Cardinal Ratzinger said:

"Regarding the grave sin of abortion or euthanasia, when a person’s formal cooperation becomes manifest (understood, in the case of a Catholic politician, as his consistently campaigning and voting for permissive abortion and euthanasia laws), his [bishop] should meet with him, instructing him about the Church’s teaching, informing him that he is not to present himself for holy Communion until he brings to an end the objective situation of sin, and warning him that he will otherwise be denied the Eucharist."

How is the current archbishop of Washington, the Holy Father, and those of us who have read the letter, supposed to take Kerry's decision to slip into a line and receive Communion anyway?

The priest should have denied it, you say? Pope Benedict agrees. More to the point, Kerry shouldn't have gone to start with.

But let's face it: Folks in that stadium who missed last Sunday's Mass shouldn't have gone, either. Often the Communion controversy can leave the impression that Communion is for all, provided they haven't championed abortion in a legislative body lately.

The bishops created a great (pdf) document last year that lists some of the common ways Catholics fall out of a state of grace (summarized here.). Catholics who don't go to confession are the elephant in the Communion line. If you're one, get to confession! Here's how.

If you go to confession already, promote it. Here are seven ways.

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 Crying Room

Tom Hoopes here. I wonder if they offer Mass somewhere in D.C. this afternoon. It always feels like it doesn't count when you spend it in the back of the church or in the crying room with a baby. In this press box, surrounded by radio guys and press people pining away for coffee, it feels even less like it counts.

I just got a text message from my mystery Louisiana text messenger: "Crowd must be big now. Post a photo." Your wish is my command. Here's the crowd shot you asked. I have to get photos from Hertl each time. Nice guy. Sunny disposition. I hope I don't grind his kindness down and make him bitter by fulfilling too many requests from mystery texters ...

Construction Guys Eavesdroopping

Tom Hoopes here. You can kind of make it out in this photo of Gus'. In the upper left there's a building with a crane over it.

What you can't make out are the construction guys -- or at any rate, hardhatted guys standing on a concrete pillar in building that isn't built yet -- who have cheater seats for this papal Mass.

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.

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.

DC Mass-goers will Receive Gift Bags

The Archdiocese of Washington announced on Thursday that the 46,000 people attending Mass at Nationals Park will be receiving gift bags. The contents?

A printed copy of the Mass program; a copy of the Magnificat magazine; and a Vatican flag.

The 5,600 people sitting on the field (mostly clergy, nuns, and monks) will receive some additional goodies, including a poncho (in case of rain), a Pope Benedict XVI prayer card, and a bottle of water and granola bar-like snack. This is because access to concessions will be limited for those on the field. The snacks, the Archdiocesan press release says, were donated by Nathan Miller, owner of BK Miller, and the water was donated by Coca Cola. The bags were stuffed by volunteers, many of them members of the Knights of Columbus and archdiocesan seminarians.

Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. Unveils Useful Information Site

Those interested in learning more about Pope Benedict XVI's April 15-17 visit to Washington, D.C. can now find a great deal of useful information at www.dcpapalvisit.org The site is designed to provide information for the public and media, including:

- The best places for the public to see the pope as he travels through Washington in the popemobile.

- A news/media section with backgrounders on the Archdiocese, the visit, Pope Benedict and the papacy, press releases, and more.

- An itinerary of the pope's visit.

- Information on transportation and parking for ticket holders to the April 17 Mass at Nationals Park.

- FAQ about the papal visit and Mass, such as accommodations for persons with special needs and where to purchase merchandise.

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."

Alaskans Making the Trek to See the Pope

The Hawaiians aren't the only Americans coming from a long distance to see Pope Benedict. Catholic Online has this story about a group of about 50 Alaskans who are making the long journey.

Among them are a Lutheran convert to the Catholic faith, and Father Ben Torreto.

“It will be a delightful moment, a graced moment,” said Father Torreto, who is on loan to the Anchorage Archdiocese from the Archdiocese in Cotobato. “The reality is that the pope is the head of the church, and we need to talk about solidarity, about how we are one church, one Body in Christ.”

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.

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.

Videos at the Baseball Stadium

An assortment of videos will be played for those who are waiting at the baseball stadiums prior to Mass. In addition to the videos produced by Catholic schoolchildren welcoming Pope Benedict, this inspiring video, from Catholics Come Home, will air on the Jumbotron at Nationals Park in D.C. The folks behind the video are also working on getting it aired at Yankee Stadium. It's one of the most inspirational and high-quality videos I've ever seen on the faith. Here's a full story on the Catholics Come Home effort.

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.

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.

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.

Island Catholics Traveling 4,835 miles to See the Pope

The Hawaii Catholic Herald has a story about the group of island Catholics traveling 4,835 miles to see the Pope. According to the story, 26 Hawaiian Catholics will be attending Mass at Nationals Park; 16 more will be attending Mass at Yankee Stadium.

Among those who will be at Yankee Stadium, is Linda Cacpal, who alerted us to her attendance in her comment post.

From the article:

Among the Hawaii residents who will be there is St. Elizabeth, Aiea, parishioner Linda Cacpal, who has been a fan of Benedict XVI ever since she read his autobiography, “Milestones: Memoirs 1927-1977,” in 2005 shortly after he became pontiff.

“He’s gracious and gentle, and whenever he talks about Christianity, even when it’s morality, he always talks about it in a positive way,” said Cacpal, a member of the Diocesan Pastoral Council and her parish’s RCIA coordinator. She plans to share her New York trip experiences with fellow parishioners when she gets back.

Cacpal is particularly looking forward to listening to Pope Benedict’s homily and hearing him speak in English, though she says it will be amazing “just being in his presence.”

One complication with Cacpal’s trip is that she is on dialysis and had to arrange for treatments while she is in New York City.

“I’m going all the way across the United States just for this one man," she said. "I wouldn't do it if I didn't think he was a gift to us."

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

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."

The Itinerary from the Vatican

For those interested in the "official" itinerary of the Holy Father, you'll find it on the Vatican website, here. In looking at it recently, I pulled out a couple of interesting nuggets.

During the Holy Father's six days in the U.S., he'll be delivering eight addresses and three homilies.

Also, note from the schedule that he will be celebrating two large public Masses (at Nationals Park and Yankee Stadium), one Mass with clergy and religious (at St. Patrick's Cathedral), and one private Mass on Friday, April 18 in the Chapel of the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington.

Winners Chosen for Youth Video Contest

The Archdiocese of Washington announced its winners for the youth video contest today. The top three were chosen and each group will receive 15 tickets to the April 17 Mass at Nationals Park and the opportunity to have their video shown as part of the pre-Mass program.

The winners are:
Southern Maryland Catholic Elementary Schools
St. Rose of Lima "Children Love Christ Choir," Gaithersburg, MD
Seton School, Manassas, VA

Honorable Mention
Resurrection Parish Youth Ministry, Burtonsville, MD
St. Michael School, Grades Pre-K-K, Ridge, MD

47 entries were received. Entrants were invited to create a two-minute original video to welcome the pope to Washington. A panel of eight judges made up of media professionals from the Washington area and archdiocesan officials judged the entries.

"The diversity of styles and imaginative approaches among the entries made it difficult to choose overall winners,” said judge Patricia Ryan Garcia, Assistant Director for Digital Media for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Students in grades K-8 from the 12 Catholic elementary schools in

Southern Maryland

worked together on their entry, which they turned into a history lesson. Their video focuses on the founding of Catholicism in the English colonies, shooting it at three important

Southern Maryland

sites - St. Clements Island, St. Mary’s City and Chapel Point in Port Tobacco.

 Twenty children in grades 3-7 from St. Rose of

Lima

parish children’s choir sung an original song welcoming the pope for their entry. The music and lyrics were written by Margaret Ann Clifford, the parish’s composer.

 One ninth grader and four 11^th graders from

Seton

School

captured their excitement for the papal visit in their entry, which shows them going door to door letting their neighbors know the pope is coming to

Washington

. The video is set to original music and lyrics written and sung by the students.

The winning videos and finalist entries are available for viewing here.

Exclusive: First Look at the Hottest Ticket in Town

Thanks to the Archdiocese of Washington and an efficient local chancery staff, my ticket for the Papal Mass in Washington, D.C. has arrived. That means that tickets are arriving at chanceries and parishes around the country today.

We have the first look at a ticket here. It's pictured at left (minus the barcode). Update: The Archdiocese of Washington asked us to remove the ticket image for security reasons.

From what I understand, there will only be a handful of us from the Diocese of Saint Cloud, Minnesota attending that Mass, including one priest, and our Bishop John F. Kinney.

The group from our Diocese will be seated in section 211 (behind home plate), which is circled on the map below (just click the picture to enlarge).

The fiasco regarding New York's Papal Mass tickets continues. According to our chancery office several of the attendees had hoped to leave prior to the date that the Archdiocese of New York is mailing out the tickets. Some are driving to New York; others are using an RV to travel prior to the New York Mass, which leaves them to wonder whether they will actually receive tickets or not.

The Connecticut Post has this nice story that lays out the overview of the ticket situation.

Pope Welcoming Videos

More and more YouTube videos welcoming the Pope are starting to show up. Here's a selection for your viewing pleasure.

From the Byzantine Eparchy of Parma.

The JJ and Rosana Garcia family welcome the Holy Father.

Students at the Catholic University of America discuss the Pope's visit.

And last, but not least, a video from the Diocese of San Diego that was produced by students at John Paul the Great Catholic University. Michael Barber has the details on how the video came to be. Students at the university had just a week to put it together.

 

D.C. Tickets on their Way

The Washington Post papal visit blog is reporting that the 45,000+ bar-coded tickets have arrived in the Archdiocesan offices and are being sorted. Julia Duin says that parishes should be receiving them sometime next week. None too soon considering that the Pope arrives in 14 days.

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.

Good News: Receiving Our Assignments

Well, official word arrived t