Yankee Stadium

'Pope-arazzi'

This David Dupnik photo from the Mass at Yankee Stadium captures the atmosphere that permeated each of the sites the Holy Father visited: Even the acolytes and priests couldn't help themselves in commemorating the momentous occasion. -- Tom Wehner

'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

Parochial Vigor

During his greeting, Cardinal Egan saluted the 200th anniversaries of the Archdioceses of Boston, Philadelphia, New York and Louisville. When he mentioned each archdiocese, priests and faithful from those areas frantically waved flags. In many cases, the priests were even more enthusiastic than the lay people.

Cardinal Egan said that each of the 195 dioceses and archdioceses were represented at Yankee Stadium, which drew an appreciative roar.

-- Tom Wehner

After Mass

People still wanted to party with Benedict, even when the Mass was over. The chants that started during the homily in Italian and Spanish continued after the Mass was over.

People showed their admiration with signs: A big one from the Diocese of Bridgeport, and one from the upper deck that five people held: “Regnum Christi Loves the Pope.” (They must have loved the “Thy Kingdom Come!” homily. That’s one of their mottos.)

Nobody wanted it to end. And seemingly neither did the Holy Father. The popemobile made its way to Yankee Stadium, and then it paused and the Holy Father faced his American sons and daughters and gave one last salute to the Yankees Stadium Throng.

Shortly, the Holy Father will be on his way to JFK and back to Rome. That’s too bad. It seems like he just got here!

-- Tom Wehner

Hot-Button Benedict

Pope Benedict addresses: evangelizing the workplace, not losing heart over the scandal, and keeping the faith when addressing political questions.

Praying fervently for the coming of the Kingdom also means being constantly alert for the signs of its presence, and working for its growth in every sector of society. It means facing the challenges of present and future with confidence in Christ's victory and a commitment to extending his reign. It means not losing heart in the face of resistance, adversity and scandal. It means overcoming every separation between faith and life, and countering false gospels of freedom and happiness. It also means rejecting a false dichotomy between faith and political life, since, as the Second Vatican Council put it, "there is no human activity - even in secular affairs - which can be withdrawn from God's dominion" (Lumen Gentium, 36).

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These are the truths that set us free! They are the truths which alone can guarantee respect for the inalienable dignity and rights of each man, woman and child in our world - including the most defenseless of all human beings, the unborn child in the mother's womb.

'Thy Kingdom Come!' Benedict's Homily

From Pope Benedict's Homily:

"Authority" … "obedience". To be frank, these are not easy words to speak nowadays. Words like these represent a "stumbling stone" for many of our contemporaries, especially in a society which rightly places a high value on personal freedom. Yet, in the light of our faith in Jesus Christ - "the way and the truth and the life" - we come to see the fullest meaning, value, and indeed beauty, of those words. The Gospel teaches us that true freedom, the freedom of the children of God, is found only in the self-surrender which is part of the mystery of love. Only by losing ourselves, the Lord tells us, do we truly find ourselves (cf. Lk 17:33). True freedom blossoms when we turn away from the burden of sin, which clouds our perceptions and weakens our resolve, and find the source of our ultimate happiness in him who is infinite love, infinite freedom, infinite life. "In his will is our peace".

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Today we recall the bicentennial of a watershed in the history of the Church in the United States: its first great chapter of growth. ... How many "spiritual sacrifices pleasing to God" have been offered up in these two centuries! In this land of religious liberty, Catholics found freedom not only to practice their faith, but also to participate fully in civic life, bringing their deepest moral convictions to the public square and cooperating with their neighbors in shaping a vibrant, democratic society. Today's celebration is more than an occasion of gratitude for graces received. It is also a summons to move forward with firm resolve to use wisely the blessings of freedom, in order to build a future of hope for coming generations.

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Each day, throughout this land, you and so many of your neighbors pray to the Father in the Lord's own words: "Thy Kingdom come". This prayer needs to shape the mind and heart of every Christian in this nation. It needs to bear fruit in the way you lead your lives and in the way you build up your families and your communities. It needs to create new "settings of hope" (cf. Spe Salvi, 32ff.) where God's Kingdom becomes present in all its saving power.

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Praying fervently for the coming of the Kingdom also means being constantly alert for the signs of its presence, and working for its growth in every sector of society. It means facing the challenges of present and future with confidence in Christ's victory and a commitment to extending his reign. It means not losing heart in the face of resistance, adversity and scandal. It means overcoming every separation between faith and life, and countering false gospels of freedom and happiness. It also means rejecting a false dichotomy between faith and political life, since, as the Second Vatican Council put it, "there is no human activity - even in secular affairs - which can be withdrawn from God's dominion" (Lumen Gentium, 36). It means working to enrich American society and culture with the beauty and truth of the Gospel, and never losing sight of that great hope which gives meaning and value to all the other hopes which inspire our lives.

And this, dear friends, is the particular challenge which the Successor of Saint Peter sets before you today. As "a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation", follow faithfully in the footsteps of those who have gone before you! Hasten the coming of God's Kingdom in this land! Past generations have left you an impressive legacy. In our day too, the Catholic community in this nation has been outstanding in its prophetic witness in the defense of life, in the education of the young, in care for the poor, the sick and the stranger in your midst. On these solid foundations, the future of the Church in America must even now begin to rise!

Benedict the MVP

When all is said and done, the Pope is the real MVP.

I attended Opening Day at Fenway Park two of my brothers. The Red Sox organization attempted to make it as much of a secular religious event as possible, with all the ceremonies and pomp and circumstance.

While they did a fine job, it pales in comparison to the job here at Yankee stadium where real people in faith showed their love for the Vicar of Christ as he made his way around the stadium in the popemobile.

When Cardinal Edward Egan mentioned Boston, Bostonians in the stands erupted in long, sustained, significant applause. I love the Red Sox, but we didn't cheer as loud in Boston for the players, as we cheered here for the Pope.

— Tom Wehner

The Pope Is Here Again!

The Pope is here!

The crowd has been anticipating Pope Benedict for three hours. Songs have been breaking out all over Yankee Stadium during the wait, in Spanish, Italian and English.

Getting in was no problem. The security was tight, but it was not a problem. The Yankee Stadium was decked out in purple and gold. The pennants from past Yankee championships were replaced with pennants for Pope Benedict.

I talked to Chris and Michelle Ruppert from Fort Wayne, Ind., who brought their  4-year old daughter Rachel, who is sick with a rare disorder.

"We say a lot of Rosaries for Rachel. We wanted to bring Rachel here to receive a blessing from Pope Benedict. We're hoping for a miracle."

A number of people here are just as excited. But now the Holy Father has taken his chair, and I'd better listen to Cardinal Edward Egan.

-- Tom Wehner

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.