5 Things to Keep in Mind

Some people are just finding this site. Some things to keep in mind:

1. COVERAGE CONTINUES. It's called Pope2008.com because we're covering both the U.S. visit and the World Youth Day in Sydney (plus Rome Pope News).

2. LAST WEEK'S POSTS. To see all the posts from the visit, click on "April" under the "Archives" subhead to the right (scroll down) ... or just click here.

3. FEATURED VIDEO. The featured video at the top is in lieu of the streaming video we had from EWTN during the trip. We'll be looking for other videos to feature, periodically.

4. THE NEWSPAPER. This is a site of the National Catholic Register. The new issue is up now on our main website. That site always has "media watch" links that are updated at least twice a day (except when we mess up) and a daily featured free story. The opinion and commentary sections are always free. We just got the print edition and if you don't subscribe, you're missing out! It's beautiful. (And boy do we need subscriptions ...)

5. GREAT STUFF. Also, see the sponsors links to the left at the top. Our own Circle Press offer Benedict of Bavaria, an indespensable book that we are very lucky to have, using German source texts to tell the untold story of Benedict's childhood, priesthood, and beyond. Faith & Family magazine is the best Catholic magazine in America, according to the CPA, and has won that award for years. It's a real joy to hear all the positive feedback from the moms who subscribe to it.

Also: See the two papal slideshows to the left.

-- Tom Hoopes

Unloaded Birthday Cake

Tom Hoopes here. American cardinals and secretaries of the USCCB had a birthday lunch with Pope Benedict XVI yesterday, and we heard some of the details at the Vatican embassy this afternoon.

The birthday cake was chocolate with red icing, says Mary Schniedau, who saw the caterers bringing it in. It WAS SHAPED LIKE ST. PETER'S BASILICA and had sea-shell-shaped frosting decoration down one side. She could only see one side of it, and so she's not sure if it also had a Corbinian bear and Ethopian king.

A tribute to the Secret Service agents who are guarding the Holy Father: They insisted that the cake go through the metal detector, said Mary.

Why Benedict 'Waves Badly'

Tom Hoopes here. Yesterday we noticed that Pope Benedict has a spring in his step and a joyful air about him. He extends his arms in a kind of embrace that is electrifying, when you're a Catholic excited about seeing the Holy Father. But as he walked by us at Andrews Air Force Base, his most common gesture was a wave in which he plays "air piano" with his fingers.

It was commented on by several of the reporters there. Why does he wave like that? Benedict of Bavaria (published by our sister publisher, Circle Press ... see the link above to the left) has the answer. Writes Brennan Pursell:

"Some journalists today criticize the Pope for being 'a bad waver,' and it is true that he does not gesture nearly as much as his predecessor. But the way he carries himself is perfectly in keeping with his culture."

Specifically, Pursell attributes this to the Bavarian virtue of being zuruckhaltend, "self-restrained, with no shouting, wild gesticulations, or blaring laughter. Public displays of emotion were in bad taste, and the voice was to be kept soft."

Other Bavarian virtues he sees in the pope:

Fleiss -- "a diligent devotion to hard work,not hard, excessive, or frenetic, but good in quality and quantity."

Punktlichkeit -- "punctuality as a matter of personal discipline and basic consideration for the needs of others."

Bescheidenheit -- "which refers to modest bearing, or basic humility."

... and Geborgenheit and Gemutlichkeit which describe feelings associated with being safely and comfortably at home.

Brennan Pursell

Tom Hoopes here. Brennan Pursell, whose excellent book I'm reading is published by the Register's sister publisher, Circle Press, somehow figured out how to show up on news.google.com with comments ...

A good point, that. By the way, I was just at D.C.'s Catholic Information Center and I was single-handedly responsible for getting Pursell's Benedict of Bavaria put out in a prominent display. It was in boxes in the back, still

The poor folks at the center underordered for this week, I think. I bought them out of a a number of items that I plan to bring to Nationals Stadium to get blessed.

Praying for the Pope

There are no doubt, thousands of persons worldwide praying for the Pope and praying for the success of his apostolic visit to the United States, but special among them would be religious communities whose very lives are set aside for prayer.

Apostolic Nuncio Pietro Sambi has asked the contemplative communities in the U.S. to take one of the activities of the Holy Father and make it the object of prayer, consecration, suffering and self-offering.

 I am certain there are hundreds of communities who are doing so. Among them are the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration at St. Joseph's Monastery in Portsmouth, Ohio. They have created a special web page welcoming the Holy Father and committing themselves to prayer and retreat on Saturday, April 19th - the third anniversary of Pope Benedict XVI's election.

They are praying that the event will be "a blessed occasion for the renewal of the faith, hope and charity of the Church in America."

The USCCB recommends praying the Act of Hope each day for the intentions of the Holy Father. Here it is:

O Lord God,

I hope by your grace for the pardon

of all my sins

and after life here to gain eternal happiness

because you have promised it

who are infinitely powerful, faithful, kind,

and merciful.

In this hope I intend to live and die.

 Amen.

Covered by that much prayer, the Pope's journey cannot help but be a success.

If you are a religious order or consecrated community that has set aside a particular day or activity of the Holy Father for prayer, please let us know in the comment boxes.

CUA Student to Meet the Pope

When CUA senior Peter Osgood was accepted into Catholic University four years ago, he expected to earn a degree. Not only will he earn his Bachelor’s degree in biology next month, but he’s also getting to meet the Pope.

“It certainly enhances the degree,” laughed Osgood. “I never anticipated I would meet the Pope.”

Osgood was the winner of Catholic University of America’s Student Essay Contest. As a result, the University’s president Father David O’Connell will introduce Osgood to Pope Benedict XVI when he comes to campus to speak on April 17.

Osgood’s essay was chosen from 128 that were submitted by students at the university describing how Catholic education changed their life.

Osgood attended a Catholic elementary school in Penn Yan, NY, but didn’t return to a Catholic school until his acceptance at Catholic University.

“I remember vividly how each school day began in prayer. It was here that we brought to mind those in need, gave thanks for our many gifts and asked for help in all of our challenges,” wrote Osgood in his winning essay. “This truly set the tone for our learning throughout the rest of the day.”

Osgood doesn’t know what to expect when he meets the Pope. He’s also unsure what exactly he’s going to say to him.

“I don’t know what I will say to the Holy Father,” said Osgood. “My plan is to attend medical school as a surgeon next fall. I’d like to ask the Pope to bless my hands so I could ideally be a better doctor.”

-- Tim Drake

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.”

More on that Hawaiian Fan of the Pope

The Honolulu Advertiser has a wonderful article on Linda Cacpal, whom I interviewed a few days ago. Cacpal told me pretty much the same story that you'll read in the Advertiser. She wasn't a big fan of Pope Benedict, that is until she started reading him. Now, it would be difficult to find someone who loves the Pope more than she.

MSNBC is Looking for First Person Accounts

MSNBC is looking for first person accounts from those who are going to see the Pope and why. If you're traveling to see the Pope, think about submitting your story and a photo or video. I'm sure MSNBC won't be the only media outlet looking for this. They just happen to be the first to have a request online.

More Who Are Going to See the Pope

If Pope Benedict is the "Pope of Hope," seeing as his American trip's theme is "Christ Our Hope," then those who are traveling to see the Pope are Papal People of Hope.

Here's a round-up of several other stories profiling those who are making the trek to see the Pope in D.C. or New York.

This Utica Observer-Dispatch story has a brief quote from Beth Lynch, 54, who is traveling from Ilion to N.Y. to see the Pope.

“It will be an awakening of the presence of the Lord among us,” said Lynch.

The Times-News has a story of a father-daughter team - David and Meghan Lynch (no relation to Beth, above), who are traveling from Mebane, North Carolina to N.Y. David had hoped that his daughter could attend World Youth Day in Sydney, but New York is a lot closer to home.

The Los Angeles Times offers this story  focusing on various people, from a 24-year-old to an 81-year-old who are all making the trip to see the Pope. It's a fascinating, very personal story. Go read it.

This story from the Columbia Missourian stresses that the public will have fewer opportunities to see the Pope in person during the visit, because the Masses are being held in smaller venues, there are only a few Popemobile encounters, and the majority of the events are private. The story ends, however, telling of Kelly Gannon, a Sioux Indian from Warwick, North Dakota  who requested and received 16 tickets to  attend the D.C. Mass for herself and her parish's youth group.

Massachusetts' Daily News Tribune has this story which profiles Brenda Peter of Norwich who will be going to see the Pope with her six children, and Father Greg Galvin, who will be distributing the Eucharist.

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."

The Pope's Paramedics

What happens if the Pope should require medical attention during his U.S. stay?

Newsday has this story on 14 paramedics from St. Vincent's Hospital who will be working in 12-hour shifts during the Pope's three-day stay in New York in case the Pope should require medical attention. Three of the 14 worked a similar detail during Pope John Paul II's 1995 New York visit and were chosen because of their experience.

Ken Karger, 43, was part of that team. He said that visit was choreographed down to the second -- except for just after John Paul finished his sermon at St. Patrick's Cathedral and walked outside.

The pope stopped and tugged at the stethoscope draped around Karger's neck.

"He said, 'Thank you,'" Karger said. "That was the most memorable moment."

Here's a separate NY1 story on the blessing of the Pope's ambulance.

More with Papal Archbishop Nuncio Pietro Sambi

We've already seen several interviews with Papal Nuncio Archbishop Pietro Sambi, but John Allen has posted one of the most fascinating interviews with him. It's a wide-ranging interview exploring some of the topics the Pope may and may not address during his visit.

Among the details Allen provides:

- Liturgy wonks may be interested to learn that, according to Sambi, the design of the chapel means the pope will celebrate his birthday Mass versus populum, facing the small congregation, rather than ad orientem, facing East.

- In terms of news flashes, one intriguing bit from the Sambi interview is that he left the door slightly open for a private encounter between the pope and victims of sexual abuse while he's in America, saying only that it's "within the field of possibility."

- He also asserted that speculation about Benedict reading the riot act to Catholic educators during an April 18 session at the Catholic University of America amounts to "instrumentalization" of the pope by American Catholics with theological or political axes to grind.

"The problem is that there are too many people here who would like to be the pope," Sambi sighed, "and who attribute to themselves a strong sense of their own infallibility."

Go read the entire interview. It's well worth it.

The Buzz about "Benedict of Bavaria"

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

Profile of "Super-Nuncio" Archbishop Pietro Sambi

The Winston-Salem Journal has a profile on Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Pietro Sambi, who blogger Rocco Palmo has taken to calling "super-nuncio." It describes the great openness of Archbichop Sambi, his lamenting of the "loss of credibility in the Church," and urging a "new youthfulness, a new springtime" in the Church. He also speaks of preparations for Pope Benedict's stay while in Washington, D.C. It ends with this quote:

“Pope Benedict is not known enough in the United States,” Sambi said. “What is known is not based on his personality but is based on the position that he had before as prefect of the Congregation for Doctrine of the Faith.... As such, there are people who consider him a man of very solid principles, extremely rigid, inflexible, almost nonhuman.

“It’s true that he’s a man of principle, but it will be enough to see him and to listen to him to discover a man of great human sensibility.”

Ambassador Glendon Part III

First Time, then Zenit, now Catholic News Service. New U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican Mary Ann Glendon has been making the interview rounds. CNS' John Thavis has an interview with Glendon.

He writes: "The pope can be expected to touch on some particular social issues, but his deeper message will be about conscience-forming and the values that underpin life in the church and in society, she said.

"Let me be quite clear. I think the kinds of things he says require close attention," she said.

 

"He does not dumb down, and I think that's his particular gift, that he is able to communicate very profound and complex ideas in accessible language," she said."

Update: Ambassador Glendon was also interviewed by Vatican Radio on the Pope's upcoming visit. You can listen to that interview here.

Interview with U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican Mary Ann Glendon

First, she was interviewed by Time, now it's Zenit. Carrie Gress has a fascinating interview with Mary Ann Glendon. The entire interview is well worth a read. Regarding the Pope's trip to the U.S., Glendon has this to say:

Q: What are your thoughts on Benedict XVI's upcoming visit to the United States and what do think some of the main themes of his trip will be?

Ambassador Glendon: Anticipation is running high on both sides of the Atlantic. The Pope said during my credentials ceremony that he was looking forward to his trip to the United States, and from his address on that occasion one can see that he is very interested in the way that faith and reason have been intertwined in our democratic experiment.

We also know from his writing is that he is very intrigued by certain contrasts between America and Europe, and certain distinctive features of American culture. He seems intrigued by our version of the church-state relationship and how that seems to be compatible with great religious vitality.

As for the themes he may address, that is the question all of us are asking. Everyone is waiting and intensely speculating. I think all one can say is that whatever themes he chooses to emphasize, there will be much food for thought from this brilliant scholar who has stepped so smoothly into the role of a spiritual leader whose moral voice resonates throughout the world.

I would not be surprised if -- like Tocqueville in his reflections on "Democracy in America" -- the Pope's speeches in the United States contained much material that is also addressed to Europe.

Q: Many Americans, like the rest of the world, had such a devotion to Pope John Paul II. What do you think the reception of Benedict XVI will be?

Ambassador Glendon: One can speculate based on the way that Pope Benedict has been received by audiences that are getting to know him for the first time here in Italy and in other countries.

From the moment he delivered the homily at Pope John Paul II's funeral -- and I was there that day -- people the world over were moved and astonished by his pastoral eloquence. They saw a man most had known, mainly through his writings, as a very scholarly person. But on that day and since then, we have come to know him as a "humble shepherd," as he has called himself, and a wise teacher who can speak clearly and profoundly yet in ways that are accessible to everyone.

Ambassador Mary Ann Glendon on Pope's Visit: "Be prepared to be surprised."

Time Magazine writer Jeff Israely has an interview with Mary Ann Glendon, the new U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican. The article offers valuable insights not only into Glendon herself, but also Pope Benedict, who the article describes as "Professor Pontiff."

"One of his central preoccupations has always been about reconciling faith and reason," Glendon said of the Pope. "He wants to know how religions can come to terms with the enlightenment."

The article continues:
While arranging the itinerary will be complex enough, there is also the matter of dealing with the Pontiff's philosophical fascination with America. Glendon said the Pope is "intrigued" by the U.S. model for managing the Church-State divide, which contrasts with the contemporary European tendency to avoid public professions of faith. "We are a nation that has traditionally valued the role of faith in sustaining the democratic experiment," she said. "Culture comes before politics... and religion is at the heart of culture."

For all the discussion about what the Pope might talk about when he visits, Ambassador Glendon has probably said more in these few lines than many others have said in their complete essays.

Have you Met the Pope?

Why do people have the desire to encounter the Holy Father? I suspect that it's not only who he is, but also who he represents. Is it our interior desire to be close to Christ that  attracts us to the Pope?

Have you met Pope Benedict? When? Where? What was the meeting like? Share your story.

This photo is of my wife's aunt, Judy Bot, who's reaching her hand out to greet Pope Benedict. Just for the record, I have not met the Pope. The closest I've been was about 20 yards away from Pope John Paul II at World Youth Day in Toronto, and about the same distance from Pope Benedict at World Youth Day in Cologne.

Are you Planning to Attend?

Dear readers,

Are you planning to attend the Papal Mass in Washington, D.C., New York, or World Youth Day in Sydney? If so, I'd love to hear from you. Either comment in the comment box or email me (email address is on the right hand side of the page). I'd like to know who you are, age (if you're comfortable sharing it), where you're from, and why you're attending.

Pope's U.S. Visit Preview?

Catholic World News quotes from Pope Benedict's remarks welcoming Mary Ann Glendon as the new U.S. ambassador to the Vatican. There's another story on it over at Catholic News Agency. One wonders if his remarks aren't a kind of preview for what he might say while he's in the U.S. Here's the CWN story, quoted in full:

     Vatican, Feb. 29, 2008 (CWNews.com)   - Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) saluted America as "a nation which values the role of religious belief," as he welcomed a new US ambassador to the Holy See.

     The Holy Father told Mary Ann Glendon-- the former Harvard Law School professor who assumed her ambassadorial duties after resigning a post as president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences-- that "the knowledge and experience born of your distinguished association with the work of the Holy See will prove beneficial in the fulfilment of your duties and enrich the activity of the diplomatic community to which you now belong."

     In his remarks the Pope paid particular attention to the "American people's historic appreciation of the role of religion in shaping public discourse and in shedding light on the inherent moral dimension of social issues." That respect for the role of religious faith is particularly important today, he said, at a time when many different forces press for the removal of all religious influence from public life.

     The tragic history of the 20th century, the Pope said, "culminating in the planned extermination of whole peoples," illustrated the limits of an exclusively secular approach to politics. A just government, he argued, cannot be based only on shared interests; "it must be the fruit of a deeper consensus based on the acknowledgement of universal truths."

     Speaking in more concrete terms, the Pope said that the world today "is threatened not only by the plague of international terrorism, but also by such threats to peace as the quickening pace of the arms race and the continuance of tensions in the Middle East." He stressed his support for negotiations to reduce nuclear weaponry and to bring a stable peace to the Middle East.

     The Pope expressed his gratitude for American support of inter-religious dialogue. He said that the Church sees such dialogue as a powerful force for "the promotion of non-violence and the rejection of ideologies which manipulate and disfigure religion for political purposes, and justify violence in the name of God."

Pope Benedict concluded his remarks with a tribute to those Americans who recognize the vital importance of the natural law and devote themselves to efforts to "ensure legal protection for God's gift of life from conception to natural death, and the safeguarding of the institution of marriage, acknowledged as a stable union between a man and a woman, and that of the family."

U.S. Vatican Envoy Leading the Way for the Pope

USA Today has this interesting story on Archbishop Pietro Sambi, the Vatican diplomat who serves as the Holy See's U.S. ambassador. During the Pope's visit to Washington, he will stay at the apostolic nunciature, the Vatican Embassy's home on Washington.

Archbishop Sambi offers some insight into the Pope's visit to Ground Zero.

"This will be a moment of solidarity with those who died and their families. He will walk alone to indicate the loneliness of those who went to their deaths and the loneliness of the survivors," said Sambi. "He will light a lamp. He will pray silently and make a public prayer (the only portion to be broadcast) for the remembrance of those who died, and for peace.

"There must be only silence and prayer here because not a single word will be enough to be convincing. Nothing will be adequate to touch the loneliness of those who died there and those who lost someone. Silence and prayer are what is required."

Also of interest, Archbishop Sambi says that the Pope will address the issue of clergy sexual abuse.

"The pope 'will address this — and more than once,'" USA Today quotes Sambi.

Learn Something About the Pope's Roots

"In my vocation, I belong to the whole world, but my heart beats Bavarian." - Pope Benedict XVI

Brennan Pursell, professor of history at DeSales University, has authored "Benedict of Bavaria: An Intimate Portrait of the Pope and His Homeland," published by Circle Press. the book offers a look at Pope Benedict within the context of his identity as a simple son of his beloved homeland, Bavaria. It's based on primary research from those who grew up, studied, and worked with him before he became Pope. In addition, the author visited nearly all of the sites associated with the Pope's early life - the towns and churches where he lived, learned and worshiped.

Children might enjoy "Joseph and Chico: The Life of Pope Benedict XVI as Told by a Cat," published by Ignatius Press.