The Prayer of the Pope and the President

Setting aside all of the public events during the Pope's trip to America, I'm always fascinated to hear the stories after of the more private events - those that don't make it on television or camera. Recently, Catholic News Service photographer Nancy Wiechec, who accompanied the Pope throughout his trip taking nearly 8,000 photographs of his journey, told me about one such event.

For Pope Benedict XVI's birthday, Cardinal Edward Egan gave him a birthday present. According to Wiechec, the Pope didn't wait to open the gift, but tore into it right away, like a child.

"I think the pope, even at 81, still at times has the wonderment of a child," said Wiechec. "Want to know what was in the box? A engraved silver Tiffany tray commemorating his visit to New York."

We'll have a full interview with Wiechec in next week's National Catholic Register.

Another story was regarding the Pope's meeting with President Bush. Reuter's reported that following the private meeting of President Bush and Pope Benedict, the two men prayed together. Here's the excerpt.

Vatican spokesman Rev. Federico Lombardi said that the "brief prayer" took place after the pope and Bush had finished their private talks in the Oval Office and Laura Bush joined them.

"There was a brief prayer for the family (as an institution)," Lombardi said.

-- Tim Drake

Pope Jokes from Day 1

I cut out the ones that tiresomely bashed Bush. Left in the Cheney one because it was funny, and could be taken as a knock at the over-the-top anti-Cheney rhetoric ...

Jay Leno: “Anyway, when the Pope arrived at the White House, he was given a 21-gun salute. That’s got to make Barack Obama a little uncomfortable. Guns and religion, you know, that kind of thing. Get a little bitter. I don’t know about that.”

Jay Leno: “Actually, one really embarrassing moment -- you see this on the news? When the Pope blessed the crowd with holy water, well, some of it splashed on Dick Cheney, burned his skin.”

David Letterman: “The Pope is in the United States. Flew in to Washington, DC. Hillary Clinton declined to meet the Pope at the airport,” because “she was worried about sniper fire.”

David Letterman: “And coincidentally, today is the Pope’s 81st birthday. … President Bush greeted the Pope, and he knew it was his birthday, so he gave him a gift card to Big and Tall Hats.”

Touching the People

One observation regarding a difference between the Pope's visit to Washington, D.C. vs. his visit to New York thus far, is that he's had greater access to come into direct contact with people here in New York.

Last night, he greeted people and shook hands outside where he is staying. Today, both on his way into St. Patrick's Cathedral and when coming out, he again took the time to greet some folks. After walking out of the chapel at St. Joseph's Seminary a few moments ago, he again greeted some of those who had gathered on the opposite side of the barricades on the seminary grounds.

Because of his lack of direct contact with people in Washington, D.C. I was tempted to blame the U.S. Secret Service for overzealously keeping the Pope's distance from those who come to see him. Yet, there does seem to be a difference here in New York. It is a difference that Father Federico Lombardi noted today during his impromptu press conference as well.

"He hasn't had many direct contacts with people," said Father Lombardi. "Yesterday, people singing and greeting him and making contact with him was very moving for him. He feels that people are understanding his message."

-- Tim Drake

He Received the Pope's Blessing

Peter Osgood, senior at The Catholic University of America, has every reason to smile. Here he stands with a papal medallion he received from the Pope's secretary yesterday at CUA. That's not all he received.

Osgood was the winner of the CUA Essay Contest. As the winner, he was given the opportunity to meet Pope Benedict when he came to campus yesterday. Osgood met Pope Benedict and gave him a bouquet of white and yellow roses. University President Father David O'Connell introduced Osgood and explained to the Holy Father that Osgood was going on to medical school, to be a surgeon.

"The Pope smiled and said, 'Going to medical school. That's great,'" said Osgood.

Then Osgood and Father O'Connell asked the Pope if he would bless Osgood's hands. If you watched the encounter on television or here at the website, you saw the Holy Father make the Sign of the Cross over Osgood's hands.

"To encounter the servant of God means so much to me," said Osgood afterward. "It was wonderful. I can tangibly feel the ministry of God in my life."

-- Tim Drake (Photo credit: Tim Drake, National Catholic Register)

The President After Breakfast

Written an hour ago ... posted now that I found a connection ...

I’m here in the Washington Hilton listening to President Bush speak about the Holy Father’s visit and, of course, about the achievements of his administration that have helped Catholics, or helped promote their aims.

The crowd loves him, and cheers and applause interrupt him again and again.

Applause lines:

Seeing Benedict pass by, “the excitement was palpable.”

“This has been a great week for Catholics and it wasn’t a bad week for Methodists, either."

“Benedict is a warm and generous soul courageous in the defense of fundamental truths.”

“The Little Sisters of the Poor” (just that ... the President saying that very Catholic name of an order of nuns, brought down the house).

An applause line he didn’t expect: “I respect [Pope Benedict's] scholarship which demonstrates that faith and reason can coexist.” The crowd erupted, but he wasn’t expecting it and kept going.

It’s interesting to see George Bush flanked by 10 American flags and a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe (feast day Dec. 12, as some have noted).

When the President was done, Austin Ruse of C-Fam said:  “Why don’t we say an Our Father for that man?”

And we did.

-- Tom Hoopes

Photos from the Pope's Address at CUA

The Holy Father arrives at The Catholic University of America. (Photo credit: Tim Drake, National Catholic Register)

The Catholic University of America President Father David O'Connell makes his opening remarks welcoming Pope Benedict XVI. Washington Archbishop Donald Wuerl is seated to the Holy Father's right.

At the conclusion of the Holy Father's address.

Catholic Identity and Campus Life

Tom Hoopes here. From Pope Benedict XVI's prepared remarks at the meeting with communities of Catholic universities at CUA today:

"Teachers and administrators, whether in universities or schools, have the duty and privilege to ensure that students receive instruction in Catholic doctrine and practice. This requires that public witness to the way of Christ, as found in the Gospel and upheld by the Church's magisterium, shapes all aspects of an institution's life, both inside and outside the classroom. Divergence from this vision weakens Catholic identity and, far from advancing freedom, inevitably leads to confusion, whether moral, intellectual, or spiritual."

Benedict and Marilyn

Tom Hoopes here. What a beautiful event. I just left the front lawn of the U.S. Papal Nunciature. The last person I spoke with was Marilyn Villacort, and she was in tears.

The Holy Father came out of the embassy later than expected. He had to get to Catholic University to deliver a major address on Catholic education. And then to the John Paul Cultural Center for an interreligious meeting.

But then, when he walked out the front door of the embassy, he was greeted by a boisterous, largely Hispanic crowd that erupted in cheers, applause ... and song.

They were singing Latin American folk praise songs: A chanted "Ave Maria" the song "Alabare" and a new folk praise song: Benedicto, sung, shouted and cheered in rhythm with clapping hands.

The limo drove up to take the Pope to his event, raising hopes and expectations. The car had a U.S. flag and a Vatican flag, and a twin limo had the same. One thing I remember from living in D.C. is the pollen that coats the cars in April and May. Not Benedict's car. They dusted it as it waited.

At one point there was a look of consternation in the eyes of secret service agents and amusement on other eyes as a shirtless jogger came by. Their looks said: "Hey! Who let that guy in?"

A short time later, the Pope came out. Benedict was late, and the media coordinator said there was no way he would spend any time here. But he made a beeline around the back of the limo, straight to the waiting pilgrims.

There, he shook hands and was generally mobbed.

"He was trying to give me peace," said Marilyn Villacort from St. Catherine Laboure Parish. "He was bringing me and my family a message of peace from God. Only God knows what I've been going through. He just stared at me and wouldn't let go of me, saying 'Everything's gonna be okay. Just trust in God and everything will be okay."

Then the Secret Servicemen came and began peeling arms off of him and urging him back to the car. In the car he was so energized by the crowd that he turned bodily in his seat, leaning over the cardinal next to him to keep his face in the window closest the crowd.

Even the Washington Post photographer, as we walked away from the event, was moved. He threw his arms in the air and said, "This time I can say: 'Thank you God!'"

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.

Behind the Scenes at the Media Center

Cell phones are ringing, radio broadcasters are broadcasting, video is being taken and several languages can be heard from the nearby reporters -- German, Italian, Spanish. As Pope Benedict began speaking there was a tangible feeling/energy in the air, even here apart from the stadium. Writing and blogging is reaching a fever pitch, as journalists who had in their hands the embargoed text of the Pope's homily sat with their fingers on the keyboard waiting for the moment when they could post the text online or file it with their editors.

When the Holy Father began speaking in Spanish, a loud cheer arose not only from the stadium, but also from Spanish-speaking media here in the media center.

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

Other Speeches Online

If you're looking for the other public remarks made during the Pope's visit, you'll find them below.

Text of Cardinal Francis George's Remarks at the Basilica from Last Night

Text of Pope Benedict's Speech at the White House

Seeing Pope Benedict is Like Seeing Grandpa

I'm not the first to make this observation, but it has a distinctly personal dimension for me.

When I gaze upon Pope Benedict XVI, I can't help but see my own Bavarian grandfather, Anton Pius Kolbeck, who hailed, as the Pope does, from Bavaria. I never got to know Grandpa Anton; he passed away tragically after falling from a roof while painting when my mother was still a young girl. Still, I've always felt an affinity toward this grandfather whom I never got to know, and the story of his coming to the U.S. Originally from the rural town of Unterazzendorf in the Bavarian region of Germany, he came to the U.S. following the Second World War. Growing up a Catholic, he left the Church after his first marriage deteriorated. He's one of few Catholics or former Catholics within my family with whom I feel I have a spiritual connection.

Twelve years ago, my wife and I journeyed to Unterazzendorf. It's a farming area. The Catholic church there, with its unique Bavarian-style dome, is similar to photographs I have seen of the church where Joseph Ratzinger attended.

Watching Pope Benedict enter Nationals Park this morning, I was struck by the memory of my own grandfather, and I was moved to offer some prayers for the repose of his soul. Grandpa Anton, pray for us!

-- 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.

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 ...

Turning the Tables on Tom

The beauty of today's arrangement, with Tom blogging at Nationals Park and me at the Media Center (because we were only given one credential), it turns the tables a bit on Tom. Freed up from having to interview folks at the venue, I can actually serve as a bit of an editor, butting in and making him change stuff, or changing stuff for him, as I just did with a spelling error in a recent post title.

-- Tim Drake

What They Won't Tell You About Last Night's Address

I've scanned through this morning's coverage of the Pope's address to the U.S. Bishops. See here, here, here, and here.

Predictably, all of the major media stories concentrate on the sexual abuse crisis and the other contentious issues mentioned by the Pope - secularism, materialism, individualism. In speaking with Dr. Pia de Solenni on her radio program on Sirius' The Catholic Channel last night, she described the speech as a "job description for the bishops."

Few of the media reports, however, have addressed the spiritual dimension, or how the Pope's message concluded, with the Holy Father encouraging the bishops to lead by example, especially with regard to prayer.

"Time spent in prayer is never wasted, however urgent the duties that press upon us from every side," said the Holy Father. Pope Benedict then went on to mention the importance of Eucharistic adoration, the Mass, the Rosary, and the Liturgy of the Hours in the life of a bishop.

The speech was very much addressed by the Chief bishop to the bishops - the teacher teaching the teachers. Pope Benedict was gathering the fraternity of the bishops together in the Crypt Church of the Basilica to offer encouragement, support, and a challenge. He was encouraging them to participate in the exchange of ideas in the public square. He said, "It falls on you to ensure that the moral formation provided at every level of ecclesial life reflects the authentic teaching of the Gospel of life." He was stressing the importance of unity and cooperation within the presbyterate.

"He talked to us as a father would talk to his sons," said Austin Bishop Gregory Aymond. "He spoke to us in a fatherly way."

-- Tim Drake

The Pope's Address to the U.S. Bishops and their Reaction

For the complete text of the Pope's address to the U.S. Bishops, you can find that online at Catholic News Service. Following the Pope's address I spoke with some lay people in the audience as well as a number of bishops, asking their reaction to the address.

Veronica O'Donnell of Reston, Va. enjoyed the speech.

"I was surprised by his facility with the language," O'Donnell said. "I liked his clarity and that he's not afraid of the thorny issues."

"I'm glad that he didn't mention Iraq," said Joanne Meredith, a volunteer at the Basilica. "His speech helped me to understand him better."

Overall, the bishops I spoke with interpreted the Pope's speech as both a support and a challenge.

"More than half of the message was positive," said Austin Bishop Gregory Aymond, who serves as chairman of the United States' Bishops Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People. "Yet, he also challenged us, as a good prophet should do. He challenged us on the poor, the homeless, the marginalized. He challenged us on immigration and on issues of life. He was clear in saying we're doing a lot, but we can do more."

"I was very pleased that he touched on themes that he has already stressed previously in his pontificate, especially the themes of secularism, relativism, and the deteriorating moral values of our time," said Bishop Victor Galeone of St. Augustine, Florida. "He treated them in a non-threatening way."

"One phrase that I wrote down had to do with this notion of the family and the Gospel of life," said Bishop Robert Finn of Kansas City-St. Joseph. "He said that the bishops had to make a 'determined, collective response to promote the Gospel of life, and at least part of what he said was about the primacy of the family. It seemed to me that it could be intepreted to gain a greater unanimity in our hearts and to, as a group, make a stand. I felt that was a challenge from the Holy Father. He wasn't denying that we haven't done important things, but perhaps was saying that we should get together and do more because we are the leaders of the Church in the U.S."

For the most part, the bishops seemed supportive of the Pope's decision to again tackle the issue of the sexual abuse crisis. Questioning whether too much attention might engulf the majority of the Pope's coverage on this one issue, Bishop Aymond disagreed.

"I'm very grateful he talked about the crisis," said Bishop Aymond. "Some would say that it's over, but it's not over until it doesn't exist anymore."

Bishop Aymond said that he wasn't surprised that the topic has come up twice over the past two days. "I'm not surprised. The Holy Father gets it. He has been deeply wounded by this," said Bishop Aymond. "He was reading these cases before he was Holy Father. He knew the pain. He was speaking from his own experience. Where there is sin or poison, there is a need for purification."

-- Tim Drake

Who Did the Pope Greet at the Basilica?

When the Holy Father walked into the Basilica and walked through the crowd, he stopped for a moment to greet and speak with someone in the group. Who was it?

According to the USCCB's Sister Mary Ann Walsh, that was Monsignor Alois Furtner, director of the Shrine of Our Lady of Altoetting in Bavaria. As a Cardinal, Joseph Ratzinger would often stay with Monsignor Furtner while in Bavaria. In stopping to talk with him, he was spending time with an old friend.

-- Tim Drake

The Pain of Blogging

Well, yesterday at Andrews Air Force Base, we didn't immediately have wireless access, and today at the Basilica there was no wi-fi access. Thus, I was reduced to watching the event at the Basilica on a large screen in the Upper Church, with limited access to interviewing others. That means that we've had somewhat limited success with our blogging efforts up to this point.

Considering the challenges posed by setting aside 6-8 hours for each event, given the security screening/waiting/travel time, and the lack of wireless access, many bloggers are foregoing attendance at the actual events for just watching them on screen, either in the media center, online, or elsewhere. However, wearing the dual hat of a print journalist and a blogger, I'm required to be on site to get commentary by bishops, participants, lay people, etc. As the rest of the trip progresses, I think we may be taking a slightly different approach to how we go about blogging, so that we can have information on the site in a more timely manner. Tomorrow, for example, Tom Hoopes will be on-site at the Mass at Nationals while I remain back to blog. For the Pope's address at Catholic University of America in the afternoon, I'll be at the event, and Tom will be blogging. There is the slight possibility that we may actually have wi-fi access at CUA.

It might be wise to invest in a wireless air card, that plugs into your computer's USB port, but acts like a cellular phone, allowing you Internet access anywhere - on the bus, in the Basilica, waiting outside.

-- Tim Drake

Photos from the Pope's Visit to the Basilica

About 600 people in the Basilica's Upper Church were led in the Rosary by the Dominican Friars in preparation for the Pope's arrival.

Here, Pope Benedict XVI raises his hands in greeting to the crowd gathered in the Upper Church at the Basilica.

Washington Archbishop Donald Wuerl shows the Holy Father the new mosaic in the Basilica.

(Photo credit: Tim Drake, National Catholic Register)

What Tim Drake Saw

Tom Hoopes here. I'm on the phone with Tim Drake, who tells me what it's like inside the Shrine. There are approximately 350 bishops and 9 cardinals in the crypt church, where the Holy Father is. Tim's in the upper church.

Prior to Benedict's arrival, the Dominican friars (whose House of Studies is located across the street) led an hour-long period of spiritual preparation in the upper church for about 600 people who are gathered there -- Basilica volunteers and archdiocesan staff and employees, plus press members (and Newt Gingrich, if Tim saw what he thinks he saw).

The group upstairs prayed the Rosary and heard three talks: one on hope, one on encountering Peter's successor, and a third one, appropriately, on waiting for Peter.

While that was going on, 40 Dominicans were outside the Basilica doing the same kind of formation with the crowd there.

Inside, the crowd is largely adults. Outside, the majority are young people and students from the campus, who according to Carrie Gress of Zenit were very vocal in their enthusiasm (which you heard if you were listening to the audio of the bishops trying to focus on their prayers downstairs). As the Popemobile made its way down the street, screens showed his progress. The crowds cheered when he appeared on TV, even when he was nowhere nearby.

Inside the Church, the Holy Father was escorted by Washington Archbishop Donald Wuerl and Msgr. Walter Rossi, rector of the Basilica. He stopped to admire the mosaics, to greet the crowd, and to pray for two minutes in front of the Blessed Sacrament. The crowd called out Viva Papa! And then he left Tim behind to apply what he had learned about waiting for Peter ...

Words to the U.S. Bishops

Pope Benedict XVI's prepared address to the U.S. bishops touches upon many themes. He encourages the "rich variety of ecclesial life" found in present day America and the charitable spirit of American Catholics. He also praises the country's great faith and encourages the bishops to "sow the seeds of the Gospel."

"Is it consistent to profess our  beliefs in church on Sunday, and then during the week to promote business practices or medical procedures contraryo those beliefs?," he asked. "Is it consistent for practicing Catholics to ignore or exploit the poor and the marginalized, to promote sexual behavior contrary to Catholic moral teaching, or to adopt positions that contradict the right to life of every human being from conception to natural death? Any tendency to treat religion as a private matter must be resisted. Only when their faith permeates every aspect of their lives do Christians become truly open to the transforming power of the Gospel."

He also addresses the dangers of materialism and the role of the Church in influencing public debate.

"It cannot be assumed that all Catholic citizens think in harmony with the Church's teaching on today's key ethical questions. Once again, it falls to you to ensure that the moral formation provided at every level of ecclesial life reflects the the authentic teaching of the Gospel of life."

The Holy Father then stresses the importance of marriage and family life, quoting from Pope Paul II's 1981 apostolic exhortation Familiaris Consortio. He places the task of communicating the truth on the shoulders of the bishops.

"It is your task to proclaim boldly the arguments from faith and reason in favor of the institution of marriage, understood as a lifelong commitment between a man and a woman, open to the transmission of life. This message should resonate with people today, because it is essentially an unconditional and unreserved 'yes' to life, a 'yes' to love, and a 'yes' to the aspirations at te heart of our common humanity, as we strive to fulfill our deep yearning for intimacy with others and with the Lord."

The latter part of the Pope's address to the U.S. bishops deals with the sexual abuse crisis, concentrating on the purification that has and continues to take place within the Church.

At the end, the Pope was asked to address three specific issues: secularism and how to confront it pastorally, Catholics who have abandoned the faith, and religious vocations.

Answering the first question, Pope Benedict's prepared remarks say:

"Let me conclude, by saying that I believe that the Church in America, at this point in her history, is faced with the challenge of recapturing the Catholic vision of reality and presenting it, in an engaging and imaginative way to a society which markets any number of recipes for human fulfillment. I think in particular of our need to speak to the hearts of young people, who, despite their constant exposure to messages contrary to the Gospel, continue to thirst for authenticity, goodness and truth."

He ends by calling the bishops to prayer and the imitation of Christ.

For context, see our posts "Echoes of the Cardinal's Summit" "Predation on American Catholic Youth", and "The Great Jubilee of America" below.

-- Tim Drake

What Benedict is Wearing

Tom Hoopes here. I just met Hugh from Pewsitter. I met him when I heard a voice in the media center shouting excitedly: "He's wearing the Easter mozzetta!"

The mozetta is a cape that Paul VI used to wear. They come in burgundy and in the silk you see. He pointed out that Benedict is using the one with winter ermine trim.

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.

Echoes of the Cardinals' Summit

Tom Hoopes here. I tracked down a copy of the (embargoed) prepared remarks of Benedict to this afternoon's National Shrine meeting. Expect the part about the sexual abuse crisis to dig a little deeper than most commentary has.

It in fact has echoes of the "Cardinals' Summit." That was the name we gave to the meeting of John Paul II with America's cardinals about the abuse crisis in 2002 where he said that

Catholics “must know that bishops and priests are totally committed to the fullness of Catholic truth on matters of sexual morality, a truth as essential to the renewal of the priesthood and the episcopate as it is to the renewal of marriage and family life.”

Benedict does the same thing with his discussion that John Paul did. He places it in a wider context of laxity about sexual morality.

First, Benedict will point out the especially shameful nature of abuse in the Church. As Cardinal George told the Register, when the perpetrator is a priest, "The shock ...is always greater, and perhaps therefore the damage to the victims is greater too. Because the trust is greater, and therefore the betrayal of trust is greater."

But Benedict says we can't ignore the larger context that this abuse comes in. That seems right: After all, John Geoghan, the Boston priest whose case kicked off the year of sex scandal coverage, said that he was only “experimenting” at a time when the culture at large was also “experimenting with sex.”

We have found out the hard way that rethinking sexual mores is a dangerous business. It doesn't take long for a culture to go from celebrating promiscuous sex to Celebrating Sex Abuse. Benedict's clarity can bring a great deal of wisdom to the situation.

If only he was giving the message to administrative representatives of the public school system, where the problem is "100 times worse" than in the Catholic Church.

'Predation on American Catholic Youth'

Tom Hoopes here. Pope Benedict XVI will address the abuse crisis for the second time when he meets with the bishops today. The first time, of course, was yesterday on Shepherd One.

"I would not speak in this moment about homosexuality, but pedophilia, [which] is another thing. We will absolutely exclude pedophiles from the sacred ministry, this is absolutely incompatible."

Why did he say he wouldn't speak "in this moment" about homosexuality? Because he was following a long line of Holy See decisions on the problem, decisions he doesn't wish to abandon.

In 2004, the Vatican's Instruction Concerning the Criteria for the Discernment of Vocations with Regard to Persons with Homosexual Tendencies distinguished between candidates with a "deep-seated homosexual tendency" and those who had experienced a "transitory problem," perhaps in adolescence. The Congregation for Catholic Education taught:

"In the light of such teaching, this Dicastery in accord with the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, believes it necessary to state clearly that the Church, while profoundly respecting the persons in question, cannot admit to the seminary or to holy orders those who practice homosexuality, present deep-seated homosexual tendencies or support the so-called 'gay culture.'"

In other words: Homosexual experimentation in your past doesn't bar you from being a priest. But if you are part of the gay scene, and self-identify as "gay" as part of who you are ... then the seminary's not for you.

This 2004 teaching was nothing new. In a 2002 speech, Pope John Paul II linked the abuse scandals with seminary instruction and called for the exclusion of seminary candidates with observable “deviations in their affections.”

And, lest we forget, his words echoed a 1961 instruction to the superiors of religious communities on “Careful Selection and Training of Candidates for the States of Perfection and Sacred Orders.”

Now, all of this sounds terribly old-fashioned and fuddy duddy to our culture today. But don't forget the February 2004 study commissioned by the bishops. After an exhaustive review of sex abuse in the priesthood, among the 2004 John Jay study's findings was the revelation that the majority of sexual abuse by clergy took place during the 1960s and ’70s, with 81% of the victims being males between the ages of 11 and 17.

National Review Board member Dr. Paul McHugh, former psychiatrist-in-chief at Johns Hopkins Hospital, described that finding as “remarkable.”

“I'm amazed that this fundamental bombshell has not been the subject of greater interest and discussion,” he told Tim Drake. “I'm astonished that people throughout America are not talking about it, thinking about it, and wondering about what the mechanisms were that set this alight.

“If you collect all of the seminary graduates between 1970 and 1973, 10-11% of them abused children,” said McHugh. “That's an amazing fact. This behavior was homosexual predation on American Catholic youth, yet it's not being discussed.”

Feasting in the Absence of the Pope

Charlie Spiering, our DC correspondent, was at the White House ceremony this morning and found out what they're serving tonight. The dinner is in honor of Pope Benedict on his 81st Birthday, but he will be meeting with the country's bishops and cannot make it.
Here is a list of some of the guests and what they will be having...

Tonight, the President and Mrs. Bush will host a dinner in the East Room
in celebration of the visit of his Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.
Attendees will include:

 

*       Chief Justice Roberts

*       Justices Scalia, Kennedy, Alito, and Thomas

*       Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight and Chief Executive Officer,
Knights of Columbus

*       Ken Hackett, President, Catholic Relief Services

*       Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi

*       Minority Leader John Boehner

*       George Weigel, author of the biography of Pope John Paul II

*       Tom Lasorda, former baseball player and manager

*       More than 20 members of the clergy from around the country,
including Papal Nunciature and the Archdiocese of Washington

 

The Menu will be:

 

*       Morel-encrusted Diver Scallops

*       Ramp Spaetzle

*       Angel Hair Asparagus Bisque

*       Duo of Veal

*       White Truffle-Potato Dumplings

*       Baby Carrots and Boletus Mushrooms

*       Heirloom Lettuces and Candied Pumpkin Seeds

*       Spring Squash Carpaccio

*       Styrian Pumpkin Oil Vinaigrette

*       Raspberry Crisp

*       Mint Coulis

I don't see weissbier mentioned. It's a Bavarian specialty --beer brewed with wheat -- and said to be a favorite of the Holy Father.

Statement on White House Meeting

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release                              April 16, 2008

JOINT STATEMENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND HOLY SEE

His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI and President George W. Bush met today in the Oval Office of the White House.

President Bush, on behalf of all Americans, welcomed the Holy Father, wished him a happy birthday, and thanked him for the spiritual and moral guidance, which he offers to the whole human family.  The President wished the Pope every success in his Apostolic Journey and in his address at the United Nations, and expressed appreciation for the Pope’s upcoming visit to “Ground Zero” in New York.

During their meeting, the Holy Father and the President discussed a number of topics of common interest to the Holy See and the United States of America,  including moral and religious considerations to which both parties are committed:  the respect of the dignity of the human person; the defense and promotion of life, matrimony and the family; the education of future generations; human rights and religious freedom; sustainable development and the struggle against poverty and pandemics, especially in Africa.  In regard to the latter, the Holy Father welcomed the United States’ substantial financial contributions in this area.  The two reaffirmed their total rejection of terrorism as well as the manipulation of religion to justify immoral and violent acts against innocents.  They further touched on the need to confront terrorism with appropriate means that respect the human person and his or her rights.

The Holy Father and the President devoted considerable time in their discussions to the Middle East, in particular resolving the Israel-Palestinian conflict in line with the vision of two states living side-by-side in peace and security, their mutual support for the sovereignty and independence of Lebanon, and their common concern for the situation in Iraq and particularly the precarious state of Christian communities there and elsewhere in the region.  The Holy Father and the President expressed hope for an end to violence and for a prompt and comprehensive solution to the crises which afflict the region.

The Holy Father and the President also considered the situation in Latin America with reference, among other matters, to immigrants, and the need for a coordinated policy regarding immigration, especially their humane treatment and the well being of their families.

Happy Birthdays for the Pope

The Pope has received a number of birthday greetings. Yesterday, a group sang "Happy Birthday" to him. Today, at the White House, a group of the guests spontaneously launched into "Happy Birthday." Then, at the conclusion of his White House speech, the official singer sang "Happy Birthday" to him before he walked into the White House with the President. I'm sure he'll be receiving many more throughout the day. Stay tuned...we're trying to find out what the President's official gift for the Pope is.

-- Tim Drake

The Addresses at the White House

President Bush spoke first, describing America as a nation of prayer, with a love of freedom and a common moral law. "Faith and reason exists in common harmony," he said. "You'll find an American people whose hearts are open to your message of hope. We need your message that God is love. ...Each of us is willed, each of us is loved and each of us is necessary," he said. "We need your message to reject the message of relativism," he said to cheering.

In his address, Pope Benedict spoke of his great respect for America's pluralistic society and of the contributions that Catholics have made to the country.

With that, he launched into the heart of his talk, stressing the principles of America's founding based upon a moral order based on the dominion of God the Creator, highlighting the truths that all men are created equal and endowed with inalienable rights grounded in the laws of nature and of nature's God.

He also stressed the level of freedom of worship found in America.

"Freedom is not only a gift, but also a summons to personal responsibility. Americans know this from experience - almost every town in this country has its monuments honoring those who sacrificed their lives in defense of freedom, both at home and abroad. The preservation of freedom calls for the cultivation of virtue, self-discipline, sacrifice for the common good and a sense of responsibility towards the less fortunate."

He also quoted from Pope John Paul II.

"In reflecting on the spiritual victoy of freedom over totalitarianism in his native Poland and in eastern Europe, he reminded us that history shows, time and again, that "in a world without truth, freedom loses its foundation," and a democracy without values can lose its very soul (cf. Centesimus Annus, 46)."

-- Tim Drake

Benedict's White House Words

Tom Hoopes here. Here are some choice quotes from the prepared remarks of Benedict XVI at the White House today.

"Freedom is not only a gift, but also a summons to personal responsibility. Americans know this from experience -- almost every town in this country has its monuments honoring those who sacrificed their lives in defense of freedom, both at home and abroad. The preservation of freedom calls for the cultivation of virtue, self discipline, sacrifice for the common good and a sense of responsibility towards the less fortunate. It also demands the courage to engage in civic life and to bring one's deepest beliefs and values to reasoned public debate. In a word, fredom is ever new."

And, later:

"In reflecting on the spiritual victory of freedom over totalitarianism in his native Poland and in eastern Europe, [John Paul] reminded us that history shows, time and again, that 'In a world without truth, freedom loses its foundation,' and a democracy without values can lose its very soul (Centesimus Annus, No. 46). These prophetic words in some sense echo the conviction of President Washington, expressed in his FArewell Address, that religion and morality represent 'indispensable supports' of political prosperity."

And later:

"Democracy can only flourish, as your founding fathers realized, when political leaders and those whom they represent are guided by truth and bring the wisdom born of firm moral principle to decisions affecting the life and future of the nation."

See below for some context.

Gathering at the White House

If you've been watching the coverage, you'll see a who's who of Catholic leaders gathering at the White House in preparation for the Pope's arrival. Tom and I were able to pick out some familiar faces - Mother Assumpta, Gladys Sweeney...and then most of the American Cardinals. It looks as if the President is entering now.

The Holy Father just arrived, greeted some of the dignitaries...Nancy Pelosi kissed the Pope's ring. Now the national anthem of the Holy See is being played, to be followed by the U.S. National Anthem.

Some in the crowd just sang "Happy Birthday" to the Pope's evident delight. The "Our Father" is now being sung.

-- Tim Drake

America's Future Depends on Us

Tom Hoopes here. Following up on last post. For Washingtonophiles: You'll be happy to know that Pope Benedict refers to the Farewell Address.

He also refers to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which borrowed both spiritually and literally from the Declaration of Independence.

Our Declaration:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

The United Nations' Declaration (you've got to love the use of "birth"):

“Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. … Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.”

So, one could easily piece together a storyline for the future history of the world that goes something like this:

1. American founders give people untold freedom, stressing rights and the need for religion.
2. The experiment starts to sour when religion fades.
3. Before it fades, the United Nations adopts a version of the American experiment.
4. Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI strongly reaffirm that original American experiment.

The only part that remains to be written is:

5. These words are ignored by a Church preoccupied with its own inner conflicts, and the principles the popes are trying to salvage die on the vine.

5. The younger generation of Americans embrace the Holy Father's directives with enthusiasm and rescue the principles that mankind acclaimed for two centuries.

We once wrote a page-one editorial in the Register along these lines called "The Future of America Depends on Catholics." When our art director put the copy on the page and read the headline, he said, "Uh oh. We're in trouble."

But I disagree. We're the kind of people who rise to occasions like this.

White House "Catechesis on America"

Tom Hoopes here. We just got the White House address. We can't share it yet because it's embargoed. It's reminiscent of Pope John Paul II's insightful words about America.

In 1995's Farewell Address in Baltimore, John Paul reminded us that democracies can morph into quasi-totalitarian systems that respond "only to the power of the majority, or the wishes of the most vocal." He didn't use the words "dictatorship of relativism" but might as well have. That's what democracies become. However:

"The United States possesses a safeguard, a great bulwark, against this happening. I speak of your founding documents: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights. These documents are grounded in and embody unchanging principles of the natural law whose permanent truth and validity can be known by reason, for it is the law written by God in human hearts."

America, in other words, is not just a place where a free market can bring new prosperity. It isn't just a place where you get to go where you want and buy what you will.

It's an experiment in self-government, and self-governance is only possible for people who can govern themselves. You only get moral responsibility on a wide scale from healthy religion.

In his Address to the Ambassador of the Holy See, Lindy Boggs, in 1997, John Paul reiterated the same point. But he said it most forcefully at the U.S. National Prayer Breakfast (his prepared remarks were read to the participants) in the year 2000:

"For religious believers who bear political responsibility, our times offer a daunting yet exhilarating challenge. I would go so far as to say that their task is to save democracy from self-destruction. ...

"If there is no objective moral order which everyone must respect, and if each individual is expected to supply his or her own truth and ethic of life, there remains only the path of contractual mechanisms as the way of organizing our living together in society. In such a society the strong will prevail and the weak will be swept aside.'"

Expect from Pope Benedict XVI a succinct "American catechesis" of the John Pauline variety ... and a nice little teaching on freedom to boot.

What the Pope Plans to Give to the President

When Pope Benedict XVI meets with President Bush today, the two will be exchanging gifts. The gift of Pope Benedict to the President will be a framed mosaic of St. Peter's Square.

The mosaic - "Saint Peter's Square" - belongs to an 18th century style of "panoramas" and is based on a printing from the 19th century. Measuring 60 x 35 centimeters, the work was completed in 2007 by artists in the Vatican Mosaic Studio using polychrome enamels applied with an oil-based adhesive to a metallic base. The subtle variations of color in the sky and on the surface of the piazza were rendered through a process of melting and mixing bits of glass enamel at very high temperatures.

-- Tim Drake

Photos from Yesterday

We've had some problems trying to get our photo albums to appear on the home page, so here's a selection of photos from yesterday's arrival. Cick on the photo for a larger version. (Credit: Tim Drake, National Catholic Register)

Here is Pope Benedict XVI meeting President George W. Bush.

Here, Pope Benedict, President Bush, Jenna Bush, and First Lady Laura Bush take in the sight of a cheering crowd of young people at Andrews Air Force Base.

The Pope extends his hands in greeting to the media gathered to document his arrival, before departing for the Papal Nunciature.

From the Papal Plane

John Allen has posted a transcript of the Pope's answers to five questions while en route to the U.S. You can find the entire transcript here.

-- Tim Drake

Papal Visit Embraced by Students of New Institute

Students from the Institute for the Psychological Sciences (IPS), a unique Catholic graduate school of psychology, have been invited to attend Catholic University's Papal Rally following the Papal Mass at Nationals' Park on April 17th. This historic opportunity for IPS students to show their support for Pope Benedict is particularly newsworthy in light of IPS' recent founding. 

Only nine years old, IPS is gaining national recognition as the only Catholic graduate school of psychology that integrates insights about the human person from theology and philosophy with the science of psychology, while training students in a wide variety of empirical models.  In Pope Benedict's recent encyclical on hope, Spe Salvi, the Pope emphasizes the role modern science must play in advancing society; a view consistent with the IPS Mission.

-- Tim Drake

The Pope Arrives

There were between 900-1000 people on hand for the Pope’s arrival, mostly members of military families. They were seated on four portable viewing stands set up for the event.

I chose a spot among the media near two USCCB personnel – Patricia Martin and Maria de Mar Munoz-Visoso. Munoz-Visoso handled the event at Andrews Air Force Base, so she provided a play-by-play for what was happening as it happened. Prior to the arrival, Martin wondered why no one was praying. Maria and I offered to pray with her, so Martin grabbed our hands and offered a prayer for the Pope’s safe landing, a blessing on the Pope and the President, and that his visit would be a blessing for the United States.

The Pope’s plane arrived right at about 3:45. Upon its arrival, a U.S. and Vatican flag were attached to the front of the plane and the jet taxied on the runway for a few minutes. There were three staircases for the plane. One in the back, another in the middle, and one up front.

The journalists deplaned first from a staircase on the back of the Boeing 777 known as “Shepherd One.” Next were Church leaders, who deplaned from a staircase located in the middle of the plane.

Then Church dignitaries walked out of the Air Force Base building, followed by President Bush, Mrs. Laura Bush and Jenna Bush.

Pope Benedict XVI deplaned last, greeting the crowd with extended hands, his zucchetto in hand to prevent it from being blown off as it was at his arrival at World Youth Day in Cologne, Germany. There were no public gestures, no kissing of the ground.

"John Paul II was a Pope of gestures,” said Munoz-Visoso. “Benedict is a pope of words.”

A group of youth were assembled on the stands, cheering the loudest as the President and Mrs. Bush approached to greet the Holy Father.

No public words were shared, but the Pope greeted the crowd with his hands extended, and a wave or two, his full head of white hear blowing in the wind. The Holy Father and the President, his wife, and Mrs. Bush walked into the Air Force building for a few moments. After that, the Pope came back out and boarded the limousine to be brought to the Papal Nunciature.

-- Tim Drake