Vatican has announced Pope Benedict XVI
will receive U. S. President George W. Bush, First Lady Laura Bush and U.
S. Ambassador to the Vatican Mary Ann Glendon at the Tower of Saint John
in the Vatican Gardens on Friday, June 13, where the Sistine Chapel Choir
will perform. Pope Benedict XVI is breaking protocol by
receiving visitors in the Vatican Gardens because President Bush broke
protocol by going to Andrews Air Force Base to meet Pope Benedict XVI on
his pilgrimage to America.
The purpose of Pope Benedict XVI's pilgrimage to America was to commemorate the
200th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, the
Archdiocese of New York, the Archdiocese of Boston, the Archiodcese of
Louisville, and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
Pope Benedict XVI, sitting at his desk,
videotaped the following message to Americans regarding his upcoming April
15 - April 20, 2008, visit to the United States.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in the
United States of America,
The grace and peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with
all of you.
In just a few days from now, I shall
begin my apostolic visit to your beloved country. Before setting off, I
would like to offer you a heartfelt greeting and an invitation to
prayer.
As you know, I shall only be able to
visit two cities: Washington and New York. The intention behind my
visit though is to reach out spiritually to all Catholics in the United
States. At the same time, I earnestly hope that my presence among you
will be seen as a fraternal gesture towards every ecclesial community
and a sign of friendship for members of other religious traditions and
all men and women of good will. The risen Lord entrusted the Apostles
and the Church with his Gospel of love and peace, and his intention in
doing so was that the message should be passed on to all peoples.
At this point, I should like to add some words of thanks because I am
conscious that many people have been working hard for a long time both
in Church circles and in the public services to prepare for my journey.
I am especially grateful to all who have been praying for the success of
the visit since prayer is the most important element of all. Dear
friends, I say this because I am convinced that without the power of
prayer, without that intimate union with the Lord, our human endeavours
would achieve very little. Indeed this is what our faith teaches
us. It is God who saves us. He saves the world and all of
history. He is the Shepherd of His people. I am coming, sent
by Jesus Christ, to bring you His word of life.
Together with your bishops, I have chosen as the theme of my journey
three simple but essential words: "Christ our
hope." Following in the footsteps of my venerable
predecessors, Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II, I shall come
to the United States of America as pope for the first time to proclaim
this great truth: Jesus Christ is hope for men and women of every
language, race, culture, and social condition. Yes, Christ is the
face of God present among us. Through him, our lives reach
fullness; and, together, both as individuals and peoples, we can become
a family united by fraternal love according to the eternal plan of God
the Father.
I know how deeply rooted this Gospel
message is in your country. I am coming to share it with you in a series
of celebrations and gatherings. I shall also bring the message of
Christian hope to the great Assembly of the United Nations, to the
representatives of all the peoples of the world.
Indeed, the world has greater need of hope than ever. Hope for
peace, for justice, and for freedom, but this hope can never be
fulfilled without obedience to the law of God which Christ brought to
fulfillment in the commandment to love one another. Do to others
as you would have them do to you, and avoid doing what you would not
want them to do. This "golden rule" is given in the
Bible, but it is valid for all people including non-believers. It
is the law written on the human heart, on this we can all agree so that
when we come to address other matters, we can do so in a positive and
constructive manner for the entire human community.
I direct a cordial greeting to Spanish-speaking Catholics and manifest
my spiritual closeness in particular to the youth, the ill, the elderly,
and those who are in moments of difficulty or feel themselves in
need. I express my heartfelt desire to be with you soon in this
beloved nation. In the meantime, I encourage you to pray intensely
for the pastoral fruits of my imminent apostolic trip and to keep high
the flame of hope in the resurrected Christ. Que la Virgen
María les acompañe y proteja. Que Dios les bendiga./May the Virgen
Mary accompany and protect you. May God bless you.
May God bless you all.
United States Ambassador to the Vatican
Mary Ann Glendon to Pope Benedict XVI: "We are particularly pleased
that Your Holiness will visit the United States this coming spring.
On your first visit to the U.S. as Pontiff you will find a warm welcome
from a nation that understands the important contribution offered by
people of faith in our society. You will be among friends."
Max Rossi/Reuters
Pope Benedict XVI arriving at Andrews
Air Force Base in Maryland on Tuesday, April 15, on an Alitalia 777 named Shepard
One. Francesco Sforza is the Vatican's official photographer and
stays within 20 feet of the pope when the pope travels.
How was the Alitalia flight from the
Vatican to the U. S.? Flight
Dear brothers and sisters, dear
friends in the United States,
I am very much looking forward to
being with you. I want you to know that, even if my itinerary is short,
with just a few engagements, my heart is close to all of you, especially
to the sick, the weak, and the lonely. I thank you once again for
your prayerful support of my mission. I reach out to every one of
you with affection, and I invoke upon you the maternal protection of the
Blessed Virgin Mary.
Que la Virgen María les acompañe y
proteja. Que Dios les bendiga/May the Virgen Mary accompany and protect
you. May God bless you.
May God bless you all.
Jason Reed/Reuters
Pope Benedict XVI arriving at Andrews
Air Force Base in Maryland. The pope was met by Church hierarchy,
President and First Lady Bush, and First Daughter Jenna Bush.
Onlookers spontaneously sang Happy Birthday to Pope Benedict XVI
whose 81st birthday was Wednesday, April 16. Happy
Birthday made Pope Benedict XVI smile. The pope was then driven
to the Nunciature/Vatican Embassy on Embassy Row in the Duport Circle
neighborhood of Washington, D. C. to relax after a 10-hour flight and
before his hectic U. S. schedule begins on April 16.
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
United States, Bavarian, and Vatican
flags flutter over Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Washington, D. C. on
April 16 in honor of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Washington, D. C.
On his way from the Apostolic Nunciature
to the White House, Pope Benedict XVI stopped to talk to schoolchildren
from Annunciation who had waited outside to sing to Pope Benedict XVI
in German.
Jim Young/Reuters
President Bush escorts Pope Benedict XVI
to the White House welcoming ceremony on Wednesday, April 16. At an
interview prior to the pope's visit, Eternal Word Television Network
(EWTN) anchor Raymond Arroyo asked U. S. President George W. Bush what he
saw when he looked into Pope Benedict XVI's eyes. The president
answered, "God." Full
interview
Jim Bourg/Reuters
President George W. Bush and First Lady
Laura Bush welcome Pope Benedict XVI at the White House
Larry Downing/Reuters
Conducting the United States Marine
Corps Band at the White House welcoming ceremony for Pope Benedict XVI
including singing Happy Birthday to Pope Benedict XVI. But,
Catholic schoolchildren at the welcoming ceremony beat the Marine Corps
Band to it - the children broke out in Happy Birthday song right
after the Vatican and American national anthems, gaining a wide smile from
the pope.
Pablo Martinez/AP
Pope Benedict XVI, President George W.
Bush and First Lady Laura Bush after the welcoming ceremony at the White
House prior to the private meeting between Pope Benedict XVI and President
Bush. Peace in the Middle East and in Iraq and the protection of
Christians in these areas was discussed as well as other issues. In
an interview on Catholic television, President Bush stated that he has
spoken to both Iraq and Israel about protecting minority rights in their
countries.
Larry Downing/Reuters
Pope Benedict XVI at the White House
welcoming ceremony. There were 13,500 in attendance, the most ever
on the White House lawn.
Larry Downing/Reuters
Pope Benedict XVI passes the White House
Rose Garden on his way to the Oval Office
President George W. Bush escorts Pope
Benedict XVI along the White House Colonnade
Larry Downing/Reuters
President Bush escorts Pope Benedict XVI
into the Oval Office
L'Osservatore Romano
Pope Benedict XVI in the White House's
Oval Office, the president's work space, with President and Mrs. Bush
L'Osservatore Romano
Pope Benedict XVI and President Bush meet
in the Oval Office
Pier Paolo Cito/AP
Pope Benedict XVI and President George
W. Bush at the White House. Pope Benedict XVI requested a tour of
the president's private quarters which is not the usual part of the White
House tour.
Pope Benedict XVI blows out the candle
on his White House pound cake on April 16, the pope's 81st
birthday.
Jim Young/Reuters
Pope Benedict XVI waves from the
popemobile after leaving the White House along Pennsylvania Avenue and
proceeding west to Washington Circle and Massachusetts Avenue through Rock
Creek Parkway to lunch with 17 cardinals at the Apostolic
Nunciature/Vatican Embassy, the pope's home while in Washington,
D. C., located across from the United States Naval Observatory.
Lunch was catered by Cafe Milano in the Georgetown neighborhood of
Washington, D. C.
At 5:15 P. M. the popemobile left the
USCCB headquarters at 3211 Fourth Street N.E. and proceeded to the
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception nearby on
Michigan Avenue.
Yuri
Gripas/Reuters
Popemobile heading to Apostolic
Nunciature after leaving White House
Lunch was catered by Cafe Milano, an
Italian restaurant in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.
C. The cardinals sang Happy Birthday to Pope Benedict XVI on
his 81st birthday, Wednesday, April 16.
Pope Benedict XVI met with five victims
of the priest scandal in the chapel at the Apostolic Nunciature in
Washington, D. C. accompanied by Cardinal Sean O'Malley of the Archdiocese
of Boston which was the epicenter of the scandal before Cardinal O'Malley
arrived in the Archdiocese of Boston. Vatican statement said,
"They prayed with the Holy Father who afterward listened to their
personal accounts and offered them words of encouragement and hope.
His Holiness assured them of his prayers for their intentions, for their
families, and for all victims." Cardinal O'Malley presented
Pope Benedict XVI with a notebook of 1,000 names of victims.
Yuri Gripas/Reuters
Popemobile on its way to the Basilica of
the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Three popemobiles
were flown to the United States for the pope's U. S. trip.
Jose Luis Magana/AP
Mexican band plays Mananitas/Happy
Birthday as the popemobile passes on its way to the Basilica of the
National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
Nancy Wiechec/CNS
Coating the pews with a fresh coat of
varnish in the Crypt Church at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception
in anticipation of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to The Catholic University of
America
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
USSCB and Pope Benedict XVI say
Vespers/Divine Office at the Crypt Church in the Basilica of the National
Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on the evening of Wednesday, April 16
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
Vespers in the Crypt Church at the
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in
Washington, D. C.
Matthew Barrick/Reuters
Pope Benedict XVI meets with the United
States Conference of Catholic Bishops at the Basilica of the National
Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Vatican Secretary of State
Cardinal Tarcisio Berton is to the pope's left and USCCB President
Cardinal Francis George is to the pope's right.
Cardinal Francis George presented Pope
Benedict XVI with a check for $870,000, collected from U. S. Catholics, as
a birthday present to the pope to be used for charitable purposes.
The cape that the pope is wearing is the
same cape that was worn when the Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate
Conception was blessed 90 years ago. Nuns worked feverishly to
restore the vestment.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
Pope Benedict XVI and United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops in dialogue after Vespers at the National
Shrine
David Crenshaw/Eastern Oklahoma Catholic
Mr. Lam Tran of F. C. Ziegler Co, in
Tulsa, Oklahoma, a religious goods supplier, restores the 1938 chalice
used by two previous popes and used by Pope Benedict XVI on his April
visit to the United States to its original. The chalice is kept at
the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington, D. C. and is cleaned twice a week
by nuns.
Rafael Crisostomo/Catholic Standard
Ryan Mullen displays the winning design
sponsored by the Archdiocese of Washington he and fellow School of
Architecture and Planning at The Catholic University of America graduate
student John-Paul Mikolajczyk created of the altar for the Mass which Pope
Benedict XVI celebrated at Nationals' Park in Washington, D. C. on
April 17.
The altar is ten feet by four feet and
is supported by arches with parables carved in aluminum. The
papal seal is on the papal throne which is raised four feet from the floor
by an ambo/platform made of aluminum. Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl of
the Archdiocese of Washington said, "This design points to the
movement and power of the Holy Spirit. Your eye is caught by the
sense of motion."
Deacon Dave Cahoon, a carpenter whose
carpentry shop is named Saint Joseph's Carpentry Shop in Poolesville,
Maryland, has been chosen to build the above altar on which Pope Benedict
XVI celebrated Mass at Nationals Park. "How awesome is
this?" said Deacon Cahoon who has been a carpenter for over 25
years. "I can take it from a tree to the finished
product."
AFP
Popemobile takes a lap around Nationals
Park in Washington, D. C. prior to Mass. Confessions were heard
prior to Mass from 6:30 A. M. to 8:30 A. M.
Larry Downing/Reuters
Saint Piux X students welcome Pope
Benedict XVI at Nationals Park in Washington, D. C.
Vincenzo Pinto/AFP
Pope Benedict XVI enters Nationals Park
in Washington, D. C. to celebrate Mass on Thursday, April 17, for 48,000
faithful. The line began forming outside the stadium at 5:00 A. M.
for the 10:00 o'clock Mass
Max Rossi/Reuters
Pope Benedict XVI arrives at Nationals
Park in Washington D. C. to celebrate Mass for 48,000 of the
faithful.
Larry Downing/Reuters
After singing prior to Mass, tenor
Placido Domingo kisses the pope's ring at Nationals Park in Washington, D.
C.
Larry Downing/Reuters
Pope Benedict XVI celebrates Mass at
Nationals' Park in Washington, D. C. Hymns were sung in six
different languages displaying the universality of the Catholic Church.
During his homily at Nationals' Park,
Pope Benedict XVI acknowleged the injustice done to American Indians and
African-American slaves, and stated that minors abused by the clergy must
be given pastoral care.
L'Osservatore Romano
Pope Benedict XVI serves Communion at
Nationals Park
The large crucifix used behind the altar
for Mass at Nationals Park in Washington, D. C. was borrowed from Saint
Mark the Evangelist Church in Hyattsville, Maryland.
After Mass at Nationals' Park, Pope
Benedict XVI blessed the cornerstone of Pope John Paul II the Great High
School which will be located in Arlington, Virginia.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
Students await Pope Benedict XVI at The
Catholic University of America on April 17.
"Dear university students of
Washington, D.C., "I send warm greetings to
you! With the help of God, I will be in your city in April. With your
assistance, may America remain faithful to its Christian roots and to its
high ideals of freedom in truth and justice." - Pope Benedict XVI
What was the reaction of The Catholic
University of America students about Pope Benedict XVI's visit to their
campus? "I can't even fathom the fact that he may be walking up
the same stairs that I use to go to Starbucks before I go to class,"
said Sophomore Kelly O'Connor, a student from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
4,000 students at The Catholic
University of America cheer and take pictures when the popemobile passes
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
Pope Benedict XVI waves to students at
CUA
Pope Benedict XVI meets with Catholic
educators at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D. C. on
Wednesday, April 19. Pope Benedict XVI reminded educators that
parents are expecting their children to receive a Catholic education at
Catholic schools. Pope Benedict XVI received thunderous applause
when he gave special thanks to educators who worked in inner cities and on
Indian reservations.
Pope Benedict XVI conducts an ecumenical
meeting with U. S. non-Christian religious leaders on Thursday, April 17,
at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington D. C. Muslims
presented Pope Benedict XVI with a silver-bound Qu'ran.
While in New York, Pope Benedict XVI
stayed at the residence of the Vatican Representative to the United
Nations, Archbishop Celestino Migliore, on 72nd Street between
Madison and Park Avenues. A gala dinner for 52 guests was planned.
Catholic
New York Chef Lidia Bastianich was asked to prepare
two dinners for Pope Benedict XVI during his stay in New York
City. "I'm elated," she said. Pope Benedict XVI left
it up to Lidia to prepare whatever she wanted to prepare and asked only
that dinner be something light and seasonal. "You would think
that this great person would have a never-ending list of demands.
But to see him exemplify simplicity, I think its wonderful," said
Lidia. What did Lidia decide to prepare for one of the
dinners? Atlantic striped bass and spring vegetables. Her
restaurants are Del Posto, Becco, and Felidia, and her PBS television show
is entitled Lidia's Italian Table. U. S. Federal
agents are reportedly testing Pope Benedict XVI's food before he eats.
A brand new ambulance and four
paramedics from Saint Vincent's Hospital in New York City were
blessed. This is the ambulance that followed Pope Benedict XVI
during his trip to New York. The ambulance was staffed by 14
paramedics with round-the-clock shifts. One of the paramedics, Kenny
Karger, also staffed the ambulance for Pope John Paul II's visit to New
York.
Two physicians were in Pope Benedict
XVI's entourage of 30 when the pope visited the United States in
April: Dr. Renato Buzzonetti, who was Pope John Paul II's personal
physician, and one physician from the Vatican Health Services.
Other members of the pope's entourage
insure that the pope keeps to his schedule, that the liturgy is just so,
that answers are clarified for the press, and for papal security.
Monsignor Georg Ganswein, Pope Benedict XVI's personal secretary, was be
by the pope's side even when the pope was in the popemobile, and is
overall coordinator of the Volo Papale/Papal trip.
What does one give the pope who has
everything? Why, a skateboard, of course. The Archdiocese of
New York sponsoried a skateboard design competition for the pope's
April visit featuring graphics with a religious theme in colors to match
the papal flag including black, white, red, and yellow. The idea
came from a skateboarder from the skateboard club at Saint Elizabeth
Church in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City.
"One of the kids said, 'Why don't we give him a skateboard?' and,
boom, it was on. This was an opportunity to teach the children about
the Holy Father," said Father Peter Pomposello.
Lucas Jackson/Reuters
Pope Benedict XVI's United Nations guest
book entry on Friday, April 18
Lucas Jackson/AP
Pope Benedict XVI at the United
Nations. The United Nations has 192 member states of the 195 nations
worldwide and six official languages: Arabic, Chinese, English,
French, Russian, and Spanish.
Shannon Stapleton/Reuters
Pope Benedict XVI and the United Nations
International School children's choir
Mel Evans/Pool
On April 18, Pope Benedict XVI attended
a Christian ecumenical prayer service at Saint
Joseph Church in Yorkville, the German neighborhood of New York
City. Saint Joseph's has a German Mass.
Mel Evans/Pool
Pope Benedict XVI gives his blessing to
those assembled for the Christian ecumenical service at Saint Joseph
Church in Yorkville
Mel Evans/Pool
Pope Benedict XVI leaves a Christian
ecumenical prayer service at Saint Joseph Church in Yorkville
Dima Gavrysh/AP
Saint Joseph Church in Yorkville, New
York City
German Catholics in New York City
Max Rossi/Reuters
Procession to Saint Patrick's Cathedral
in New York on April 19, Pope Benedict XVI's third anniversary as pontiff,
to celebrate Mass.
Mike Segar/Reuters
Procession to Saint Patrick's
Cathedral
Don Emmert/AFP
Papal Mass at the Cathedral of Saint
Patrick in New York City for the intention of the priests and religious of
the four dioceses celebrating their 200th anniversary. There
were two representatives from each of the U. S. dioceses at the Papal
Mass.
Mel Evans/AP
Pope Benedict XVI acknowledging applause
prior to Mass at Saint Patrick's Cathedral.
Shannon Stapleton/Pool
Pope Benedict XVI is celebrating Mass at
Saint Patrick's Cathedral. Mass is celebrated in 35 different
languages in the Archdiocese of New York.
Gary Hershorn/Reuters
Pope Benedict XVI serves Communion at
Saint Patrick's Cathedral. This was the first time a pope celebrated
Mass at Saint Patrick's.
Pope Benedict XVI blessed the
Bicentential Garden at Saint Patrick's Cathedral.
Jason DeCrow/Reuters
The popemobile traveled from Saint
Patrick's Cathedral between 50th and 51st Streets
and Fifth Avenue to 72nd Street and Fifth Avenue to the
residence of the Vatican's representative to the United Nations, the
pope's home while in New York City. Large-screen televisions were
placed along the route of the motorcade.
Max Rossi/Reuters
Pope Benedict XVI at a Youth Rally at
Saint Joseph Seminary in the Dunwoodie neighborhood of Yonkers, New York,
on April 19. Pope Benedict XVI visited Dunwoodie in 1988 when
he was a cardinal as did Pope John Paul II seven years later.
While at Saint Joseph's Seminary, Pope
Benedict XVI visited ailing theologian Cardinal Avery Dulles. August
24 will be Cardinal Dulles' 90th birthday.
The bus chartered by the Archdiocese of
New York from Charter Demand never showed up at Our Lady of the Assumption
and at Saint Teresa's in The Bronx, New York, to take parents and students
to the Youth Rally in Yonkers. After praying for a miracle for three
hours, including the rosary's 15 mysteries, the students were sent
home. Charter Demand declined to comment.
Within three days of Pope Benedict XVI's
visit to Saint Joseph Seminary in Yonkers, New York, dozens of men
inquired about the priesthood.
Popemobile at Ground Zero in New York
City on Sunday, April 20
Pier Paolo Cito/Pool
Popemobile at Ground Zero
Kathy Willens/Pool
Pope prays at Ground Zero
Todd Heisler/Pool
Pope prays at Ground Zero
Kathy Willens/Pool
Pope Benedict XVI lights a candle for
the victims of the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center attack in New
York City
Kathy Willens/Pool
Pope Benedict XVI at Ground Zero
Pope Benedict XVI's
Prayer at Ground Zero of the World Trade Center in New York City on April
20, 2008, at 9:30 A. M.
O God of love, compassion, and healing,
look on us, people of many different faiths
and traditions,
who gather today at this site,
the scene of incredible violence and pain.
We ask you in your goodness
to give eternal light and peace
to all who died here-
the heroic first-responders:
our fire fighters, police officers,
emergency service workers, and
Port Authority personnel,
along with all the innocent men and women
who were victims of this tragedy
simply because their work or service
brought them here on September 11, 2001.
We ask you, in your compassion
to bring healing to those
who, because of their presence here that day,
suffer from injuries and illness.
Heal, too, the pain of still-grieving families
and all who lost loved ones in this tragedy.
Give them strength to continue their lives
with courage and hope.
We are mindful as well
of those who suffered death, injury, and loss
on the same day at the Pentagon and in
Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Our hearts are one with theirs
as our prayer embraces their pain and suffering.
God of peace, bring your peace to our violent world:
peace in the hearts of all men and women
and peace among the nations of the earth.
Turn to your way of love
those whose hearts and minds
are consumed with hatred.
God of understanding,
overwhelmed by the magnitude of this tragedy,
we seek your light and guidance
as we confront such terrible events.
Grant that those whose lives were spared
may live so that the lives lost here
may not have been lost in vain.
Comfort and console us,
strengthen us in hope,
and give us the wisdom and courage
to work tirelessly for a world
where true peace and love reign
among nations and in the hearts of all.
Gregory A. Shemitz, Long Island Catholic
Alexandra Bastien and Diana M. Padilla
distribute 1,000 tickets for the Diocese of Rockville on Long Island in
New York to see the pope at Yankee Stadium. There were 11,000
requests.
Frank Franklin/Pool
Popemobile arrives at Yankee Stadium in
The Bronx for Mass on Sunday, April 20
Mike Segar/Reuters
Pope Benedict XVI waves to 58,000 of the
faithful as he arrives at Yankee Stadium.
Harry Connick, Jr., Jose Feliciano, and
Dana, an Irish singer, performed for Pope Benedict XVI at Yankee Stadium
prior to Mass.
Nicholas Roberts/AFP
Pope Benedict XVI at Yankee Stadium
Stan Honda/AFP
Pope Benedict XVI at Yankee Stadium
The pope changed into his vestments in
the Yankees' home dugout.
Craig Ruttle/AP
Dressed in a Polish costume, Brooklynite
Alexandra Lapinska, 5, at Pope Benedict XVI's departure ceremony at John
F. Kennedy International Airport on Saturday, April 19.
Addressing the 4,000 faithful who
gathered to see him depart from John F. Kennedy International Airport in
Queens, New York, to Rome on Saturday, April 19, Pope Benedict XVI said,
"It has been a joy for me to witness the faith and devotion of the
Catholic community here."
Domenico Stinellis/AP
Pope Benedict XVI is greeted at Ciampino
Airport in Rome by Mayor Francesco Rutelli (to the left of the pope) upon
returning home from a pilgrimage to America on Monday, April 21.
Careful not to be seen as endorsing any
product, the Vatican refused to comment on the cases of YooHoo flying back
from America to Italy with the pope, or the rumor that the pope likes
"that American chocolate drink."
Pope Benedict XVI U.
S. Itinerary/Timetable
Tuesday, April
15
12:00 P. M./6:00 A. M. EDT - Depart from Leonardo da Vinci Airport in Rome
for Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. Andrews Air Force Base is
where the President of the United States' Air Force One airplane is
hangered.
4:00 P. M. - Arrival at Andrews Air Force Base. Private welcome by
President George W. Bush and Laura Bush. This is the first time
President Bush has met anyone at the airport as president.
4:14 P. M. - Transfer by car from Andrews Air Force Base to the Apostolic
Nunciature in Washington, D. C.
Wednesday, April 16
Morning Mass in private in the chapel of the Apostolic Nunciature
10:10 A. M. - Transfer by car to the White House
10:30 A. M. Welcoming ceremony on
the South Lawn of the White House. Speech by Pope Benedict XVI
followed by a courtesy visit with U. S. President George W. Bush in the
Oval Office of the White House.
Apostolic Nunciature
1:00 P. M. - Lunch with United States cardinals, officers of the United
States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the papal entourage at the
Apostolic Nunciature
4:45 P. M. - Greeting representatives of
Catholic charitable foundations at the Apostolic Nunciature
5:00 P. M. - Transfer by car and then by popemobile to the Basilica of the
National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on the campus of The Catholic
University of America
5:45 P. M. - Celebration of vespers and a meeting with the United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops at the Basilica of the National Shrine of
the Immaculate Conception. Speech by Pope Benedict XVI.
7:30 P. M. - Transfer by car to the Apostolic Nunciature
Thursday, April
17
9:00 A. M. - Transfer by car from the Apostolic Nunciature to Nationals'
Park
10:00 A. M. - Mass in Nationals Park. Homily by Pope Benedict
XVI. For ticket information, please visit the Archdiocese of
Washington's website at www.adw.org.
12:15 P. M. - Transfer by car to the Apostolic Nunciature
4:40 P. M. - Transfer by car to The Catholic University of America
5:00 P. M. - Meeting with representatives of Catholic universities
at The Catholic University of America. Speech by Pope Benedict XVI.
6:15 P. M. - Transfer by popemobile to the Pope John Paul II Cultural
Center
6:30 P. M. - Meeting with representatives of other religions in the
rotunda of the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center
7:30 P. M. - Transfer by car to the Apostolic Nunciature
Friday, April 18
Morning Mass in private in the chapel of the Apostolic Nunciature
7:50 A. M. - Farewell to those at the Apostolic Nunciature
8:00 A. M. - Transfer by car to Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.
8:45 A. M. - Departure by air to New York City
9:45 A. M. - Arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport
in the Borough of Queens in New York City
10:00 A. M. - Transfer by helicopter
from JFK to the Borough of Manhattan in New York City
10:30 A. M. - Arrival at the Wall Street heliport in Manhattan and
transfer by car to the United Nations headquarters
10:45 A. M. - Visit to the United Nations. Speech by Pope
Benedict XVI to the United Nations General Assembly followed by greetings
by the United Nations staff
1:45 P. M. - Transfer by car to the residence of the Vatican's
Permanent Observer to the United Nations
5:45 P. M. - Transfer by car to Saint
Joseph Church in the Yorkville/traditionally German section
of Manhattan
6:00 A. M. - Ecumenical meeting at Saint Joseph Church. Speech
by Pope Benedict XVI.
7:15 P. M. - Transfer by car to the residence of the Vatican's
Permanent Observer to the United Nations
7:30 P. M. - Dinner with United States cardinals, officers of the
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and members of the papal
entourage
Saturday, April 19
8:45 A. M. - Transfer by car to the Cathedral of Saint Patrick
9:15 A. M. - Mass with priests and religious at the Cathedral of
Saint Patrick. Homily by Pope Benedict XVI.
11:30 A. M. - Transfer by foot to the residence of the Archbishop of
New York.
12:00 - Lunch with Cardinal Edward M. Egan of the Archdiocese of New
York, the auxiliary bishops of the Archdiocese of New York, and the papal
entourage.
1:15 P. M. - Transfer by popemobile to the residence of the
Vatican's Permanent Observer to the United Nations
4:00 P. M. - Transfer by car to Saint Joseph Seminary in Yonkers,
New York.
4:30 P. M. - Meeting with young people and with seminarians at Saint
Joseph Seminary. Speech by Pope Benedict XVI.
6:30 P. M. - Transfer by car to the residence of the Vatican's
Permanent Observer to the United Nations
Sunday, April 20
9:10 A. M. -. Transfer by car to Ground Zero, the site of 9/11.
9:30 A. M. - Visit to Ground Zero, the site of 9/11. Prayer by Pope
Benedict XVI.
10:00 A. M. - Transfer by car to the residence of the Vatican's Permanent
Observer to the United Nations
1:50 P. M. - Transfer by car to Yankee Stadium
2:30 P. M. - Mass at Yankee Stadium. Homily by Pope Benedict
XVI. For ticket information, please visit the Archdiocese of New
York's website at www.archny.org.
4:45 P. M. - Transfer by car to the residence of the Vatican's
Permanent Observer to the United Nations
7:00 P. M. - Transfer by car to the Wall Street heliport.
7:20 P. M. - Arrival at the Wall Street heliport.
7:30 P. M. - Transfer by helicopter to John F. Kennedy International
Airport in the Borough of Queens in New York City
8:00 P. M. - Arrival at JFK for a farewell ceremony attended by Vice
President Dick Cheney and Mrs. Lynne Cheney. Speech by Pope Benedict
XVI.
8:30 P. M. - Depart JFK for Ciampino Airport in Rome, Italy
Monday, April 21
10:45 A. M./4:45 A. M. EDT - Arrival at
Ciampino Airport in Rome, Italy
Pope Benedict XVI's
reflections on his pilgrimage to America delivered April 30 at his
Wednesday general audience in Saint Peter's Square
Even if a few days have already passed
since my return, I would like to dedicate the catechesis of today, as I
normally do, to the apostolic trip that I made to the United Nations and
the United States of America this past April 15 to 21. Before all,
I renew my most cordial appreciation to the U. S. episcopal
conference, as well as President Bush, for having invited me and for the
warm welcome they have given me. And I would like to extend my
thanks to all those in Washington and New York who came to greet me and
manifest their love for the pope or who have accompanied and supported
me with prayer and with the offering of their sacrifices.
As we know, the occasion of my trip
was the bicentennial of the elevation of the country's first diocese,
Baltimore, to a metropolitan see, and the foundation of the sees of New
York, Boston, Philadelphia and Louisville. On this
characteristically ecclesial anniversary, I have had the joy of
personally visiting, for the first time as the Successor of Peter, the
dear people of the United States of America to confirm the Catholics in
their faith, to renew and increase fraternity with all Christians, and
to announce to everyone the message of "Christ Our Hope," as
the theme of the trip said.
In the meeting with the president in
his residence I was able to pay homage to this great country which from
the beginning has been constructed based on a pleasant joining together
of religious, ethical, and political principles and continues to be a
valid example of healthy secularism where the religious dimension in the
diversity of its expressions is not only tolerated but valued as the
soul of the nation and the fundamental guarantee of the rights and
duties of the human being.
In this context, the Church can carry
out its mission of evangelization and human promotion with freedom and
commitment; and, at the same time can be a stimulus for a country such
as the United States to which everyone looks as one of the principal
agents on the international scene, so that it is oriented toward global
solidarity, ever more necessary and urgent, and toward the patient
exercise of dialogue in international relations.
Naturally the mission and the role of
the ecclesial community were at the center of the meeting with the
bishops that took place in the National Shrine of the Immaculate
Conception in Washington. I n the liturgical context of Vespers, we
praised the Lord for the path traveled by the people of God in the
United States, for the zeal of its pastors, and for the fervor and the
generosity of its faithful which is manifested with a high esteem
and openness to the faith and in innumerable charitable and humanitarian
initiatives within the country and outside it.
At the same time, I was able to
support my brothers in the episcopate in their difficult task of sowing
the Gospel in a society marked by many contradictions which threaten the
coherence of the faithful and of the clergy themselves. I
encouraged them to raise their voices on current moral and social
questions and to form the lay faithful so that they be good leaven in
the civil community starting from the fundamental cell that is the
family. In this sense, I exhorted them to repropose the sacrament
of matrimony as a gift and indissoluble commitment between a man and a
woman the natural environment for the welcoming and education of
children. The Church and the family, together with schools,
especially those of Christian inspiration, should cooperate to offer
youth a solid moral education, but in this task the agents of
communication and entertainment also have a great responsibility.
Thinking of the sorrowful situation of
the sexual abuse of minors committed by ordained ministers, I wanted to
express to the bishops my closeness, encouraging them in the commitment
to heal the wounds and to reinforce their relationships with their
priests. Responding to some questions asked by the bishops, I
highlighted a few important aspects: The intrinsic relationship between
the Gospel and natural law; the healthy concept of freedom which is
understood and fulfilled in love; the ecclesial dimension of the
Christian experience; the demand to announce in new ways, especially to
youth, salvation as the plenitude of life and to educate them in prayer
from which sprouts the generous response to the call of the Lord.
In the great and festive Eucharistic
celebration in Nationals Park stadium in Washington, we invoked the Holy
Spirit upon the Church in the United States of America so that firmly
rooted in the faith transmitted by its fathers, profoundly united and
renewed, it will face present and future challenges with courage and
hope -- that hope that "does not disappoint because the love of God
has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has
been given to us" (Romans 5:5).
One of these challenges is certainly
that of education, and for this reason, in the Catholic University of
America, I met with rectors of universities and Catholic educational
centers, with the diocesan leaders responsible for teaching, and with
representatives of professors and students. The educational task is an
integral part of the mission of the Church, and the U. S. Church
community has always been very committed in this field offering at the
same time a great social and cultural service to the entire
country. It is important that this can continue. And it is in the
same way important to take care of the quality of the Catholic centers
of education so that in them is true formation according to "the
extent of the full stature" of Christ (cf. Ephesians 4:13), joining
together faith and reason, truth and liberty. With joy, therefore,
I have confirmed the formators in their precious commitment to
intellectual charity.
In a country like the United States of
America, with a multicultural vocation, the meetings with
representatives of other religions have taken on special
importance: In Washington, in the John Paul II Cultural Center,
with Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Jains; in New York, the visit
to the synagogue. Moments, especially this latter one, which were
very cordial have confirmed the common commitment to dialogue and the
promotion of peace and spiritual and moral values. In that which
considers itself the homeland of religious liberty, I wanted to recall
that this should always be defended with a joint effort so as to avoid
any kind of discrimination or prejudice. And I stressed the great
responsibility of the religious representatives both in teaching respect
and nonviolence, and in nourishing the deepest questions of human
consciousness. The ecumenical celebration in the parish church of
Saint Joseph was also characterized by great cordiality. Together
we asked the Lord that He increase in Christians the capacity of giving
reasons, also with an ever greater unity, for their unique hope (cf. 1
Peter 3:15) based in a common faith in Jesus Christ.
The other principal objective of my
trip was the visit to the central offices of the United Nations
Organization, the fourth visit of a pope after that of Paul VI in 1965
and the two visits of John Paul II, in 1979 and 1995. In the
celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, Providence permitted me to confirm, in the
most great and authoritative supranational assembly, the value of this
Declaration recalling its universal basis; that is, the dignity of the
human person created by God in his image and likeness to cooperate in
the world with his great design of life and peace.
Respect for human rights is rooted, as
well as in peace, in justice; that is, in an ethical order valid in all
times and for all peoples which can be summarized in the famous maxim:
"Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto
you," or, expressed positively in the words of Jesus, "Do unto
others what you would have them do unto you" (Matthew 7:12).
Upon this base, which constitutes the characteristic contribution of the
Holy See to the United Nations Organization, I renewed and I renew again
today, the commitment of the Catholic Church in contributing to
strengthen international relations characterized by the principles of
responsibility and solidarity.
Other moments of my stay in New York
have remained firmly etched in my spirit. In Saint Patrick's
Cathedral, in the heart of Manhattan, truly a house of prayer for all
peoples, I celebrated Holy Mass for the priests and consecrated persons
who had come from all parts of the country. I will never forget
the warmth with which they congratulated me for the third anniversary of
my election to the See of Peter. It was a moving moment in which I
experienced in a tangible way all of the support of the Church for my
ministry. I could say the same about my meeting with youth and
seminarians, which was held precisely in the diocesan seminary preceded
by a very significant meeting with handicapped boys and girls and their
families.
I proposed to youth -- who by their
nature are thirsting for truth and love -- some figures of men and women
who have given an exemplary testimony of the Gospel in the lands of the
United States, the Gospel of the Truth that frees in love, in service,
in life given for others. In seeing the darkness that today
threatens their lives, youth can find in the saints the light that
dissipates it: The light of Christ, hope for all men.
This hope, stronger than sin and
death, motivated the emotion-swelled moment that I spent in silence at
the crater of Ground Zero where I lit a candle praying for all the
victims of that terrible tragedy. Finally, my visit culminated
with the celebration of the Eucharist in Yankee Stadium in New
York. I still carry in my heart that festival of faith and
brotherhood with which we celebrated the 200 years of the oldest
dioceses of North America. The original little flock has
progressed enormously enriching itself with the faith and the traditions
of successive waves of immigration. To this Church, which now faces the
challenges of the present, I have had the joy of announcing anew
"Christ Our Hope" of yesterday, today and forever.
Dear brothers and sisters, I invite
you to unite yourselves with me in thanksgiving for the encouraging
results of this apostolic trip and in the supplication to God, through
the intercession of the Virgin Mary, that it produces abundant fruits
for the Church in the United States and in all parts of the world.
Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI Coat of Arms
Pope Benedict XVI Messages
My Cousin the Pope
Sister Lucille remembers Tim Russert
