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NEW YORK (CNS) - As they met Pope
Benedict XVI during his first papal visit to the United States, many
U.S. Catholics couldn't help but compare him to Pope John Paul II, whom
they had known for nearly three decades.
In part, that was because they just didn't know much about Pope
Benedict, who began the fourth year of his pontificate during his April
15-20 trip to the United States. The third anniversary of his election
was April 19.
He has often been portrayed as being strict and scholarly and lacking
the charisma of his predecessor.
But that perception seemed to change during his six-day visit.
"A lot of people thought he couldn't replace (Pope) John Paul, but he
can," said Carol Henglein, a parishioner from St. Virgilius Church in
Queens prior to the April 20 Mass at Yankee Stadium.
She described the 81-year-old pontiff as having "an aura about him" and
being a "wonderful inspiration to young people."
And sure enough, the young people seemed to "get him," especially during
the April 19 rally for seminarians and young people on the grounds of
St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers, which was reminiscent of a World Youth
Day with Pope John Paul.
During the rally, the 25,000 participants frequently cheered for Pope
Benedict and he in turn, much like his predecessor at youth events,
seemed visibly invigorated.
At the rally, the pope smiled broadly and even spontaneously moved to
the first few rows to grasp hands with the youths. During his address
the crowd repeatedly interrupted him with applause and cheers, unlike
the crowds at most venues of the pope's visit, where the applause
interruptions were fewer.
If the clapping was restrained in some cases, it may have been because
his listeners did not fully understand the pope, who delivered his
speeches in a soft voice with a German accent.
And sometimes the words were just not sound-bite material that would
generate a cheering response. Many of his talks reflected his scholarly
background and might have to be read and reread to unpack their meaning.
Several priests and women religious at the April 19 Mass for clergy and
religious at St. Patrick's Cathedral told Catholic News Service they
wanted to get a copy of the text and look at it closely. Catholic
college presidents said the same thing after he spoke to them April 17
at The Catholic University of America in Washington.
But even if they didn't pick up every word of the pope's remarks, those
who heard him still came away with a familiarity with the pontiff they
hadn't had before, along with a deeper appreciation for him.
Father Joseph Ferraro, pastor of St. Anthony Parish in Belleville, N.J.,
left the Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral overwhelmed by the experience
but also with a sense that the pope was not a distant leader but "just
like one of the family."
The pope also showed a humility that did not go unnoticed. At the end of
the cathedral Mass, Pope Benedict made impromptu remarks thanking the
priests and women religious for their love of the church, the Lord and
also for their "love to the poor successor of St. Peter."
"I will do all that is possible to be a real successor of the great St.
Peter, who also was a man with his faults and some sins, but he remains
finally the rock for the church,” he told them.
Sister Elizabeth Worley, a Sister of St. Joseph who is chancellor of
administration and chief operating officer for the Diocese of Orlando,
Fla., said she wanted to read the pope’s homily to absorb it all, but
she was impressed with how he described himself as a “poor successor of
St. Peter.”
Throughout Pope Benedict’s U.S. visit, reminders of Pope John Paul were
not hard to find. Pope Benedict quoted him on several occasions. Many
places Pope Benedict visited — the White House, the United Nations, The
Catholic University of America and Yankee Stadium — repeated stops his
predecessor had made.
Many who were analyzing the U.S. papal trip noted that during his
six-day visit Pope Benedict came out from under Pope John Paul’s shadow.
And one television commentator comparing the two popes put it this way:
“Pope John Paul II made us feel. Pope Benedict makes us think.” |
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