A Catholic Digest Papal Exclusive |
| | “The Mass is ended, go in peace.”
Photo by Kathleen Stauffer | |
WASHINGTON —
After initial words of encouragement and hope, Pope Benedict directly addressed during his homily the sex abuse scandal of the Catholic Church in the United States.
“It is in the context of this hope, born of God’s love and fidelity, that I acknowledge the pain which the Church in America has experienced as a result of the sexual abuse of minors,” the Pope said. “No words of mine could describe the pain and harm inflicted by such abuse. It is important that those who have suffered be given loving pastoral attention.”
The pope went on to emphasize the need for prayers stemming from such pain, prayers stemming from a need for forgiveness, and prayers stemming from our hopes for redemption.
The crowd burst into applause as the Pope finished his homily by encouraging those present to go forth and be initiators of evangelical hope. Applause exploded again as Benedict XVI launched into Spanish with “some words for our brothers and sisters in the Spanish language.” The emphasis was on hope and addressed the way in which our faith speaks to us of this hope.
While the Pope received the gifts of consecration, a multicultural choir performed “Bienaventurados,” a lively offertory song replete with African drums and pipes.
As the consecration concluded, and with the greeting of peace and Our Father over, 300 Eucharistic ministers — deacons and priests robed in white — swept into the stands and began distributing the Eucharist to the multitude. The extensive operation took place without a hitch, the crowd moving like a wave from the top tiers of the stadium downward toward the field. Accomplished in just over 20 minutes, the operation exceeded its time allotment only slightly.
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The crowd enthusiastically received Benedict’s closing blessing and cheered at the words: “The Mass is ended, go in peace.” |
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As the final communicants received, Placido Domingo launched into a rousing “Panis Angelicus.” As the tenor, who serves as general director of the Washington National Opera concluded and approached the pontiff at the altar, he fell to his knees before the Pope to receive Benedict’s blessing.
The crowd enthusiastically received Benedict’s closing blessing and cheered at the words: “The Mass is ended, go in peace.”
Cheering continued as the pope left the altar and proceeded through the crowd, blessing Mass-goers as he walked. Resounding applause filled the stadium as the pope took his final exit. A few in attendance rushed toward the exiting pontiff, but two priests held out their arms in a plea with them to keep a distance, which they then did.
Children began to sing as they made their way to the exits.
By five minutes after noon, the stadium had emptied — in steady and orderly fashion — two-thirds of its crowd. But, things are not over for Benedict, who is scheduled to speak with heads of Catholic colleges and universities at 5 p.m. and ecumenical leaders at 6:30 p.m. today.
Then, of course, the pontiff will travel to New York on Friday for more parades, an address at the United Nations, and Masses at St. Patrick Cathedral and Yankee Stadium.
Outside Nationals Park, meanwhile, a colorful swarm filled the street as the papal audience took leave. Like specks, they filled the street as far as the eye could see. Ten minutes later, people still filled the street, and they were still moving.
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