NEW YORK —
Though many argued prior to his visit that he lacked the “rock star” persona of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI was lauded with cheers and ovations by the faithful gathered inside St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City after an inspirational Mass there Saturday morning.
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| | Nuns and invited guests wait in pews for Pope
Benedict XVI to arrive at New York's St. Patrick's
Cathedral April 19. (CNS photo/Reuters) | |
Camera flashes popped as Pope Benedict XVI made his slow exit, processing up the center aisle of the landmark 5th Avenue cathedral, his security detail holding back nuns trying to throw themselves at his feet.
Hundreds more filling the streets outside also erupted into applause as they watched the Holy Father on a large video screen. An elderly lady clutching an enormous cross, remained outside the church along with hundreds of others long after the pope’s departure, hoping for a glimpse of His Holiness while small children ran around and cheered, “We love the pope!”
Many a rock star would be hard pressed to receive this kind of adulation.
Upon his arrival Saturday morning to shouts of “Papa! Papa!” Pope Benedict warmly greeted the faithful as he was escorted by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to the altar of St. Patrick’s Cathedral where he was joined by Cardinal Edward Egan and other cardinals, archbishops, and bishops. Brightly lit, the sanctuary was decorated with large bouquets of white and yellow flowers to match the pope’s vestitures for this first papal Mass in the history of St. Patrick’s.
Mayor Bloomberg, commenting on the springtime weather, asked Cardinal Egan if he should thank the pope for the beautiful day. Egan replied, “There are no accidents.” With sunlight streaming through the large stained glass windows beside the altar, Pope Benedict remarked in his homily how from the outside the windows can look dark, heavy, even dreary, but once one enters the church they suddenly come alive; once the light reflects through them, they reveal all their splendor, like the light of Christ entering a darkened heart and filling it with spirit and glory.
During his address, Pope Benedict XVI, as he had done at the other venues in which he spoke, condemned the sex abuse scandal while recognizing the 97 percent of Catholic clergy including those present who were not involved. He thanked the priests in attendance for keeping the faith despite the difficulties they’ve had to face since sexual abuse of children by clergy first came to light in 2002.
Calling the scandal “the shame of the Church,” Pope Benedict urged the 3,000 in attendace to help the Church repair itself and its faithful. Now is the time for purification and hope in America, he said.
The Holy Father held a private and unscheduled prayer service with victims of clergy sex abuse earlier in his visit and will reportedly recommend changes in Church law that will make it easier for predators to be removed from the Church.
During the Rite of Holy Communion, to the hymn, “I Am the Bread of Life” sung by the Cathedral of St. Patrick choir, those in attendance received the Body and Blood of Christ by the pope and several members of the clergy in a well choreographed movement lasting only about 10 minutes.
In a deviation from the schedule, Cardinal Tarcissio Bertone, the Vatican secretary of state, took the mic and congratulated the pope on the third anniversary of his election, thanking him for his service. In an impromptu reply, the Holy Father smiled and thanked everyone that gathered there: “I am grateful for your love of the Church, grateful for your love of Jesus Christ, and grateful for the support you show for this humble successor of St. Peter,” he said. St. Peter was a man, with all his faults and sins, Benedict noted, adding, “so also am I.”
It was a brief yet revealing moment of unrehearsed humility in the pope’s fully scripted trip. Pope Benedict is scheduled to speak to seminarians at a youth rally Saturday night and will visit Ground Zero and hold Mass at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, before departing for the Vatican Sunday night.
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