Local Catholics prepare to welcome Pope Benedict XVI |
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Written by LAURIE STEVENS, Chronicle Writer
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Thursday, 03 April 2008 19:00 |
College presidents, teenagers, clergy, seminarians and families are all part of the small flock traveling from the Diocese of Toledo to greet the pope in Washington and New York City this month.
Nearly 100 Catholics from northwest Ohio have tickets to see Pope Benedict XVI during his first papal visit to the United States April 15-20, which bears the theme “Christ Our Hope.”
Many will join crowds from across the country at stadium Masses celebrated by the pope in Washington and New York. About 45,000 people are expected at Nationals Park April 17, and more than 58,000 are expected at Yankee Stadium April 20.
Though most seats went to Catholics in the hosting archdioceses of Washington and New York and other nearby dioceses, the Diocese of Toledo received 25 tickets to Mass at Nationals Park and 50 tickets to Mass at Yankee Stadium. They were distributed across the 19 counties of the diocese.
Eleven students from Fostoria St. Wendelin High School are among the lucky recipients planning to attend Mass at Yankee Stadium.
Led by Notre Dame Sister Teresita Richards, director of faith formation at St. Wendelin, associate pastor Father Eric Schild, and two other teachers, they depart by car for New York City early the morning of April 19.
Sr. Richards expects the experience to have a similar impact on the teenagers as she has seen at past World Youth Days.
“It often helps them realize that the church is much bigger than the area they live in, and that’s a very heart-stretching experience,” she relates.
Another group of teenagers from Lima Life Teen and Van Wert St. Mary is also traveling to New York City for Mass at Yankee Stadium.
Father Michael Zacharias, pastor of St. Mary, says the trip offers young people an exciting opportunity to gain “a broader vision of the church” and to see other youth who are as excited about the faith as they are. “What a beautiful, awesome thing that is,” he adds.
Though Fr. Zacharias has been to Rome and to World Youth Days, he is especially looking forward to seeing the Holy Father on U.S. soil.
“We need that as a country — just having his witness,” he says. “There’s grace having the pope visit our country.”
In Washington, Pope Benedict’s schedule includes meetings with President George W. Bush and the U.S. bishops, including Bishop Leonard P. Blair and retired Auxiliary Bishop Robert W. Donnelly of the Diocese of Toledo. The pope will also meet with representatives from other religions and address several hundred leaders from Catholic universities, colleges and schools across the country.
Robert Helmer, president of Lourdes College, John Hayward, president of Mercy College and Jack Altenburger, superintendent of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Toledo will hear the pope speak at The Catholic University of America April 17.
Dr. Helmer says he expects the pope will address in some fashion “the impact that a Catholic education has on our society at large, in all the issues that we face.
“I think his insights as a theologian and as the pope will be very interesting to hear,” adds Dr. Helmer. “And inspiring.”
In New York, the pope will address the United Nations General Assembly, attend an ecumenical meeting and visit ground zero. Pope Benedict will also preside at a Mass for clergy and religious in St. Patrick’s Cathedral of New York April 19.
Most in attendance will be from the New York Archdiocese, but the Diocese of Toledo received and distributed two tickets to clergy by lottery. Father David Reinhart, president of Oregon Cardinal Stritch High School, and Deacon Victor DeFilippis of Perrysburg St. Rose won and will be at the Mass with nearly 3,000 other priests, deacons and religious.
Later that day, six seminarians from the Diocese of Toledo who attend Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Cincinnati will hear the pope speak on the grounds of St. Joseph’s Seminary in the Dunwoodie section of Yonkers, N.Y.
Seminarians Jason Kahle, Anthony Recker, Chris Bohnsack, Michael Roemmele, Dennis Erford and Matthew Rader will join more than 26,000 seminarians, young people and individuals in formation for religious life for the youth rally and prayer service.
Mr. Kahle, a fourth-year theology student, says he is looking forward to seeing the pope and being in a “crowd of vocations” at the event.
“I’m hoping that my own vocation will be strengthened and affirmed by all that,” adds Mr. Kahle, who is scheduled to be ordained as a transitional deacon the following weekend in April.
Mr. Rader, a seminarian completing his pastoral internship at Maumee St. Joseph this year, says he can remember watching on television when the pope addressed seminarians at World Youth Day in Germany several years ago.
He says he looks forward to hearing any words of encouragement and challenge that will be offered by Pope Benedict, “a man who has lived a vibrant priestly life.”
Those without event tickets can catch a glimpse of the Holy Father as he travels between sites by popemobile. Fr. Zacharias anticipates his group will be among those lining the streets to wave at Pope Benedict as he passes.
“We kind of want the kids to experience the crowds,” he says. “It’s fun.”
For a detailed itinerary of Pope Benedict XVI’s trip to the U.S., visit www.uspapalvisit.org.
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Last Updated on Monday, 28 July 2008 08:46 |
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